“BAM!” and “POW!” and “BANG!” are onomatopoeia that still come to mind when we talk about comics.
Take a minute to go back and read those words, and you’ll realize that more than even seeing the word in your mind, you hear the sound of it. This is a big part of the power of comics. It has been said that this power is not found in what happens amid the panels, but what the mind’s eye generates in between.
But what is a comic? To me, and to a lot of others out there in the world, a comic is when you take more than one static image and place them in a sequence. That’s pretty much it. The Lascaux cave paintings in France are some of the oldest forms of human communication we have been able to find, and technically I would consider them a giant cave comic. The biggest element of comics that speaks to human existence is the use of symbols and simplified imagery to convey a narrative. Businesses do this all of the time. Or they should be.
Web comics are a specific breed of comic that started soon after the Internet came into being. With the Internet, artists who were wanting to experiment with a comic or were having a tough time generating the finances to print their stories could now start publishing their works and distributing their art worldwide for the cost of a monthly Internet bill.
During the past decade, especially right now, web comics have become a big player in the collision of art and commerce due to the diminishing ability to print at a reasonable cost, as well as the proliferation of reading technology like the iPad, Kindle, and smartphones. (Read more about the history of webcomics here).
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When It Comes to Your Business, Comics Can Save the Day
Recently, Couponpal.com, in conjunction with Hotels.com, released its first web comic (art by Devin Larson). Why did Couponpal do this? When they were devising ways to release this massive amount of very useful information to help customers to improve their stay in Las Vegas, they had to come up with a solution that would convey the information in a fun and interesting way.
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Comics from companies are not new, but what I loved about this approach to content display was the idea that information does not have to be boring and static on a site. Web comics present a new and interesting way for your customer base to absorb information. You only have to spend about 10 minutes on Thrillbent.com to start to see how cool comics can be to read online.
When Hostess (among many other brands) used comics to sell items:
Here’s how comics can help your business: They communicate stories to people quickly.
We like the colors and the ideas before we even read the words. Comics create a world, any world, that you want them to. You can convey emotional content and even get readers – and potential customers – to connect dots. The hardest part in creating a business-oriented comic for your new potential customers? Good work takes time and dedication.
Luckily, the market right now is flooded with talent looking for work. I work with a lot of great artists over at MakingComics.com. You can probably get a test model of a short comic done for around $50 by the end of this week if you contact the right people. Go over to DeviantArt and search for “comic page,” and you’ll see scores of artists who have done recent work. Look through it and find a couple who match the style you want for your business.
When your business, comics, and blog join super powers, your brand could become invincible. Give us a call if you need a sidekick!
