During the recent WGA strike, there was a lot of rhetoric and discussion among writers questioning the need for networks and even movie studios. Why not write, produce, and distribute original content directly via the Internet? Well, some writers are planning on doing just that:

An online network formed by professional TV and film scribes during the writer’s strike unveiled a slate Wednesday featuring contributions from the minds behind the likes of “The Office” and “Die Hard.”

Strike.tv plans to launch this summer with more than 40 shortform programs, including comedies, dramas and a game show. Some programs will be serialized while others will be standalone; the site has yet to secure advertising.

Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz already self-funded and produced “Quarterlife,” a web series that made its way to a short-lived tenure on NBC. Despite its failure on network TV, the fact is that Zwick and Herskovitz own the series — and that is huge precedent. What’s to keep a well-established TV writer like J.J. Abrams from obtaining independent funding, producing the next “Lost,” only its platform would be the Web?

There are already a host of short-form content sites like Will Ferrell’s “Funny or Die” or Bob Zucker’s “National Banana”. Only a matter of time before an A-list TV writer creates a Web series in full half-hour or hour format.

UPDATE: Here are some of the 40 original web series to debut on Strike.TV:

Global Warming, starring SNL’s Kirsten Wiig and The Daily Show’s Aasif Mandvi

Unknown Sender, written by Steven de Souza with Timothy Dalton and Joanne Whalley

House Poor, created by Lester Lewis, writer and producer of The Office

The Challenge, written by Lloyd Garver starring Bob Newhart

Five or Die, written and directed by horror movie veteran Tom Holland

John’s Hand, starring Garret Dillahunt and Kali Roch