Forum Moderators: phranque
I was thinking of making a web comic on a personal site. I have discovered that if I save each cell of the comic, then the file size is, in total, smaller. I know my way around image compression so that's not the question really.
I want to know whether it would be better to split up a comic into the cells then use CSS to display it properly.
If for instance loading individual images would kill the joke, or if it would just be more manageable.
Thanks
good question! I would think CSS would be better, but then I would say that ;)
However what I would say is code/markup the page in the direction of the comic strip, do it with and without tables, (don't worry about the images yet!) then take a listen with a screen reader (if you can) or read it in "fangs" or a text browser and see which version makes more sense to you and some of your friends - not the tech friends if you can! ;)
if there's nothing between them go with what ever method you find easiest, if the simple markup makes easy reading/listening then you can do it with one image, in which case your image optimization skills will come into play but it's likely you will need a lot less mark up to achieve the same effect - obviously if one is favoured that will be your choice
fwiw, I don't think loading individual images would kill the joke any more or less than loading one image, but I would say one image is more manageable
CSS Zen Garden Comic [csszengarden.com]
If for instance loading individual images would kill the joke,
This, I think, is why so many webcomics that I'm familiar with load each installment as a single image, rather than individual panels. If the last panel in the comic loads first, because it happens to be the smallest image, the joke could indeed be ruined.
Also, from a semantic point of view, each installment of a comic strip is usually created as a single piece of art, and only makes sense when viewed as a whole, and therefore should be marked up as such.
Just my two cents, of course.
