Quipp's Journal: Saving Comics by going digital? WANTED:HERO says "yes".

He claims to have the 'fastest growing eComic on the web'...starting with 14-16 visitors the first month of release, to over 750,000 total visitors for the first year. Not a bad run for an indie comic. However, Jaime Buckley doesn't stop there. He makes all he learns, available to any artist, wanting to succeed with their own creations--even if they compete with Buckley himself! Now he's making a series of podcasts, specifically designed to give indie comic creators the info they need to convert to a digital format and make money on the web. He's assisting artists everywhere...and possibly helping to save comics as we know it, at the same time.

So, what's this eComic Buckley created, that's grabbing people's attention? It's called WANTED:HERO http://www.wantedhero.com/.

Traditionally made with pen and ink, it is then scanned in and uploaded for purchase on the web--for less than the price of a pop from a vending machine (only .97 cents). It's not a "webcomic", but rather a traditional comic in PDF 'ebook' format (with live links), which can be viewed on screen, or printed in high quality, from your own home printer. Buckley's so confident people will love the story--he recently started giving away the first five issues for FREE, through Download.com http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-2001&qt=wanted%20hero&tag=srch. I purchased each issue, and have to say that I'm very impressed. I've become a fan---and I haven't collected comics since the early 90's. It has adventure, drama, humor without end...and a cast that has you addicted and begging for the next issue. No, it's not a Marvel-class creation. It's a solo job, done completely by Buckley himself...which makes this whole adventure more exciting to watch and read.

Started in Feb. 2005, WANTED:HERO is now in year two, has gone from bi-monthly to monthly, and has self-published a 208 pg. paperback novel http://www.lulu.com/content/220445. It get's better: it is appropriate for all ages...dramatically improves (in art form and storyline) each and every month,--and has recently received it's own place in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanted_Hero .

But that's not what caught my attention here, or what made it a unique reading experience for me, personally. It was the basis for his characters.

If you look through the eComic site, you'll find that many (if not most) of Buckley's creations, happen to be based on his real life relationships with other people. "Well known" people. People like international writer Barry Eisler http://www.barryeisler.com/ , Martial Arts/Self Defense expert Marc "Animal" MacYoung http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/, or the former national coach of the Belgian Wushu fighting team, Wim Demeere http://www.grindingshop.com/. These people have become some of the coolest new heroes, and are enchanting children on the web. The fact is---if you look through each issue, you'll find it one of the best examples of 'product placement' and 'cross-promoting' around.

Has this family man found a new niche in a dying form of entertainment? Does this really work? Is there a new ray of hope for all the indie creators who couldn't get their dream job at Marvel, DC or Image? I'm interested in understanding this man's motivation--what drives him to help so many people and offer hope to kids, without asking for anything in return. With the money hungry comic corporations dominating the reader field of printed comics...I wonder if people will be willing to take a step to digital?

I don't know the answers, but I do know that Jaime Buckley and WANTED:HERO are two forces in motion to watch closely and learn from.