The event was scheduled to start right after lunch. As the parents started streaming into the cramped classroom, I noticed Carl was getting more and more nervous. "Dad said he'd be here," Carl murmured as he shot his eyes around the room, hoping he'd merely missed his dad. But Mr. Miller never showed up.

Well, no, that's not exactly correct. He didn't show up until the next day, when he came staggering in drunk and disheveled, apologizing for being a day late, but offering no explanation for his tardiness. Despite Mrs. Applebottom's pleas that he leave, Mr. Miller pushed his way to the front of the room and proceeded to ramble on incoherently about anything he could manage to focus on for more than thirty seconds. After twenty minutes, Mr. Miller finally decided to end his speech and moved toward the door--after making an awkward attempt at groping Mrs. Applebottom, mind you--before tripping and smashing his face on Peter Kim's desk. An ambulance was called and trucked Mr. Miller off to the hospital, where he stayed for a week longer than he needed to, just to take a small vacation from work.

. . .

Okay, so I made up that story, but that's not the point. The point is that you let people down when you don't live up to their expectations and your duties. This is a problem that seems to be rampant in the webcomic world, as there is little accountability for webcomic makers to put out timely and quality comics.

The most frequent argument I hear when I offer my opinions on the matter of accountability is that webcomic makers predominantly make comics for free. They don't charge me anything to read the comics, so who am I to demand that they keep to their schedule? This is a valid argument, and it's true that I have little to no leverage in the matter because I am being entertained for free. However, is it really so arrogant to expect that webcomic authors stick to their guns and act in a professional manner, even if they make comics for free and as a hobby?

Absolutely not.

Maybe I'm just a little too idealistic, but I'd like to think that people should act professionally and give a full effort in everything they do, hobbies included. And when a webcomic author decrees that he will update this comic X times per week, I'd like to think that he should act professionally and adhere to his own guidelines. To do otherwise is simply disrespectful to the fans who come to the site and support it (though it may not be monetary, it is certainly support) every day.

But what about other obligations? Those who make webcomics as a hobby and do it for free must surely have other things to do in life, right? They have school, work, family, errands, whatever that takes priority over their hobby. This is fine. It's perfectly acceptable, in my mind, to have some "sick days" from working on your webcomic, but I don't think it's too much to ask for webcomic authors to put up a little news blurg apologizing--preferably in advance--for that day's comic's absence. Just like little Carl Miller was disappointed that his father showed up late to an event he volunteered to come to, webcomic readers are allowed to be disappointed when a comic shows up later than expected and the explanation is flaccid (or absent). After all, to volunteer your services to something and then not do it is pretty immature and unprofessional, and is disappointing to those who counted on the services.

For webcomics, which are trying to become a legitimate and respected medium, the last thing they need is a lack of professionalism.