When I 1st came to DD I was really new with the whole web comic thing. Didn't really consider the way DD handled comics. When I named my comic I went with the current name "The Devon Legacy Prologue"

The name of the comic being "The Devon Legacy" As new stories come onto the scene I rename the subtitle.

I am getting closer to the end of the Prologue story and wondered what you guys might do if you had did something as stupid as I did.

By the time the Prologue is complete I will have near 300 pages in it's archive. Simply deleting and reuploading would be a HUGE hassle and I would lose my comment history.

I could just keep on going under the Prologue name in the url but that seems a bit silly to do since the comic will obviously not be called that any more.

I am leaning toward simply making a new comic "The Devon Legacy" and keeping the prologue separate. The cons to this are I am starting over in rank and all that good stuff. Plus it makes it tougher to thumb through the archive since people will have to click all the way back to the prologue. (and it's not like there are years between each story, the prologue flows pretty much straight into the next story.

Anyway, what approach would you take had you done this? Any other suggestions? (wishes for a way to rename comics on DD a lot)

Thank you for any feedback!

Tough one...

I think I'd go ahead and start up a new comic and leave that one where it is. You can add a note on the first page of the new comic that it is a continuation and put a link to the first page of the "Prologue." And at the end of the Prologue, add a link to the continuation. With html, you can arrange it nicely, even use that homepage feature if you want with links to each issue (or to specific pages if you include the rest of the issues in a new comic).

Personally, I'd be more upset to lose comments, etc. than any effects on the comic's rank -- but I guess that's really a personal thing. In any case, the rank is really more affected by recent activity than a history of things. Since you've already built a fanbase, starting a new comic might actually have a higher rank. (But I don't really know how ranking works, so I could be wrong.)


(The only stupid thing I did when joining was that I thought the username translated into a URL or something like on free webspace hosts. ^^; )

Losing part of your existing fanbase would be a real blow and it is a possibility, I suspect. A lot of people who have started second comics here have said that readers don't necessarily transfer across. I know it's not quite the same thing but ... gaah! Risk!

What about this ...?

Start TDL "proper" as a new comic.
For the first few weeks, update both titles.
At the "Prologue" site, don't leave a full Author's commentary or answer comments.
Instead, continually remind people with every update that updates will only continue there for a short period and that they should therefore "favourite" the new comic.
Stop updating at the "Prologue" once a significant number of readers have moved across.

Or, alternatively, don't start a new comic at all. Just pretend the whole thing was always meant to be called "TDL Prologue", because the whole story is just the beginning to a huge metaphysical question to which the reader must himself find an answer!
;-)

DAJB
What about this ...?

Start TDL "proper" as a new comic.
For the first few weeks, update both titles.
At the "Prologue" site, don't leave a full Author's commentary or answer comments.
Instead, continually remind people with every update that updates will only continue there for a short period and that they should therefore "favourite" the new comic.
Stop updating at the "Prologue" once a significant number of readers have moved across.

Yeah, that's a good idea. Except maybe for the main TDL update it earlier than Prologue, so then more people will want to go over to the main comic. And then, after 100 pages, or a certain number of chapters, end the prologue and focus on the main. By then, most of your readers should have moved over to the main because they want to find out what happens next sooner.

This is kind of based on what DAJB was suggesting...

Start the new "non-Prologue" comic, and update both but-

The updates on the old comic could just be partial previews of the new one, with the full pages only being posted on your new one. (update both at same time)
Put a link in the comments for the teaser to the new comic so people will follow it over to read the full page, and in those comments remind readers to fave the new comic.

Nothing will get lost, and hopefully (nearly) everyone who faved the first one will carry over.

Those are really good ideas!

I am split between updating early on TDL and simply posting teasers on the same day on TDLPrologue.

I think I may lean towards the teaser thing. In each page I can add a note that the reader should continue the story in TDL. For all those people that don't worry about reading comments.

I'll try to link them both together as much as I can with the web layouts

(latest button still taking people to the latest page on TDL even from the prologue, chapter lists, etc.)

I am reminded of the song "If I could turn back time!"

usedbooks
Personally, I'd be more upset to lose comments, etc. than any effects on the comic's rank -- but I guess that's really a personal thing. In any case, the rank is really more affected by recent activity than a history of things. Since you've already built a fanbase, starting a new comic might actually have a higher rank. (But I don't really know how ranking works, so I could be wrong.)

Yeah, losing all the comments is not an option. I will miss the # of faves I have for sure =p
My ranking is just something I am a bit proud of simply because I never would have thought I would get there. Especially considering I rarely broke 100 views for nearly 100 pages haha

But page count is also a big deal. Without my massive archive for people to thumb through I am sure my views will plummet. (Though I'll actually start advertising at that point so maybe it will balance out)

So, now I'm curious... what would your screen name be had you known usedbooks would not be a url?

JustNoPoint
So, now I'm curious... what would your screen name be had you known usedbooks would not be a url?

I'm not terribly original. It would be Vickie (or a variation of it).

Well one thing I would do if you know a little HTML or know someone else who does is make sure to establish link banners between the two comics. Nice visible ones.

That way not only will you get a larger amount of your existing readers to switch it will help make sure anyone who wanders into the prolog (which for a good while will surely be more visible) goes onto the main comic as well as help people who stumble into the comic find the prolog.

I think JNP though you are looking at this the wrong way. There are also at least two pros the way I see it.

1. A less intimidating archive. A LOT of people just won't read a comic with to many pages. By splitting them between two comics you are minimizing that, by the time they realize there are 300 more pages it will be too late.

2. Quality Control: Since the new comic will only have your new and more awesome art people will be hit with a very good first impression of the comic. Again many comics get burned because when people click the back button and see old art they decided to pass.

To use a reference close to you, I see it no different from Fight 2 being a separate comic from Fight 1...and both update. Eventually DLP would become a permanent archive comic, although you could post "did you know?" trivia tidbits or unseen moment pages for quite a while, if you wanted to. Indefinitely, actually, if you wanted to. :)

But The Devon Legacy should definitely be a separate comic and DLP should remain right where it is.

EEN made some good points.

Hah now I'm considering going ahead and adding the sub title to my next URL too!

The sub title for the next story will last the entire volume, transcending many story arcs, chapters, and issues. I have no clue how long the next volume is but it will totally dwarf the prologue by far!

Probably my biggest volume out of my 10 volumes planned. It will take years to reach the end, so if I actually do make it to the end of the volume it might be a good idea to go ahead and make another comic for the volume after that. Thank you all for your fantastic feedback!

Gives me new ideas on my next site layout design as well WOOT

I didn't expect to get so many good suggestions!

@ Due East, that's probably pretty much how I'll do every volume now. It will be really nice if they ever implement the ability to set your comic as "complete" for a completed comics search.

The Lizards and the Insects and the Humans.

Thats a good title for it. :)

Oh I already know the name Kyupol. That wasn't/isn't the issue =p