Potential copyright issues aside, the Comics Curmudgeon is a daily, if mildly profane, hoot, and has actually managed to help make some obscure, dated strips, such as Mary Worth (a frequent target of his barbs), a small sensation on the Web.
But what can we learn about blogging from Mr. Curmudgeon?
It's a fantastic example of community. Check out the number of comments that fly up shortly after he posts. His most recent one, posted around midday yesterday, has over 350 comments already.
These are dutiful fans who have already, largely, made friends with one another, and they attempt to one-up each other (and the blog's author) on a daily basis.
Josh (the blogger himself) breaks character a couple times a week, identifying the "comment of the week," listing a dozen or so other ones he finds humorous, and hosting various "Meta" events. (This one, inviting his readers to recreate a particularly ridiculous event from Gil Thorp, is my personal favorite.) He, and his readers, have also created merchandise based on the blog at Cafepress.
It's the community aspect of blogs I'll be dealing with over the next few posts. Keep an eye on the Curmudgeon as a great example of what you can do with what following you have ... and how you have to be in position to boost and solidify that following when the opportunities present themselves. (And they will.)
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