On this day three years ago, the Webcomic Overlook post its very first review and never looked back.
I really hadn’t expected this blog to last this long. Whenever anyone asks me why I started the blog, I tell them: “Well, people were really interested in my webcomic articles, so I decided to keep reviewing them.” That’s actually the most truthful answer. I love writing reviews — even had a stint writing reviews for anime at another site — and if David Morgan-Mar hadn’t linked his site to my Irregular Webcomic! review, I probably would never have considered spinning the Webcomic Overlook into its own blog.
That’s not necessarily the whole truth, though.
The truth is that I am a huge comic geek. I’ve read comics ever since I was a kid and was enraptured by a hardbound Mickey Mouse adventure in the library (which I checked out many, many times). And then later, my love for comics was rekindled when, for 25 cents, I picked up an early copy of Excalibur (written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Alan Davis) as the cheap bin in a remote outlet store. (There may have been some Radio Shack Whiz Kids and Captain America dental care freebie comics in between.) From there, it was a decade of collecting everything Marvel, DC, and Image … a habit that’s abated somewhat but one that I’ve never really ever kicked.
So, in a way, webcomics were more than a natural fit.
What surprised me so far, though, is that I haven’t tired of them. There was an anecdote about George Steinbrenner passed around the time of his death about how, after he’d bought the Yankees, he mentioned that he’d take a hands-off approach to team management. Decades later, and now he’s the most legendary, hands-on owner of all time. I’d like to think the same thing happened to me with this blog — initially started as a bit of a writing exercise and developing into a full-blown obsession.
I love the crazy mix of wild ideas. I love the variety of styles, concepts, and backgrounds. I love the interaction with the fans. I love the burgeoning online communities that introduce new comics every day.
And I love writing about them.
So as long as I’m finding interesting new webcomics out there in the World Wide Web to talk about, I’ll keep writing the Webcomic Overlook. Heck, this site has already outlasted John Solomon’s Your Webcomic Is Bad and You Should Feel bad blog, Websnark, and Zuda Comics. I think I can keep going a while longer. It’s too much fun.
Contrary to why my tagline says, writing webcomic reviews? It’s not serious business.
Top Five Read Reviews over the past year:
- Powerpuff Girls Doujinshi (2 stars)
- Better Days (1 star)
- Grim Tales From Down Below (1 star)
- Las Lindas (1 star)
- Jack (1 star)
Hmmm. Why do I even bother writing positive reviews again?
Some stats
Not bad! So far, The Webcomic Overlook has averaged around 1,400 page view a day in 2010, which is a pretty nice jump from 2007 when the average daily pageview was more around 100. Thanks to all the loyal Webcomic Overlook readers out there. I seriously wouldn’t be doing this blog without you all.
