Website NewTeeVee reports that the hugely popular online comics Penny Arcade and PVP have begun live-casting their cartoon artists as they create the sites’ Web comics.
Webcams pointed at computer desktops follow the process through the completed script. Each live stream, broadcast via via Ustream , has drawn about 1,000 visitors.
Penny Arcade creator Mike Karhulik says 70,000 people have watched the recorded version of his first livecast and the live streams (click screen right to view) have gotten about 1,000 visitors each. PVP’s Scott Kurtz says he gets about 100-150 visitors on a regular basis to his stream but has hit 500-600 visitors when he makes more of an effort to alert readers to the show. Readers can also interact with the creators as they work using ustream’s message boards.
Neither creator is making money out of the stream so far, but both Krahulik and Kurtz told NewTeeVee they genuinely enjoy doing the show for the interaction with the fans and plan on doing it weekly.
For those bemused at the idea of watching someone draw, Krahulik thinks he understands the appeal of watching him draw. “I like watching people do things that I can’t do,” he continued. “It’s interesting to watch someone make something out of nothing.”
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Digital Comics, Digital Media
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