So the weirdest thing about this whole saga, other than apparently 5x5 doesn’t know how to google (Shortbox has won so many awards, Zainab could do a hijabi remake of Beyonce’s Grammy-dusting scene in “Why Don’t You Love Me”), is that this is not how comics works. A thread!
Successful anthology / shortform projects are ones where the editors are well known and trusted in the comics community.
Not anonymous weirdos with 2,000-person lists of “Illustrators To Watch”.
How do I know this? Well. ⬇️
Not anonymous weirdos with 2,000-person lists of “Illustrators To Watch”.
How do I know this? Well. ⬇️
I am not nearly as well known and respected as Zainab, but two years ago in August I lost my mind and decided to do a romance anthology, and my usual publisher lost HIS mind and decided to make it a weekly 48-page book. Do you know how this book got made? ⬇️
In the DMs.
That’s it. I hit up a bunch of people I knew, and they trusted me from my reputation and the fact that we knew each other that I’d treat them right.
We got every issue out on time, and were the most talked-about book in our release month.
We got every issue out on time, and were the most talked-about book in our release month.
The book was TWISTED ROMANCE, the publisher was @ImageComics, the cast are everyone that Black Crown is currently soliciting alt covers from. (I see you, bb) 
I’m not trying to make this about me. I made one book. Zainab consistently makes great books month after month, year after year, and great crit, and a whole lot more.
I’m just saying, indie comics folk are not just talented, they’re savvy, and they’re also suspicious.
I’m just saying, indie comics folk are not just talented, they’re savvy, and they’re also suspicious.
If there isn’t a specific person with a FLAWLESS reputation attached to lead your project, you’re only going to get approaches from the “fools walk in where angels fear to tread” crowd.
Zainab / Shortbox has exactly such a flawless rep.
5x5, we don’t even have a NAME. Who’s behind it? WHO KNOWS. They don’t seem to know what’s up, that’s for damn sure.
So, in the words of Black Sheep... you can deal with this, or you can deal with that.
5x5, we don’t even have a NAME. Who’s behind it? WHO KNOWS. They don’t seem to know what’s up, that’s for damn sure.
So, in the words of Black Sheep... you can deal with this, or you can deal with that.
Additional study materiel 1/2:
Additional study materiel 2/2:
