Manolosanctis, the social network for comics enthusiasts

As the most of the exchange students know (I should say all of them), I am fond of comic books. That is why I would like you to discover a French social media completely focused on comics, not to say amateur comics, launched in 2009 and already well-known in the enthusiasts’ world. Actually, this social media is above all a participative publishing house specialized in comics and called Manolosanctis, allowing anyone to post his own comics. Thus, your work can be seen, criticized, graded, improved thanks to all the members of this specialized social network… And published, if you start to be fame to the members who make you more visible by the grade and review system ; and if Manolosanctis’ work team is interested in commercializing your comic(s).

Here is the link of Manolosanctis’ website, in its recently English version :

http://www.manolosanctis.com/

Up to now, seventeen albums have been published, some are still freely accessible on line, the others are exclusively available in bookstores. If those publications are obviously attractive for young authors, for us, speaking about social media, it is interesting to see how the passion is shared on line. Statistics can reflect the Manolosanctis’ system and success. For instance, today, 17 290 members take part in the network, there are 861 authors, 1 686 albums, 5 794 reviews and more than 1,6 millions readings.

 

More precisely, as a reader, you can create a profile in order to organize your favorite albums, be informed of your latest favorite authors’ newness, make criticisms, share your opinion on the forum, enjoy the email system…

I think Manolosanctis is the first French comic book house to test out a participative and community publishing. That is why, today, it is suffering from one’s criticisms. Indeed, some people are radically against this novelty, thinking that choosing to publish the somebody’s comic is not the amateurs and audience’s work, but the professionals’ one. Actually, they are afraid that the quality of the new wave of comics, chosen by average people, becomes to be bad.

I think that this debate concerning comic books on line applies to the global issue of social medias. They give the opportunity to anybody to behave like a professional, without really being one. It reminds me the controversy due to Twitter, allowing anybody to inform people in real time, that is to say, faster than journalists, whom the work is precisely to inform as immediately as possible. Is it a good way to vary information, news, opinions, reviews…? Is it a way to steal the professional’s work ?

The debate is open !