Where's Webcomics Journalism?

It was pointed out to me recently that, in doing academic research on how some comics take advantage of digital technologies, many of the online searches that the researcher in question was doing pointed back to my columns on MTV Geek. While it was very cool to be recognized for my work there, how sad is that? That I'm one of the bigger names in writing about webcomics? In the first place, there are many more people more knowledgeable about webcomics than I am. I mean, check out anybody who's making a living doing webcomics. The closest to practical experience I have is that I've posted a couple of old comics I did here on my blog. Hardly an exhaustive resume builder.

In the second place, how many better and more well-known writers and researchers are out there? I understand that your M. Thomas Inges and R.C. Harveys of the world aren't terribly interested in webcomics, and their writings tend to find their way into pulped wood volumes, but what about all those great sites out there talking about comics in general? CBR, Comics Alliance, Comics Reporter, The Beat... These are folks who are known experts in comics for a reason. They know their stuff, and do a fantastic job of talking about it. I barely make pocket change with my writing; clearly it's not very significant.

So what does that say about the state of webcomics journalism?

You could argue that comics jounalism on the whole needs a lot of work, which I think it does, but the folks who ought to be talking about webcomics need to step up their game. I should not be a key figure in this overall discussion, because I sure as hell don't know what I'm talking about!

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