CCT 300: Critical Analysis of MediaCCT 300: Critical Analysis of Media

Class 6: Economics as Applied to Comics: and lessons

for other media?

Class 6: Economics as Applied to Comics: and lessons

for other media?

Reinventing ComicsReinventing Comics

• 9 basic elements• 3 components focused on

potential of digital delivery

• 9 basic elements• 3 components focused on

potential of digital delivery

Reinventing Comics (1): Creation as Art

Reinventing Comics (1): Creation as Art

• Comics as Literature• Comies as Art• Creators’ Rights

• Comics as Literature• Comies as Art• Creators’ Rights

Comics as Literature/ArtComics as Literature/Art

• Many of you have already discovered this in writing the paper - examples?

• Comics can be both if properly done

• Many of you have already discovered this in writing the paper - examples?

• Comics can be both if properly done

Comics as LiteratureComics as Literature

• Storytelling and narrative• Gets more complex than simple

serialized strip - a full story from beginning to end (or a serialized strip that takes months/years to tell story?)

• Examples?

• Storytelling and narrative• Gets more complex than simple

serialized strip - a full story from beginning to end (or a serialized strip that takes months/years to tell story?)

• Examples?

Comics as ArtComics as Art

• No longer simply “men in tights”

• Japanese influence - a range of interesting non-action transitions, new forms of expression

• No longer simply “men in tights”

• Japanese influence - a range of interesting non-action transitions, new forms of expression

Creators’ RightsCreators’ Rights• Reaction to similar battles between

creators/publishers (examples?)• Full ownership and control• Fair share of profit• Challenges coming from this?

• Reaction to similar battles between creators/publishers (examples?)

• Full ownership and control• Fair share of profit• Challenges coming from this?

Reinventing Comics (2): Industry and Audience

Reinventing Comics (2): Industry and Audience

• Industry Innovation• Public Perception • Institutional Scrutiny

• Industry Innovation• Public Perception • Institutional Scrutiny

Innovation in IndustryInnovation in Industry

• Creators’ rights require innovation in industry model - and sometimes drive it

• Simple model of “getting into the business” - photocopy a drawing and sell it yourself - trite but true - but it’s more complicated in practice

• Creators’ rights require innovation in industry model - and sometimes drive it

• Simple model of “getting into the business” - photocopy a drawing and sell it yourself - trite but true - but it’s more complicated in practice

Steps in Traditional Publishing

Steps in Traditional Publishing

• Author• Publisher• Accounting• Marketing• Printing• Distribution• Warehousing• Retail• Transportation among above• Etc.

• Author• Publisher• Accounting• Marketing• Printing• Distribution• Warehousing• Retail• Transportation among above• Etc.

Creation and Distribution…Creation and Distribution…

• Many will sacrifice control over non-creative tasks to gain broader market

• That’s often a good idea. Why?• Sometimes not a good idea.

Why?

• Many will sacrifice control over non-creative tasks to gain broader market

• That’s often a good idea. Why?• Sometimes not a good idea.

Why?

Public PerceptionPublic Perception

• Comics as kid-lit - why?• What effect does stereotype of

comics have?• What effect does traditional model of

production have on enforcing this stereotype?

• Comics as kid-lit - why?• What effect does stereotype of

comics have?• What effect does traditional model of

production have on enforcing this stereotype?

Comics and CensorshipComics and Censorship• Emergence of comics in US history -

tainted by censors who lamented the debasement of culture, perversion of youth - pretty much everything

• Ironically, drove comics underground where they became even more debased and perverted (e.g., R. Crumb?)

• Driven by perception - if comics were seen as valued art, would this happen?

• Emergence of comics in US history - tainted by censors who lamented the debasement of culture, perversion of youth - pretty much everything

• Ironically, drove comics underground where they became even more debased and perverted (e.g., R. Crumb?)

• Driven by perception - if comics were seen as valued art, would this happen?

Reinventing Comics (3): Diversity of Audience

and Creation

Reinventing Comics (3): Diversity of Audience

and Creation

• Gender Balance• Minority Representation• Diversity of Genre

• Gender Balance• Minority Representation• Diversity of Genre

Comics and GenderComics and Gender

• Traditionally creators and audience were male

• Creators have been female - but still expected to follow expectations of audience

• To what effect?• Alternatives?

• Traditionally creators and audience were male

• Creators have been female - but still expected to follow expectations of audience

• To what effect?• Alternatives?

Minority ComicsMinority Comics

• Stereotypical audience, and many creators (even if they aren’t) - white, male, straight, Christian, young, physically able, middle class

• To what effect?• Alternatives?

• Stereotypical audience, and many creators (even if they aren’t) - white, male, straight, Christian, young, physically able, middle class

• To what effect?• Alternatives?

Diversity of GenreDiversity of Genre• Superhero domination of shelf space

via perception, creation and audience - a vicious cycle

• Non-traditional graphic novels - breaks through ideas of what a comic “must be”

• Required breaking through comic store as core distribution channel

• Superhero domination of shelf space via perception, creation and audience - a vicious cycle

• Non-traditional graphic novels - breaks through ideas of what a comic “must be”

• Required breaking through comic store as core distribution channel

Reinventing Comics (4): Digitization and the

Internet

Reinventing Comics (4): Digitization and the

Internet• Digital Production• Digital Delivery• Digital Comics

• Digital Production• Digital Delivery• Digital Comics

DigitizationDigitization

• Production of comics digitally - including McCloud’s two last books, but others - examples?

• What does digital production do to creation of the art?

• Production of comics digitally - including McCloud’s two last books, but others - examples?

• What does digital production do to creation of the art?

Digital DeliveryDigital Delivery

• Like other media, removes steps in production process - ideally funneling consumer money to producer with fewer middlemen

• Middlemen role - still useful - why?

• Like other media, removes steps in production process - ideally funneling consumer money to producer with fewer middlemen

• Middlemen role - still useful - why?

MicropaymentsMicropayments• Addition to Reinventing Comics as

technology improved to make it plausible

• General principle re: chains of distribution - consumer fairness (rel. to creative rights) but audence fairness as well - rights to sample, test and pay fair prices

• Addition to Reinventing Comics as technology improved to make it plausible

• General principle re: chains of distribution - consumer fairness (rel. to creative rights) but audence fairness as well - rights to sample, test and pay fair prices

Micropayments (2)Micropayments (2)

• Consumer obtains product from source (whatever source may be)

• Consumer values product (as I’m sure some of you did…)

• Consumer wishes to compensate producer directly - but how?

• Still an open problem - why?

• Consumer obtains product from source (whatever source may be)

• Consumer values product (as I’m sure some of you did…)

• Consumer wishes to compensate producer directly - but how?

• Still an open problem - why?

Digital ComicsDigital Comics

• Adds a new dimension to creation

• Dependent on tools - tools to create Reinventing and Making Comics

• Other options?

• Adds a new dimension to creation

• Dependent on tools - tools to create Reinventing and Making Comics

• Other options?

New Directions: WebComics

New Directions: WebComics

• Can include immersive environments in whatever medium

• May even include games (e.g. Myst, but even first-person shooters?)

• Can even be simply regular comics put up on the web (http://www.thewebcomiclist.com/)

• Can include immersive environments in whatever medium

• May even include games (e.g. Myst, but even first-person shooters?)

• Can even be simply regular comics put up on the web (http://www.thewebcomiclist.com/)

Flash-based ComicsFlash-based Comics

• Why Flash?• What does Flash contribute to

visual and experiential effect of animation?

• Why is it still comical in nature?

• Why Flash?• What does Flash contribute to

visual and experiential effect of animation?

• Why is it still comical in nature?

ExamplesExamples

• Weebl’s Stuff/Weebl & Bob• Homestar Runner• Alternative financing strategies?• New/Mass media issues (esp.

around the Quizno’s ads?)• Other examples?

• Weebl’s Stuff/Weebl & Bob• Homestar Runner• Alternative financing strategies?• New/Mass media issues (esp.

around the Quizno’s ads?)• Other examples?

Next weekNext week

• Truth and objectivity in media - why the media is really not helping you much (and why you might already know that…)

• Truth and objectivity in media - why the media is really not helping you much (and why you might already know that…)