– Convention Season is coming! Looks like I’ll be at Chibi Chibi Con next month, Emerald City and Sakuracon in March and Stumptown (with Emma Capps!) in April!
– So back before the end of the year I read a review of Modest Medusa. The review was pretty fair, but the guy really didn’t like my art and described it as lazy. Sigh… sometimes I can be lazy, especially if I’m in a hurry. Then, about two weeks ago while I was at Newcon I met someone after my panel who told me that I had no business being on a webcomics panel because I clearly didn’t know how to draw at all, and my comic was one of the worst out there. That hurt. Finally, last week I discovered a webcomics review site that had some negative things to say about my comic. Some of them were really pretty valid, like criticsim about the poor site design and the number of adds (and I’m working with a friend to change both of those things).And again, they didn’t like the art.
So…
I thought I’d really push myself on this story arc and do the best pages I can do. Which is why they’ve been taking longer than normal. I’m really happy with the way they’ve turned out and I hope you like them as well. I’m not fishing for compliments here. Instead, my plan for this year is to bring my ” A game” to every Modest Medusa page.
– Totally unrelated… I have some original art that I’d like to sell. I’ve tried offering it at conventions, but i never really had the table space. Anyway, I thought I might try posting a few illustrations on ebay with a $10 starting bid. I’ve never tried anything like that before. Am I wasting my time/ would any of you be interested in that?
– Also unrelated… next Monday I’ll be giving away some Modest Medusa shirts. I have 3 or 4 old shirts that have been hanging around forever, and if you’re willing to pay the shipping you can have one! I’ll be posting the details next Monday, so please remember to check it out!
After reading what you wrote above I only have to say this:
The Characters might not have many details BUT you keep them consistent through the Comic and frankly your use of Colors and shading is pretty damn good.
Also the environments are pretty detailed, look great and don’t make the characters look out of place.
You also know how to do proper view Angles (at least in my opinion) which already put you above many other comics out there.
The Story … well I’ve reread the comic several times, am thinking about buying the Book and managed to make several of my friends into readers with little effort so yeah I see no reason to worry.
Btw I really like how you show that you are aware of the Tropes you use ^^
Seriously this is one of my favorite Webcomics out here, the only thing I don’t really like is the Website but I think that is really just nitpicking since it works.
Seriously don’t worry too much, people even hate on Penny Arcade and we know how successful those are 🙂
… now that I think about it doesn’t you having haters mean you are starting to become recognized out there? :p (You do have a TV Tropes Page)
Thanks. I always wonder who it is that’s updating the TV Tropes page.
I admit it actually was that page that made me discover your Comic, and people say TV Tropes only destroys Life’s 🙂
I get enough traffic from the site that I figure you can’t be the only one.
there’s not much else to say; i’m pretty sure all the comments were positive (too lazy to read them all, apologies). there will always be haters; fortunately, they (probably) won’t come at you with pitchforks.
Yeah, the comments have been super, awesomely embarrassingly positive.
My only complaint is that you cant produce more of this awesome comic per week :T
I can do 5 strips a week if I have nothing else to do, but that’s pretty rare.
This comic is my favorite of all time! I cant wait to see what happens next! Still confused at who these ppl are though. When do we find out who they are?
Soon. A few people have figured it out already, I think.
I don’t remember how I found your comic but I always remember to check for updates! Because it’s cute and I like it. 😛 So, don’t let the haters get you down.
Thanks. I won’t.
Jake, I like the your art. There are more detailed comics like Quantum Vibe, or Aoi House, and the like. Then you have comics like Tama Comic, which updates whenever. What about The Order of the Stick, stick figure comic that has been around for a decade and the first webcomic I read and still enjoy. There are some really detailed, well drawn webcomics that I just cannot get into. Everyone has their likes and dislikes, don’t let the opinion of a few force you to change what has already created your readership. Change is good as long as it is a natural progression of your style, but change for the sake of change or to appeal to someone elses taste is not good. As for the ads, something more subdued would be nice.
Thanks. Something more subdued would be nice, wouldn’t it? I’m working on it.
Wow the critics seem to be a bit harsh. I’ve read a few web comics, and this one is not bad at all. I like the art, and like all web comics the art has improved over time. The story is cute, and you deliver more often than most web comics 🙂 which is very nice since its frustrating to wait for ages for the next part of the story. But, hey you cant make everyone happy.
Thanks!
I know it has been said almost a 100 times (really you have over 114 comments on this page heh ) but your art style is great!
Wish I could be more encouraging I’m just not sure what to say that hasn’t already been said, that and your encouragement meter might be full XD
So keep doing what you love to do, because I’ll keep on reading!
I also had a question though, by any chance are you going to be at Planet Comicon (Kansas city comic convention) this year?
Unless they pay to fly me out I’m afraid I won’t make it. Kansas is about as far out of my neighborhood as I can get without leaving the country.
Aww, the plushie medusa on the bed looks so cute!
Though it can’t be a traditional plushie to be so limber…
It’s probably closer to a sock monkey.
This site is poorly made? Woot?
Im reading this on my phone and its one of the fastest loading comics i follow, and the “placement” of the strip itself is perfect!
Thanks. I did my best to make sure that the strip was well positioned for mobile devices. It reads really well on the PSP!
So, been reading this comic for a while now. Never before posted cause never felt the need to say anything. But when this bit about criticism came up I just wanted to add my two cents.
When I read a comic I judge it by one litmus: does it entertain me?
Answer: This one does. I’ve enjoyed the heck out of it. The characters are not greatly detailed, but don’t really need to be. The way they are drawn the comic comes off as being sorta cute and is overall a fun comic to read. If I did not like it, I would not have followed it for this long.
Also just a side note on the plural Medusa question… Medusa is a name and would not have a plural; the proper plural would be Gorgons of which in Greek myth there was three Medusa, Stheno, and Eurayle. This is not at all important to the comic but I saw the question come up in the posts earlier so, there is the answer.
“Does it entertain me?” THIS.
XKCD is very simple with its artwork, but Randall Munro is a lot more entertaining (and enlightening, for that matter) than Rob Liefeld, as far as I’m concerned.
I don’t care how lavish the art is. Each artist has his or her own style, and I either like it or I don’t. If you don’t grab me with your characters or your approach, I’m just going to go away. Jim Cleaveland’s art style is very simple, but I find The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob to be far more fascinating to me nowadays than whether Jean Grey is alive or dead this week.
I can’t draw — right now — but one of the items on my recent Major Birthday bucket list is to learn how to draw, and then do my own webcomic for at least a hundred issues. And I promise to ignore sites like Bad Webcomics. The odds of my finding something there that might help me that I can’t find anyplace else is about as likely as the Miami Heat replacing LeBron James with Woody Allen.
Thanks.
Looking on that, I didn’t make it explicit: You’re doing a great job with this strip. Keep up the good work!
Well thanks.
Jake, you’ve inspired me to start my own webcomic (even though I’ve been failing to keep up with it due to life events) I still want to make more. I really like your style because it’s cute, entertaining, and unique. Your webcomic is the first one that I read everytime it’s an update day because I love reading it. It’s clever, funny, and adventurous. This webcomic is way better than most that I’ve read over the years because it’s very unique, rather with an anime style. I enjoy this one so much better than most of the popular webcomics. Dont give up, dont fall into the jerk faces who criticized you. Indeed that criticism helps you improve your work, it’s an important key in the art world. You just have to make it better than ever. 🙂
As for trying to sell art at a con with no room table, most people put their art in a binder to help protect the pictures and for easy transport. Also you can put the prices on them to tell people what it’s worth. 🙂 Just a suggestion ^^
Dont give up, Jake! All of your fans are here for you! Never give up, never surrender!
Thanks! I’m really happy to hear that you’ve started your own comic after reading mine. That’s great! Keep at it!
Pretty ballsy, dood! Good luck with your webcomic, but be careful. Tis a slippery slope. Absolute power corrupts absolutely!
Okay no, but do be careful, I read a lot of webcomics, and if there is ONE thing I have learned about them, it is that webcomic artists get sick constantly. Like debillitatingly sick. Examples of whom include Jake here, Nerf This’s, Questionable Content’s, Between Failure’s, and Mokepon/Rumplestiltskin’s creators. That is five right there!
So keep up a good healthy lifestyle while doing yer doodles, dood.
I would start my own comic, but I KNOW how infrequently I draw, and not too well. It is agrivating, all these ideas for hilarious one-off or constant serieseses comics, and not enough skill to do them! T-T
All i am going to say is this – those who said you aren’t a real comic or are lazy, etc – I would like to see if they would say that about comics like xkcd.com or cyanideandhappiness.com – wouldn’t you? (and I like both of those comics, so that is NOT meant to be a jab at them, either)
Webcomics, like all art, are a matter of taste. And critiques in the art world tend to be like the calls I get in tech support: you only hear from the upset ones, and have to remind yourself that for every one of them there is an unknown number of people that are indifferent or even feel the exact opposite.
Which means cherish every hater – if they are that passionate, that they feel the need to get in your face, there must be at least one person who is as passionate about liking your work but since they are a typical human that passion isn’t enough to get them to tell you about it unless you happen to be there, heh.
Hang in there Jake. Always good to grow as an artist, but grow because you want to – not because some jerk forgot what their momma taught them about “if you can’t say something nice …”
Thanks!
“I live here… and I got it all from IKEA” 😀 (LOLZ) Just kidding, this is an amazing comic I remember when I found it AGES ago (feels like ages ago) on drunk duck.
Thanks for sticking around all this time!
I have noticed something reading up on the growing number of compliments about Jake and his art, You don’t mess with the Jake 🙂 his loyal fans support him well. I met Jake sometime ago at Emerald City (I think it was there), it was just after the start of season one, there was not a lot of strips posted up yet. It was one of those quick “hello, how are you” type of things, Jake have a quick review of MM then I moved on. Then a few days later I found my self looking for the flier he gave me, thinking I really should check this out. Hooked on it ever since. Like a poster said, art is subjective, but for me, one of the biggest facts was seeing how much Jake seamed to enjoy telling me about the comic, plus the artwork lacked that industrialized look and feel a lot of the mainstream comics seam to have. MM just feels right in a very good way.
Where was it that we first met? It wasn’t Emerald City, because this will be the first year fro me. Sakuracon or Jet City?
Sorry I thought it was at Emerald, I have been to all three with the comic shop. I was thinking it was Emerald for some reason. I remember your table was to the left of where our booth was when you walked into the dealer room. So that does not help though.
Agreed, Brian. One of the things that got my attention (besides how heart-wrenchingly CUTE Modest is) was how Jake’s art couldn’t be any further away from the pulp dreck we see in so much of what is called “art” these days. Made to a recipe, known to make money, and ship it out the door – not Jake. It’s real, it’s his – it’s in my top 10 favorite webcomics of all time.
Bear in mind that there over 100 comics on my current reading list, and doesn’t count ones I stopped reading, so that is saying something. 😉
And to think I found this site not through a link from another webcomic (though I have seen them around) – but because I was throwing together a graphic and needed a pic of a medusa.
Google search happened to grab a pic of Modest, and it got my attention. Been here ever since. 😀
Thanks for sticking around!
If a comic has to better than Modest Medusa to be good than their are very very few good comics.
Thanks Tovah!
I really don’t get ANYTHING that the critics were saying. My husband showed me this about a year ago and I kept forgetting the name until I found his “I’m in your toilet eating your chocodiles” shirt in the laundry and when I first came to the site, I was just fine in the navigation department and I couldn’t keep from going to the next comic (I got caught up from comic 1 in 3 days) and I check for updates every M W and F. I think that the critics are just flat out lying because I’m not one for comics and I LOVE it.
and unless I somehow went to a foreign country, I believe it is 12:32 where I am… not 5:30… >_>
Yeah, the websites time is weird. I’m not sure why.
Thanks Elizabeth.
I think I can honestly say here that whoever said your comic is “one of the worst” either doesn’t understand the concept of personal taste or lives in some forgotten corner of Internet not yet infected with the taint of Sturgeon’s Law, and therefore has impossibly high standards. As for ending up in a list of “bad” webcomics, don’t feel too bad about it – almost every well-known webcomic is listed on the Bad Webcomics Wiki. On that particular site, yours is not one of them.
wow… lotta comments today.
I just wanted to say your fantastic and medusa’s mom isn’t so bad… Why did she become evil!!!!!! 🙁
Thanks.
Ok, since you appear to take criticism well I will say this; while I have read and enjoyed your comic since you began it the art formerly did seem static and repetitive and I read it mostly for the story.
The past few comics have been outstanding though, great detail and use of perspective. The third panel of today’s strip is a pleasure to look at.
Well thanks.
Jake, I’m sorry; I’m coming by this late so I don’t know if you’ll ever see it.
There are always going to be people who don’t like what a person does, no matter how popular. The VAST MAJORITY of humanity doesn’t have the time of day for MOST things out there. So don’t lose sleep over those people. They’re not your constituency; they’re someone else’s. Yours is right here, coming by every day to follow the story, to see the new work, to buy the book. To appreciate what you do. First you have to do it for yourself. If you’re enjoying it, that’s all the excuse you need. The bonus is all the rest of us. We like what you do. We like that you DO it. We care about the people you create on the page and what happens to them, and we’re quietly grateful you take the time to share it with us and sweeten our morning coffee when you really don’t have to.
Don’t spend too much time worrying about the folks who don’t appreciate what you do. If it spurs you to improve, great; that’s a mature way to react to their comments. But if it starts to get you down, just remember you’ve got us.
Thanks. I appreciate that.