12 | Online Graphic Novels: A Case Study on Faith Erin Hicks Brittany Melia, School of Information Studies The following case study focuses on Faith Erin Hicks, a Canadian graphic novelist, who began her career by self-publishing webcomics. Eventually, she was able to branch into commercial publishing, and make a living as a graphic novelist. I will examine how cultivating a passionate fanbase through self-publishing graphic novels online can help support a creator’s transition to traditional publishing for profit. Furthermore, this case study also demonstrates how respecting and remaining connected to one’s online community can be incorporated into commercial publishing, creating a balancing act between the two worlds of creation. Overall, the pros and cons of self-publishing or traditionally publishing graphic novels will be investigated through the lens of one woman’s experience. Keywords: self-publishing online, graphic novels, faith erin hicks, commercial publishing, fanbase Introduction Self-publishing online has become one of the most barrier-free ways to make one’s work widely available. Creators of comics and graphic novels, in particular, are finding a niche in which to garner a greater international fanbase for their work where a traditional publisher could not do the same. Graphic novelists have used their online popularity to transition to the commercial publishing sphere. This phenomenon of online communities for authors and readers to share and develop their work is at the root of successful self-publishing online. This chapter will focus on Faith Erin Hicks, a Canadian graphic novelist and cartoonist who currently lives in Vancouver (Hicks, “About Faith,” n.d). Throughout her career, Hicks has been nominated for and won numerous awards such as an Eisner award in 2014 for The Adventures of Superhero Girl (2014), and her acclaim and talent have since garnered her an artist position for graphic novels based on Copyright © 2018 Melia. Faith Erin Hicks 110 the video game The Last of Us (2013), and as the next writer of the comics that continue the widely successful animated series Avatar the Last Airbender (2005) (Hicks, November 5, 2017). While Hicks has reached a high level of success commercially publishing graphic novels, her start in comics began by self-publishing graphic novels online. I will investigate how Hicks’ transition from self-publishing online to commercial publishing has been aided by the fanbase she developed at the start of her career, and what part of the self-publishing process is most impactful for both author and readers. I will also note that for the purposes of this chapter, the terms “graphic novels” and “webcomics” will be used interchangeably. There is much debate about what exactly each term refers to; some argue that comics are stories that are updated serially and use very flat characters while graphic novels are standalone stories that intimately explore the motivations and storylines of characters (Turk, 2012). Since Hicks’ online works were all published serially but each investigated the psychological and emotional arcs of the characters, this distinguishing of “graphic novels” and “webcomics” does not work. This being the case, the terms will be treated as synonymous. Literature Review Impact of Fanbases on Online and Commercial Publishing Although academic works on self-publishing graphic novels online is limited, there are a number of books and articles that focus on the fanbases that arise from self-publishing any form of material online. In his work, Timothy Laquintano (2016) notes that authors who publish online will often acquire a fanbase who will give them the popularity to publish commercially. For example, he explains that commercial publishers began seeking out self-publishing authors who had made a major impact online, writing, “Agents and publishers began to monitor self- publishing for emerging stars to sign … but the commentary also pointed out that there was no guarantee that a loyal readership built on inexpensive eBooks sold through Kindle would translate into a large print readership” (p. 44). While fanbases are clearly not synonymous with Moving through the Grey: Publishing in Action The Publishing Business: Transformations and Opportunities (ISI6314 – Winter 2018) Faith Erin Hicks 111 book sales, the fact that commercial publishers are still willing to take the risk of approaching self-publishing authors speaks to the power of this online phenomenon. Furthermore, Laquintano writes that, “authors believed that the material and sociotechnical conditions of publishing could eventually recede into the background as they established an immediate and intimate relationship with readers through their books—the kind of unmediated relationship so often fantasized about in the age of print” (p. 94-5). This demonstrates that the key to being successful when self-publishing online is to fully engage with the fanbase that is cultivated both through the work and through the sharing of personal stories. The readership is valued beyond their financial support of a project. Finally, Maria Walters (2009) focuses on the specifics of communities being created online through author’s self-published works. In particular, Walters explains how these works allow the authors to connect with their readership, but also foster relationships between the readers. She writes: Another effect of these forums is the relationships formed between readers. Forums allow users to introduce conversations that are not directly related to any particular comic, which is vital to the formation of a true community. … Plus, forums provide authors with the opportunity to get to know their audiences, interact, and answer questions in a public place (p. 1-2). This highlights the way in which graphic novels self-published online can reach a greater, more passionate audience, and ultimately contribute to a successful commercial career for the author. Permanence and Impermanence of Material The fluid existence of the graphic novels that authors self-publish online is a big topic of discussion in articles on the matter. On the one hand, Timothy Laquintano writes that changes made to published materials are seldom to avoid upsetting or confusing the readership. He explains that, “Readers made it difficult for the authors to make any substantive changes to the content of their fiction because they had invested intense emotional resources into a story and its Moving through the Grey: Publishing in Action The Publishing Business: Transformations and Opportunities (ISI6314 – Winter 2018) Faith Erin Hicks 112 plotline. … This problem was particularly acute for one author when she faced the prospect of having to make changes to sell a book with a particular retailer” (p. 105). The author did not make changes out of respect to the fanbase, demonstrating the strong bond that develops between the author and their readership as well as the permanence of the work despite the creator having a greater ability to edit things. However, on the other hand, authors can also make drastic changes at the request of the readers or remove content altogether. Gabriel Romaguera notes that, Alterations to the text can be done almost instantaneously through this format and affect all readers from that point on. New editions of the text through the updated document of the website automatically replace the previous version. There are no ‘early editions’ of the webcomic available to readers (2015, p. 4). The ease and speed with which authors can make changes to their online graphic novels means that readers can sometimes lose access to the original versions of the webcomics as they are replaced with edited versions. Readers in the future who do not read the graphic novels in real- time will be at an even greater disadvantage when it comes to seeing all that the author has self- published online. As well, readers can also be at the mercy of the author to continue their graphic novels and keep them online whereas a commercially published book obtains a physical form that exists outside of the author’s control. This is one of the difficulties of self-publishing online. Diversity in Stories Published Online Self-publishing graphic novels online also leads to a greater diversity in characters and storylines, be it from the perspective of gender, race, or sexuality. In The World Needs More Sheroes (2017), Jennifer McCartney conducts a case study on graphic novelist Shequeta Smith and how she brought diversity to the medium through a black female lead in her work. She notes that Smith said, “’Women make up like 46% of comic book readers, so it’s a no brainer that we should be creating these stories” (p. 42). Having characters that resonate with different types of people allows for a greater audience, particularly when the material is also available online without international borders or prices separating it from certain fans. This is one of the ways Moving through the Grey: Publishing in Action The Publishing Business: Transformations and Opportunities (ISI6314 – Winter 2018) Faith Erin Hicks 113 that online graphic novels can cultivate such a passionate fanbase as readers are viewing themselves in characters that are not often portrayed in mainstream publishing. Discussion In 1999, Faith Erin Hicks, a teenager at the time, started serially publishing a young adult fantasy graphic novel known as Demonology 101 (Hicks, July 25, 2004). The comic ran from 1999 to 2004 and gained a healthy fanbase online. Discussion forums about the comic were used on LiveJournal, Hicks’ own website where she published Demonology 101, and her personal email was also available to readers. After finishing the series, Hicks wrote a blog post speaking about her relationship with the community, noting that while the passion for her work was wonderful, the heartfelt responses to problems in her personal life were astounding. She said: One thing I will mention (and then hopefully never bring up again) was the issue of the closing note for Episode 4, in which I told about my parents separating.