In July 2007, imprint was launched to publish new material featuring new characters online. The site's content was chosen by the users through monthly competitions, as "the majority of the web comics will be selected by Zudacomics.com's visitors, who will vote on new web comics presented to them in periodic competitions".[1] The first commissioned ongoing strips and material competing for the public vote were published on October 30 the same year.[2] Zuda removed the competition aspect in April 2010[3] and in July, soon after the launch of DC's digital comics service, Zuda was closed and folded into the new digital publishing arm.[4]
Competition mechanics
Comic creators were invited to submit their own eight-page comics, and each month ten were selected to compete by editorial. Users could vote for their favorite and the winner received a contract to continue their comic on Zuda. When the contract was filled, if the comic was liked enough it could be renewed for an additional "season". Occasionally an "instant winner" was chosen to receive a contract without having to compete. In July 2008, an "invitational" was held in which losing comics were invited back to compete.
The initial announced line-up of talent included no prominent webcomics creators, prompting Todd Allen at Comic Book Resources to opine: "[T]he vast majority of the initial creators here have already done print comics. Multiple print comics for the most part, and the majority go back a few years. ... This does not look like ushering in a new generation". He conceded, however, "that they've lined up some strips with professional pedigree for the first batch".[12]
