[quote=@Nightrunner]
<Snipped quote by Retired>

I see what you're saying. But here's something I mean with every fiber of my being: Fuck traditional publishing. For a beginner, webcomics can be free. Make your art, literally print it on toilet paper and abandon it at high schools and in coffee shops. Why would you want to waste your money so other people can disregard you alongside a thousand seemingly identical products when you can do it yourself and grab your audience by the throat?
[/quote]

While I understand where you're coming from, you still are dramatically underestimating the expenses required for even amateur webcomics. Ignoring time invested, without artistic talents of his own or someone willing to work for free while still being 100% reliable, Andy would need to hire someone to do the art. Which is a serious investment without a guarantee of return. And that's just the most superficial, basic obstacle. While venturing forward on your own and flipping the bird at conventional, mainstream publishing is all well and good - a path I fully support - it is not even [i]close[/i] to being a financially secure decision.