Webcomics Part 5

Webcomics: The Proliferation of Geek Culture and Web 2.0

                With the growth and development of webcomics this rejection for artistic exploration and critique became more apparent, in great part because the fan-culture became the center stage. Webcomics in a way reinforced the ideas of escapism because they were comics that focused on the lives of these geeks who immersed themselves in fantasy. One example of this occurrence is the webcomic Penny Arcade, whose main characters were not only geeks, but alter egos of their creators who were also geeks. (Holkins) These types of comics elated the escapist behavior of fan-culture, and in fact created a new way to live vicariously through these heroes because they were more like themselves. Furthermore, what allowed for the expansion of webcomics into a more mainstream audience was the fact that the word geek had undergone a change in the last couple of decades, and after the fan-culture had developed and erupted into mainstream pop culture the term geek changed. The word geek was in a sense appropriated by the geeks and turned into a badge of pride that decreed them as experts of their own fantasy worlds and who were also at the forefront of the technological movement, but who were nevertheless only amateurs. Henry Jenkins notes that “[t]he concept of the active audience, so controversial two decades ago, is now taken for granted by everyone...” (1) This change in our culture that Jenkins is pointing to suggests that our lives are so full of interaction now thanks to the internet that many of us do not realize that in a sense we have become part of this geek movement, or at least the spirit of the amateur, who is able to participate in discussions of things that without the internet he would not have been able to discuss with others before. This new found approval of fan-culture, or geek culture, allowed for the acceptance of escapism into the mainstream. While in its beginnings comics provided a mild distraction from the mundane, the webcomics of today have exploded into a culture that prizes an almost complete withdrawal from reality and society. The internet has facilitated this in several ways, one as previously mentioned is the fact that it allowed for a wider spread of fan-culture. However, more importantly the accessibility of the internet and advances in technology have paradoxically opened up the world of fan-culture but also allowed for a more secluded, and ego-centric form of enjoying one's fantasies.

                With the growth of the web 2.0, the ability to join online communities has been facilitated even more more. However, advances in technology have also begun to create a society which is all about the individual, where the rest of the world only works as background to their own fantasy. Maasik and Solomon point out that the web of today allows us “to control exactly what information we present to others while online” and “offers us the freedom – even a fantasy of freedom – to be whatever we want to be with others.” (426) This is particularly apparent in webcomics as it allows for the creators to make versions of themselves who they wish they could be and construct the lives they picked out for them. (Holkins) These comics creators are working in the spirit of the “You” culture of the internet because these comics are all about them and their interests. Although many comics creators claim that their readers contribute and can engage in discussion with them, nothing much separates these webcomics from something like a personal blog where the owner discusses their particular opinions on popular culture.
Webcomics creator Danielle Corsetto claims that “'[p]art of the reason...that [they have] become successful is that [they] put a lot of [their] personality directly into the strip...[p]eople want to know a lot about the personal lives of the people who are creating the comic strips...” (qtd. in Elmasry) Webcomics creators seem to be trying to formulate an environment that is inviting for the readers, constructing the illusion that the readers are also part of the community of webcomics. In a certain sense however, this is not far from the truth, but truly there is no real community as each individual is living out their fantasies on their own sites. In a sense this touches upon one of American culture's biggest paradoxes which is how the idea of the “self-reliant individualist” is allowed to run side by side with the “conformist.” (Maasik and Solomon 484) For webcomic creators the idea of community seems to be quite important, but this does not change the fact that the underlying story is all about them. This demonstrates the way in which the internet has fabricated the illusion of individualism by democratizing art, allowing everyone to have a voice, while simultaneously allowing everyone to speak at once. Everyone believes they are being heard individually but in reality they are all heard as a buzz that is vaguely in unison, but nevertheless out of tune. 

                Webcomics are basically representations of someone else's fantasy, which are allowing others to live vicariously through them. They create a dream within a dream, and demonstrate the way in which the internet has perpetuated the desire of the masses to live outside of reality by enveloping them within multiple levels of fantasy. This results in creating the illusion of freedom, while webcomic creators and their fellow fans and co-creators, believe they have been given the key to freedom to be free thinking individuals, in reality they have lost sight of the fact that in being caught up in the latest pop idol drama, or the newest big video game hit, they have lost their freedom to think and criticize analytically the important social and political events that enfold around them.

(Originally Written on December 13, 2011 for Pop Culture English Seminar with Professor Solomon at California State University, Northridge)

Works Cited

Jenkis, Henry. “Convergence Culture.” Sings of Life in the U.S.A. : Readings on Popular Culture for   Writers. 6^thed. Ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford/St. Matin's 2009. 432 - 445. Print.

Maasik, Sonia and Jack Solomon, eds. Signs of Life in the U.S.A. : Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. 6^thed. Boston: Bedford/St. Matin's 2009. 426 - 430, 484 - 485. Print.

Jenkins, Henry. Fans, Bloggers, and Gamers. New York: New York University Press 2006. Print.

Keen, Andrew. The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing Our Culture. New York: Doubleday, 2007. Print.

Guigar, Kellett, Kurtz and Kris Straub. How to Make Webcomics. Berkeley: Image Comics, Inc., 2008. Print.

McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics. New York: Harper Perennial, 1994. Print.

Sabir, Roger. Comics, Comix, & Graphic Novels: A History of Comic Art. London: Phaidon Press Limited, 1996. Print.

Ryce, Walter. “Notes from the Underground.” The Reference Shelf: Graphic Novels and Comic Books. 82.5 (2010): 27-35. Print.

Fenty, Houp, and Laurie Taylor. “Webcomics: The Influence and Continuation of the Comix Revolution.” ImageTexT: Interdisciplinary Comics Studies 1.2 (2004): n. pag. Web. 10 Oct. 2011.

Dotinga, Randy. “Webcomics Attract Spit, Fans.” Wired 18 Jul. 2005. Web 10 Oct. 2011

Baker, Chris. “The Dorks Behind Penny Arcade, and Obscure Webcomic Turned Vidgame Empire.” Wired 21 Aug. 2007. n. pag. Web. 12 Oct. 2011

Elmasry, Faiza. “Sidestepping Newspapers, Comics Go Online.” Voice of America 12 Sep. 2011. n. pag. Web. 12 Oct. 2011

Holkins, Jerry. “Tycho/Jerry.” Penny Arcade Blog 13 Nov. 2009. n. pag. Web. 20 Dec. 2011.

Kurtz, Scott R. “Missed.” PvP10 Oct. 2011. n. pag. Web. 10 Oct. 2011

Watson, Joel. “Leeloo Dallas Multipass.” Hijinks Ensue 8 Aug. 2007. n. pag. Web. 25 Nov. 2011.

Lange, Chris. “bad bad girl gaga.” Capitol Hillbillies 12 Mar. 2010. n. pag. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.