Webcomic Review Format & Rubric (Part 2): Sustainability

In the first post of these series, I shared why I started reviewing webcomics, as well as the eight qualities I consider in each review.  The first post concluded with brief comments on the Synopsis section of each review.

Today we'll look more in depth at the first assessment vector:  Sustainability.  This term signifies the likelihood that a comic will keep going. I believe this to be an especially important quality in the world of webcomics where it’s relatively easy to start up. The plus side to this is that we get a lot of new comics started all the time!  The downside is that the less-invested many people are in starting something, the less-invested they are in keeping it up.  (Commitment isn't exactly our "thing" in 2018.)  The Internet is littered with half-finished comics, and it’s frustrating to invest in a story, only to discover that it’s come to an abrupt halt and will (likely) never be completed.

I calculate this score by considering the history of the comic at the time I review it. Have the creators already established a track record of consistently putting out new content?

There's basically three factors that go in to determining the Sustainability rating.

• How long has the comic been in production? 

• Less than a year = 1
• 1-2 years = 2
• 2-3 years = 3
• 3-4 years =4
• 4+ years = 5

• Is it currently ongoing?
• no = 0
• yes = 5

• Have the creators posted on a reliable schedule? 
• no = 0
• yes = 5

To calculate the Sustainability score, simply add the relevant values for a comic and divide by three.

Spring Road Webcomic Review Format & Rubric: Part 1

One of my goals in writing this blog was to supply reviews of independent superhero webcomics. However, one of the perennial challenges of writing reviews (almost any kind) is ensuring as high a degree of objectivity as possible, so that different works are dealt with on at least a roughly similar basis. My solution was to draw on my experiences in academia by using a grading rubric.
Once that was decided, I had to ponder, “What qualities or features would my rubric evaluate; and why would I choose those qualities/features rather than some other set?”

My answer to the first question wound up being eight qualities: sustainability, language, violence, sexuality, political leaning, morality, artwork, and storytelling. My answer to the second question is, essentially, “if I care about these things, then there’s probably other people who care about them too.”

In future posts, I intend to go more in-depth on what I mean by each of these qualities and how I assess them...but not just yet.  For now, I'll end with a few words about the synopsis.   

The Synopsis.  

Each review begins with a section I call The Synopsis. This is not, strictly-speaking, part of the rubric. It’s purpose is to supply a broad overview and background to the characters, creators, overall tone, etc.  Some of my synopses (particularly the one for Femme Noir) went on entirely too long.  This year, my intention is to scale way back and keep the synopsis to something nearer the following examples: 

The Synopsis for Miss Melee

Miss Melee is a collaboration between writer Rob Johnson & artist Ariel Guadalupe.  It chronicles the struggles of (at least initially-) retired superheroine Janice (Jan) Jones  who has settled down to work an office job and help husband Mark raise their daughter, Jackie.  The comic updates every Saturday, and explores the "working mom theme" of juggling family, corporate employment, and super-heroing. 

Synopsis for Liberty Lass

Liberty Lass is an unapologetic celebration of patriotism, cast in the Comics Code compliant style of Bronze Age.  Creator Steve Vincent's love for Bronze Age comics goes so far that he even has a fictional company--the Cosmic Comic Company--that "produces" the title. Liberty Lass is a character originally generated for the online gaming world, City of Heroes.  Currently, Vincent has produced five full issues of Liberty Lass.