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Some recent chatter about portfolios, submissions + 'breaking in'-
It's easy to think only in terms of what _you_ want - the work, the credit, the level up in terms of visibility.
Instead, think about what a publisher wants or needs and the process is clearer.
#ComicsSchool
It's easy to think only in terms of what _you_ want - the work, the credit, the level up in terms of visibility.
Instead, think about what a publisher wants or needs and the process is clearer.
#ComicsSchool
Quality
Is the work you're showing as good or better than the top third of what a publisher is putting out?
They have established people getting stuff done at a base level. Can you raise the bar enough to be worth the effort to bring aboard?
Is the work you're showing as good or better than the top third of what a publisher is putting out?
They have established people getting stuff done at a base level. Can you raise the bar enough to be worth the effort to bring aboard?
Dependability
Have you produced enough that it's clear you can do the work and consistently finish it?
This is where having a completed story/book is a big plus. The more you do, the clearer that gets.
Have you produced enough that it's clear you can do the work and consistently finish it?
This is where having a completed story/book is a big plus. The more you do, the clearer that gets.
A comic script communicates key aspects of story + dialogue to the rest of the creative team.
In this thread @CianTormey masterfully goes through the process of planning a 'quiet' page from one of my scripts.
This is solid gold comic theory for artists + writers.
#ComicsSchool
In this thread @CianTormey masterfully goes through the process of planning a 'quiet' page from one of my scripts.
This is solid gold comic theory for artists + writers.
#ComicsSchool
A bit of context-
Writing Uncanny Avengers was a thrill, but intimidating as well.
@GerryDuggan did a great job but had a very full plate, so I was asked to come in and sunset the series before Avengers: No Surrender.
I had to fit into the existing structure but make it my own.
Writing Uncanny Avengers was a thrill, but intimidating as well.
@GerryDuggan did a great job but had a very full plate, so I was asked to come in and sunset the series before Avengers: No Surrender.
I had to fit into the existing structure but make it my own.
In six issues I needed to:
- Show our team messed up by the dark force field surrounding Manhattan as part of Secret Empire.
- Prep character and plot threads for No Surrender.
- Thematically bring a close to some of the broader themes Gerry opened the series with.
- Show our team messed up by the dark force field surrounding Manhattan as part of Secret Empire.
- Prep character and plot threads for No Surrender.
- Thematically bring a close to some of the broader themes Gerry opened the series with.
Okay, I am sorry to do this, but I have to post a little bit about boundaries. I am only speaking for myself, but I am pretty sure it’s the same for many, if not most, comic book pros.
Please understand, this thread is a necessity.
It’s about asking for help/advice.
1/
Please understand, this thread is a necessity.
It’s about asking for help/advice.
1/
I get a lot, a LOT of dms and Facebook messages from people I don;t really know, asking big, big open-ended questions about how to break into comics.
Folks, please stop. That is not fair to ask.
It’s too big a question, for one thing.
2/
Folks, please stop. That is not fair to ask.
It’s too big a question, for one thing.
2/
I have spent endless hours covering these topics, I have never asked a thing in return.
When you send me a private email just assuming I will be delighted to explain a massive set of answers for you, and that I can take my time to do it, that is upsetting.
3/
When you send me a private email just assuming I will be delighted to explain a massive set of answers for you, and that I can take my time to do it, that is upsetting.
3/
A new #ComicsSchool video is up!
Talking about juggling freelance projects with a day job and the amount of time it took for me to get momentum as a comic writer. These creative careers are a marathon, not a sprint.
Watch and share:
Talking about juggling freelance projects with a day job and the amount of time it took for me to get momentum as a comic writer. These creative careers are a marathon, not a sprint.
Watch and share:
Crucial parts of my career, whether I realized it at the time or not, came about thanks to amazing people around me.
People like @OmarDogan1976 @madnug @GailSimone @erikmona @scottmccloud @BillRosemann
Friends and mentors who taught me a lot and encouraged me at key moments.
People like @OmarDogan1976 @madnug @GailSimone @erikmona @scottmccloud @BillRosemann
Friends and mentors who taught me a lot and encouraged me at key moments.
If my comic 'career' started with making a comic and releasing it, I've been doing this for literally 20 years.
I was working on pages for my webcomic Makeshift Miracle and hand-coding parts of the website in August 2001.
I was working on pages for my webcomic Makeshift Miracle and hand-coding parts of the website in August 2001.
A former student of mine reached out wanting to know how they might be able to pivot from working in animation to making comics.
I sent them a response and figured the advice might be useful to other people online as well-
#makecomics #ComicsSchool
I sent them a response and figured the advice might be useful to other people online as well-
#makecomics #ComicsSchool
I don't know if this will turn into a new career or is a daydreaming/"grass is greener over there" situation.
Either way, the same advice-
Set deadlines and build a thing.
Finish it, learn from it and then, if you're still engaged, make more.
It's that easy and that hard.
Either way, the same advice-
Set deadlines and build a thing.
Finish it, learn from it and then, if you're still engaged, make more.
It's that easy and that hard.
We all want to make our first attempt at something a soaring success. Doing research and getting advice before you start is a natural part of that.
But, in the end, you still have to make the thing for yourself and learn from that process.
But, in the end, you still have to make the thing for yourself and learn from that process.
I have talked about this often, but since it’s come up, just for fun. Here’s how I broke into comics.
I had done a website thing with friends called Women In Refrigerators. I didn’t;t do the list, that was guys from @cbr, as I wasn’t reading as many comics at that time. 1/
I had done a website thing with friends called Women In Refrigerators. I didn’t;t do the list, that was guys from @cbr, as I wasn’t reading as many comics at that time. 1/
Sorry for typos, just woke up.
Anyway, WiR exploded. But not in a way I hoped, completely. A lot of people just used it to slam the industry and the readers and creators, it’s still used that way sometimes. It was just asking a question. I thought it was a fair question.
Anyway, WiR exploded. But not in a way I hoped, completely. A lot of people just used it to slam the industry and the readers and creators, it’s still used that way sometimes. It was just asking a question. I thought it was a fair question.
But I didn’t love how people used it, and it quickly got boring defending it to people who hadn;t read it (still happens all the time 23 years later).
I got zero jobs from it, zero offers. If I had been trying to break in, that would have been the worst possible way.
I got zero jobs from it, zero offers. If I had been trying to break in, that would have been the worst possible way.
Okay, I posted a bit about a problem I see often in artist samples. But this story works for any problem you might have in your drawing, at least a little bit.
So if you have a weakness in your storytelling/cartooning, maybe listen up. It's about Charles Schulz. 1/
So if you have a weakness in your storytelling/cartooning, maybe listen up. It's about Charles Schulz. 1/
Now, by most measures, he was likely the most successful American cartoonist in terms of connecting with an audience, and there's no question that his writing was unique. But his art was tremendously appealing, even during the many sad strips. 2/
Now, Charles Schulz was born to make a comic strip. Two days after birth, an uncle named him 'Sparky' after a popular comics page horse. All he wanted to do from childhood was 'draw funny pictures.'
But not everything came easy, and being a strip artist was BIG then. 3/
But not everything came easy, and being a strip artist was BIG then. 3/
Today is a big one, we have announcements, expert advice from guest faculty, some surprises, and lots more!
IF you started late or you got behind because of life or cooties, IT'S OKAY. You can catch up on our Discord server, where @jesseNeon has archived ALL our lessons and threads!
discordapp.com/invite/dV295qb
discordapp.com/invite/dV295qb
Today, we have some cool stuff coming!
We have some guest professors, we will talk about your midterms, we will discuss some comics vocabulary...
…and more!
Stuff is going to be coming at you very fast, the time for introductions is over. Cool?
We have some guest professors, we will talk about your midterms, we will discuss some comics vocabulary...
…and more!
Stuff is going to be coming at you very fast, the time for introductions is over. Cool?
Let's go!
Now, I asked you to write a #FirstPage with minimal guidelines. I did that on purpose, I want you to try things, then see how they might be done with lots of experience. Then I asked you to revise that first page.
Did you feel you made it better?
Now, I asked you to write a #FirstPage with minimal guidelines. I did that on purpose, I want you to try things, then see how they might be done with lots of experience. Then I asked you to revise that first page.
Did you feel you made it better?
PREPARE FOR A SPECIAL #COMICSSCHOOL ADDRESS FROM PRINCIPAL GODZILLA.
Also, NO EATING NACHOS DURING ASSEMBLY.
Also, NO EATING NACHOS DURING ASSEMBLY.
"DEAR COMICSSCHOOL STUDENTS, STAFF AND FACULTY.
AS WE APPROACH THE FINAL DAYS ON OUR BELOVED CAMPUS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REFLECT FOR A MOMENT UPON THE ASSIGNMENT THAT WAS GIVEN YESTERDAY."
AS WE APPROACH THE FINAL DAYS ON OUR BELOVED CAMPUS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REFLECT FOR A MOMENT UPON THE ASSIGNMENT THAT WAS GIVEN YESTERDAY."
"I FONDLY RECALL WHEN I WAS A STUDENT HERE MYSELF, LO THESE MANY YEARS AGO.
I, TOO, LEARNED THE VALUABLE LESSON OF THE ROADBLOCK BOX.
SO IN KEEPING WITH OUR GLORIOUS TRADITION, I ASK YOU THESE QUESTIONS!"
I, TOO, LEARNED THE VALUABLE LESSON OF THE ROADBLOCK BOX.
SO IN KEEPING WITH OUR GLORIOUS TRADITION, I ASK YOU THESE QUESTIONS!"
Okay, we have some quick business to go over, but today is going to be a GREAT day. Today we start with the actual writing, and it’s going to be great fun!
But first, I heard that some students stole the RockSchool’s mascot and fed it a huge vat of beans.
DISAPPROVING GLARE.
But first, I heard that some students stole the RockSchool’s mascot and fed it a huge vat of beans.
DISAPPROVING GLARE.
HELLO, STUDENTS!
Welcome to #ComicsSchool. DAY TWO!
Today will be fun, but a bit intense!
SO let’s get to it!
Welcome to #ComicsSchool. DAY TWO!
Today will be fun, but a bit intense!
SO let’s get to it!
First, this thing kind of BLEW UP. It made a bunch of news sites, it’s already been translated all over the world, we got 200000 impressions on our first tweet opening Day One yesterday.
That is because of you students, taking a chance and sharing your enthusiasm. THANK YOU!
That is because of you students, taking a chance and sharing your enthusiasm. THANK YOU!
Now, today, we have a couple exercises, and one piece of homework. They should not be too painful.
But a couple notes here, before we begin talking about OUTLINES and FIRST PAGES.
But a couple notes here, before we begin talking about OUTLINES and FIRST PAGES.
Okay, students! Welcome to #ComicsSchool campus, and CLASS IS IN SESSION!
For today's class, it would be helpful for you to have the following equipment.
A pen or pencil
A Notebook or notepad
A small box or container
It would also be great if you had
Your Cell Phone (we won't be calling)
An Eight Sided Die
But the last two are NOT necessary.
A pen or pencil
A Notebook or notepad
A small box or container
It would also be great if you had
Your Cell Phone (we won't be calling)
An Eight Sided Die
But the last two are NOT necessary.
Okay. Raise your hand if you hope to make comics, or even a single comics story, but haven't yet done so (no judgments, I'm going somewhere cool, I promise).
For those of you who raised your hand...I'm going to try something. I don't think anyone's ever done it before. Certainly not on this scale.
If you're interested in a craft experiment that will help you learn a LOT of important tools to making comics, check later today.
If you're interested in a craft experiment that will help you learn a LOT of important tools to making comics, check later today.
I don't care what your politics are, or your talent level or background. Everyone is welcome provided they are open to learn and won't be critical of others participating.
(If you are CG or whatever and want to participate, have someone ask to unblock you, and please behave).
(If you are CG or whatever and want to participate, have someone ask to unblock you, and please behave).
