opinions on covers in webcomics

[operationremie]

I noticed a lot of comics don't use covers to separate their comics but I do see some that have a focused story arc-type comic does use covers. I know mine is going to be arc-based and I was wondering what people thought of using covers. I mean, it is an extra page of the comic, which I know would help me out getting started. do people like seeing them/using them?

[Nuke]

I use covers in my own comic. I don't think people really mind them so long as they're spread out and not used as filler. Keep 'em visually engaging and use them to make people wonder what's going to be going on in the next chapter, I say.

[Alectric]

I always thought those covers were included for the printed versions, which would need them.  If you don't plan on printing, I guess you could still do it but it wouldn't be my choice.

[HarringtonAW]

What I do is put a "cover image" at the top of each page to differentiate one storyline or "issue" from another. That would be a workable alternative to a cover page.

-S

[Rob]

I use covers for every major storyline. I think it makes much more of a difference to the people reading through your archive as opposed to the daily readers but in the long run... if print and a large readership are your goal then they do far more good than harm... assuming your comic is long form. I don't think Gag-a-day comics need covers.
 

[Pixel]

Another good thing about covers is that it's a good chance to show off your skills in a more quality-over-quantity manner. Your actual comic pages are usually more quantity-over-quality.

[operationremie]

sounds good i actually might do a "cover" for my story arcs.

[wendyw]

I have no problem with cover pages unless people pile them up together so you end up going through three cover pages in a row. There really is no good reason for that.

for my own comic I have a single cover page at the start which I did when I moved the comic to its own site, but I don't really have covers for chapters. Two of the four chapters so far have single panel strips as the first page, but they're comics that I would have included anyway.

[monkeyangst]

My opinion on covers is that they're fine, unless you're doing a daily comic (or whatever interval) and the cover takes up a day. If the last page of Issue 1 was Monday, and the reader comes back Tuesday hoping for the first page of Issue 2, and what they get is a cover... well, I don't care for that when it happens to me.

[Rob]

My opinion on covers is that they're fine, unless you're doing a daily comic (or whatever interval) and the cover takes up a day. If the last page of Issue 1 was Monday, and the reader comes back Tuesday hoping for the first page of Issue 2, and what they get is a cover... well, I don't care for that when it happens to me.

I don't either but it really helps for archiving, when people are reading through all the old strips and when it comes time to print the comic.

For example Tom Siddell's Gunnerkrigg Court has a wonderful chapter break system that works really well with the way his archive is set up and I was really grateful for it when I was reading all the back archive... but I'm always disappointed when a new chapter starts and I'm eager to see the next comic and instead I get a chapter cover. But I see it as a very small annoyance and it really sets the tone for the next chapter.

So it's something I see as a necessary evil in some cases and quite good in others.

[Gar]

I suppose there's nothing to stop you inserting chapter covers into the archive so as not to break the flow of the regular updates, but still have them in appropriate places for people reading over your site.

[Rob]

I suppose there's nothing to stop you inserting chapter covers into the archive so as not to break the flow of the regular updates, but still have them in appropriate places for people reading over your site.

Yeah I thought of that.... I don't know.... I think most artists would object to doing the extra work and not calling it an "update."

But it's certainly worth considering. Maybe even putting it in there as the update but also doing another comic at the same time or something. I'd say ideally that's the solution but... again more work for the artist.

[Gar]

I've got a big blank space in my archive from when I stopped updating for a year, so sometimes if I do a doodle I'm particularly proud of I'll post it up in there. I like to think it encourages people to re-read the archive every so often, or at the very least rewards people who do so.

[klingers]

I've got a big blank space in my archive from when I stopped updating for a year, so sometimes if I do a doodle I'm particularly proud of I'll post it up in there. I like to think it encourages people to re-read the archive every so often, or at the very least rewards people who do so.

I can actually top that. I've got a Five-year gap in my archive 

I don't think Gag-a-day comics need covers.

I'd agree with you there... I don't produce any covers, but I've got to admit I'd have fun doing some parody title pages from old silver-age marvel/DC comics if I was of a mind.