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
- Have the creators posted on a reliable schedule?
To calculate the Sustainability score, simply add the relevant values for a comic and divide by three.
