Comic Books & Cartooning in the Digital Age

Comic books and cartooning, as a medium, are still relatively new art forms--especially when compared to other disciplines in the arts. By contrast to thousand-year-old sculptures, the early newspaper cartoons from just a few centuries ago do not really constitute a long time. So the comic book and cartooning industry still has much maturing to do, particularly when compared to music, theater, and traditional fine art painting and sculpture.

How such newness plays out today is profound in economics and exposure. Many still think that a comic has to be in print to be respected. Or the majority thinks that a comic needs to be about super heroes, fictional, or funny to be worthwhile. In my career as a long time semi-autobiographical cartoonist on Silly Daddy, I am grateful to have often seen beyond that.

As the digital age takes deeper root, stale thinking will erode, and the corporate old guard that distributes and popularizes what is highly regarded will have a smaller voice. And that is an opportunity for creators. Just as homemade zines made on copy machines helped to start the independent comics publishing movement in the 1980s and 90s, the same will be said of more recent developments.

Cryptoart, rare digital art, NFTs, and the metaverse open up new doors for cartoonists. I've walked through those doors years ago. Many more are coming.