DC Conspiracy[dots pattern]

10.20.2005

Here's the Thing...: #13 What do I do?

This past weekend we had a DC Conspiracy meeting where a lot of new people came out. As usual a lot of the dudes were just starting to dip their feet into the comic creating community’s pool, nearly drowned in one-foot of water and as a result I had to field the following question three times: “What do I do?”

There’s nothing wrong with that question. Let me introduce you to A. David Lewis.

A. David Lewis (ADL) is an excellent writer. Mark Waid wrote the intro to his critically acclaimed Mortal Coils which is a pretty good stamp of approval in case you don’t want to take my word for it. His recent offering, Lone and Level Sands is an intelligent retelling of Exodus from Pharaoh’s perspective – putting a more human face on the person who enslaved God’s people, making you feel for a character that has always been portrayed as an evil tyrant. In other words, ADL had some strong ideas – he’s not writing the Top Cow knock-off stuff – and he gets a lot of respect from the people who read his work.

I was went to dinner at a Mongolian restaurant the second night of SPX, ADL was with our party, and he was talking about his new espionage graphic novel he’s working on with the talented Jason Copland called Empty Chamber. And here’s the question that ADL, critically acclaimed writer, well-networked, sociable and all-around nice guy, asks the group:

(Paraphrased, obviously). Soon I’m going to be finished with Empty Chamber. I find myself asking where I take a 100+ page black & white graphic espionage story. Who would publish it? What do I do?

We sat around and went over the usual suspects. Would Image be willing to publish a one-shot deal from a guy that doesn’t bring a lot of bank with his name? It’s one and done, if the book fails there’s no second chances – you’d need strong buzz to resolicit. What about Speakeasy? There’s the risk involved in the shear amount of books Speakeasy is taking on, do you even want to be thrown into that without enough juice to make your name float to the top? Can Mike Miller hold Alias together? Would they even be interested in a B&W graphic novel that’s a bit more adult in delivery? Top Shelf has a similar book now in The Surrogates. Oni would likely view the book the same way as Image would except they’d be taking a bigger risk. It’s not really Ad-House or Fantagraphics flavor. NBM is an often overlooked avenue for publishing graphic novels and they take chances, but they only take on a couple of books a year. Dark Horse? Eh. Marvel and DC? No friggin’ way.

What should ADL do? What should you do if a guy in ADL’s position is asking us what he should do? True, he can self-publish, again, but he’s already done that. He’s at a point where he’d like a little extra push, a little more exposure. I mean, of all the people reading this article, how many of you have heard of ADL? Shit, how many of you even heard of Elk’s Run? And I pimp that book tirelessly, usually in this very article. (That’s the critically acclaimed book I edit, by the way, for those that don’t pay attention).

You’re ready for the answer? This is it – this is the answer that you’ve been waiting for. This is the big question – how do I break into comics? Who will publish my book? You should be on the edge of your seat, pen and paper in hand, fully prepared to jot down this guaranteed formula for success. Ok. Here we go…

(This is exciting, isn’t it?)

What should ADL do?

I have no idea.

Different people will tell you different things. There will be the vague brush-off meant to solidify a position as the balls-to-the-walls comic guy: “Whatever it takes.” There will be the more down-to-earth version of the “whatever it takes” mentality, “Get lucky.” You’ll get a couple of humorous responses, “Slip Eric Larsen some Home Run Pies with your submission,” or, “Word on the street says Chris Staros will approve any book with a transvestite donkey in it.” You’ll get the guy that screams “self-publish” while raising his fist in the air and mime-sodomizing Joe Quesada.

I have my own opinion on the subject. I think, ADL’s graphic novel aside, a good model is to make it as a 3-4 issue mini-series, try to get it into Diamond (and if you befriend a top-notch cover artist don’t be ashamed to ask for that friend discount, it’ll help), hustle it with everything you got, generate a buzz and a positive sale-slope, try to get it into Diamond again and eventually pitch your success to a creator-friendly company that will agree to print the trade. Use that contact to pitch the follow-on.

Won’t work for everybody but it’s safe, minimal risk. Does that mean you should do it?

I have no idea.

So why am I even writing this article? Because earlier this week someone posted in the comments section to my “Usuallies” article and asked: “I keep waiting for you to follow up on this. It's all very well to tell people not to go 'usually' but what do you do instead?”

And here’s the thing – there is no definitive answer. All the people that will sell you books and give you hints and try to tell you sure fire ways to break in – they’re not helping you – in a way they’re holding you back. The same way in rarely works twice in any industry where positions are minimal. It’s the person that does something a little different – sees a different angle – or just happens to be at the right place and the right time that will punch through.

This article isn’t about telling you what to do – it’s about telling you what not to do – and I think I’ve been doing that from the start. At the same time I like to share little things here and there about people that caught my attention like Justin Jordan. You can do what he did, to an extent, but eventually you’re going to have to go your own way. See an opening and go for it. Devise a new plan. Find a perfect marketing plan for the perfect story. To break it down, eventually you’re going to have to try something that I haven’t thought of – something that only you can come up with – and that’s why I can’t answer the question, “What do I do?”

But, I’ll tell you honestly – if I did know what you should do, I sure as hell wouldn’t tell you until after I did it because it’ll only work once.

ADL’s Lone and Level Sands is currently being re-released by Archaia Studios Press – it is currently soliciting in previews. It features the jaw-dropping art of mpMann and it is newly colored by Jennifer Rodgers (my copy is in B&W and you better believe I’m going to double-buy, the colored pages look great). Tell your shop to order it. And, while you’re there, Elk’s Run #5 is currently soliciting in Previews. We have this handy-dandy order form – just check off the issues you need and hand it off to your retailer, he’ll know what to do with it.

Jason at 11:19 PM  |  link to this   

4 Comments

What about an even more basic level? What's the best way to get from a script to a piece of art (assumming one can't draw)?

Blogger mapletree7 at 10/21/2005 2:49 PM   

"What's the best way to get from a script to a piece of art (assumming one can't draw)?"

Money ;)

I'm joking, but that's true. If you have money to throw at something, finding an artists to work on it isn't difficult.

Finding one who is willing to work for little or nothing up front is substanially more difficult.

In my (limited) experience, the way to get an artist to work on a project without outright bribery is to offer them a chance to draw something they really want to draw.

Figuring out how to do that is matter of research and outright luck. Sometimes people just dig stuff.

Having worked with other artists successfully helps. It's easier to get artists to draw my stories now that I have a few stories drawn by artists. Yes, it's much like the whole 'how to get a job without experience, how to get experience without a job' paradox.

But having artists have a good experience with you helps, especially if you do your best to do right by them.

But when all else, fails, money. Now if you'll excuse me, I off to rob a bank.

Blogger Justin Jordan at 10/21/2005 10:42 PM   

Good timing, Mapletree! The next installment of The Small Presser will address it! I'll post it later today!

Blogger Dembicki at 10/22/2005 6:39 AM   

If you want to go basic, basic – I would suggest you start at the very, very beginning where most people seem to feel they can skip over – learn about comics and sequential art.

Get Eisner’s Comics & Sequential Art and Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics. Get some good book on perspective. Take some time to get to know what you’re talking about. Then start meeting people.

It makes sense to start online. Some of the comics discussion boards are OK but their mainly a waste of time. Digital Webbing is for creators, technically, except most people there aren’t creating much – but there are good artists and writers that hang around (ignore the urge to post the “Looking for collaborator” message, just critique some art, make some “friends” for now). Pencil Jack is the same thing except with few writers. Scryptic Studios is the same thing but with no artists. Warren Ellis’ The Engine has a great creator discussion board but you should know what you’re talking about first before you even step foot in there.

Then, once you know how to write comics and once you know some people, start meeting them at cons. Talk up some ideas, try to get someone to bite. And do it all casually – just behave naturally and shit will start to develop.

When you get down to creating, create with your artist from the ground floor. Write for them and take their inputs all of the way. Keep the layouts as loose as they want them, even if that means not included layouts at all.

It’s a slow process but if you start now you could be ready to start meeting people next con season. I just started putting stuff together now, I’m friendly with enough artists to go to them with ideas, they won’t bite on every single one (and sometimes there are no matches for some of my ideas in terms of style) but I have enough people that want to collaborate with me so that I don’t need to shell out disgusting amounts of money.

Plus, they’re good guys.

So, that’s what I would do. Of course, if you’re not a sociable dude then yeah, take Justin’s advice and rob a bank.

And read Matt's article.

Blogger Jason at 10/22/2005 6:56 AM   

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