MakeUseOf » comics

Create CBR/CBZ Files To Distribute Your Comic Strip Or Graphic Novel

Christian Cawley — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:01:52 +0000

One of the most fascinating aspects of how the World Wide Web has improved our lives can be found in the revolutions that have taken place in entertainment media. Music can be easily purchased and downloaded via iTunes, books can be purchased from Amazon and other online retailers for reading either on paper or as eBooks, movies can be purchased online and downloaded; even computer games can be acquired via digital delivery services.

The Internet has also been kind to comic book creators (although piracy has inflicted a big dent in the profits of the major publishers) and web comics and sequential art tales created specifically for an online audience are readily available. Websites for the comics’ artists and writers will regularly feature these tales, for instance, often in CBR or CBZ format for use with a comic book reader application.

If you’re interested in creating and publishing your own comic or graphic novel and distributing it online, you will probably want to use these formats; they’re the most common, they’re easy to create and are recognized by most comic book readers.

Comic Book Readers

As well as often being available in print, comics are now regularly found as part of websites, on computers, mobile phones and tablets. While “webcomics” are usually embedded on a webpage and cannot be downloaded, other comics are often in CBR and CBZ format for reading on PC or mobile device.

For Windows, you might use ComicRack
Mac OS comic readers include Comical
On the iPhone you might try CloudReaders
Android users have the benefit of Droid Comic Viewer
Windows Phone users can run the Lindy Comics app

While these apps cannot be used to download DRM-protected titles from publishers such as DC Comics and Marvel, they do have the advantage of being able to display comics produced independently.

Although providing a PDF version is an option (something that can be done using various free online or desktop tools) it doesn’t offer the same flexibility for reading a comic strip. The comic readers listed above all offer an easy way of moving from one frame of the action to the next and regularly have a “double-tap to zoom” feature, useful for viewing small frames and something that isn’t possible with Adobe Reader. Ultimately it is easier to use a comic reader than use a standard PDF reader (although many comic readers will support PDFs); indeed, it is possible to convert PDFs directly to CBZ format files.

Compiling Your Comic

If you’re a comic book creator, you can easily compile your project into a CBR or CBZ format file which can then be hosted on your website.

Begin by organizing your completed strip in JPG or PNG format in a single folder on your computer. Next, select each of the files (CTRL+A or hold CTRL while clicking each in turn) and right click, selecting Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder. A new ZIP file will be created as a result of this action; you will just need to give it a name.

In order for a comic book reader to recognize the file, you will have to alter the file extension. If you have these hidden, go to Organize > Folder and search options > View and clear the checkbox for Hide extensions for known file types. Click OK to confirm and close the dialogue box.

Return to Windows Explorer and right-click the ZIP file, selecting Rename.

Change the .zip extension to .cbz and press Enter to confirm – you’ve just created a CBZ file, ready for use with a comic reader application.

Summary

A CBR can be created in the same manner by using WinRAR – free with a nag screen after 40 days – or 7-zip, and renaming the file accordingly. You should have noticed that ZIP files become CBZ while RAR files become CBR.

Note that each file of the CBZ or CBR file should have been correctly sized so that each has the same resolution and page size before compressing. This saves comic readers from having to resize each image before displaying.

Once created your comic will be ready to distribute via your website for fans to download and enjoy.

With just your collection of JPEG or PNG files and a means of creating a ZIP or RAR archive, a file that is ready to use on any of the comic reader applications listed above can be created in just a few seconds. These files are preferable to PDF as they are more suited to the requirements of reading a comic strip, and by distributing your completed project in this manner, your readers will have the advantage of being able to enjoy your work wherever they might be.

Let us know in the comments if you have distributed your own artwork in this way.

Nook Color Update Adds Netflix & New Features [News]

Matt Smith — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:01:05 +0000

Barnes & Noble’s recently unveiled Nook Tablet may be the newest and more exciting version, but that doesn’t mean that the company has discontinued or abandoned the Nook Color. Instead, they’ve dropped the price to $199 and continued onward.

If anything, it seems as if the Nook Tablet may be helping to enhance its less expensive cousin. Previously, B&N did not offer support for Netflix on the Color. Now that the Tablet has debuted with it, a new update is bringing it to the Color as well.

Also included in the update are other features found on the Tablet, such as access to the Nook Comics store and the PagePerfect feature.

B&N claims that Nook Comics has the largest digital selection of Marvel graphic novels besides Marvel itself. Each comic is provided in a high-resolution format to make sure no fidelity is lost in the digital transition.

PagePerfect is also aimed at providing high-quality eBooks, but isn’t aimed at comics alone. It’s meant to provide a properly formatted reading experience when viewing books with numerous images, such as cookbooks.

There are numerous smaller updates and features included in the update. Revisions are made to the store, PDFs gain a thumbnail view, a built-in dictionary is added, among other things. You can download the upgrade now from B&N’s website or you can simply wait for the automatic update to take place in the coming days.

Source: Phandroid

6 Must Read Websites To Go To If You Are A Childhood Fan Of Tintin Comic Books

Saikat Basu — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:00:57 +0000

Many in the United States would do a double take. The adventures of Tintin aren’t really popular over there as it is in the rest of the world. Tintin, the boy reporter is an identifiably European hero. But then, if you count Steven Spielberg and The Simpsons among his fans, you can conquer the American continent. For sure, after 21^st December of this year (the movie has been released in Europe), the reporter-turned-detective and his trusty dog Snowy will surely gather a larger following.

Tintin doesn’t need publicizing because he is right up there in comic book folklore. Probably right next to Superman. Am I coming out like an unapologetic Tintin fan? Can’t help it…I am.

This blog post takes a look at six of the best Tintin related websites and is also a tribute to the wondrous world of Herge and his Tintin.

Tintin.com

This is the official site leading up to the release of the movie and the one where you can read up on Tintin and his adventures. If you are a first-timer or your child is, point them to this page. With full character sketches on Tintin, Captain Haddock, Thomson & Thompson, Professor Calculus, and of even Snowy, this site is the jumping point before Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson’s movie hits the halls. Check out the video page for trailers and other snippets.

Tintinologist

This is probably the most exhaustive English language resource on Tintin. It is definitely the oldest and largest English language Tintin fan site on the Internet. From news to articles, from guides and lists to full-fledged forums, no fan love has been spared to capture the essence of Tintin. It’s also the place to try out your own Tintin I.Q. For instance, take a shot at the Tintin Book Covers Quiz if you have read all his globetrotting adventures.

If you are a Tintin buff and a traveler, the Tintin Gallery could give you a few spots to check out like shops and Tintin themed sites. Don’t forget to read the Tintin Related Links page for some history and trivia.

Tintin Movie News

This is where I found the link that took me to the online Tintin Movie Game (screenshot above). It’s not a part of the site though…just a mention.

This small blog has an interesting collection of Tintin related articles. I wouldn’t put it as one of the best or the most informative, but whatever little it carries offers an entertaining read. Whether this sort-of-fan site will stay on post November 11^th remains to be seen. I hope it does.

Tintinblog

This blog is another fan site covering news, views, and pictures on Tintin and his merry pals. You can read up some interesting blog posts like a list of famous people who love Tintin. You have tennis stars like Roger Federer and Andy Murray, celebrities like Hugh Grant and Dustin Hoffman.

But the name which leaps out from the page is Charles de Gaulle who says – “Tintin is my only international rival. Nobody notices, because of my height. We are both little fellows who won’t be got at by big fellows.”

Tintinology

This is another interesting blog packed with opinionated views and news on Tintin. Loads of posts dedicatedly collected from all sources make up the site. A few of the latest posts cover the movie. Be on the lookout for spoiler warnings. One of the interesting pages I found via this site was this collection of cars that appear in the Tintin albums.

Facebook

Nearly 700,000 followers don’t reflect the global fan following for anything that’s Tintin. But then whatever Mark Zuckerberg might say, the whole world is not on Facebook. But the Facebook fan page is a nice place to interact with the followers of Tintin who are. Check out the The Film in BRUSSELS – Tintin born in Brussels photo album that probably was published as the movie came along.

Just six websites on Tintin? That seems like a small figure when you are talking about a ‘world explorer’. There are a large number of sites, but fan following takes it beyond English as you have it in multiple languages (even Esperanto). There are theme parks and a well-known museum too, definitely one to visit if you are travelling to Belgium.

Are you a ‘Tintinologist’? Which is your favorite Tintin comic book of all time? Did you catch the movie yet? Let us know in the comments.

Image Credit: gordasm (Flickr)

Holy MUO, Batman! 4 Cool Sites About The Caped Crusader

Joshua Lockhart — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:31:56 +0000

When I was a kid, I had a bad habit of going around telling people that I was Batman – seriously. For some reason, after my grandparents bought me one of those cheap, fake Batmobile driver’s licenses that you can paste your photo on top of, I just inherently assumed I was the Dark Knight. Oh, the crushed memories of my childhood that I could tell you about…

But with that being said, I thought that today would be a fantastic day to tell you about four sites you can find on the Internet that are all about Batman. MakeUseOf readers….to the Batcave!

Batman Yesterday, Today, Beyond

So we have quite a few generations of the Batman, right? From the Golden Age to the New 52, and from Adam West to Christian Bale, there have been several retellings of the Bat (as well as his sometimes present sidekicks, Robin and Batgirl). Fortunately, on the fansite Batman Yesterday, Today, Beyond, you’ll find everything you need to know about every single generation of Batman.

Batman YTB has quite a bit of information concerning the Batman comics, movies, and other forms of media all on one site. In addition to this, it provides content featuring all forms of the hero all the way to the beginning of his existence. Basically, you’ll have reason to stick around on this site for a while. As an endnote, you may realize some portions of the site may not be fully functional (and the community is inactive). No worries, though. Just blame it on the Joker.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence on this site of my six-year-old self being Batman. I’ll just go ahead and tell you that the first paragraph of this article is not canon.

Legions Of Gotham

It looks like Legions Of Gotham has a reputation that speaks for itself, and that reputation is good. Devoted entirely to discussion of the Dark Knight, you’ll find a community of B-followers that know every little bit of the Batman story arc. If you can keep up a lengthy conversation about Batman, then you need to be here.

Within the depths of Legions of Gotham, you’ll discover quite a bit of detailed forums covering the Batman mythos. From Batman secrets to concept art, there’s a little something for everyone right here on this site. Besides the basic hobnob that would be found on most message boards, you’ll also find a great deal of Batman news and even a complex history lesson on Batman that should taught in universities everywhere.

Batman Fan Films

As a media major, I have to say that Batman Fan Films is probably my favorite site out of the four shown here. I can’t express how much I would like to be a director of some Batman films, so I found this site pretty interesting. Besides, it’s not everyday that you get to film a guy who is wearing the famous cowl, so of course this is a pretty cool concept!

As you might be able to tell, Batman Fan Films is basically full of… well, Batman fan films. Also, some of the short movies shown are actually pretty awesome – really awesome. However, as with any fan site, you’ll have to look through a lot of films to find the really well-done ones. Keep in mind that each creator puts a lot of work into what they do, though. That deserves a lot of respect within itself.

The Batman Wiki

Ah, I love wikis. Don’t you? Right here is a very well-composed wiki that provides access to every single character and plot element within the Batman universe. Much like TV Tropes or Reddit, I believe I could spend hours on here.

The Batman Wiki is a simple little website that is much like any other wiki that you will find for any topic, but I felt like it would be worth mentioning on here. Keep in mind that the site is entirely user-generated, but that’s what makes it fantastic! However, I wonder how long it is before someone, after reading this article, puts a fake villain on there that has a striking resemblance to me.

What other sites do you use that are Batman-based? Have you ever made a Batman fan film? Let us know all about it in the comments.

3 Sites To Fully Prepare You For The Coming Apocalypse

Joshua Lockhart — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:31:42 +0000

Whatever your flavor of apocalypse may be, it’s always a good idea to remind yourself that it might happen, so you really should ask yourself, “What am I going to do?” Naturally, in the case that humanity brings upon its own destruction, it’s quite likely that the Internet won’t exist, but that doesn’t mean it can’t prepare you while it’s still here!

Get ready to grab your rad-suit, crank up the chain-saw, or check the batteries of your Geiger counter. MakeUseOf is venturing out into the wastelands with these three sites.

Class 3 Outbreak

Many of you probably come from the Zombie School of Apocalypse, so let’s just say that there was a Z-virus that ended up affecting quite a few people. How are you going to set up the defense in your neighborhood? What strategies will you take? Ladies and gentlemen, this is what Class 3 Outbreak is all about.

Class 3 Outbreak is a zombie outbreak simulator, and instead of the game being placed within a foreign zombie-infested zone that you’ve never been to, it’s right in your neighborhood. Using Google Maps, C3O allows users to make their own top-view gaming areas located right in their corner of the world. With customizable boundaries for walls, water, trees, and more, the maps are actually quite realistic as the zombies run freely among them.

Granted, map-creating does take a long time, so the site allows players to use pre-made maps published by other users. Since I live close to Nashville, Tennessee, I played on a game map located right in the middle of our airport. I was surprised to find that the well-animated zombies ambled about exactly as I would expect them to, and one of my character’s transition to “zombiedom” (yes, I was bit), was strangely beautiful.

Game-play is more strategic than anything, but the novelty of being able to fight against a zombie raid in a familiar area keeps it interesting. Whether you are playing on pre-made maps or predicting the best defensive strategy for your community, Class 3 Outbreak puts the zombie apocalypse one step closer to reality.

Romantically Apocalyptic

As you walk through the land of Post-Apocalyptia, in the midst of the burnt, war-torn structures and dreary, ashen skies, it might be difficult to muster up a chuckle or perhaps even admire the occasional beauty that destruction may bring. Luckily, the web-comic Romantically Apocalyptic is here to remind you that even when it’s not funny, it’s still funny.

Follow the adventures of the Captain and his two cohorts (Sniper and Pilot) as they venture through the remains of a nation wrought with a nuclear holocaust. As you read, you will discover that they experience a multitude of dangerous encounters with aliens, zombies, and even radioactive spiders (gasp!).

Romantically Apocalyptic is a work created by photographer Vitaly S Alexius who masterfully uses Photoshop, real-live people, and actual locations to create the comic. Episodes aren’t released on a periodical basis, but they definitely are worth the wait as Alexius does them in-between his commission pieces. The beauty of each panel alone is enough to keep coming back to admire his work, and each time you will be wondering just how Captain can make his gas-mask look that good.

Urban Explorers

Alright, my fellow “post-apocalyptaphiles”, it looks like you’re eventually going to have to rummage for supplies or scout out shelter from mutant toothed-snails. However, in our current world, there are not too many radioactive, abandoned zones worthy of training in. Right? Well, maybe not.

Urban Explorers is a network devoted to the beauty of abandonment and ruin. With their motto in mind – “Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints” – pictures and videos are found all throughout the site, captured by explorers worldwide who seek desolated buildings, ghost towns, and any other structures formerly inhabited by people. Users of this site can discover a very real forgotten world filled with ghosts of the past – a defining element of “post-apocalyptia”.

While they may not be radioactive, Urban Explorers leads you to locations all over the earth that are void of all human life. Also, in support of those who view the world through the eyes of a wasteland wanderer, the website provides tips on how to explore safely and avoid injury or illness.

Furthermore, it allows you to connect with other explorers (with the additional option of connecting through Facebook) to create a safer and more fun experience. Basically, it’s not so much what you do on this site that will prepare you for the apocalypse. It’s what it inspires you to do off-site.

The End of the World Post

Who knows? You may find yourself in a zombie-related predicament, and because of your experience with Class 3 Outbreak, you’ll know exactly what to do. Furthermore, you might even recall a few Romantically Apocalyptic memories while sitting in the shelter you found as an urban explorer.

So what are some of your favorite sites concerning the apocalypse? Have you used any of these yet? What do you think of them?

Image Credit: mindexpansi0n

DOWNLOAD Bam! Your Guide To Digital Comic Books

Justin Pot — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:31:35 +0000

Find out how to read the best the comic book world has to offer. It’s all explained in “Bam! Your Digital Comic Book Guide“, the latest manual from author Lachlan Roy. This guide explains how to legally download free comic books, where to buy comic books that aren’t free and even how to scan backups of comic books you already own.

Superman. Spiderman. Batman. The X-Men. Even if you’ve never picked up a comic book in your life, you’ve almost certainly heard of these legends. With almost 80 years of back-story just think of the rich history to be discovered – and that’s just the famous ones. Think of the hundreds of other heroes, each with their own back-stories, their own arch-enemies.

Wouldn’t it be great to have access to all of those stories? To be able to read the epic tales of great people having great adventures? Read this manual to find out how.

DOWNLOAD Bam! Your Guide to Digital Comic Books
Having trouble downloading? Right-click the link, then click “Save As…”

Read now on Scribd

This amazing guide will teach you:

The main digital comic book formats today, from CBR to CBZ.
The best Windows, Mac and Linux software for reading comic book files.
Where to purchase comic books, legally.
Where to find free legal comic books.
Where to find and read comic books online.
How to use Graphicaly, a cross-platform online/offline reader.
Where to find amazing webcomics to read.

DOWNLOAD Bam! Your Guide to Digital Comic Books
Having trouble downloading? Right-click the link, then click “Save As…”

Read now on Scribd

Like all MakeUseOf manuals, this is completely free.

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Strip Generator – Create Free Highly Customizable Web Comics In Minutes

Tim Brookes — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 01:31:47 +0000

If you’re a fan of web comics then chances are you’ve had a few ideas for your own in the past. The only problem is you need some drawing skills, plenty of patience and a fondness for Photoshop, GIMP or other imaging software if you want to start from scratch.

We’ve had Strip Generator in our MakeUseOf Directory for a while now but the site has gone through a number of changes over the years with new features and the introduction of a cleaner, easier to use interface. It really couldn’t be simpler to drop in some characters, objects and text down before sharing it with your friends. No artistic skills required, simply let your ideas take shape!

Uses For Strip Generator

Artists and those blessed with the ability to draw will probably look down on Strip Generator for its drag-and-drop simplicity. This makes it perfect for those with an idea, a punchline or a joke between friends to bring their ideas to 2D life in minutes.

Even those who draw their own strips from scratch may find uses for the website; as a storyboard or a plan for larger projects. If you’re interested in transferring your comics from pen-and-paper so you can design offline, check out our guide.

There are also more ambitious Strip Generator comics floating around the website, which show off some of the more off-beat community creations (like this Helicoptero strip). Using objects and tools in ways other than they were intended requires a bit of experimentation, but is testament to the adaptability of the sandbox you have in front of you.

You don’t need to register to use Strip Generator, so to get started simply visit the homepage and click Create New Strip. You’ll be asked once your strip is complete to register, so you can save your creations and re-edit ongoing projects.

The Workspace

When starting your strip, you are presented with the simple 3 frame comic format, which you can change by clicking on Frames at the top of the strip. Here you’re presented with lots of options, including 1 or 2 rows, full page designs and custom frames you define yourself.

You should always choose your frame first, and be sure of your decision. Changing the frame after beginning your strip will delete the lot, something you’ll be hoping to avoid. Once you’ve decided on a frame the rest is experimentation.

Characters and objects are handled by Strip Generator in the same way, and are highly transformable. Once you’ve chosen something from the appropriate tab, drag it into one of your frames. Clicking the item will highlight it, and display the scale and rotate controls – simply click and drag.

After selecting an object, the area to the right of your comic strip will display the various manipulations you can perform. These include sending the object forward and back (layers), adding blur and transparency and moving the object between frames, or detaching it altogether. If you’ve ever used photo manipulation software in the past then it should all be fairly familiar.

Text is handled similarly and whilst there’s no font options you can adjust size, placement, bold and italics and justification. Text can also be blurred, much like objects and the speech or thought bubble’s roundness can be user-defined too.

Sharing Your Creations

Once you’ve completed your strip hit Finish at the bottom. You will be taken to a page where you can define a thumbnail, add tags so your comic can be found and last of all give your strip a name. Hitting Publish will publish your work as an anonymous user, and on the next page you will be prompted to either log in or sign up to claim the credit.

You don’t have to register however, and you can remain anonymous if you please. If you do choose to register you will be given a Strip Generator blog, the URL of which will be username.stripgenerator.com.

There are all manner of social buttons and sharing options afoot your new creation, you can even print it out or simply save the image in your browser as you would normally.

Conclusion

Strip Generator is a lot of fun, partly because it’s so easy to use and partly for the near-instantaneous results. If you’ve not got the patience to draw a full strip, have a spare 5 minutes and a great one-liner then Strip Generator is calling for your contributions.

Have you tried Strip Generator to create web comics? Fancy linking your strips? Any other good comic generators you use? Let us know in the comments below!

10 Comic Blogs That Every Comic Book Fan Should Read

Saikat Basu — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:30:34 +0000

Comic books are probably the first things that help us to dream. Through the growing up years, comic books and the capers in them shield us from the harsher realities of the world outside, where there are no superheroes, adventurous reporters, or philosophical dogs. Even when we grow over to more adult forms of entertainment, the magic spell of comics remains.

Most of us might now read them or watch them on TV every day, but who can deny that it does bring back a whiff of the wonder years. But then there are many who follow comic books. After all, the enduring culture of comic books is not due to the kiddie crowd alone. Comic books continue to get fresh leases of life even in this digital age. As these ten comic book websites show, the web has become a portal into the world of comics. Enter this portal and catch up with these ten comic book blogs.

Comics Alliance

The AOL website could be a favored destination if you like to follow everything and anything that has to do with superheroes, villains, video games, graphic novels, manga, toys, comic book conventions, previews, and reviews. A lineup of comic book experts put in their worth every day on this comic book blog. Some of the sections you might like to visit are – Humor, Videos, and Opinion.

Comics worth Reading

The blog comes straight to the point when discussing graphic novels, manga, and comic books. The opinions expressed might help you pick up the right ones to read. The blunt opinionated pieces take in both the good and the bad in the world of comics. Check out the Comics Classics section for some great recommendations.

Comics in Crisis

This is a simple BlogSpot blog, but I like reading it because it dives into the world of comics and discusses what works and what doesn’t, for instance turning comic books into films. The weekly updated blog also has a poll that you can participate in.

Bleeding Cool

The blog covers comic news and movies based on comics in equal measure. Apart from the regular fare of news, the site is also about gossip and rumors spilling out of the genre. The writing is not neutral but individualistic which makes reading all the inner workings of the comic book industry quite engaging. The forum is the place comic book fans can call their own.

Comic Vine

Comic Vine has quite a few interesting sections that make this colorful site a must visit. The site has set out to build up the world’s largest comic book encyclopedia. You can browse through a long list of List of Comic Book Story Arcs. Comic Vine’s podcasts and videos serve up multimedia entertainment. But for some casual fun, I always head to the Play section where there are quizzes, trivia, and superhero battles to be won.

Chris’s Invincible Super Blog

A really nice comic’s blog that’s a humorous take on anything that has to do with comic books. You know that Chris Sims will hit your funny bone when you consider that he also freelances with Cracked.com. What’s cool is that he watches the best and the worst that’s out there and spouts on both.

comiXology

This site positions itself as a one-stop point for comic book buffs. Comixology is a digital comic’s platform which you can use to rate and discuss comics. It is an online community with an interface with retailers. You can use the site to watch for new releases and setup pre-order lists. The site also includes weekly columns, blogs, news and podcasts. The web app has its own Android, iPhone, iPod and iPad apps plus a web reader. Tie-ins with the big names of the comic publishing world like DC Comics allows them to host editions for subscription based reading and download. There are some 538 free comics available for online reading though.

ComicMix

ComicMix is not only about comics but also a bit about comic books inspired television, movies and video games. The blog is a commentary on the happening in the industry by some of its veterans. It’s all about news, facts, discussions, and reviews.

Comic Book Resources

One of the better known comic book websites for enthusiasts, CBR is a complete resource if you are looking for comic book news and reviews. The regular columns on CBR like Permanent Damage, Pipeline, Where The Hell Am I etc each take a decidedly different look at the world of comics as well as the world around us.

The Beat

If you like free giveaways then you will like the ones this site has for comic book fans. The site covers news, conventions, comic culture, and less interesting items like the financial health of the comic book industry.

If you haven’t read a comic book in your life, then these ten websites won’t be too much of fun. But I am betting that your child perhaps is reading a comic right now or at least watching a show based on one. If then point him to these as well as these other three posts based on the colorful world of comics.

8 Websites To Get The Inside Scoop On Comic Book Movies

5 Great WebComics you Should Read

5 Great Web Comics You Should Read [Part 2]

Image Credit: Shutterstock

How to Create a WordPress-Powered Webcomic with ComicPress

Simon Slangen — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 17:30:23 +0000

There are two major steps on how to start a webcomic; creating the website and drawing comics. Of course, this is a bit simplified, but many people are terrified by the idea of having to create a good online platform for their drawings.

They shouldn’t be. Similar to photo portfolios and webshops, other web designers have created a simple webcomic template that’s friendly to use and easy to maintain. You guessed it, we’re talking about WordPress adaption.

ComicPress

ComicPress brands itself as The WordPress Comic Publishing Theme; and a good one it is. It’s used by many popular webcomic publications, including FoxTrot, Player VS. Player (shown below), Dr. McNinja, Nuklear Power, Extra Life, Starslip and Octupus Pie. Check out these websites (and more featured on the ComicPress website) to get a clear idea of what’s possible using this theme and a couple of add-ons. Truly, ComicPress shows itself as not simply an amateur interpretation of a good comic publishing platform, but simply the latter in its true form.

There are two display modes for ComicPress, the comic view and the blog. By default, the blog is shown below the latest comic, much like in the screenshot above, but you can also display solely the blog or the comic and save the other for a separate part of the site.

Installing ComicPress for WordPress

In this tutorial, we’ll assume you’ve got a valid WordPress installation – that is, hosted by you and not by WordPress.com. WordPress is a so-called content management system, used as the main ingredient by a large amount of blogs (including this one), company websites, webshops, and soon your very own webcomic. Best of all, it’s entirely free. If you need help setting one up, check out our Easy Guide to Build Your Own WordPress Site.

Download the latest version of ComicPress from the website, upload and unzip it into wp-content/themes/comicpress. If your server host’s file manager doesn’t support the extraction of archives, you’ll need to unzip it on your computer and upload each file separately. It’s crucial to follow this folder structure to the letter; your theme files need to be in a ‘comicpress’ folder, all lowercase, or it won’t work.

Next, go to Plugins -> Add New in the WordPress sidebar and install both the ComicPress Manager and the Theme Companion plugins, as shown below. Make sure to activate them as well. You are prompted to after every installation, or can do this later on by going to Plugins -> Plugins.

Select Appearance -> Themes in the sidebar and activate the ComicPress theme shown at the lower half of the page, under Available Themes.

In Posts -> Categories, add two new categories; ‘Comic’ and ‘Blog’. You only need to name them, so you can leave the other text fields blank. If everything went right, you now have three categories; Comic, Blog and Uncategorized.

Go to the Posts -> ComicPress -> Manager Config, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the First Run button. This will create the necessary folder structures for managing your comics and publishing an RSS feed. Also go to Posts -> ComicPress -> ComicPress Config, and make sure the installation has detected the ‘Blog’ and ‘Comic’ categories you created later on.

You can configure the general ComicPress set-up in Appearance -> ComicPress Options. The options are many, but self-explanatory. Most interesting for a basic installation is the option to disable either blog or comment on your landing page.

That’s all the configuration needed. You can publish your first comic by going to Posts -> Comicpress and uploading a doodle. The image needs to use the following nomenclature: YYYY-MM-DD-Name-of-the-comic.ext, with ext being your file format (e.g. jpg or png), and the name of your comic never containing only one number. Uploading your image this way adds the appropriate title, date, and makes it appear on the site right when you upload.

Do you have any other great webcomic ideas? Let us know in the comments below!

8 Awesome Webcomics You Don’t Want To Miss

Nancy Messieh — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 22:31:09 +0000

A good webcomic doesn’t necessarily need out of this world drawings, a story line to follow, or much else other than a fabulously sarcastic sense of humour and bare-bones kind of drawings that leaves the focus entirely on the words.

That’s not to say that we don’t love the way these artists have chosen to get their message across. But in an attempt to narrow down an impossibly wide topic, we decided to take a look at the more minimalist geek webcomics and choose some of our favourites to share with you.

Geek & Poke

Geek & Poke is an almost daily online comic bringing hilarious commentary on the latest news in the Web 2.0 world. Whether it’s a take on the latest Twitter attack, a new gadget that’s just hit the market or thoroughly geeky fare about code, Geek & Poke is bound to bring a smile to your face.

xkcd

Updated three times a week, xkcd, which needs no introduction, describes itself as a “webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math and language“. And it delivers on all four points and more. The bare-bones drawings put the focus entirely on the wry sense of humour that has become a regular part of many a geek’s weekly addictions. Sometimes the comic’s humour or idea can sail right over your head, but some fun is also to be had in trying to figure out the meaning behind some of the more cryptic strips.

Dog House Diaries

Also updated three times a week, Dog House Diaries is another webcomic steeped in a wry sense of humour. From the life expectancy of a slinky to the hot towels they bring you on airplanes, Dog House Diaries leaves no stone unturned. Although the guys behind it would have you think it’s all about love, life and sandwiches (or the love life of sandwiches, whichever you prefer).

Indexed

Published on weekdays, Indexed takes a slightly different approach. At first glance, the site looks like a bunch of index cards from math class. On closer inspection, you’ll find that they’re an interesting commentary on almost everything under the sun. The site will probably have you thinking, why didn’t I think of that first?

Cyanide & Happiness

Cyanide & Happiness is one webcomic where you can go to get a daily fix in geek humour. Every day a new comic is posted, the kind of which you want to print off and hang up on your cork board. They’re all that good. Be warned, however, that this webcomic is certainly not for the faint of heart.

Abstruse Goose

Ab struse Goose is a little bit like xkcd, but a lot easier to understand. It has the same sarcastic sense of humour, commenting on human nature, current events and even xkcd itself.

Geeks In Love

Geeks in Love is a lesser known geeky webcomic all about, you guessed it, a pair of geeks in love. They spend more time staring at their gadgets than at each other, but somehow, it works. Geeks in Love will also strike a chord with Apple fans, what with all the Apple paraphernalia here and there.

The Oatmeal

The Oatmeal admittedly is a little bit more elaborate in its drawings than the other webcomics listed here, but it is sheer genius. The Oatmeal is probably as mainstream as a geek webcomic could ever get. While it isn’t updated half as often as we would like, each new update more than makes up for the long wait. Part grammar nazi, part geek pop culture and totally off the wall, The Oatmeal is a must for any self avowed comic-loving geek.

What are your favourite geek webcomics? Let us know in the comments.