I usually don’t talk too much about webcomic businessesy stuff.

I gues to followup on your points, even at our peaks of traffic, we still really never got even close to 1% of the viewers to leave a comment. I don’t know why – generally speaking I’m okay because it was clear people come here, read the whole comic series, and apparently enjoy it. Just not fans of commenting – I’d like to think that it’s because we get a lot more folks who seem to wait a few weeks and read in spurts.

I frankly think we just have quiet casual consumers of this comic who don’t seek it out as a place for commentary or community – which is fine. Dan nor myself really cultivated a blog for Eben07 – we care about making the comic more.

As far as advertising, it’s a very occasional thing. I will dip into my pocket and do it when we hit milestones usually. The budget is very lean.

We also have shyed away from the “Top 100″ and other voting contests because they don’t really do much for us and never really saw traffic show up to our site from engaging with them. When we did do them, our fans showed up and we often ranked high – but it never lead to new readers, just one way off-site traffic.

I love the Star Wars Robot Chickens. So hysterical and well done. I think the Boba Fett stuff often gets me the most.

yeah hiatus’ tends to kill off a lot of webcomics when they’re small-medium sized. Only \ usually when they either have
A. a tight knit community, forums \ comments section
B. a huge body of fans

Before the hiatus y’all did have a bit of a few regulars in the comments section I can remember. But obviously just a few is indicative of the amount of readers.

Do y’all still advertise the website? I think that’s how I found this comic oh so long ago.

Also you may want to have vote incentives like some other comics do. ‘vote for us on the top 100 at so and so webcomics voting site’

on this current comic’s post though.
I loved the star wars robot chicken reference!

On to the other note – I have guesses to our readership woes, but I really don’t know what is happening. I know hiatuses (hiati?) are murder on webcomics.

I feel like we put out a really good, exciting comic together — particularly lately — and I feel like 3-Ring Bound, despite it’s departure from the core premise of “covert custodian” is a solid and enjoyable story. Dan’s – particularly lately – has just been having exceptional command over the visual story-telling.

When we are “in session” we are consistent with our updates and I feel like we deliver an awesome, free, comic every week, and we’re worth attention. I don’t know why we aren’t getting that attention – particularly lately.

I don’t know what’s happened, what’s changed or if our regulars are more content with a read and a quiet nod of approval because they think that’s really all we need to keep on doing this. I don’t know if that’s the case.

I love when readers are excited and take time engage us with a comment. It’s awesome, gratifying, and I am thrilled by it. Even if it’s a “Horse-shit BURGOON/BETHEL!!!” I’m still happy people are talking and it has some kind of impact. Of course I prefer and am greatly encouraged by interest and enjoyment of this comic and hope we leave most readers wanting to more.

Thank you -seriously- for doing it almost every week. It’s inspiring, great & I wish everybody did it.

#2 could be dead grant,

#3 Clancy? that’s his kinda chunky muscley figure type thing.

#4. some hella scary skinny e.t. alien feller……. yeah, just relooked through the archives and still no idea.

on a different note where’d all the old commentators and readers go?

I was debating on making a t-shirt that had dozens of rays and a guy with a speargun, but I dunno…