Chapter 22: Four-Panel Comics Starting from Zero (2)
The world’s first comic, [Omniscient Backstage View], which Wade and Aria had created over several months of trial and error.
Perhaps naturally, by the standards of Wade’s previous life, it was a work with many shortcomings.
The art style had not yet been perfectly adapted to suit comics, so it still felt stiff.
The direction was basic, and a little bland.
The story progression was extremely simple as well.
At least the drawing speed itself was fairly fast, thanks to the aid of mana befitting a fantasy world.
But overall, it could not help but feel very amateurish.
However.
If one judged it not by the standards of his previous life, but by the standards of this world, where comics had never existed at all?
Then the evaluation changed one hundred and eighty degrees.
After all, beginnings could never be perfect.
And even with imperfect results, they had a way of astonishing everyone.
Yes.
Just like Rex, the guild master of the Publishing Guild, whose eyes and jaw were hanging open as if they might fall off from awe and shock after seeing a completed comic for the first time.
“Good heavens! No… good heavens! What in the world is this?!
You two made this?! Truly?
No, it’s not that I don’t believe you. No, but still, something this incredible…”
Rex, the Publishing Guild Master, stood in an awkward posture, unable to take his eyes off the comic manuscript in his hands.
He could not even finish his sentences properly, stumbling over his words.
To someone watching, he might have looked extremely ridiculous, but to Rex himself, the situation was so serious that he could not even care about that.
Because the object called a comic, which Wade had suddenly visited and casually handed over instead of the next volume of [The Genius Mage of the Slums], was that shocking and new—an OOPArt.
‘Was this how humanity felt when they first received fire from the Goddess?’
When Wade had brought innovation to novels and theater, Rex had simply thought that a genius had been born.
No matter how incredible the works he created were, they were still developments of things that already existed.
Wade had not created those things entirely on his own.
‘But this comic is different.’
Pictures living and moving in this world, conversing, expressing emotions, and advancing a story on their own?!
When he first saw it, he had thought he was so tired that he was hallucinating.
‘This is… This thing called a comic is a medium and a new culture that has never existed before!
I already thought he was a remarkable author, but was he such a genius that he could create an entirely new civilization of art?!’
And a person who created an entirely new culture could no longer be called merely an ordinary genius.
A genius beyond common sense, like Tian from Wade’s new work.
Just as the Goddess had bestowed fire to advance humanity.
Wade was undoubtedly an unparalleled genius who had descended from the heavens as if dancing, in order to advance culture!
‘Come to think of it, Author Wei wished for as many people as possible to read books, even if it meant he received less money.’
With an attitude that had grown even more respectful, Rex recalled Wade’s previous conduct.
Since his books had sold so well nationwide and brought in tremendous profits, it was easy to misunderstand.
But Wade did not care much about profit.
He wanted his works to be sold as cheaply as possible so that as many people as possible could read them.
He had even permitted others to imitate the style of his works to some degree, so long as they did not copy them exactly.
Thanks to that, works influenced by Wade had recently begun appearing one after another.
‘Of course, most of them are nothing more than clumsy imitations that cannot even reach Author Wei’s toes.
But from time to time, there were authors who showed promising sprouts.’
Before, Rex had wondered why Wade was so generous in allowing such things, increasing his own competitors.
‘Perhaps that is exactly what Author Wei is aiming for…’
So that a more advanced culture could spread across this land.
‘Then this comic must be part of that work as well.’
Thinking so, Rex read through the comic again, which he never grew tired of no matter how many times he saw it.
The contents of [Omniscient Backstage View], which Wade had introduced as a four-panel comic.
Were short stories featuring the characters who appeared in Wade’s works as the protagonists.
Should one call them a kind of afterward?
The Hero and the Demon King, Mary and Clarine, Mikael and Luv, and so on.
As the protagonists appeared in turns, and sometimes all together, their everyday lives were depicted warmly.
And with comedy mixed in from time to time that made him burst into laughter, it was quite entertaining.
“I thought it would be best to make use of existing IPs if we wanted people to take an interest in an unfamiliar medium like comics.
It also serves as fan service.
Later, when other works are completed, we may be able to add new characters then as well.”
“That is something to look forward to indeed!
It will also be a wonderful gift to readers who feel regretful when a work ends.”
Of course, the content itself was interesting, as it was perfect for drawing the interest of existing readers.
But more than that, what caught Rex’s eye was the fresh format and direction of this comic, which he had never seen before.
“Unlike static paintings, it has a strong sense of activity, so it certainly feels dynamic.
The emotions of the characters feel more vivid as well.
It is as though the drawings have come alive and are performing a play.”
“This speech bubble is Mary speaking, correct?
Even without separate explanation, one can tell at a glance who is speaking. This thing called a speech bubble is extremely convenient.
It is also astonishing that the story is conveyed properly despite being so concise.”
“Moreover, because the situation is shown at a glance through pictures, it is far easier to understand than reading it in writing.
Even a young child who struggles to read long passages would likely be able to view and understand this comic easily.”
There were other points that instinctively drew him in as well, but even Rex himself found it difficult to explain them concretely.
What was certain was that it was a fantastic work that captured entertainment, practicality, and novelty all at once!
And after seeing such an excellent work.
“Krrrgh! It is far, far too wasteful for me to be the only one seeing this.
I want to show it to readers across the nation at once.
No. This is something that must be shown!
That is what justice means!”
As the Publishing Guild Master, Rex naturally began to burn with desire to present this four-panel comic, [Omniscient Backstage View], to the people immediately.
And they soon moved straight into discussions about how to release the comic.
“First, [Omniscient Backstage View] will not be sold one volume at a time as a book. We plan to serialize it in installments in the newspaper.”
“In the newspaper, you say? Is there a particular reason for doing it that way?”
“Comics take far longer to produce than novels.
If we make and sell them one book at a time, the release intervals will become too long.
So we’ll be serializing it periodically in the newspaper instead.”
“Ah! In that case, it cannot be helped.”
“Mm, besides that, we can regularly collect and reflect readers’ reactions.
The art style will also change little by little, and if it is seen in installments, that sense of incongruity can be reduced.”
For the time being, it was decided that [Omniscient Backstage View] would be serialized through the newspaper released by the Publishing Guild.
“This method should be good for the Publishing Guild as well.
You can increase newspaper sales through the advantage of having a comic serialization.
And later, once enough content has accumulated, you can sell it again as a collected volume.”
“Ooh. If we can sell it twice, it will certainly be an enormous profit.”
Even in Wade’s previous life, it was quite common to serialize popular comics in order to sell newspapers or magazines.
And it was also common for people to buy newspapers or magazines solely to read those popular comics.
Though that had gradually disappeared as the flow of the times shifted toward digital media and a new method called webtoons emerged.
In this world without the internet, Wade judged that it would be more than effective.
“What is the publication interval for the newspaper sold by the Publishing Guild?”
“Our newspaper is published once every three days.”
“Then for the first chapter, as promotion, let’s present all twenty-five pages at once and clearly show people what a comic is.
After that, let’s serialize four pages at a time.
If it’s once every three days, I think four pages is the physical limit.”
After even the final discussion regarding serialization length was completed.
One more thought surfaced in Rex’s mind.
‘Is Author Wei not only a genius of culture, but also a monster obsessed with gold coins?’
It was frightening how he came up with such ruthless business tactics every single time.
But that did not mean Rex rejected them.
Because it seemed like too much money to refuse.
‘Even selling his previous works, which excluded profit as much as possible, brought in that much gain.’
If the sales of newspapers, which did not have any such restrictions, increased by that much, just how great would the profit be?
‘No. Later, once a certain amount has accumulated, he said we would make and sell collected volumes as well.’
The originally expected profit would remain the same, and newspaper sales revenue would be added on top of it.
Was there any worry that readers who had already seen the newspaper serialization would not buy the collected volume?
Why bother worrying about something so pointless?
‘Anyone who sees this comic will be unable to endure the desire to own a proper collected volume.’
Rex himself was already full of thoughts of using the fact that the Publishing Guild was the place of serialization to make a separate unofficial collected volume for his personal collection before the official one was released.
Moreover, though it was somewhat embarrassing to say so himself, the newspaper produced by the Publishing Guild was less popular than other commercial newspapers.
Since they were, after all, an officially recognized guild of the nation, they could not publish low-grade and uncertain rumors like cheap tabloids, and instead only printed thoroughly verified information, making them boring and slow.
‘But if we have this weapon called [Omniscient Backstage View]!’
They might overcome all those weaknesses, subdue the other newspapers, and reign in first place.
Then of course they had to sign the contract!
What if they failed to sign it, missed the chance, and Wade ended up publishing it in another commercial newspaper?
‘Mm… That would be the day I am driven out of the guild master’s seat.’
Thus, Rex.
“The contract! The newspaper space! I will provide all of it!
Please, just serialize it in our newspaper!”
He unconditionally accepted the terms Wade demanded and concluded the contract.
“Prepare everything thoroughly!
This comic serialization will not merely bring immense profits to our Publishing Guild.
It is an important and monumental event that will introduce a new culture!
You do not want to prepare carelessly for an incident that may go down in history and be cursed by your descendants for generations, do you?!”
“““Yes, sir!”””
And after the Publishing Guild poured all its strength into thorough preparations.
—A new culture presented by Author Wei!
The four-panel comic [Omniscient Backstage View] begins its explosive serialization!—
“A four-panel comic? What’s that supposed to be now?”
The world’s first comic was making landfall in another world.