Recently, Webtoons started an ad campaign talking up their webcomic service in New York City. You know... physical ads in places where non-online folks would see them. Being a service that hosts and promotes, they used artwork from some of their more well known comic series in their adverts.

Well, they kinda' stepped in it by running these ads.

It wasn't the artwork chosen or the location that pissed a bunch of us comic folk off. No... it was the text used. Stuff that was fairly tame but annoying like "Your favorite streaming platforms love us." and "We're the story before it streams." were passable. It just reads like they're trying to a little hard for a particular segment of the population. Nothing too bad.

No, it was the ad that read "Comics are literature's fun side-hustle." that got us. -.-

I said my piece on Twitter about the whole situation but there is one thing I'd like to reiterate as I know it's a thing myself and others do - often without realizing it: Smack Talking our Work to Others like it's a Sales Pitch.

In the case of Webtoons, it wasn't so much their work as it was the work they provide hosting services and more for. Degrading comics - the thing their business is mostly about - by calling it a side hustle - something lesser than even a second job, they put folks off from wanting to check out their app and the work on it. They Definitely didn't do good by 'Lore Olympus' by having that line attached to artwork from their comic.

They effectively did a big money version of the cartoonist at a convention saying "I do a webcomic but it isn't any good." to passers-by.

That doesn't sell folks on reading your stuff. If anything, it gives them a head's up that perhaps your work isn't all that great and to skip it. It puts folks off and demeans what you do.

And it's a mentality that A Lot of us artist and comic folk have.

At least with us, there's a number of reasons those thoughts exist. I know I personally have those thoughts thanks to years of folks saying comics/cartoons/art in general isn't a "real job" and seeing people trash talk myself, others and what we do as a whole. Years of that gives you a complex that you must work to break yourself out of.

The key is to show a little pride in what you do. You worked hard so be proud of it. I promise others will start to see what you see in your work and you might even start to believe your own hype. It's less "Fake it 'till you Make It" and more being actually honest with yourself.

Remember: Don't do the Hater's work for them.

As for Webtoons... yeah. No. They have no excuse. They just showed that either their marketing department or the ad agency they went through has no respect for their product - the comics that pay their bills - and need to do some soul searching. They did an apology but it was a bog standard one. We'll see if they actually make moves to course correct or simply remove the ads early. I don't have much hope. -.-

Anyhoo! I've got some inks to finish then some ice cream to eat. Next strip is both the last in this story bit and the last in the current strip book. I gotta' figure out who gets cover billing for the next strip book before I start in on the next story.

Remember: Stay Safe. Wear a Mask. Get vaccinated if you can. Get a booster if you're already good on all that. And remember to keep your head up.

'Till next time! = )