May 6th, 2009
One Swoop Rising
Nothing too much to add here since I finally updated the blog yesterday. But in case you missed it, I’ve added some features and artwork around the site. Might be worth poking around a bit. That’s pretty much it!
May 6th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Another brilliant page added to this great journey ! ^^
Hope what I wrotte make sense. 
Always loved the way you used Swoop’s dreams interacted with “the real world”. It seems to me it was used as transition [from dream to reality], now it become part of the action.
Also, I hope everything will be okay for Topo, but I’m sure he’ll fall into the right arms, hehehe !
Ciao, bello !
May 6th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Wow! I’d like to see the last episode and this one side by side in print! Or would it have been a page turner?…..
May 6th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Julien - Makes perfect sense. That’s what I’m going for too…. so I’m glad to see I’m making sense too.
Hey Dave - It’s on a fresh page. Speaking of which, I’ve just about filled the first portfolio book with pages! Feels nice and heavy. hehe
May 6th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
u_u I’ve been listening to too much Asia. When I read the title I was all “Oooonee swoop closer! Much closer, than we are!” Ugh…I’m terrible.
It took me a while to notice the arms there in the bottom panel, but I noticed them eventually, they’re kinda dark and hard to pick out.
May 6th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
“It took me a while to notice the arms there in the bottom panel, but I noticed them eventually, they’re kinda dark and hard to pick out.”
That’s a deliberate choice on many different levels.
Never heard of Asia…. Not sure I wanna hear it either.
May 6th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Whoah… I just noticed the arms as well. I’m not sure I would have if I hadn’t read the comments, though.
This is getting very ominous.
Excellent art!
May 6th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Getting 1-2 dollars a week from ads isn’t all that much, though. You really should make a print version of this story eventually (though for personal selfish reasons, I hope it doesn’t end anytime soon!)
May 7th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Oh no! He fell on his back with swoop in his backpack! He must be awake now, I hope he`ll be only awake though, and not hurt or anything…..
I didn`t notice the arms too before I read the comments. I think that`s very well done! I really thought he was falling.
May 7th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
HenrikeD, I think Swoop actually flew out from his backpack (sleep-flying) in the first panel. That’s how I saw it, anyway.
I do like the PW ads because they’re actually relevant, though, and not annoying. One Swoop Fell is very much in the spirit of Wallace & Gromit.
The ad box increased dramatically in value overnight, so you might be getting a few dollars a week now. Increase that a few times more and you’re approaching minimum wage (per hour of work). ;p Project Wonderful is still growing, though, so the prices will probably get better.
Anyway, just random thoughts - I’m interested in how artists make a living in this new internet age.
May 7th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Esn’s right. Swoop sleep-flew out of the backpack in the first panel. I’m going to do some touch-ups and put some feathers flying out of the pack, and maybe the tip of Swoop’s bottom at the top of the panel. In the last panel, I meant to keep the arms obscure, but I think a “…” speech balloon might help the reader at least see the arms. Sorry for the confusion guys.
As for ads, the few cents a day really funds maybe one advertisement I get to put on another site… I’m definitely not considering it income! I’m still in the readership building phase, I suppose, and since I only put out one comic a week, I may not get very big advertisers on my site (seeing telltale games here is super awesome though). As for income I’ve been looking into swag and books, but right now it all requires a big investment, and I’m not sure I have the readership base to support it.
The message in all of this? Everyone please do what you can to spread the word!
May 7th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Do you have any little PW ads on other webcomics, then? I’ve visited most of the comics that have put those small PW ads on your site; I’d imagine I’d do the same if I was reading a different webcomic and saw your ad there.
May 7th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Not lately. I have an ad that shows up on RyanEstrada.com once in a while when the rates are low enough. In the past, I’ve advertised on Phoenix Requiem, Scratching Post, Girl Genius, Ellie Connelly, We the Robots, Garfield Minus Garfield, Dresden Codak, and even a couple minutes here and there on PvPOnline.
I’m curious to know how many regular readers I have out there that found me through these early ads. I might consider stepping up the campaigning again. For now, I stick to free methods like posting on forums and wishful thinking.
May 11th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Heh, pretty cool: I just went to ryanestrada.com and saw your big ad there. I don’t know who Ryan Estrada is, though.
Some of my favourite webcomics whose readers I think might like your comic (The Abominable Charles Christopher, Kukuburi, The Boids, Zip and Li’l Bit, though the latter two are on hiatus) don’t carry any ads on their sites, unfortunately.
May 11th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I actually don’t even remember how I first found your comic… I found it pretty early on, I think. I do read Garfield Minus Garfield, so it could have been from there… or possibly someone recommended it in the comments to one of the other comics I read. Or maybe from a review site.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:30 am
I believe I found it on an ad in Calamities of Nature. Forgive me if I’m wrong, Mike, but it’s been a while.
May 15th, 2009 at 9:40 am
I think the page is very clear now with the adjustments!
Very nice!