Thanks for the comments everyone! I was glad to see someone mentioned manga, as it is already influencing my work a great deal. I've decided to go with "multi-panel" layouts, with occasional "splash" pages of course (a given). Some really great points were mentioned, such as keeping the pages interesting to look at and letting the story and plot-flow dictate the panel layout/size. I think multi-panel wins out since it allows for more style (scene dissolves, border breaks, etc.). I'll definitely make sure that my comic requires no horizontal scrolling. The PDF format is also something I've been playing with... any thoughts on PDF comics? Is there any disadvantage to having a PDF-only comic? I really don't like the idea of having an HTML version of each issue plus a PDF plus a ZIP of jpegs, etc. (nor would I have the web space!)

I'm an old time comic reader [and collector], so I like the semi-traditional, multi-frame layout myself. I also love splash pages, and full page panels/artwork as long as it advances the story line and adds needed detail. That's another preference as a graphic novel reader - to me, everything should be story driven, and should complement/advance the storyline and enhance the writing and dialog. If you can manage to scrounge up some additional webspace to link to... I really like having a PDF version I can download for later re-reading. I tend to read online comics online, but on the really good ones I like to have the option to take a copy back to my workstation for later reading. ;]

PDF has the added bonus of being able to protect your art, if you set the security as such. It's not foolproof (someone could always take a screenshot if they really wanted to rip off your art), but it doesn't make plagiarism convenient, anyway.

For that matter, they could screenshot the webpage if they were intending to go that far to steal it...

Attached Link: http://www.weirdass.net

Actually, I've been forced to (at work) learn the full version of Acrobat. Its got some neato features in it re: copyability and printability. Personally speaking, I've opted to forego an acrobat download of my stuff. with the exception of a few quicktime movies and maybe a little flash stuff I have in mind for the future, Weirdass.net is a plug-in/cookie free zone. I hate going somewhere and having to download some esoteric plug in or surrender my email address for a peek inside the box. As far as the formating issue, my thinking on this has been to design the story for the media(s) it is going to exist in. I've done animations in these freaking odd comic shaped formats, making computers crash around the earth, and realized suddenly that tv/movie/digital movies are the shape of a rectangular screen. As my login name here at rend'osity should be dumbass not weirdass, this came as a shock to this comic guy who thinks the 6 5/8 x 10.25 inch comic book is the proportional equivalent of a sunrise. Technically speaking, syndication is easier as one updatable jpeg image, linked to by others in the manner of a banner. Down side is lots of folks still have 28k modems and painfully slow computers and might pass you by. Take a look at Steve Connolly's Astounding Space Thrills (don't have the url, but its everywhere) he's actually making money doing this. Good luck, let me know when you're up and running. Mitch

Acrobat has some nifty features. I saw a copy of er... 4.0? 4.1? at a half-price bookstore and grabbed it. You always run the hazard of missing manuals etc on those, but the prices can't be beat... My prefernce for writing is to work in WordPerfect 8.0, and I like that Acrobat will let me print from WP8 directly to PDF and then it brings it in directly without losing the document and image formatting. I made the suggestion on download strictly from a readers convenience perspective. Otherwise I agree with Wierdass... there's a few online strips I love, but I detest having to download a shockwave or other plug-in/program before I can read them.

If I recall correctly, there was mention that there would be a print version, so 6 5/8 x 10.25 is one of the confines to work within. This divides reasonably so that if done in halves, one 6 5/8 x 10.25 comic page can become two 480 x 640 pixel web "pages" with a little resizing and not too much difficulty. Just watch your text.

here is the URL for Steve Conley's "SPACE THRILLS " http://www.astoundingspacethrills.com

Thanks all, I'm gonna get started on the comic! I think I'll pass on the PDF format for now so all The Reader will need is a web browser. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Thanks again for all the feed back! Watch this space for previews.

Yeppers. Just don't keep it so simple it is stupid... ;] Good luck on that. Starting a comic, desiging characters and settings, writing dialoge and scripting can get to be a major effort, but it's rewarding as all hell when your done. [says a prose writer who hasn't managed to clear the desktop to get much farther along on his own comic. ;)]