Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Dispatch from the Frontier of Comics

My friend Mike Peterson attended the New England Webcomics Weekend held last Saturday and Sunday in Easthampton, Mass., and has filed a couple of reports on his "Comic Strip of the Day" blog. They're recommended reading for people who care about comics, webcomics, the future of comics and webcomics, etc.

Mike knows his stuff. He's a veteran journalist, reporter, and editor who understands both the creative and business sides of cartooning. I met him online when I introduced my Mom's Cancer webcomic to the world, and I respected his opinion enough to ask him to be one of the very few folks who previewed Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow. I must say that Mike was the person most critical of that early draft, and therefore one of the most helpful. I also must say that I didn't take most of his advice. However, I greatly appreciated his always-thoughtful feedback and, in the quiet nights when I lie awake staring into the what-if darkness, still wonder if he might have been right.

Mike's reports from the webcomics con are full of his characteristic fine writing and insight. It looks like the sort of event I would've really enjoyed. Here's Part One, here's Part Two, and if he posts more parts I'll insert links here. They were worth my time, might be worth yours, too.
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4 comments:

Mike said...

Much thanks for the praise, and I'm glad you didn't take too much of my criticism to heart. Nobody should. If you listen to the others, you lose yourself.

But I'm glad you dropped the duck.

Sherwood Harrington said...

There was going to be a duck in WHTTWOT??? Man, now I feel doubly-deprived.

Mike said...

That's an old canard, Sherwood.

Sherwood Harrington said...

I was going to ask, "Why a duck?" but then read your strip-a-day for today and saw what you think of puns that force you to mispronounce a word.