The Rise of Webcomics | Off Book | PBS Digital Studios

[@artbydw]

Anytime these are emailed to me, I'm online to view it as soon as possible. I love these! Keep it up PBS.

[@joshwoodward]

I love watching awesome videos and randomly coming across my music. :) Thanks for using my tune, and for your always-awesome videos.

[@tinaun]

I heard the full interviews lasted about 20-30 minutes. I know that the full length interviews would be not that great, but an expanded edit of each webcomic maker would be great to see! PBS, you can do it!

[@JosephAlanMeador]

Hey, I love webcomics! They were special to my sister and i growing up in the late 90's and early 2000's. Some of my favorites were Megatokyo, RPG World, and PVP.

[@garrettoonaddict266]

Rare appearance by Andrew Hussie

[@alextheduck8449]

You can't fight the homestuck.....

[@alextheduck8449]

Do you? I guess I comment a lot. I always got something to say when ever I watch videos I guess :3

[@DSHC224]

I would really love to see the full interviews with each of these artists. It would be incredibly interesting to see them all.

[@twistedironpaw]

I personally loved problem sleuth, It was one of my favorite web-comics/series of all time. And seriously, I want to see some more fiction that's ironic, epic, and hilarious without being so steeped in teenaged drama

[@Zerepzerreitug]

I started reading _Stop Paying Attention_ because of this episode, and I can only say: Wow, that was amazing :D

[@0whatman]

+Arturo Gutierrez have you read homestuck?

[@Zerepzerreitug]

Xero0 I haven't yet. I'm a bit afraid of getting hooked and my family filing me as a missing person after weeks of absence XD

[@0whatman]

Arturo Gutierrez oh ok jajajjaja. do as i do read it on your free time when you feel like reading it or when you have nothing else to do, and the format of the comic is very good, because of how it is done you can easilly take a rest between pages and when you go back to read it you dont feel lost, of course dont press the link to the next page before the rest because if you pass by you will see the image and start reading it.

[@Permafry42108]

Thanks for the recommendation! The first chapter was beautiful, and I'll definitely read more of it.

[@SupahWeegeeman]

It would be great to see the full interviews!

[@AnimeLoveoftheGods]

"Claps" Thanks for being a voice of reason!

[@TheQuinch]

That's the beauty of it. For everyone who doesn't like certain styles or kinds of comics, there's some out there to their taste.

[@holdmybeer]

One of my favorite youtube channels. The video quality is superb too.

[@Jonic_P]

Found this thru sub recommendations from Idea Channel... Loving it!!!

[@TMGuijt]

because of this video, I started reading Lucy Knisley's comic's! Thank you Off Book!!

[@theblackrose013]

you are the only person to agree with me on the fact that Hussie did plan out most of the events of homestuck, and for that, I thank thee

[@pinkfakecheez]

fun game: mute vid, scroll down until about 3/4 of screen is covered, try to guess whose stubbly chin is on screen at any given moment

[@bobbertceiling]

I love you PBS. Never. Stop.

[@EQuivalentTube2]

Guys, you should totally do an episode for Internet Education. Call Vsauce(1 - 3), SixtySymbols (along with Numberphile and PeriodicVideos), Veritasium, MinutePhysics, Numberphile, Smarter Every Day, the list goes on and on. By the way, big ups to you for XKCD and especially Homestuck.

[@safrprojects]

3:30 That one AC:B mission

[@PogieJoe]

I can't get enough of this web series. Brilliant stuff! :D

[@holdmybeer]

I need to watch this twice, once for the comics second for commentary.

[@Permafry42108]

The internet isn't any one country or one culture. So long as you know who will enjoy your art, and that audience is on the internet, you will always find people who will treat creativity with the respect it deserves. Times have changed thanks to the internet, and national barriers are breaking down (for better or worse). As an artist, you can easier fight the trends (which might be successful depending on your style), or you can take advantage of them, like artistic programming or web comics.

[@черныйчай-к5ф]

LETS TELL THEM ABOUT *HOMESTUCK*

[@Arunnejiro]

I once read homestuck all day for around 8 hours....Even though I already read it frequently it still takes a long time.Especially reading Rose Lalonde's posts, especially trying to comprehend the paradoxes, shenanigans, complex story, I mean there are just so many irons in the fire....I am not even halfway through as I myself had stalled, and the creator is still making at least 3 pages a day....But, it is certainly worth it.

[@Hipsterrify]

Great covering of awesome webcomics; Stop paying attention is now on my bookmarks bar :D Should've mentioned Zenpencils too. It's a great webcomic

[@heavenlyevan]

Here's the deal, I never came into Homestuck with the intention to hate it, but the fandom is probably far more intrusive than even the Sherlock fandom. However, the fans are only as insane as the content, and Homestuck has some really insane and really incredible content. I read all of it last summer, and it is among the best decisions I've ever made. The storytelling is among the most complex I've ever seen and it works to the story's advantage (though probably not the reader's).

[@TheMaplestrip]

Excellent compilation and interviews related to my favorite artistic medium :3

[@justarandomreptile3286]

Omfg, this is so beautiful. Im gonna cry tears of rainbowly inspiration right now.

[@Permafry42108]

Homestuck FTW! One of my goals in life is to make my own multi-media webcomic. I really wish more webcomics would do what homestuck does...

[@SuperZergMan]

According to his old Formspring (which has since been deleted) the basic plot structure has stayed the same since the beginning, but a lot of it was not planned ahead.

[@1982Lennon]

the music is killer!!

[@Arunnejiro]

Actually Oda, creator of One piece had a particular ending in mind from the start, it just became more and more popular that he began to release more and more content...

[@xJRLune]

Saw the Huss at Comicon... good times!

[@Hardiot]

Where ever I stop, I just save it in a book mark (or save the tab if I'm using Firefox) and read more later. I don't think I completely remembered everything the next time I would start reading again, but that way okay. :>

[@MultiEquations]

Can you do a brief history on typography? Thanks

[@Foxpawed]

Homestuck, xkcd, Perry Bible Fellowship. Yes. :D Two comics that define webcomics in their tendency to shirk the normal limitations of the printed comic medium, and one that just takes advantage of the fact that there are no editors or censors on the internet.

[@JonKimbel]

This is the coolest channel ever.

[@NovaarghsKnives]

I like webcomics, sgtbenbo is def my fave! hope it comes out in print some day!

[@Chocokaylarobin]

I would love to start a webcomic but then I end up doubting myself.I know I shouldn't worry what people think but I also want feedback. I'm also working on my drawing skills and everything but I just dont know. Is it a good idea? Its a story about Chinese Zodiac and regular zodiac signs but I don't want to be attached by people saying homesuck already covered that. Should I do it?

[@burningHeart09]

ChocoKaylaRobin Everything has been done a thousand times over. Hussie wasn't the first to theme characters around the western Zodiac and most definitely won't be the last. The key is to take what inspiration you have and make it your own. As the saying goes. "Good artists copy, Great artists steal." and that's the most important part. Make it your own.

[@myersa80]

I'd say Homestuck is one of THE most popular webcomics out there, period (It's also the largest in size, no contest). But you're right, the others aren't all that widespread AFAIK.

[@TheQuinch]

Then there's Sheldon {look up the "Stripped" kickstarter while you're at it}, Schlock Mercenary, Kevin and Kell, Gunnerkrigg Court, Questionable Content... this piece should have really touched on people who make their living off webcomics they create.

[@SidFarmer]

No TheOatmeal? That's a shame. He might have been cool to hear from. Great video though. This channel deserves way more recognition than it gets.

[@thewhinykid]

I love how half of the pictures were from xkcd. :)

[@gfuqua3876]

Not end of "web comic" (in general) but end of that particular 1 person doing the web comic ... though 3 or 10 more have already risen up to create web comics. It's like saying, "End of art" or "End of hobbies" or "End of what I enjoy to do in my free time" or "End of creating things". So rethink your stance on the future state of web comics ... they will not die, in general.

[@camilocalvo7821]

Depending on how much time you spend on it, anywhere from a week to several months. But don't rush through it, it's better to do it in your occasionally in your spare time than to try and get through it all at once.

[@ttrenchmiranda]

Reading comics and watching video at the same time: can't.

[@joshwoodward]

Many thanks!

[@numra25]

there's actually this one really great comic i recently found that isn't quite as multimedia as homestuck but i really enjoy it regardless. it's called ava's demon, at the end of every chapter, i think, there's a video wrapping that bit of the story up nicely. you should check it out :)

[@theblackrose013]

thank you for adding that last part, cause I would have added like 20 links to Homestuck, I'm not fucking kidding here

[@1982Lennon]

You make awesome music!!

[@Tea_Mist]

I'm with DSHC224 and tinau n. I would really like to see the full interviews of each webcomic maker >.>

[@BlackholeYT11]

Oh, they weren't a problem. I was basking in their magnificence.

[@theblackrose013]

there's one thing I want to ask Andrew Hussie, concerning Homestuck. Have you planned everything that's happened in the story, from the very begining?

[@Mayeur000Donz]

I was wondering if I could get a recommendation. I want something to fill my comic book shelves, so I'm looking to webcomics that have been printed into books. I'd like it if the webcomic is completed, and every collective volume has been released. I don't wanna have to worry if the collection will ever be completed. :~P Cheers.

[@blackkatze4773]

hey there! i know some fantasy comic published in the web :) got them all myself look for "strays online" , " Goblins of Razard" , "The Chronicle of Arcea", "the light of the land" (

[@Mayeur000Donz]

Lime Cat Awesome! Thanks dude! I guess you know a lot more about it than I do... But if I we gonna try and recommend some for you... You probably know this one, but there are the Liz Climo books. Also, I think Scott Ramsoomair released VGcats and Super Effective as mini graphic novels, but they're really topical, so they might not be your thing.

[@SniperRed0092]

Try Apple Black, OP

[@anormalstopsign74]

Dumbing of Age is pretty good

[@alizeyukki1082]

homestuck

[@TenArashi]

Let me put it this way: in plain text it's well over 400,000 words by this point, making it in the ballpark of War and Peace. And that's before you get into all the text in images, interactive games, animations, etc. It might take a few goes to finish it all, but hopefully by Act 5 Act 2 you should be in 'whoops when did it become Tuesday morning I still have hundreds of pages to read' mode.

[@heavenlyevan]

Well, the most popular webcomics these days sell merch, which sustains a lot of these sorts of people.

[@Permafry42108]

Andrew Hussie might considering how much money he's making off Homestuck. IMO Webcomics are like video games: people still are learning to take them seriously as an artform. IMO we're going to see webcomics and video games getting more and more recognition as art within the next decade, which is why I'm going to college to be a game design.

[@wonderpandimonium]

A friend of mine took a few months, I think. Believe me that it's better to be reading it through than have to wait for the updates. It is very boring in the first act, but believe me, once you get to Cascade and the Dark Carnival scenes, it'll be SO worth it!

[@theblackrose013]

but how does it explain everything that went on over the recent updates (over the course of the last 3 months)

[@HolyCowWorshipper]

Of course it depends on how much else you plan on doing. Three days is kinda crazy rushed and a little bit insane I think. A week would be more reasonable. Unless you have school.

[@mizushimo]

Not by a long shot. You can learn more about that kind of thing from the interview he did with Scott Pilgrim (just google it)

[@BaronQmark]

I was hoping Ryan North would show up in this at some point.

[@Permafry42108]

Are you kidding? Andrew Hussie, for example, is making money through the brand, which is how he funds the comic. The clothing, books, etc. have been more than enough for him to continue doing what he loves. Besides, art is its own value beyond people making money off it.

[@BigMacintoshMC]

it took me amonth, but this was in the summer with all day. Odds are you won't finish before the comic stops updating in a little less than a month (gosh... we're almost there...). But its a great read and funny dramatic and every adjective you can think of. dont get discouraged at how boring or tedious act 1 is, most of it is irrelevant anyways. but DONT SKIP ANYTHING, youll be sorry later. best of luck sir and/or madam!

[@nickflik0934]

there are other webcomics beside homestuck? :O

[@MsBAAKAAA]

God, when homestuck ends i will have to give these other comics a try. But gonna let it end before i give up on it.

[@MusicBent]

I just subscribed to your channel. Incredible music!! :)

[@ryorinshu]

There are a few people who quit their day jobs and live as professional webcomic creators, precisely because they DO make enough money that way to support themselves. Not many, mind you, but it is possible. Not all dreams die completely.

[@PBSoffbook]

We just changed the title from "Web Comics" to "Webcomics". Now we do not look as dumb. Sry. :)

[@EQuivalentTube2]

What the heck is Penny Arcade? Some parody on Sweet Bro and hella Jeff?

[@PaigeLavoie]

This made me really happy :) Yay webcomics!

[@semvision]

There are too many webcomics right now, I cant keep track of them all.

[@popschau]

Check it out! 'The Rise of Webcomics' is featured in our Videos of the Week show.

[@chibikarina]

Watching Andrew Hussie talk about Homestuck was awesome!!! And then he said his current goal and I felt like crying :'D D': I DON'T WANT IT TO END NOOOoo

[@higztv1166]

he still didn't end it FOR SOME REASON

[@snailsarecool]

Im I the only one that thought they were making a Off by Mortis Ghost book from the title?

[@flipvallarta]

With all the xkcd they had, I cannot freaking believe they didn't interview the author.

[@joemanYT]

I wished they showed Ryan North.

[@BlackArchis]

I love this channel.

[@MyBroSux24]

uh, also how could they not put in the gunshow comics?

[@zoraxbrooks]

i forgot about the reverse polish sausage

[@valeriapebble]

I came for the homestuck.

[@alizeyukki1082]

same, thank god homestuck was included for once

[@redheadandwoomy]

Valrey Peebler who didnt

[@ieetu898]

"my goal is to end homestuck...." ahhh, day ruined : ( I just really don't even want to contemplate the end......

[@spark9189]

well, he ended it. then made 3 games from it. then made an epilogue. and is now making a sequel.

[@Sweeticted]

I love web comics! Particularly the Korean web comics.

[@ieetu898]

I think the problem is Hussie knew for a long time exactly where he was going with the plot and has built the story as such. Adding on extra might ruin in, but all the same, i'll hurt when the fandom starts to die, and new material becomes more and more scarce............

[@tommash]

There is a KZbin channel called HomestuckColab that really got me into the comic I reccoment starting there and after that it depends on if you want to rush or just take your time

[@HalcyonUmbra]

Haha, Hussie sounds as geeky as he looks.

[@jonmahashintina]

For a world wide web this is a very american-centric view on webcomics.

[@yousayso]

Magnificent!

[@SatansFire]

wait, "my goal right now is to end the comic" WAIT WHAT NO Okay well at least can we have like the same characters ;w;

[@tintorcio]

Solid!

[@wonderpandimonium]

Also, it's not like you HAVE to rush through, ya know.

[@Americanbadashh]

Howard Taylor does webcomics for a living and he is almost 45.

[@HiddenDragon555]

Well it's that or have the comic trip, fall on it's face, attempt to crawl forward, and die a slow and painful death all alone. As well as slowly fade away and become a empty lifeless shell.

[@Foxpawed]

Well yeah, its gotta end at some point in time. Especially since he's gotta start making the video game, which is why he's on the current ???-weeks long hiatus to get that started so it can come out sooner rather than later.

[@crystalaquarian9337]

Okay so, Homestuck is the freaking reason why webcomics or becoming a thing.

[@kidmario67]

What? No Brawlinthefamily comic?

[@Putnam3145]

He's planned lots, but definitely not all. He probably keeps a general or maybe even specific idea of where the story is going at the moment, but the jokes and such are way too receptive to the fandom to be planned ahead.

[@blackkatze4773]

i (only me! xD) think there is a difference between a "meme" and a "webcomic" a meme express a little number of panels, normally one,... the things you find on your facebook main page (normally rotten artwork and content u can identify or funny things) a webcomic for me is a whole comicpages project with storyline and original charackters in their world (fanart too of course). something u find on smackjeeves :D bit just in my opion. i know that even a one-panel-comic is a comic. maybe we need some new words xD

[@0whatman]

+Lime Cat i think the same, and to be honest that is how it is, ho says they are the same thing? a meme is just 1 panel, sometimes is divided in pannels only the few memes that are devided in multiple panels (wich are not many panels anyway) can be considered webcomics.

[@ChrisD__]

Lime Cat Memes are just things and ideas that get spread around people and places. A comic strip can become a meme, but a short gag comic is *not* inherently a meme.