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Zestworld executives talk about next phase of creator-centric comics platform

Comic Books

Zestworld executives talk about next phase of creator-centric comics platform

Launched in early 2022, the project empowers comics creators in releasing and adapting their titles.

Comics have taken to the digital age like a Kryptonian to flight.

That’s much more of a general feeling than any kind of definitive statement. But there’s at least some proof that the creators, publishers, and fans of comics have tried to adapt to both the opportunities (and pitfalls) afforded by the digital age. Think about the plethora of comics that have been crowdfunded — with a slew of campaigns raising millions of dollars. Or, how many comics creators rely heavily on Patreon for generating income. And what about the Gold Era-esque rush among comics creators to a platform like Substack? Even a site like Zoop, which crowdfunds exclusively for comics, shows the importance of these online venues for the whole of comics publishing/media.

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And the market got a little bigger this year with the launch of Zestworld.

Led by chief executive officer Chris Giliberti, the subscription-based platform was launched earlier this year in the wake of some pretty impressive coverage. The platform describes itself as being the first “creator-centric” destination, and seeks to help creators share their work while also maintain greater control (both financial and creative) as properties are adapted for film and TV. And with such lofty goals, it was no wonder the platform garnered big names early on, with titles released or already announced from Alex Segura, Amanda Conner, Peter Tomasi, and Phil Jimenez, among many more. While Zestworld remains a relatively new property in the marketplace, Jimmy Palmiotti did tell The New York Times last November that the platform “put their money where their mouth was,” adding, “Nothing’s being done without sitting with us and talking to us and nothing is being made without it benefiting us.”

To better understand the platform, we caught recently with both Giliberti and content manager Ron Cacace for an extended Q&A. (The interview came as Zestworld recently opened a new beta with free comics while also announcing upcoming series from Bill Walko, David Marquez, and others.) Giliberti and Cacace discussed the site’s approach, how things are going a year or so in, what makes a proper Zestworld title, and much, much more.

Zestworld executives talk about next phase of creator-centric comics platform

Art from The Awakened by Alex Segura, Michael Moreci, Dean Kotz, and Jason Wordie. Courtesy of Zestworld.

AIPT: What’s the TL;DR for Zestworld?

Ron Cacace: Zestworld is a one-stop platform where creators can publish their comics, offer monthly rewards to their fans, manage their digital commissions business, and engage directly with their audience. Everything published on Zestworld is creator-owned and everything we do as a company goes towards helping comics creators grow their fanbase and streamline their business.

AIPT: Why was it important to launch this platform at this specific moment in time?

Chris Giliberti: So much of pop culture today, whether it’s streaming or in the movie theater, is built on the backs of comic creators and the franchises they’ve built. Unfortunately, many of the comic artists who create and contribute to these franchises don’t adequately participate in their success. We want to put the power into the hands of creators – the people actually coming up with this stuff! – and give them a path to financial success with their comics and adaptations alike.

Another key part of many comic creators’ business comes from regular appearances throughout the year at comic conventions. When pandemic restrictions forced many conventions off the calendar, artists took a big hit – how do they continue to reach their fans and sell their comics and commissions year-round?

Zestworld was born to fill that role, to serve as a digital Artist’s Alley table that exists 24/7. And even though the convention scene has reignited over the past year, having a one-stop shop for creators to manage commission requests, earn subscription revenue, and host their digital comics is something they’ll no doubt want to take advantage of as they grow their business and fanbase.

AIPT: How do you reconcile or contend with “competitors” like Zoop (to an extent) and Substack?

RC: We’re built from the ground-up with a focus on supporting digitally-native comics creators and their fans. Zoop and Substack offer different sets of tools for creators and different experiences for fans, so while there may be similarities in how the platforms are marketed, there isn’t much overlap in the services offered. We think there’s space for all of us to contribute to the creator’s business.

Zestworld executives talk about next phase of creator-centric comics platform

Art from Exhaust by Sky Hawkins. Courtesy of Zestworld.

AIPT: The draw of Zestworld seems to be offering creators a greater stake. Is that in terms of creative control or monetary compensation?

RC: It’s both. All the comics published on Zestworld are creator-owned. We don’t take any ownership rights or prevent creators from doing what they like with the comics they publish.

Creators can earn revenue directly from their subscribers and fans and Zestworld takes a small cut on subscription and digital commission revenue.

It’s additionally worth noting that creators get to retain direct fan contact information in the form of email addresses. In a world in which some webcomics garner tens of millions of views, it’s crucial that creators have a direct line to their fans.

AIPT: Another big element of the platform is helping creators with the other side of things, like offering help with business management and managing rights. Why is that vital, and is that “administrative” angle something creators seem to be lacking?

CG: It’s vital because it represents a multi-billion-dollar opportunity for creators. We want to help creators build meaningful business here, and we’ve settled on an approach that aligns incentives, for those who want it. That’s vague, but there will be more to say soon.

AIPT: Zestworld already has some great names attached, like Alex Segura and Amanda Conner. What does that star power do for the platform, and can we see other big names down the line?

RC: We are so lucky to have launched Zestworld with an amazing assortment of talent, including Alex Segura, Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti, Peter J. Tomasi, Eric Canete, Phil Jimenez, Joëlle Jones, Jim Mahfood, and David Marquez. That’s a testament to the great recruiting skills of our CEO Chris Giliberti, as those creators provided Zestworld with an amazing foundation to build upon.

Zestworld

Art from Blood Tree by Peter Tomasi, Maxim Šimić, John Kalisz, and Rob Leigh. Cover by Christian Alamy and Brad Anderson. Courtesy of Zestworld.

Not only was their feedback invaluable in helping us configure the tools to comic creators’ needs, they helped bring cachet and legitimacy to the platform that has enabled us to go out and recruit new creators. In the past two months, we’ve brought on Liana Kangas, Keith Champagne and Lauren Moran, among others, who have been publishing backlist titles and offering digital commissions.

We’re planning to double the creator population on the platform every month until the end of the year and the positive word of mouth (and amazing comics) we’ve seen from our launch creators has been hugely helpful in progressing towards that goal. Don’t be surprised if you see more familiar names pop up on Zestworld soon!

AIPT: There’s some clear evidence that comic sales are up. Is that indicative of opportunity for this platform or more proof that “traditional” markets are still strong?

RC: Before joining Zestworld, I worked at a comic book store in New Jersey for five years and spent almost a decade at Archie Comics managing their publicity and social media, so I’m a huge proponent and supporter of buying and supporting physical comics.

There are new comic book readers popping up every day, alongside older fans returning to the medium after years away, and that’s been reflected in the strong sales seen in the direct market, in bookstores, and especially on webcomic platforms.

What’s really great about a platform like Zestworld is that basically anyone with internet access is a potential customer, reader, and fan. The potential for growth is huge because we’re meeting the readers where they already are: on their phones and computer screens. Increased interest and sales for comics, whether it’s print or digital, is great for all parties involved.

AIPT: Is this platform ultimately about competing with a DC or Marvel, or is it about finding more space in the larger comics marketplace?

RC: It’s no secret that Marvel and DC have been trying for decades to crack the code around digital comics. And while they’re making progress in the webcomic world, they’re not the only game in town and there’s plenty of space for a creator-owned platform to exist alongside what they offer.

Zestworld

Art from Found by Jimmy Palmiotti, Craig Weeden, and Juan Santa Cruz. Courtesy of Zestworld.

With a digital comics platform, especially one where the comics are free to read, you can knock down so many barriers to entry and allow a reader’s curiosity to be the driving force towards discovering new stories and creators, rather than physical access to a retail location or having products in-stock. You don’t have to be constrained by the requirements of a physical comic’s page count or panel layout or whether the book arrived in stores on time to become a reader – you can just click on a comic and start reading.

One of the best things that I’ve learned over the years I’ve worked in the comics industry is that the audience that discovers a webcomic or follows an artist’s work online, they’re really only a couple of steps away from becoming a weekly comic shop visitor or bookstore regular. People love reading comics, and that love grows quickly the more they connect with other fans, the creators themselves, and online communities. If a reader discovers Zestworld through an artist’s Marvel comics work or if they decide to visit a comic shop after spending time on Zestworld, at the end of the day, the world of comics is growing and getting stronger together.

AIPT: Is there something that defines a Zestworld story or property?

CG: The unfettered creativity of a writer / artist who is free to work outside of the system.

AIPT: What’s the reception been like so far for the platform itself or any of the stories?

RC: From launch, we were capturing very strong interest and receiving great signals from the comics world that they wanted to be a part of what we were building.

And after we revealed our website redesign and were able to show off all the amazing comics that our launch creators have been working on in a big way, we saw a huge surge of interest, not only in readership, but in creator applications too. It’s been incredibly exciting seeing the big jump in readership and the interest from creators who want to publish on the platform.

Zestworld executives talk about next phase of creator-centric comics platform

Art from OTHERWORLDS! by Phil Jimenez. Courtesy of Zestworld.

AIPT: Why does a platform like this matter to the fans?

RC: We’ve seen it play out on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, where there’s a very clear desire from fans to support their favorite creators and be part of their online communities. We’re looking to bring the best parts of those fan/creator relationships to the world of comics, with the creator at the center of everything. It’s also similar to how people support artists on Kickstarter or Patreon, but it goes further than what those platforms offer by giving readers one place to read comics, support the creator financially, and even buy custom artwork.

Zestworld plans to continue to build out new features for creators to offer even more value to their fans and to strengthen those relationships, so fans have something new to look forward to whenever they visit the site beyond just reading new issues.

AIPT: In other press/interviews, Chris has mentioned broken systems in other mediums. Is comics a stepping stone for similar efforts for TV or film? And does that take away from the work with comics at all?

CG: We are specifically focused on the livelihood of comic creators. These artists and writers have formed the basis of greater than $100 billion in TV and film franchise value, so supporting creators in this market will be highly impactful.

AIPT: Why do we ultimately need a platform like Zestworld?

CG: Comics generate the most franchise value in the entertainment industry. It’s time to give this community of creators a tailored set of tools to reprise the financial and creative upside of their work.

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