DC Conspiracy[dots pattern]

1.05.2006

Take Two or Let It Be?

If you're going to compile your serial into a trade and aren't crazy about the initial books, should you redo those pages or leave them be? Big Jake and I talked about it the other day, but we'd like to hear what others have to say.

Dembicki at 7:40 PM  |  link to this     

6 Comments

Redo them! To an extent, of course, but in my opinion if there is room to make some changes so that the entire collection looks like it belongs together, then do it!

The other thought is to create NEW filler/in-between pages to add the cohesiveness that you're looking for.

My two cents!

Deb at 1/05/2006 11:48 PM   

We had to deal with that question when we put our trade together — the whole comic was (and is) such a learning process, and, as such, there were plenty of things we would now do differently. But we preferred to let it stand.

'Cause, really, once the revisions started, where would they end? And, seemed more honest to show the shortcomings; I'd like to think that overall, the book shows progress. I know that I like being able to see creators develop over time.

Plus, there's something to be said for letting it go, taking what you've learned, and moving on to the next project.

Bram at 1/06/2006 12:23 AM   

I think it is ok to revise if it benifits the story as a whole. If you've come to the end and some things have changed it's ok to re-do parts to make the story more cohesive.

But if you've always wanted a giant song and dance number our think your art is not as good as you are now then you are just being nit picky and that process could go on forever.

You don't want to alienate your core audience by changing thingds to the point where it stops being the story that they loved reading.

ETK at 1/06/2006 10:21 AM   

I've fixed small things in my first trade that didn't work out so well in the original serialized books, usually wording and text balloon flow problems, or a (not so) rare continuity error that I missed in the original. And I know I'll be doing that in the next one, too. But, like Bram said, I know that if I keep going back to redo things, I'll never get the thing out the door and get on to the next story.

"Art is never finished, only abandoned."

meow at 1/06/2006 6:49 PM   

Here's an answer/example from the copyright page of Bob Fingerman's "Beg the Question" that I thought you'd find interesting:

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Beg the Question was originally released as a graphic novel (Minimum Wage Book One) and a subsequent series of ten Minimum Wage Comics, the first five of which were collected as Minimum Wage Book Two. The present volume collects nine of the ten comics and includes a new opening chapter (which condenses and revise the Minimum Wage Book One in the continuity), a new closing chapter, a few additional sequences; all of the pages have been reworked, most of them substantially, for this edition.
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Deb at 1/09/2006 11:37 PM   

I have a few options in terms of publishing a trade. Now I have to evaluate and see which one is best, but they are all very cool. The bottom line is that I will tweak the initial pages and see how that works. If I'm not happy, I'll probably redo those pages. I probably would have choosen this route anyway, but after talking with some potential publishers, it's an easier decision.

Dembicki at 1/10/2006 10:35 AM   

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