CBR: Shelf Life - Apr 7, 2011

[CBR News]

This week, Ron Marz shines the spotlight on creator-owned comics and the risk and rewards they offer with an in-depth look into the creation of "Shinku," his new Image Comics title.


Full article here.

[Alex6166]

I always wondered why people like Joe Mad couldn't get Battlechasers out and I didn't think of the enomorous work that went into each issue. He was a penciller who now did this big book where he had to oversee not only his art but work out the story and make sure the colors worked and work with the letterer. Etcetra.

Being a guy who might actually be working the comic industry as a penciller soon, you realize that creator-owned dream is just too difficult. I don't think I'll ever get my own book out, If the next month or two goes well, I'll be pencilling some issue of Deadpool or some lesser known book and It will be tons of work and it I'll be lucky to have it.

[armandoB]

I agree. It's tough as hell. It's even tougher when you're an artist. Seems most people just seem to see you as a pencil for hire and your ideas don't matter.

[maniacmatt]

Yeah, I've found finding artists to work with very difficult. They tend to want to be payed up front, but that's not usually feasible, because I'm not professional. So it makes it very hard for writers to break in. Artists may have to put in more time on their half usually, but it's much much easier for them to get noticed.

[maniacmatt]

I agree. It's tough as hell. It's even tougher when you're an artist. Seems most people just seem to see you as a pencil for hire and your ideas don't matter.

I just took a look at your dA gallery. Your stuff is really cool!

[Sean Fahey]

The more stories I read like this, the more it drives the point home that comics are a labor of love, so don't quit your day job. I know I'm being "Captain Obvious" in saying that, but still...

[Derrick Fish]

Self-publishing creator owned material is more often then not like climbing a mountain that really doesn't want to be climbed. As an artist/writer, I'm in a better position then most in that I don't have to hire anyone or try and rely on an artist that I otherwise couldn't pay. But it's not something to pay the bills or live off of.

I have a couple of friends that are writers and they've largely given up simply because getting an artist to fully commit to they're idea on little more then the thin hope that the work will pay off at some point in the future is not a great incentive when drawing a single page of a comic takes so many hours longer then it takes to write one. As an artist, I just couldn't make that commitment lightly. In the case of the project highlighted in this article, artists at least know they're working with a proven and successful comic writer and that doors like Image are opened easier that way. There's more incentive to take the risk with a Ron Marz through Image then it is with a Bob Nobody going through a print on demand shop with almost no way to even get distribution.

As such, if you're a creator working on your own stuff, you better LOVE it like it's your only child.

[maniacmatt]

Self-publishing creator owned material is more often then not like climbing a mountain that really doesn't want to be climbed. As an artist/writer, I'm in a better position then most in that I don't have to hire anyone or try and rely on an artist that I otherwise couldn't pay. But it's not something to pay the bills or live off of.

I have a couple of friends that are writers and they've largely given up simply because getting an artist to fully commit to they're idea on little more then the thin hope that the work will pay off at some point in the future is not a great incentive when drawing a single page of a comic takes so many hours longer then it takes to write one. As an artist, I just couldn't make that commitment lightly. In the case of the project highlighted in this article, artists at least know they're working with a proven and successful comic writer and that doors like Image are opened easier that way. There's more incentive to take the risk with a Ron Marz through Image then it is with a Bob Nobody going through a print on demand shop with almost no way to even get distribution.

As such, if you're a creator working on your own stuff, you better LOVE it like it's your only child.

Agree with everything you said. It's very very tough. Unfortunately, creator owned, indy stuff is the only way to get into comics.

[Derrick Fish]

Agree with everything you said. It's very very tough. Unfortunately, creator owned, indy stuff is the only way to get into comics.

In some respects, it is for me. I jumped through the never ending hoops trying to "break in" back in the early/mid 90's as a penciler, but over time found the process kinda soul crushing. I LOVE comics, but didn't want to "break in" at the cost of everything I loved about making them.

As such, I just decided to do comics my own way, regardless of the outcome. I've never looked back and am happier compromising with my graphic design work and freelance illustration stuff then I would be with my comic art.

[maniacmatt]

In some respects, it is for me. I jumped through the never ending hoops trying to "break in" back in the early/mid 90's as a penciler, but over time found the process kinda soul crushing. I LOVE comics, but didn't want to "break in" at the cost of everything I loved about making them.

As such, I just decided to do comics my own way, regardless of the outcome. I've never looked back and am happier compromising with my graphic design work and freelance illustration stuff then I would be with my comic art.

Unfortunately, I want to write comics. There's not much I'm good at. I'm going to school to be a teacher, and I know I'll love doing that too, but my love will always be comics, and it's frustrating that I have to be so dependent on someone else just to get exposed. I realize that it's a collaborative medium, but it's really tough to deal with when I can't get anything out there for anyone to see.

[Matthew JLD Rice]

I really appreciate seeing more and more articles cropping up like this lately. It helps us grass roots comics creators be seen for the passionate, driven individuals that we are, willing to make many sacrifices for the sake of our art.

This article just proves that even once you've gotten the proverbial foot in the door, the struggle continues... Important lesson, folks! Once you've "broken in", the real struggle has only just begun! I've had one mild success, and have still found it quite difficult to get a second creator-owned series picked up. Planning to hit the web-world upside the noggin next.

No disservice meant to your colorist Ron, but I kind of dig the black/white/red look. Has that "Sin City" vibe to it and keeping the red as the only color in a vampire book is an excellent idea!

I hope to see all your efforts rewarded, sir! Keep at it...

www.matthewjldrice.com
www.thejld.deviantart.com

[King Nonentity]

Looks like my dream job is really a pipe dream huh? I'll just keep it as my hobby, meanwhile playing the lotto.

I'm preordering this. 2 months to go...

[Mike Bullock]

Unfortunately, I want to write comics. There's not much I'm good at. I'm going to school to be a teacher, and I know I'll love doing that too, but my love will always be comics, and it's frustrating that I have to be so dependent on someone else just to get exposed. I realize that it's a collaborative medium, but it's really tough to deal with when I can't get anything out there for anyone to see.

Try starting smaller. Get a 6, 8 or 10 page backup story in someone else's creator owned book. Much easier to get an artist to commit to a handful of pages, and if your story is good enough, odds are most folks doing the book you're trying to get into would love to have the extra content. Once you have something/anything published it gets a little easier. Not a lot easier, but a little.

[maniacmatt]

Try starting smaller. Get a 6, 8 or 10 page backup story in someone else's creator owned book. Much easier to get an artist to commit to a handful of pages, and if your story is good enough, odds are most folks doing the book you're trying to get into would love to have the extra content. Once you have something/anything published it gets a little easier. Not a lot easier, but a little.

I never even thought of that. That's great advice, thanks!