Recently a cartoonist bulletin board discussion resurfaced about Scott Kurtz and his plan to give PVP away to newspapers.
When this thing first reared its ugly head a few months ago, I was one of the cartoonists concerned (OK, kinda pissed) about the ramifications of this sort of thing.
My position was this — PVP is a good strip and editors should be paying a good rate for it. I thought Scott was selling (or, more accurately, not selling) himself and the industry short.
Well, some time later, it doesn’t look like this thing has really taken off and some cartoonists are about waist deep in their own schadenfreude. So why aren’t I?
I recently took a beating on the same board for my new free daily cartoon feature. I was accused of destroying markets, incomes, the industry as a whole…
I thought (and think) it’s a good idea, and I’m going to continue trying it out. And I have to assume Scott thought/thinks the same thing for his plan. In fact, I think the “next big cartooning thing” is still out there waiting for some plucky cartoonist to cast aside convention and try something outrageous.
So get to the point you say?
Hey, Scott — sorry, man. I was wrong. Thanks for giving it a shot. Hope your next thing works out for ya.
Mark,
I wasn't among those shootong arrows at your balloon. I think it's basically different than what Scott was proposing. In any case I'm not giving Scott any pats on the back, at least not yet. It needed agressive marketing, and didn't get it. It may be that Scott just didn't have the time, but until he or someone else makes an all out effort the premise remains in limbo. I've stated that I didn't think it was workable, but wanted to see it tried. That's still my viewpoint.
I agree, Arnold. I'm not neccesarily cheering the concept, (although, like you I want to see how it goes) I am cheering his attempt with something radically different.
So many in our industry sit around and complain that it's not like it used to be, and so few do anything about it.