The Bitcoin Webcomic: how to explain Bitcoin so people will actually understand you
Whether you up grew reading DC comics or got into the superhero universe when Marvel started putting out its blockbuster franchise, one thing is sure. Comics became a big deal again and we are living for it. And now, we can finally read about something that’s also very dear to our heart: bitcoin. Coinspice and Scott McCloud created an epic bitcoin webcomic for the cryptocurrency called the Bitcoin White Paper – and boy, did it deliver.
Comics offer an incredibly effective way to explain complex concepts to a younger or less experienced audience while also providing enough comedic value to keep us entertained throughout reading and to keep our attention. That’s what Coinspice and Scott McCloud set out to accomplish. The goal: to explain Bitcoin and its white paper in a way that’s not only understandable and informative but also funny and engaging.
McCloud was definitely the perfect person to choose for the job. He is famous for using comics to dissect and explain complex ideas and he also has an interest in micropayments. So he and the Coinspice team has started going through the white paper very carefully. The end result is something that anyone who has the tiniest bit of interest in bitcoin and cryptocurrencies must read.
Alice and all the Satoshi Nakamotos
The bitcoin webcomic itself looks at a young girl’s journey of understanding how bitcoin works and starts with the very logical question. Why is bitcoin even important? Why do we need a new system when we already have one that seems to be working? The way our protagonist, young Alice, is portrayed as curious and open to new ideas instead of being looked down and dismissed for her youth or gender is also incredibly refreshing. Kudos to McCloud and the Coinspice team for that.
Without giving away too many spoilers, Alice’s journey covers a lot of topics. These concepts include peer-to-peer digital cash, chain of digital signatures and what blockchain actually is. They even talk about MTGOX and what went wrong for them. They include some of the possible concerns new bitcoin enthusiasts might have, such as the cost of Proof of Work.
An especially heart-warming part of the comic is all the characters helping Alice along her way towards really understanding the idea of bitcoin. We can see a basketball player, a monkey, a monster, Zelda and even German warriors. All who claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto, of course. The idea that Satoshi Nakamoto is somehow all of them gives the reader the feeling that everyone who is involved in Bitcoin is Satoshi a little. Just like bitcoin is no one’s – it’s also in a way everyone’s crypto.
All in all, the bitcoin webcomic manages to walk the new crypto enthusiast through all the complex ideas that make up bitcoin – while keeping the reader entertained and interested in the story. So if you ever struggle to explain bitcoin to someone, just send them the comic. They’ll surely understand it after reading.
It’s understandable, effective and informative – and also super cute.
