Tantz Aerines news post made me wonder, should we do another? is it time to get the ball rolling? A few people said yes and I agree.

Granted the DD awards are about to go into full swing but this is the early idea gestation period for this and work wouldn't begin in earnest for a while.

I'd love to hear any ideas and thoughts people have, such as what would the theme be? Should it even have one? What can we learn from the first anthology?

How about a theme which allows for much more freedom? If it was something along the lines of a Summer Special or a Christmas Cracker, people could submit just about any kind of tale as long as it related to the chosen season in some way. Was there ever a short story that couldn't be improved by a beach scene, or a bit of tinsel in the background?

Also, instead of choosing NSFW or SFW, there could be a shorter SFW version and those who want to pay more can get the additional NSFW stories. That would depend on there being enough SFW stories to make a decent anthology and enough NSFW to justify the higher price, but it shouldn't be too much extra work to create full and abridged versions.

We could pick a theme that doesn't lend itself easily to NSFW stories. Horror was just asking for it. Going with something like unicorns or puppies wouldn't exactly lead itself to NSFW.

I can really see a lot of conflicts over precisely what gets abridged if SFW and NSFW are done.

Ironscarf wrote:
How about a theme which allows for much more freedom? If it was something along the lines of a Summer Special or a Christmas Cracker, people could submit just about any kind of tale as long as it related to the chosen season in some way. Was there ever a short story that couldn't be improved by a beach scene, or a bit of tinsel in the background?

Also, instead of choosing NSFW or SFW, there could be a shorter SFW version and those who want to pay more can get the additional NSFW stories. That would depend on there being enough SFW stories to make a decent anthology and enough NSFW to justify the higher price, but it shouldn't be too much extra work to create full and abridged versions.

I was thinking a broader theme too, does it even need a theme? The thematic freedom can really help showcase different talents from here in duckland.

I hadn't thought on the SFW vs NSFW. Could two entirely separate anthologies be an option?

bravo1102 wrote:
We could pick a theme that doesn't lend itself easily to NSFW stories. Horror was just asking for it. Going with something like unicorns or puppies wouldn't exactly lead itself to NSFW.

I can really see a lot of conflicts over precisely what gets abridged if SFW and NSFW are done.

Yup. Lots of agreement here. It actually makes me wonder if a double whammy approach would be worth giving a shot. But where would the divide be?

In my minds eye it's the same anthology, but one with more pages, more on the contents page and a price tag to match. It struck me as a way to raise more cash basically!

Indeed, that too is an option. perhaps it could be tiered. I guess much could depend on how much NSFW type content there may be.

I missed the boat on the last one, I'd certainly like to have a second chance whatever the theme may be.

If the NSFW content was an issue then having two versions is a good solution.

Perhaps the anthology could be run for a small fee on the Patreon page? A new story every month to encourage Patrons to subscribe along with an option to buy the anthology outright.

I think if there's enough interest in making nsfw content then definitely worth doing separate versions.

The question is, where would the cut off for content be in the SFW version? Up to and including M rated or up to an including Teen?

The patreon idea has merit, but could it potentially reduce sales?

The more open theme idea is cool (though I liked the horror thing too!). It would be fun to have a seasonal anthology - not sure if we have the number of people or the time to do more than one a year.

In any case, I'd be up for contributing as well!

What could the NSFW version be called? Ducks After Dark?

So let's say for arguments sake the theme is The Wild West. The SFW version could have PG blood (just a touch at a bullet hole) implied sex, no nudity. A John Wayne Western up to an early Sergio Leone. A few hells and damns.

The NSFW would have extreme blood letting (that Comanche massacre in vivid detail with the rape and torture) and anachronistic swearing or graphic sex talk. Quentin Tarantino but with less dislogue to fit in 16 pages.

Now the NSFW comic could have the language and blood trimmed for the SFW.

The editors would probably have to work closely with the creators to produce the appropriate versions. One could be the regular cut and the other the unrated cut just like in movies.

Would it be too much work for the result though? Somehow setting up the distribution of two different editions with setting up printing and layout might not be worth it because I understand it is a lot of work. Two different PDF is one thing but anything printed would be twice as much effort when not even sure if the SFW or NSFW will sell enough copies to justify the work involved. That's why the last one was up to M with NSFW elements.

Any buyer can just skip what they find in poor taste just the same as they'd skip the poorly done stories. (Still trying to figure out how my story got in, but that's another question for another time)

Ironscarf wrote:
How about a theme which allows for much more freedom? If it was something along the lines of a Summer Special or a Christmas Cracker, people could submit just about any kind of tale as long as it related to the chosen season in some way. Was there ever a short story that couldn't be improved by a beach scene, or a bit of tinsel in the background?

Also, instead of choosing NSFW or SFW, there could be a shorter SFW version and those who want to pay more can get the additional NSFW stories. That would depend on there being enough SFW stories to make a decent anthology and enough NSFW to justify the higher price, but it shouldn't be too much extra work to create full and abridged versions.

Like an extra page in each story that adds the NSFW-ness?

I imagine he more meant NSFW stories that wouldn't be in the SFW version, but creators could create multiple versions.

I've been thinking about the theme and perhaps no theme would be best? Why not let creators create and showcase the variety of styles and themes found here on DD?

What's all this then?

How to anthology?

It could be something as simple as ‘uncensored’ stories for a higher price tag (and NSFW) vs ‘censored’ stories for the regular price. I like the idea of showcasing our NSFW artists too.

Essentially yes.

It's early stage discussion on what form the next drunkduck anthology might take.

When complete it'll be sold as a digital comic to help raise funds for the drunkduck redesign.

Who knows maybe there will be a way to print it for physical copies, but I've no idea if that's viable these days. Maybe there's still some half decent print on demand thingies.

Genejoke wrote:
I've been thinking about the theme and perhaps no theme would be best? Why not let creators create and showcase the variety of styles and themes found here on DD?

This would certainly get us more submissions.

Tantz_Aerine wrote:
It could be something as simple as ‘uncensored’ stories for a higher price tag (and NSFW) vs ‘censored’ stories for the regular price. I like the idea of showcasing our NSFW artists too.

Definitely. The freedom of what people can post here is a big part of the site.

Tantz_Aerine wrote:

Genejoke wrote:
I've been thinking about the theme and perhaps no theme would be best? Why not let creators create and showcase the variety of styles and themes found here on DD?

This would certainly get us more submissions.

I think it would also open it up more for those who make gag comics.

I think giving the anthology a theme provides guidance to the artist, but if it will bring in more participants then go for it.

Maybe we should ask?

Genejoke wrote:

Tantz_Aerine wrote:
It could be something as simple as ‘uncensored’ stories for a higher price tag (and NSFW) vs ‘censored’ stories for the regular price. I like the idea of showcasing our NSFW artists too.

Definitely. The freedom of what people can post here is a big part of the site.

Been thinking about this and I'm thinking the only restriction I'd suggest having is that the NSFW story be the same SFW one for the regular version, just with the extra bits (har har) that make it NSFW in the extra version, if that makes sense? Rather than a different NSFW story than the SFW story in the regular anthology. It could be something as innocuous as balloon placement or entire omitted panels. So they would be submitting the same story in two versions (censored/uncensored) to tease it, even, for people who might then want to buy the NSFW anthology.

What do NSFW artists think? Would that be feasible/fun sounding for you if you were to submit to the anthology? (assuming I wasn't confusing as all hell trying to describe what I mean)

Like a Hollywood producer would tell you when asked “what's the difference between PG-13 and R?”
About three seconds of footage in a love scene. A few tenths of a second and where the light is in a nude scene.
My NSFW story in the horror anthology was purposely gratuitous as a homage. Be really easy to do a SFW version.
If they could manage to cut The Vampire Lovers for TV, you can do anything. There is rampant nudity in the movie but with judicious trimming and use of close ups , it was all covered over for broadcast TV.

The thing is do we really want to get involved in the production hassle that two different versions would create? Setting up the pages for two different versions? I'm told it was a lot for just one and you want to double the workload before it's even begun? This conversation already took place and one version was decided upon so as not to send the people in charge to a mental hospital for volunteering.

I was not an active participant on The Duck for the last anthology so am ignorant of the discussions and conditions involved. It seems to me that you can decide on whatever conditions you deem fit and the artists can elect to participate, or not. Nothing wrong with that.

Bravo makes a good point about not overburdening what would be a volunteer work force.

Having said that, Genejoke and Ironscarf make a good case for representing a larger portion of the Duck community. SFW gag comics are a good example. I, for example, never depict graphic sex acts or violence in my work, but it would not appear in a SFW publication. I've published on and no longer publish on, other sites. I'm on the Duck for a reason.

I have already been through “While you have covered all the naughty bits, we still know those people are nekkid behind those barriers so your comic is locked down” and had to cover everything in the panel, save the heads, with a shrubbery. I'm never doing that again.

I was once asked to pose for a photograph at work. I declined. The response was “It's not a big deal, it's just a picture”. If it wasn't a big deal, why were we having the conversation?

Just my 2 cents.

Tantz's suggestion of having them both the same with just the rude bits omitted from the non-rude version wouldn't mean that much extra work for the compilers because it's virtually the same job both times. It's just cut and paste basically.

It'd be interesting to see which sells more!

————

That said, you could also simply have two different teams working on each book?


————

To sell them or it (depending on how many we do), I propose we do it directly from DD and use paypal so we don't have to worry about fees that third parties charge.
We could also put it on Amazon or other places for those who need to use other payment methods but the main place should be DD and paypal as the payment method.

Ozoneocean wrote:

It'd be interesting to see which sells more!

I would probably buy both versions for several reasons. Mostly, to help support the effort and fund raising.

I have a personal dislike for “work-safe” and any permutation as far as terms, and the absolutely arbitrary definition of it always tends to make the classification arguable at best.

That said, I would be willing to try and produce something for a publication that was uncensored, even though my work wasn't really explicit at all last time. I have never liked or agreed with censorship of art, personally speaking, and it's always more impressive to me and elicits much more feelings of support and identification when especially a creative community stands against censorship.

I couldn't let my work appear in a censored publication, because I feel that would damage my reputation as an opponent of that very thing.

Drawing black rectangles over naughty bits or defining an area and pixelating it wouldn't take days.

Just saying, Paypal still operates a “no smut” policy, very Puritanical, but private companies can do as they damn well please.

hushicho wrote:
I have a personal dislike for “work-safe” and any permutation as far as terms, and the absolutely arbitrary definition of it always tends to make the classification arguable at best.

That said, I would be willing to try and produce something for a publication that was uncensored, even though my work wasn't really explicit at all last time. I have never liked or agreed with censorship of art, personally speaking, and it's always more impressive to me and elicits much more feelings of support and identification when especially a creative community stands against censorship.

I couldn't let my work appear in a censored publication, because I feel that would damage my reputation as an opponent of that very thing.

Yes, I think a few people would feel the same.

My thought would be to have a version that is up to and including M rated comics and possibly a second version that would include any adult rated stories should any be made for it. I imagine most potential buyers are over 18 anyway and this would make it easy for those who prefer to avoid adult comics to bypass them.