Zuda Week: Preview

For the last few years, webcomics have been slowly but steadily making inroads into the comic marketplace. By virtue of being both free and on demand, internet comics have begun attracting more and more readers, both from within and without the traditional comics fan base; and the more people that read webcomics, the greater the need for compelling, professional content.

That's where Zuda Comics comes in.

Owned by DC Comics and launched with much fanfare back in 2007, Zuda Comics has quickly become the hub of the webcomic community. While the company has gained its fair share of criticism over the always prickly issue of creators rights and work for hire projects, it's also provided an avenue for hundreds of new creators to both gain exposure and actual cash money for their efforts. But most of all, it gives readers looking for a comic fix their one stop shopping for a wealth of ongoing projects.

For those not familiar with Zuda, here's how it works: every month, Zuda debuts ten new features, each represented by an eight page tryout story (often comprising the first eight pages of a larger storyline, rather than a standalone tale). Over the course of the month, readers can vote for their favorite submission and at the end of the month, the winning strip is rewarded with a one year contract to provide ongoing content. At present, there are currently 30 winning series in production, meaning one title or another is updated with new content just about every day of the year. Plus, the losing projects are still archived, giving comics enthusiasts a wealth of new material to pore over (195 eight page intros to date) while giving those creators a permanent spot to gain exposure and new fans.

Over the course of the next week, then, we'll be taking a closer look at Zuda, beginning with reviews of the ten series currently vying for the October title and continuing with more in-depth looks at some of the flagship Zuda titles such as I Rule the Night and Celadore. I'll also be giving my thoughts on what you can learn about the submission process from the titles that are accepted and how this can help you hone your own Zuda pitch.

So check back tomorrow as I bring you round one of the competition. Because when you get down to it, there's just nothing better than sitting down with a pile of new comics and cracking them open to see what magic waits inside.

Even if they're on your computer.

Posted in: Celadore, comic books, comics, DC Comics, High Moon, independent comics, webcomics, Zuda, Zuda Week