Comics giant horns into web scene; Foray into genre pioneered by amateurs could create opportunities for new talent, but some see problems Final Edition

• Published in: The Gazette (Montreal)
• Main Author: Hiltzik, Andrew
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Montreal, Que Postmedia Network Inc 04.08.2007
• ISSN: 0384-1294

"We're investing in the future," says Ron Perazza, DC's director of creative services, explaining that DC is looking for new talent, trying to build new properties and reach new readers. The strip began in 1998 as a submission to a cartoon contest in Next Generation, a gaming magazine. When they didn't receive letters of either acceptance or rejection, the pair kept sending in comics until the magazine told them, in so many words, to cut it out. [Mike Krahulik] and [Jerry Holkins] shopped the strip around to different websites until LooneyGames bought it and started asking for more. [Jeph Jacques]' strip is called Questionable Content, a name picked more for its novelty than for its descriptiveness. It also plays on the fact that there is very little content in the strip that could actually be considered questionable. The strip follows Marten Reed, who lives with his friend Faye, a barista at the coffee shop owned by Marten's girlfriend, Dora. Like [Penny Arcade], it started off directed at a niche audience - in this case, indie music fans - but since has broadened to become a more story- and character-driven strip.