This is a blog post
I wrote over on Tumblr, but I thought I would post some stuff here and get other recommendations too for anyone who wants a website for their webcomic (that's not a limited host where you need to hand-code each page, or a social media profile) and isn't sure how to go about making one!
COMIC PLATFORMS:
One easy way to jump in (especially for folks who are hesitant to code) is to look into a free webcomic platform to host your comic. There are a variety of websites out there which are tailored specifically for webcomics and will let anyone sign up for their own small space to host their comic, and who make efforts to promote specific comics, provide a directory of comics by genre for visitors, and cultivate an environment of readers, similar to how a mall attracts people to a collection of stores.
You do have to follow the platform’s rules on content, the options you get for monetizing your content are usually very limited, and if you ever move locations, you may find that people are more loyal to the platform than your particular comic and will just replace you on their reading list. Here are a few options for comic platforms:
- WebToon Canvas: This is the English branch of a South Korean company called LINE, which has similar platforms in a variety of different regions and languages. WebToon specializes in vertical scroll comics, although creators can upload traditional printed-page-style comics as well; it’s important to note that as most of their readership keeps up with their comics via a phone app, art that reads well on a small and narrow screen tends to perform best. WebToon is fairly strict about content. Titles which are flagged as Mature may be removed or hidden from their phone app. There is no website customization allowed for creators hosting their content here.
- Tapas: Another South Korea-based company, Tapas is similar in format to WebToon in terms of prioritizing scroll-format webcomics, although their community includes more page-format comics.
- Comicfury: This site still specializes in what I will refer to for now as “traditional” webcomics– that is, comics whose updates are read one page at a time, with arrows linking to the next and previous pages in sequence, rather than stacked vertically and scrolled through. Comicfury allows users a considerable amount of customization of their website, from aesthetic choices like background colour, to basics of website navigation; users can even pick out a custom URL.
- The Duck (formerly Drunkduck): Similar to ComicFury, they allow their users considerable customization of their space. This platform has a small and very dedicated userbase and is run primarily on community donations.
FULL WEB HOSTS:
Not happy with the restrictions of the platforms? Making your own website is also an option! Web hosts that give you database options start at about $5 a month, but the very large benefits to these are that you can share that space/cost with friends and also add a comic-specific Content Management System (or CMS) to lay in the groundwork for a functional site and then customize the appearance however you want. Getting navigation and display options completely customized will require working with someone who knows a bit of HTML and CSS code (or learning yourself from the many Googleable tutorials of the internet).
This option is the most work, but the best way to get exactly what you want and share almost any kind of content that other sites might restrict.
Some popular CMSes are:
Feel free to use this thread to ask questions about these, talk about your experiences using them, or recommend others to add to the list!!
