ComicSpace

ComicSpace

Company type	Private
Industry	Social networking service, webcomic hosting
Founded	2006
Founder	Josh Roberts, Joey Manley
Defunct	2012
Key people	Josh Roberts, Joey Manley
Products	Social networking platform, webcomic hosting service
Owner	Josh Roberts, Joey Manley, E-Line Ventures (minority shareholder)

ComicSpace functioned as a digital social networking platform and webcomic hosting service developed by Josh Roberts and Joey Manley from 2006 until 2012. Inspired by MySpace, its purpose was to unite creators, publishers, and fans within the comics community. Although it experienced early momentum, ComicSpace ultimately struggled to establish a lasting user base. In 2007, following an investment from E-Line Ventures, Manley began merging his existing properties such as Webcomics Nation into the ComicSpace ecosystem. Due to waning engagement, Roberts and Manley decided to cease operations by 2012.

Concept and early development

Since 2001, Josh Roberts managed the webcomic directory OnlineComics.net and started revising its underlying code in mid-2006. Having secured the ComicSpace.com domain in 2005, he officially launched the platform in December 2006, drawing inspiration from MySpace’s format. Roberts invited approximately 4,600 webcomic creators from OnlineComics.net for early registration; surprisingly, about 3,500 joined within the first week. Early participants included prominent figures like Warren Ellis, Dave Gibbons, Steve Rude, and Ed Brubaker.

Roberts envisioned ComicSpace as a comics-centric social network that prioritized RSS integration and allowed users to self-identify as writers, artists, publishers, or retailers to enable more focused content discovery. Shortly after going live, the platform incorporated the advertising service Project Wonderful, which auctioned ad spaces to generate income; Roberts projected monthly revenue near $1,000 after fees.

When Joey Manley became involved in 2007, he framed ComicSpace as a community-driven content hub distinct from his curated subscription platforms such as Modern Tales. Manley acknowledged Roberts’ strengths in audience cultivation and webcomic analytics while contributing his expertise in publishing and monetization strategies.

E-Line Media investment and mergers

In October 2007, Josh Roberts and Joey Manley formalized their partnership with funding from an investment firm. Between November 2007 and April 2008, Manley’s free hosting service Webcomics Nation, his blog TalkAboutComics, and Roberts’ OnlineComics.net were consolidated into ComicSpace. This effort was supported by E-Line Ventures, an early-stage investment company established by Alan Gershenfeld and Michael Angst that focused on empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses through digital media and on-demand platforms. Gershenfeld discovered Manley while sourcing mobile comics content and aimed to collaborate with both Manley and Roberts to assist independent cartoonists. Ownership was split evenly between Roberts and Manley as majority stakeholders, with E-Line holding a minority share. The investment was intended to facilitate hiring for development, design, and business operations to expand the platform.

Todd Allen of Comic Book Resources described ComicSpace in 2007 as a potential specialized portal for the comics industry that combined hosting services, user-generated content, editorial features, commentary, and social networking elements. The platform's revenue model focused on enabling creators to earn income through advertising sales, merchandising opportunities, and print publishing partnerships—with ComicSpace’s profits tied directly to those of its artists. Manley emphasized merchandising as a significant innovation within this approach, while Gershenfeld stressed their role as service facilitators rather than traditional publishers.

Although initially slated for a relaunch in Q2 2008, technical difficulties postponed progress. By February 2009, the company introduced a digital storefront alongside its advertising network. Manley integrated his subscription offerings under the ComicSpace brand; for instance, his webcomic magazine Girlamatic relaunched in July 2009 featuring a revised business model and a broader roster of contributors. These sites shifted toward providing free access to webcomics supported by ComicSpace’s advertising infrastructure.

During this timeframe, Heidi MacDonald briefly explored incorporating her website The Beat into the ComicSpace platform.

Abandonment

Manley stayed dedicated to the ComicSpace initiative and moved closer to Roberts to further develop the business. Despite these efforts, the platform struggled to achieve notable market success, prompting Manley to relocate back to Kentucky in 2012. Although he maintained some level of engagement with ComicSpace, his attention gradually shifted toward artistic projects, and eventually, the platform was discontinued along with his other online ventures.

External links

• ComicSpace.com, preserved by the Wayback Machine in July 2006, February 2007, January 2012, and December 2013