TWCL

[lonelyfetus]

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I agree. Collectives are excellent. Topatoco has a huge built-in readership as well.

Topwhatchamacall isn't a collective, so much as order fulfillment, they hook you up with someone to make your shirts (brunetto, the most trusted name since 2000 for webcartoonists), then they take orders for you (on your store or theirs, through paypal), then they mail the shirts for you. They send you a check with cost taken off the top. (I think. They may actually charge you first.)

It's like a professional version of cafepress, where the shirts are physically made in advance and ready to go. Like a self-publishing house of sorts.

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I'm writing out a stupidly long review of Galaxion

That was an awesome stumble review by the way! Thanks! I hope others join in as well. I was amazed to find there was only one review on the main page, and most of the others weren't even submitted!

I think the T-shirts should work themselve in through subtle ways, though I like that idea - when it comes to commercial stuff we don't want to infringe as much as keep galaxion it's own thing and take advantage of it's own likeness...

Here's a mock up concept shirt, which could probably be done better, or more ornate by TTallan:



Also, most webcomics make unrelated T-shirts with words from the actual comic taken out of context, here's a not-so-great-text example, but a picture with it would be a lot better.



That quote directly taken from the previous shirt source, btw.

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I don't even know if I should be involving myself in this scheme or if I should just step back humbly and keep out of the way!

We could totally use artwork for postcards and stuff, but otherwise let us fans do crap that as the creator you wouldn't feel right getting away with.

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Those are some big names over there. It's not a matter of convincing me so much as convincing them! But... I still want to have a book printed first.

Book printing has low margins to cost, especially when you have no idea how many you'll really sell.

My old buddy Jimmy made 10 comics and hand bound them in hardcover with a neat cutaway design and sold each for $15-20, that's roughly $200 to get you started in a simple preorder for other good stuff! Think about it..

You should totally send them (Mr. Rowland) a letter showing your interest in their services, and whether or not they'd be interested in your comic's merchandise. Tell them you've established yourself with a respectable update schedule and following and would like to take the next step. If they would like to pass at this time, any advice they have to offer would be more than valuable, and hope to work with them in the future.

Tempt not to send them personal information or flatter them other than a nod at appreciating their previous work - let your comic speak for itself.

Trust me, it speaks volumes.

[chasecorbeau]

I posted the ad in my comic LJ and forum.

Posting the sans boobies version may have garnered a better response, though.
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[lonelyfetus]

Awesome! I'll check it out!

I will admit my ad is sexist. For his pleasure.

Edit: Hahahaha, I can't believe you used my version!

[chasecorbeau]

I'll add it to my friends' comics list on the front page.
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[lonelyfetus]

Which one is your friends' comic list?

[chasecorbeau]

Oh, on my front page, under the tower ad, I have a little buddy list. It used to be more prominent, but since I added the Xepher banner I needed to tone down the ads.
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[lonelyfetus]

Oh I misread that! I thought you update some site that's owned by a friend of yours. My bad! That'd be cool!

I hope to launch a comic in march so people can counter-troll me one of these days. I'll do the same with a galaxion banner.

I'm sure I said it before, and if not it's because I'm a jerk. You have a really great style on crowfeathers!

[chasecorbeau]

Aw, thank you. =.=
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[lonelyfetus]

Metruis - your post was hidden as the last on the first page! I think that's awesome - any idea of when you'll have a character cameo, or should we really set a date for an event? I think with most webcomics we should just go "let's do it!" and see what turns out!

As for hidden links I was thinking of taking the ship sprite from Galaxian and putting it next to my stumble / digg sprites, and have it point to Galaxion:



Like a tribute to the fact I've caught myself misspelling it at least eight times now!

Edit: I paid for TWCL featured spots. It leads to the girl-a-matic page and might only bring in a few hundred, but hopefully it'll be a few hundred new readers!

[thestripedone]

Huh, I always thought topatoco was an exclusive collective club like Spiderforest or other sites. Interesting to know!

The galaxion icon as next to stumbleupon sounds awesome. But the image you linked turned into a "don't leech bandwidth" link Shame on you.

[Metruis]

(shakes fist) My poor, hidden post!

RE: ttallan! I do cameos. Happily. I mean, I am CAMEO HAPPY. This, by the way, applies to anyone with a webcomic, not just ttallan...

1) I prefer to draw people into crowd scenes that are cameos. I just need a full body reference, and a comic to link to, and you need to realize that I'll be printing eventually (and will include a link in the print).

2) I also do scenes where I put things on the walls. I like to borrow art for this. Posters, whatever. I have a folder of art that people have given me permission to put up as art on the walls, or books in shelves and on the floor. I can and will name/advertisement drop in the comic itself.

This actually applies to anyone, but if ttallan gives me permission (and it'd be nice if she also gave me a full body shot + colors of someone or I'll have to guess), I'll make sure that Galaxion gets cameoed into Between Places. I can't guarentee any date, but I keep a folder of characters I have permission to cameo for these scenes as well.
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[Varethane]

Oho!

I'm not terribly good at promoting things, but perhaps I can put up a link on my own main page with Friday's update... heh.
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[Lavenderbard]

I have just mentioned Galaxion in an online forum that has nothing whatsoever to do with webcomics, but is nonetheless filled to the gills with sci-fi geeks. As promotion that's probably not worth much, but hey, it's more exposure than anything posted to my own site would get.

For the "This may take longer..." Tshirt maybe you could use an image of whahisface (I can *never* remember names) taking apart the communication console on the burning bridge? I can think of some techy types who would get a kick out of something like that. (My husband would love to wear one to work, but alas he has to wear the company t-shirt instead. Bleh.)

There has got to be some kind of merchandizing potential in the hat, too.
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[munkymu]

Aww, what a cute idea.

I'll throw up a link in my "friends" section. I'm really terrible at promoting things I haven't read yet, and I have no time to go through a bunch of archives right now.
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[Marooned]

Hilarious. I stumbled and reviewed her. I have to say, her banner has always been one of my favorites, I think it's great in it's simplicity. Of course, yours, fetus, cracked me up.

We should do this once a week with different comics. Would be fun.
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