Thank you so much for your kind words! We really appreciate all the support we get from other Jet Set Radio fans.
As per your question, it was actually a difficult decision to make. While sites like Webtoons and ComicFury operate as platforms to post and share webcomics, there are certain requirements and criteria expected from the user and their comic in order to be uploaded without violating terms of use or for formatting reasons. I.E, there are many restrictions placed on what can be uploaded; specifically pertaining to either fancomics or page progression (essentially, Webtoons restricts fancomics and ComicFury doesn’t allow for infinite-scroll).
Originally, Jet Set Remix BETA was an Archive-of-Our-Own exclusive. I know, weird (the Jet Set Radio tag on that site has definitely seen better days… ). While Luque used Tumblr in the past to upload the pages for the webcomic, they said it became a very tedious process very fast. AO3 has it’s own drawbacks as well; a focus on written fanfiction, poor image optimization for comics, as well as, to put it bluntly, a stigma. Any fanfiction/webcomic site is going to have an associated stigma, that wasn’t necessarily a problem, however it did limit the comic’s reach (not everyone uses one site).
While it is true that a personal website might have even less draw than a pre established platform, jetsetremix.com actually operates as a base-level for the comic. I mean this in the kindest way possible; Luque can be a little bit of a detail-freak when it comes to their creative work. You wouldn’t believe how many last-minute changes are made before every comic is posted. In short, having a website allows for each Issue and update to be tailored and presented with full control on both of our parts; the accompanying music can be included in every post, content warnings can be implemented in a constructive way, no restrictions on content, ect. It also acts as a central place to provide updates and other information, which is a nice bonus. When it comes to platforms, the death of creative works is usually dealt by the hands of advertiser-friendly interest and copyright. With this website as a base-level, Jet Set Remix can be preserved in its intended form while censored/alternate versions can be offered on other platforms. JSRX is currently also on AO3 and Webtoons, , with plans to add Tumblr next as a form of preservation. There is also a preview version on Wattpad, although it is only a preview for the full comic.
While I don’t want to get into too many details pertaining to how the site was built, there was definitely a learning curve with the whole ordeal. A lot of the time, the hardest aspect of website creation is having to compromise on a lot. Any of those who have had to make websites of their own know the frustration of having a really interesting concept, but then having to alter your original vision in order to get the website to remotely work.
(an example of Luque’s original mock-up homepage)
(some of the many layout guides made/altered during the process)
There were a lot of changes made throughout the process of building this website, and I found myself working in circles most of the time; trying to figure out how to make things possible and connect with one another. The whole ordeal took about an entire year, which is an embarrassingly long amount of time. However, I believe it goes to show that skill is not always a given, and talent is most always a learned skill. Proficiency in any given thing might not come easy for some, but persistence will clear that gap almost always.
I hope this answers your question!
