Penny Arcade (http://www.penny-arcade.com/) is a webcomic that the creators have used to model a business around. I think the work Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik have done with their comic is an inspiration for what digital media makes possible. Penny Arcade is, today, a full-fledged company. Their core work is still the webcomic, which is based on video games and has an audience of over 4 million viewers a month. Beyond the free online comic, they sell print versions of the comic in volumes (currently there are 5 of them); they have a store with merchandise related to the comic; they sponsor a convention (Penny Arcade Expo) and a charity (Child’s Play) annually; and, they now have their own short internet show: PATV. They’re a perfect example of taking digital media and making something great and profitable around it. What started as a simple comic has blossomed into a full-fledged, internet-based company. They’ve shown how digital media can be a successful business all on its own.
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