T Campbell Responds
by Joey Manley
T Campbell responds to the deliberately pedantic, drama-averse review of his History of Webcomics book posted by Fleen last week. Irony of ironies: in the course of their review, which mostly focused on fact-checking and copy-editing mistakes, Fleen got the very title of the book wrong! Ha! (I don’t mean to fan flames here — all parties are well-intentioned in this conversation, and all have valid points of view).
The general sense I get right now is that the bar needs to be raised. Criticism and journalism about webcomics needs to be better (and that covers both sides of this conversation — the book, and the blog that writes about the book). Webcomics need to be better.
And everything needs to be better. Looking outside the context of this particular conversation, and these particular topics: we all need to do better than we’re doing. Things are getting serious. There’s real money flying around. We’ve built it; they’ve come; now what? I’m trying to raise my own game — to be more professional, both in public and in private, to be more diligent, to produce websites with more perfection and swing, and to get my back-end business crap in order, and to, well, take over the world and rule it with a cruel but elegant hand.
Not that last part. Calm down. That was just a joke. Settle down, settle down.
August 28th, 2006 at 11:31 am
Actually, Joey, in the course of the review, I got the title wrong (based upon the pre-release promotions, which originally titled the book differently; still, it was staring me right in the face so mea maxima culpa). There are other contributors to Fleen, and they are blameless in this error.
Your other points are well-taken, though I’m still not convinced that what we do at Fleen is either “journalism” or “criticism”. It’s just some few individuals talking about what they find interesting or amusing on a daily basis. It might be my lack of formal literary education, but I don’t think that we at Fleen necessarily need to be thought of as anything more complex than “people trying to keep a conversation going.” Naturally, it’s a good thing for the pros to try to improve their “A” game, but I think there’s still a place for us amateurs.
August 28th, 2006 at 11:50 am
For amateurs, you guys run a very tight ship! Sorry for conflating you with all of Fleen, though. I’ve made that error almost consistently since Fleen launched (there was one writer — who no longer works with you guys — who used to get on my nerves a little bit, and I took that guy’s perspective as “the Fleen voice” and chose to avoid Fleen for quite some time). I’ve been trying to expand my horizons in re: webcomics community participation (it’s been this blog, and Comixpedia, for me, for a long time), so I’m really only just now getting the Fleen vibe in full. I’m hooked! Keep up the great work!
Joey
http://www.webcomicsnation.com
August 28th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
More flames plz
August 28th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
take over the world and rule it with a cruel but elegant hand.
HELL YEAH. I’m on the bandwagon, baby!
Not that last part. Calm down. That was just a joke. Settle down, settle down.
Awwww… now I’m going to have to put this throne made of skulls on ebay.
August 28th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
The title of the book is also listed incorrectly on Amazon, including in the cover shot. And I can’t even find it listed on the Antarctic Press website, making it difficult to confirm the book’s title except by looking at the physical objet. Which I realize Gary had, but still, it’s a little frustrating.
Gary — Criticism can be formal or informal, elaborate or uncomplicated, but in the end, all criticism is simply meant “to keep a conversation going.” That’s the whole point. And you’re clearly doing it!
August 28th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
Hey Alexander — It’s at http://www.antarctic-press.com/html/version_01/viewitem.php?id=4865&bk=search.php?search=history
Titled “History of Webcomics” in the ad copy, titled “A History …” in the cover image, and described as “Renowned webcomic historian T Campbell has compiled a comprehensive look into this remarkable development in the comics industry and the history of literature.”
August 28th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
They spelled reknowned wrong.
Joey
August 28th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
Yeah, they don’t now how to spell!
- Eric
August 28th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
Alexander,
I never trust Amazon to list books correctly. One that I co-wrote until recently linked to a completely different book that I had nothing to do with.
August 29th, 2006 at 7:54 am
What’s more, I know we fixed this listing ONCE already, so apparently someone unfixed it back.
Gn.
August 29th, 2006 at 9:19 am
what’s correct – renouned?
August 30th, 2006 at 4:15 am
Renounced?
September 2nd, 2006 at 5:18 am
Ahhh, I remember those halcyon days too… “no, I’m just a guy with a blog. Honest….”
For the record, Gary, I think the absolute definition of “critic,” in the academic and most positive sense of that word, is “a person trying to keep a conversation going.” Someone who finds something they enjoy or feel passionate about, writes about it, and tries to inspire others to do the same.
I think that’s what Fleen is all about, in the end.