How to Start a Webring

In this episode of ComicLab, Brad and Dave tackle a surprisingly practical question: How do you start a web ring for comics creators? With social media platforms becoming less reliable for discovery, the classic web ring is making a comeback as a way for creators to promote each other directly.

Along the way, the guys discuss audience targeting, technical setup, and why the success of a web ring depends more on community alignment than on code. Plus: tattoo debates, Tolkien romance arguments, and the eternal challenge of drawing the right amount of detail in your comics.

 Key  topics

• How to start a web ring
• UPDATE: Dave should read Tolkein as a romance
• How much detail should we include in our drawings?
• Amazon plagiarism

Paid setup

Matt Sowers, who created the Hot Box web ring software can install and host the software for you. Contact him at [email protected]

$50 — install on your server

$100 — hosted setup (includes one year hosting). After that, hosting is $75/year.

$75/year — ongoing web hosting for your comic

You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon

• $2 — Early access to episodes
• $5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.