CGNOW: https://www.cgnow.net/
Michael Bancroft, a well known, independent comic book creator inside ‘Comicsgate’, has just created what could essentially be described as an online comic book store - where CG fans can find already released books, and order them via a direct link to the creator’s sales page.
The layout and navigation of the site is simple and easy to use, allowing potential customers to browse through the already growing library of available Comicsgate books. Michael’s also added a calendar to CG Now that shows the launch dates of new comic book campaigns that are coming up.
CG Now addresses a major complaint that the Comicsgate audience has had for some time now - up until this point there was no one stop shop they could go, to purchase a Comicsgate book after the campaign for said book had ended. Those who missed out would simply have to wait and see when, and if another campaign for the book they wanted would happen again.
CG Now has completely taken care of that, and traffic to the site has been increasing week by week since the site first launched - proving that this really was something the CG community wanted.
Comicsgate is full of innovators just like Michael Bancroft, who are constantly on the lookout for ways they can improve their products, marketing and customer experience. Michael’s CG Now is a perfect example of that. Of course if you haven’t already, you can visit the site at www.cgnow.net to check it out for yourself.
It’s still early days, but it’s already clear that CG Now has added to the Comicsgate community in quite a significant way, with creators who are currently showcasing their books on the site saying that they’re already seeing an increase in sales.
But given more time, where could Michael’s online catalog for CG Comic Books lead long term?
We know that fans are fed up with the long wait times associated with backing books via the crowdfunding avenue. There’s also the risk that they may never be fulfilled. CG Now gives Comicsgate readers the closest thing to a guarantee, that the books they’re purchasing are in stock and will be shipped to them as soon as possible.
Will CG Now ultimately be the go to place for customers to support Comicsgate Creators after their books are done? Will they choose that over crowdfunding platforms altogether? It might not be as exciting as a launch day event, but it would be lower risk, and require less patience.
The cool thing about CG Now is that it’s user experience is so smooth, and it’s library features only Comicsgate Books that are completed and have been previously fulfilled - at least at this point. Given that, it’s easy to imagine why CG fans especially, might find the platform very convenient to use.
Obviously there’s a lot of pro’s to CG Now, and there’s no doubt in my mind that it’ll become an important hub for Comicsgate Creators, Fans and supporters. There is so much potential for growth, and knowing Michael, he’ll take it to the epitome of what it can be.
What are the cons? Well as with the pros, this is all just speculation - but one minor drawback might be that the ordering and checkout process for each individual book may vary.
When clicking on a title featured in the CG Now library, users are redirected to the creator’s own website and unfortunately, not everyone out there is going to be a savvy Website designer or use the same platform to sell their books.
There will be some variation at the very least. If the potential customer gets confused during the ordering or checkout process for some reason, this could potentially dampen their experience with CG Now as a byproduct.
To get around that, an ordering and checkout process could be directly integrated into CG Now, similar in some ways to how you’d back a book on Indiegogo, notifying the creators of any orders that did come in, via email.
Getting that all set up might be a little heavy duty at this point - but could be a welcome update later down the track as the site grows bigger.
The other potential negative is that CG Now is ultimately just another online comic book outlet - for CG’ers. Which in and of itself is a really good thing.
But it does lack the excitement a comic book campaign brings to the table - the experience of being there on launch day, and watching the development of that book as it comes together over time.
It feels like you’re contributing to the creation of that book, and that your support means something. There may not be the same instant gratification, but you do get to come along for the ride - and for me personally that has really been part of the magic of CG.
But hey - why not both? Am I right? Comicgate is constantly evolving in a positive direction and what Michael Bancroft has brought to the table with CG Now fits right in line with that. These incredible things come about because of the connection creators have with their fans, and their constant willingness to provide the best value they can to them.
What kind of impact do you think CG Now will have on the Comicsgate Community long term? Do you think it’ll change the way we create and sell comics on a larger scale as independent publishers? - And what do you think the potential is for CG Now? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Until next time, see ya later.
-Clayton