And I completely agree with your webcomic reasoning. That’s absolutely the way the vetting ground of the future (and present!) as comics move foreward. I don’t think there’s a need to come up with a “webcomics” in print term, as it probably won’t be long before digitally distributed comics is the norm.

*A single author, or at least a consistent team (check)
*Multiple volumes, or at least the ability to become multiple volumes (check)
*A cheap means of distribution before the print version that only allows the cream to float to the top (?!)

There is a DISTINCT difference between anything made OEL / Western and the Manga market — Anything that manages to make it across the ocean and few a few translation barriers has to be good. We don’t see all the crap that gets made IN Japan, just all the crap that gets OUT. We expect long volumes because by the time a work “escapes”, it’s already got several years of storytelling under its belt for everyone else to catch up on.

Likewise, in webcomics, you don’t get into print without not only drawing a lot, but also surviving for that long online without succumbing to the stresses involved while building up a large enough fanbase to support yourself. It’s not a perfect match — it takes a lot longer to produce those multi-volume stories than it looks, and readers might get fed up with how much “slower” OEL / webcomics take to make compared to premade manga that’s just waiting to be translated by comparison — but there are distinctions.

I’m still struggling to find a good word for “webcomics in print” that don’t quite fall under western or manga — “indie” is closest, but it’s no cigar — but if you’re going to going to tell me that readers are looking for longevity vs. merely good long-form storytelling… well, I think you’re missing the difference between what’s actually left Japan vs. what’s still there.

-J