From an email from my brother:
Matt,
Comics are a business. So you must MOTIVATE people to buy your stuff. What about writing a series, distributing it online for free, and then selling the printed compilation with the ending? In other words, you get readers hooked on your work but they cannot see the ending until they cough up some cash.
And yes....people love free stuff.....so you will make a name for yourself before you earn any money.
That is the same business models Crack Dealers use. Give them the samples for free, get them hooked, then force them to open their wallets to feed their addiction.