In this episode, I continue reading from the glossary of “Comic NFTs - An Ethical Approach.”

I drop a new section of the book each Thursday. The entire book is available as a download to new free/paid/comp subscribers to Tech for Comics. For more details, see the following post:

In this episode, I continue reading from the glossary of “Comic NFTs - An Ethical Approach.”

I drop a new section of the book each Thursday. The entire book is available as a download to new free/paid/comp subscribers to Tech for Comics. For more details, see the following post:

In this episode, I continue reading from the glossary of “Comic NFTs - An Ethical Approach.”

I drop a new section of the book each Thursday. The entire book is available as a download to new free/paid/comp subscribers to Tech for Comics. For more details, see the following post:

In this episode, I read from the glossary of “Comic NFTs - An Ethical Approach.” Clearly, I’ve reached the pinnacle of my emerging podcasting career. 😂

I drop a new section of the book each Thursday. The entire book is available as a download to new free/paid/comp subscribers to Tech for Comics. For more details, see the following post:

Looking to the Future

☐ I understand that blockchain and NFT technologies are evolving rapidly. What was true yesterday may not hold true next week.

☐ I understand that legislation governing NFTs is in flux and will take time to mature.

Editors note: If you missed part one of this chapter, it is available here:

I drop a new section of the book each Thursday. The entire book is available as a download to new free/paid/comp subscribers to Tech for Comics. For more details, see the following post:

I drop a new section of the book each Thursday. The entire book is available as a download to new free/paid/comp subscribers to Tech for Comics. For more details, see the following post:

Honor your pre-customers

☐ I understand that an End User Licensing Agreement (EULA), created by a knowledgeable lawyer, will help my potential customers understand the rights given with your NFT. It may also help me avoid misunderstanding your own rights.

☐ I will use all appropriate avenues to make sure my customers understand what rights they receive with my NFTs. 

☐ I understand that it is good idea to tell my potential customers in advance if I plan to distribute your NFT on more than one blockchain.

☐ I will not use FOMO or spam marketing techniques. 

Honor your new NFT customers

☐ I understand I will bring the most collectors to my NFTs over the long term by creating the best quality comic possible.

☐ I will not set a royalty amount of over 15% in my NFT.

☐ I will strive to under-promise and over-deliver. 

☐ I will do my best to provide quality, non-judgemental, customer service for my NFT project.

Honor your existing customers

☐ I understand that it is very likely that I will lose some of my existing fans and customers if I proceed with a comic NFT project.

☐ I understand that it will take work, especially marketing to an NFT-friendly audience, to gain more fans than I lose. 

☐ First and foremost, I am a comic creator. I understand that NFTs are just a new way of presenting my art form to the world. They are not my identity.

☐ I acknowledge it is likely that members of my existing creative team may have strong opinions about NFTs.

☐ I understand it is important for all members of the creative team to be on board with issuing the comic as an NFT.

☐ I understand comic NFTs offer unique avenues to offer bonuses to a creative team.

The following updates will appear in the next edition of Comic NFTs - An Ethical Approach. The first edition is available here.

Subset: Ick! Bitcoin

-> Bitcoin is as relevant to traditional NFT sales as the Argentine Peso is to English-only print comics. 

Bitcoin does not have integrated smart contract abilities, so it cannot be used to host traditional NFTs. Period. If you are talking about Ordinals, see the next quick sheet.

The only real intersection Bitcoin has with NFTs is as one of a whole host of potential currencies used to pay for them. I don’t have specific stats for this yet, but I believe this would be less common than people might think, as Bitcoin is generally used more as liquid collateral these days than as a payment currency. It would be like buying an NFT with gold or a room in your house. It’s not impossible; it’s just that there are far better options. Most NFT sales typically happen using the native cryptocurrency of the chain hosting the NFT (e.g. WAX, MATIC, or ETH), a US dollar-denominated stablecoin like USDC, or without cryptocurrency at all via a credit card.

Beyond payments, there are a couple of other tangential connections. 

The STACKS (STX) blockchain supports smart contracts and NFTs by essentially recycling the energy of Bitcoin transactions to make its chain secure. STX uses a super-unique & innovative consensus mechanism called proof-of-transfer (PoX) that frankly makes my brain hurt trying to understand it. There is also a Bitcoin side-chain called Liquid that is related to Bitcoin in a way similar to how Polygon is related to Ethereum. For purposes of our discussion, though, it is enough to know that these Bitcoin-adjacent chains are not the same as Bitcoin and are still tiny players in the NFT space at that.

Subset: Ick! Ordinals!

… but if you are talking about Bitcoin ordinals, they are not great for comics distribution. If you have any concerns, like I do, I’d just stay away from them.

Shortly after I released the first edition of this book, a way to create digital collectibles on the Bitcoin blockchain became available. Ordinals are analogous to NFTs but have some key differences that you can explore in the articles linked in the glossary. 

I am unaware of any comic IP-related digital collectibles being minted as ordinals. While technically possible, the high cost of minting large files as Ordinals is a major stumbling block to this ever becoming a widespread phenomenon. Moreover, doing so will, fairly or unfairly, entangle the creator in the debate over the environmental concerns associated with the energy-intensive Bitcoin blockchain. Even “Bitcoin maximalists” have expressed concerns about this tangential use of a chain designed to be “borderless” digital gold.

These concerns are not issues with traditional NFTs minted on carbon-neutral chains.

Glossary: Ordinals

Think the digital equivalent of sketches drawn in the memo field of a paper check. (If you are too young to know what a check/cheque is, look it up. Ha!)

Casey Rodarmor launched the Bitcoin ordinal protocol in January 2023. This non-smart-contract-based protocol makes it possible to attach images, videos, games, and other digital media to individual Satoshis (the smallest unit of Bitcoin. Think “penny”)  and have this information permanently embedded in the Bitcoin blockchain. These inscriptions are known as ordinals and are now actively traded much like traditional NFTs.

* What Are Ordinals? A Beginner's Guide to Bitcoin NFTs - Decrypt: https://decrypt.co/resources/what-are-ordinals-a-beginners-guide-to-bitcoin-nfts

* Bitcoin NFTs? Ordinals Inscriptions Explained (Finding, Buying, & More): https://nftnow.com/guides/bitcoin-nfts-ordinals-inscriptions-explained-finding-buying-more/

* How Do You Mint a Bitcoin Ordinal & How Much Does It Cost?: https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-mint-bitcoin-ordinal-how-much-does-it-cost/

* Bitcoin NFTs basics What are Ordinals - YouTube:

* (GT: This is an early take.)

* Bitcoin NFTs?! Ordinals & What They Mean for BTC - YouTube:

* How Are Bitcoin NFTs POSSIBLE? Ordinals Explained - YouTube:

Pages 99 through 105 of Comic NFTs - An Ethical Approach. If you haven’t got your copy of the book yet, ComicNFTs.com will take you to the download page.