Diseased #Comicsgate - The Culture Wars Hit The Funny Books!

[Smug Freiza]

The narrative that you two are selling CG creators has proven itself nearly impossible for most CG creators. Malin couldn't live up to his own advice if he weren't handed Jawbreakers and made your first lackey. So the advice is BS. If you want to help smaller CG creators, AND THAT'S A BIG "IF", then when someone is seeking a solution to the problem, don't react by shutting all over them. Have the conversation, and see if any of his suggestions are feasible. Even in the hypothetical.

• Mandy Summers arguably put out one of the worst looking books in Comicsgate, but then improved both financially and with backers with her two follow up books Superdead and Pirate Queen. The difference between her and Michael Derrick is she produces daily and weekly content.
• Liam Gray was a fucking nobody and managed to get over 60K on his first book before he allowed himself to implode in an autism storm.
• Antonio Brice made close to 80K on the first Brand and probably could have replicated it's success if he didn't drop the ball on fulfillment and abandon CG for his stupid burger comic.
• Michael Bancroft and Charlies London have made over 50K on their first books, they both do daily or weekly content whether on their channels or others.
• Nasser Rabadi went from being unable to get his books funded, to getting two books funded in the past six months.
• JDA's Deus Vult book is on track to be one of the more successful books he's done since The Ember War in 2018.

All these examples above do daily content or weekly content on their or others Youtube channels. Antonio and Liam Gray being outdated now since they no longer follow this format. No one is responsible for dragging Michael Derrick across a finish line except himself.

This argument is retarded, why won't Mike S Miller and Doug TenNapel start a Christian Comic Company and use their bitcoin and Youtube ad revenue to do the same thing? Mike should take his bitcoin profits and dump them into a Comic Company and subsidize a whole new generation of upcoming Smillionaires.

 

[SaidNoOneEver]

I'm not making a case for his work specifically, just using him as an example since he was the topic of conversation on the stream. This is the first time I've seen any of his stuff. It doesn't look like top shelf shit but it's a step above something like Nasser's ASYL (no disrespect intended to Nasser). It looks like an indie comic. Hell, some of it looks better than Iron Sights.

I'm not saying he deserves to be sitting next to Cecil in the center square on your show or that his project deserves the attention and money of a juggernaut like Shane's Meower Rangers book but yeah, I'd say it looks like a middle tier indie crowdfunding project.

In any case, his book funded so somebody obviously liked it.



I can understand why Frog would hesitate to use his platform for unproven commodities after many backers getting burned by projects that had talent behind them but didn't fulfill (Sovereign, Death Sworn) or hatched by personalities that seemed like foils for his hazing or could make jokes on the show but were completely unsuited for making comics because the talent just wasn't there and their product ended up being subpar (Wenger, Micah). He's got a popular show and he should promote the best CG has to offer. Boosting shit products isn't good for him, his channel, or his backers. It took him a long while to get to that point, though and I'm always amazed when I think back to the terribly below average crap that was given a spotlight back then.

Right now, you're getting on Frog's show if you're an established pro that can work and meet deadlines. It's not really a showcase for amateurs to talk about their projects, and that's fine. Maybe if there were some way to vet an amateur talent or bring on a person that's got a certain amount of their book already completed and ready to go or had a successfully fulfilled campaign in the can already then it would be different. I don't begrudge EVS for showcasing pros, but I do think there should be a way for a new guy to get some sort of exposure from the big channels every so often.

And yes, there should be a warning before any appearance from Charlie's to avoid an aneurysm.

Cecil was unfuckingbearable last night. I couldn't stand it anymore and had to turn it off, missing everything you guys are talking about. The one stream in months that isn't a 90-minute infomercial and actually talks shop gets ruined by constant try-hard unfunny interruptions.

 

[Miniluv]

• Mandy Summers arguably put out one of the worst looking books in Comicsgate, but then improved both financially and with backers with her two follow up books Superdead and Pirate Queen. The difference between her and Michael Derrick is she produces daily and weekly content.
• Liam Gray was a fucking nobody and managed to get over 60K on his first book before he allowed himself to implode in an autism storm.
• Antonio Brice made close to 80K on the first Brand and probably could have replicated it's success if he didn't drop the ball on fulfillment and abandon CG for his stupid burger comic.
• Michael Bancroft and Charlies London have made over 50K on their first books, they both do daily or weekly content whether on their channels or others.
• Nasser Rabadi went from being unable to get his books funded, to getting two books funded in the past six months.
• JDA's Deus Vult book is on track to be one of the more successful books he's done since The Ember War in 2018.

All these examples above do daily content or weekly content on their or others Youtube channels. Antonio and Liam Gray being outdated now since they no longer follow this format. No one is responsible for dragging Michael Derrick across a finish line except himself.

This argument is retarded, why won't Mike S Miller and Doug TenNapel start a Christian Comic Company and use their bitcoin and Youtube ad revenue to do the same thing? Mike should take his bitcoin profits and dump them into a Comic Company and subsidize a whole new generation of upcoming Smillionaires.

It looks like Derrick's books get funded so I'm not really sure what his beef is. I thought he was just bitching about exposure and not getting a spot on a bigger platform. This does seem to be an issue of him not promoting properly. Can't really expect much if he isn't hustling his work everywhere he can.

I think one thing you're overlooking though is that most (not all) of the people on this list have at some point had their projects promoted on Frog's channel. Not JDA and I don't know about Bancroft, but let's not act like Charlie would have done 50k on that book with her YouTube content or that Wart the Wizard would have gotten anywhere based on the way it looked.

 

[SaidNoOneEver]

"Hey look, everyone, this ONE person has managed to become a successful YouTuber, and used that platform to sell his comic book!"

Actually that's the case in every field where one in 10,000 or so achieve stardom in their profession. I could introduce you to a bunch of AA baseball players with the same gripe about the .1% who made it up to the major league, not realizing (or just not admitting) that having skill enough to make AA ball puts them in the 98th percentile. Plenty of Rec League guys would kill for that AA slot and $10k/year paycheck to be paid to play a game.

Long story short, if the talent is there they'll rise without being handed shit.

 

[TESTEFY-HD]

It looks like Derrick's books get funded so I'm not really sure what his beef is. I thought he was just bitching about exposure and not getting a spot on a bigger platform. This does seem to be an issue of him not promoting properly. Can't really expect much if he isn't hustling his work everywhere he can.

I think one thing you're overlooking though is that most (not all) of the people on this list have at some point had their projects promoted on Frog's channel. Not JDA and I don't know about Bancroft, but let's not act like Charlie would have done 50k on that book with her YouTube content or that Wart the Wizard would have gotten anywhere based on the way it looked.

Michael Derrick is 100% #WASCAMPAIGN.

#WASCAMPAIGN is now calling anyone who calls themselves CG a "PEDO" or their new creative word #PEDOGATE.

So be careful giving him your personal information

 

[SaidNoOneEver]

Michael Derrick is 100% #WASCAMPAIGN.

#WASCAMPAIGN is now calling anyone who calls themselves CG a "PEDO" or their new creative word #PEDOGATE.

So be careful giving him your personal information

Who the fuck still cares about WC? They've been irrelevant for a full year now.

 

[YesNoMaybe]

I looked at this guy's campaign and it didn't look too impressive. I'd sooner go buy some cheap back issues off of eBay than that.

That said, I do think Malin is turning into the biggest cunt in Frog's circle. Butt hurt over pinup cover and now laying in on some nobody. Attacking down is never a good look.

 

[Miniluv]

I looked at this guy's campaign and it didn't look too impressive. I'd sooner go buy some cheap back issues off of eBay than that.

That said, I do think Malin is turning into the biggest cunt in Frog's circle. Butt hurt over pinup cover and now laying in on some nobody. Attacking down is never a good look.

It's a mid tier, very indie looking comic. I've seen much worse looking stuff promoted on the bigger CG channels but those creators generally have a decent personality and hustled a little more. I think this guy's problem is that he's kind of a whiny shit. Malin didn't need to be such a dick to him though.

 

[Brother Maynard]

It's a mid tier, very indie looking comic. I've seen much worse looking stuff promoted on the bigger CG channels but those creators generally have a decent personality and hustled a little more. I think this guy's problem is that he's kind of a whiny shit. Malin didn't need to be such a dick to him though.

Malin is just an insecure man child. He attacks anyone that threatens to change the status quo, he's more concerned with rocking the boat than grabbing an oar.

 

[9th legion centurion 002]

Malin is just an insecure man child. He attacks anyone that threatens to change the status quo, he's more concerned with rocking the boat than grabbing an oar.

Michael Derrick obviously didn't know Malin's Achilles heel. He could have triggered him into submission simply by uttering the word "faggot."

 

[A nameless trool]

I was glad to see Malin adjust down his former admonition to CG creators that they need to build a YouTube channel until they have 25,000 subscribers before they launch a campaign down to the 2-3000 he suggested last night.

Considering that after 3 years of being CGs #2 guy he doesn't have a quarter of his previous quota, it's best to temper expectations from 'the little guys' out there struggling to break even.

Michael had a great argument for trying to help people who need help with crowdfunding. But Mr. My way ot the highway just couldn't handle it. CG made Malin. He lucked into the first CG book, and is constantly promoted by Frog, and this arrogant prick tells everyone else to just do what he did, then calls them entitled?

Frog had enough sense to grasp what the guy was saying, but not enough balls to call Malin out for being a total dick.

It depends on your following. If your followers are comicbook buyers (like for instance Sweetcast) you can make it with a smaller platform.
If your content is outrage of the day/CG inside baseball and star wars/MCU, you definetely need more subs.

Malin is a case that his youtube content is far inferior to his artwork and connections, so he can make it.

 

[Unverified]

I read Michael Derrick's Grayskale. It was better written than 90% of CG books (though we all know that's not a high bar). Art wasn't too impressive, but it was fine. It's not a bad book. If we're going to pretend CG is in any way based on merit, Grayskale at least deserves more spotlight than shit like College of the Dead. But I'll reiterate that I don't believe meritocracy can exist in a creative field. That being said, Michael Derrick doesn't promote himself at all and has no one else to blame for his campaigns' shortcomings, if that's his issue. Also his idea for some sort of conglomerate was obviously retarded. I understand not wanting to play the YouTube game, but that's just the world you're in right now. It's a new method of promoting and selling. No one is going to create a new Marvel and carry you along. Get to work.

Malin was a complete douche to him, though. Must still have pent-up anger from making a fool of himself last week and misdirecting his impotent rage at Matt Weldon. Might as well rip into a smaller guy on Ethan's channel instead of having a conversation like an adult. And of course there's the ever-hypocritical "build your channel" advice. Pretty easy to say when you know you have unlimited access to Ethan's channel for your own promotion. Not to make small of Malin's own efforts, but he's not exactly a content creator.

 

[BlueKnight]

View attachment 2102263

This image says it all. Frog started a popular YouTube mainly off the strength of his history as a professional comic book artist. But he didn't just rely on that, he built that channel up and now is making a living with it.

YBZ was literally just some guy and did the same thing before Frog did it.

What's Michael's excuse?

Bancroft streams almost every single night at the same time and has made a little show about it and has a book over $40,000. Derrick's books made over 8k each. Imagine if he wasn't a total bitch on Twitter and spent his time building that channel how much better he could be doing.

I don't think he has so much an excuse as he has an attitude problem. Everyone should realize at this point that the primary way to be successful is to BUILD YOUR FUCKING YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR FUCK SAKE. It doesn't matter how you do it. It doesn't matter what it's about. It matters that it's popular and has a fanbase that buys what you want to be making.

Going on Frog's show once or twice isn't going to make your book successful. It will get a little sales bump but that's it. It's going to live or die on the basis of its merits combined with how popular you can be on your own platform.

You can be a great comic creator and be and a whiney asshole.
You can be an average comic creator and be a guy that everyone likes.
What you can not be is an average comic creator AND a whiney asshole.

Derrick is coming off as that last option.

 

[NasserRabadi13]

It looks like Derrick's books get funded so I'm not really sure what his beef is. I thought he was just bitching about exposure and not getting a spot on a bigger platform. This does seem to be an issue of him not promoting properly. Can't really expect much if he isn't hustling his work everywhere he can.

Right. He actually went UP from book 1 to book 2. I'm so confused what the complaint is here.

I don't think he has so much an excuse as he has an attitude problem. Everyone should realize at this point that the primary way to be successful is to BUILD YOUR FUCKING YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR FUCK SAKE. It doesn't matter how you do it. It doesn't matter what it's about. It matters that it's popular and has a fanbase that buys what you want to be making.

Everyone needs to stand on their own two feet. I've seen way too many people that their marketing plan is "I have a comic, now I just need to get on @FROG 's channel."

The marketing plan should be make a comic that sells. Make a comic there's an audience for, find that audience (preferably before you launch your book), then sell it to them. Back in 2018 and 2019 when I was on Ethan's channel every night, I got a dozen messages each stream like "CAN YOU INTRODUCE ME TO ETHAN? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET ME ON ETHAN'S CHANNEL? PLEASE ASK FROG IF HE CAN HAVE ME ON."

 

[FROG]

I'm all for bagging on Jon Malin for making a dick out of himself, for instance the Rags snowmobile cover, however he was on point with Michael Derrick. Derrick's argument boiled down to wanting someone else to take over promotion, fulfillment and the business side of comic creation while he could be free to "write his stories." This magical entity he proposed was a Comicsgate company, a pipe dream cooked up in his head to solve his own problems. He couldn't even articulate what a potential company would look like, who would run it, how it would operate or how it could be commercially viable.

Frog correctly points out that he's constantly accused of "gate keeping" and imo has every right to gatekeep ALL CAPS comics and his Youtube channel, since those are his platforms. If he was to create a broader company like Derrick suggests, who decides which books the company publishes and fulfills? Does Mandy Summer's book Wart the Wizard make the cut? Does Michael Derricks alien anal probe book series make the cut? Would Wenger's Aldrake? Or any of the vaporware currently listed on CreatorGO?

What happens when creators do the wrong thing? Will the CG miracle company bail out creators like Cridious who misuse backer money? Will the CG miracle company pay out Martina Markota to fight her lawsuit? Will the CG miracle company post Slick Jimmy's bail for his pedo charges and hire a PR firm to rehabilitate his image and that of his book?

There is no benefit to Frog or Malin for starting and funding such a company, just more risk and liabilities. Perhaps if Michael Derrick stopped tweeting about his Communist Comicsgate Company on twitter and spent as much time putting in work into his Youtube channel maybe he'd be doing better.

View attachment 2102263

The guy has been around since 2019 but his Youtube channel which should be the primary method for promoting his books is fucking barren. Lets not forget, again he chose Warcampaign back during the split of last year and constantly snipes at Anna, Malin and Frog and now comes crawling on his hands and knees begging for a hand out?

I would have told him to eat shit and die.

EDIT:
View attachment 2102278

Let me get Mad At The Internet for a second.

The comics scene is so incredibly insane and mentally ill, that I can't process or retain bullshit like these three tweets from Derrick. I usually just make a mental note that this person is a fucking asshole who deserves no assistance from me, and forget why.

Nobody who wasn't deliberately trying to fuck with me would buy into ANY War Campaign narrative, especially this idiotic one.

And this is why I've closed ranks. Why take a chance and accidentally help a fuckhead like this?

 

[Starscreams Cape]

Back in 2018 and 2019 when I was on Ethan's channel every night, I got a dozen messages each stream like "CAN YOU INTRODUCE ME TO ETHAN? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET ME ON ETHAN'S CHANNEL? PLEASE ASK FROG IF HE CAN HAVE ME ON."

And I bet only half of those messages were from Preston Poulter.

 

[A nameless trool]

The comics scene is so incredibly insane and mentally ill, that I can't process or retain bullshit like these three tweets from Derrick. I usually just make a mental note that this person is a fucking asshole who deserves no assistance from me, and forget why.

I did the same thing about a chick I had met online.
One year later, I had forgotten the mental note and just fucked her.
Didn't end well and only remembered what the mental note was after that.

 

[UncleFuckAss]

I'm glad that people have finally caught on that these dorks are nothing but a bunch of conmen. I can't stand the modern SJW influenced comics either, but its not like the macho bro super muscley action shit is much better. Neither of them gives me enough stimulation to actually want to read them unless I'm forcing myself to.

 

[Elwood P. Dowd]

Actually that's the case in every field where one in 10,000 or so achieve stardom in their profession. I could introduce you to a bunch of AA baseball players with the same gripe about the .1% who made it up to the major league, not realizing (or just not admitting) that having skill enough to make AA ball puts them in the 98th percentile. Plenty of Rec League guys would kill for that AA slot and $10k/year paycheck to be paid to play a game.

Long story short, if the talent is there they'll rise without being handed shit.

Nah, I don't think this analogy will work. Baseball has (largely§) objective standards. You get hits or you don't, you have an arm that can throw a screamer from center field to the catcher or you can't, you have an eye for stealing bases or you don't. And the people who scout talent look for this kind of thing and don't give a shit what you look like, what your politics are and so on. In fact, they'll go to Korea or Taiwan or the Dominican Republic or Cuba or wherever the fuck baseball is still played (it is very much a sport in decline, kinda like, well, Western comics) and look FOR the right player.

Compare that to what we see in comics, both inside and outside of #ComicsGate. If Anna that Star Wars Girl was a 37 year old man with Coke bottle glasses, a receding hair line, a big pot belly and questionable personal hygiene drawing "art" at the same level of talent she produces it at, you think my hypothetical would have gotten anywhere at all? Never mind collected close to the simpbux she collected? My hypothetical he could spam videos like The Quatering and still get nowhere. And the Big Two are complete jokes this way, nobody disputes that, all wrapped up in a Heather Antos punch line.

Maybe something like, dunno, the current state of pop music would work? Where it is nice if you have talent, but that not sufficient for success and may not even be all that necessary.

§ - I do concede that (say) Mike Trout might get the benefit of a plate umpire for a strike zone somebody up for the proverbial "cup of coffee" in the Majors will not, but they're not supposed to, and I think it is less common than complained about.

 

[Analog Devolved]

Let me get Mad At The Internet for a second.

The comics scene is so incredibly insane and mentally ill, that I can't process or retain bullshit like these three tweets from Derrick. I usually just make a mental note that this person is a fucking asshole who deserves no assistance from me, and forget why.

Nobody who wasn't deliberately trying to fuck with me would buy into ANY War Campaign narrative, especially this idiotic one.

And this is why I've closed ranks. Why take a chance and accidentally help a fuckhead like this?

Karma is a bitch. Those WC dudes have been fucking with people for a long time and mostly with your tacit approval.

You created a straw man and attacked it. Whatever this Derrick guy said to piss you off it has nothing to do with my original answer.

Yeah, that belongs in the "middle ground". It looks okay. Not something I would back but it's got a chance.

It's a middle ground comic obviously drawn by an amateur. I said I wouldn't pay money for it, but it's got a chance.

I'm not embroiled in Internet autism like you are. Meaning I don't get stupid messages from these people. I didn't know he had failed to make the kind of money he wanted or that he blamed you.

I've said it before that you platform retards who turn around and fuck you in the ass. I advocated for you being more discerning with your guests.

You frequently let these tards drag you in their mess. With industry pros who have had a career in comics they will still be spergs but you'll get more views.

Cecil? I can't explain that shit. Exceptional.