The other bites the dust. As first revealed at TCJ, Hiveworks Comics, an independent Webcomics publisher, will end its printing and publishing operations, focusing on web hosting and ad network services for WebComics sites. Hiveworks is seen through all of its existing crowdfunding projects, but then Hivemill Webstore will be limited to the sales of services in demand and products purchased wholesale from artists. They will provide warehouse services to cartoonists for longer and shut down crowdfunding efforts. All rights will be reverted to the creator.
At one point, the news is sad because Hiveworks was a thriving business that helped many cartoonists publish on the web and monetize their works through online ads and products. They also maintained the idea that they printed a physical version of the web comic, and that everything supports creators in a fair and fair way through it.
Before continuing, full disclosure: The Beat had partnered with HiveWorks for hosting and advertising services from 2016 to 2017, so we talked a lot with the executive team of Xelette Stillwell and Isa Melançon over the years. It hasn’t always been the perfect team – the technicians who disliked WordPress caused a miracle of rage – but we shared the same kind of DIY spirit, so I’m definitely grateful where they came from.
Over the years, Hiveworks has had several ambitious plans and has published some amazing books in print. In 2015, they boasted more than 12 million users a month. In 2020, they teamed up with Seven Sea. I haven’t followed all the activities recently, but a month ago Zack Weinersmith’s amazing Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (SMBC and Hiveworks’ biggest Webcomic) ran my own Webstore. I don’t know if this was the cause or symptom of the reason behind Hiveworks being shut down.
I speculate that the majority of the Hiveworks system (advertising support Webcomics Publishing) could not cut it as Google shuts down searches in favor of AI-driven results that cannibalized from human work. Meta and Google have scooped up almost all of their advertising revenue on the web. And a few of us fighting for the rest of the chicken bones know how difficult it is. I don’t even know about big platforms like Webtoon or Tapas. Also, more people are controlling their crowdfunding.
I’m sure there’s more to the Hiveworks story, but for now I’m going to say it’s sad that they’re at sunset. You need fewer independent publishers.
HiveWorks will run a clearance sale from mid-April to May 31st. The remaining products will be sent back to the artist.
According to the statement, “Hiveworks is still committed to helping artists continue to run their web services by sharing original creator-owned web comics with audiences around the world as they wish.”
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