"How to Draw Comic Book Heroes and Villains" by Christopher Hart .
© Watson-Guptill Publications

Related Links

0

Comicscape - August 17, 2005

Here to advise you, revise you, and surprise you are Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, Top Shelf Productions publisher Chris Staros, Raw Entertainment co-owner and writer Steve Niles, and artist Kody Chamberlain (30 DAYS OF NIGHT: BLOODSUCKER TALES). I asked them the most common questions and concerns about submissions, breaking in, talking to publishers, and how to not make an ass out of yourself at conventions. There were only three self-publishing questions for Tedd Walley from last week, and I've forwarded his answers to all those that wrote. I'd like to thank Tedd again, along with all of this week's contributors for their time and help. Show your love by supporting their stuff.

Please note that many of the logistics I discussed with Tedd last week don't apply to the submission process. If a company wants to publish your material, you won't have to form a company and worry nearly as much about finding distribution deals and the like. However, acceptance raises new complications contract negotiations, meeting sales expectations, minimum printing and advertising costs, and more. This week's COMICSCAPE deals solely with submissions and introductions. The logistics of dealing with a new publisher will be discussed in a future column.

I asked my stable of dubiously willing subjects a broad question "What should you not do when you submit?" Everyone knows you should write a polite cover letter and be as concise as possible, but I wanted to know the common pitfalls that lead to many submissions to immediate rejection. Kody Chamberlain says, "Fancy folders, expensive portfolio cases, and clever cover letters probably won't make much difference...None of it will conceal bad ideas or execution. But on the other side of that equation, I do think it shows an extra level of commitment if you do present the work in a nice clean format in a professional manner. Crumpled pages pulled from a backpack at a convention will certainly harm the presentation."

Steve Niles says, "I think the biggest mistake writers make pitching, and I did this A LOT, is sending too much. Most people have the attention span of a gnat. Keep it short and simple. Include a cover sheet with the logline, a quick synopsis and then a couple of pages of script to show you know what you're doing. Many publishers will want to see a complete script when they are interested. Don't inundate them with material right off the bat."

But wait Chris Staros says, "The key with submissions is you want to make sure that there is enough sample pages of work not just synopsis and character sketches. Send 10 to 20 pages, with a cover letter that summarizes the work. People also submit stuff via e-mail and attach large files unsolicited. That's a big no-no in the business...Publishers prefer hard copies in the mail."

Hold on a second Scott Allie says Dark Horse wants "[proposals] and art. I want to see that there's great potential, but that there's room to finesse it. But, if it's a complete project, and it's perfect as is, all the better...One thing I hate to admit is that if a writer submits a proposal without any art, I might not consider it. I generally want a presentation which is the whole package. If it's a creator-owned book, it's not my job to find you a collaborator. Further, it's impossible to judge the merits on a piece of writing unless you read the entire manuscript, and I'm too busy with HELLBOY and CONAN to read every unsolicited pitch that comes in."

While these fine gentleman seem to contradict each other, herein lies the first and most important rule of submission. As Steve says, "If you go to most publisher sites they will have very clear instructions on how to submit to them and how their process works." Publishers want different things some will accept scripts or art samples alone, while many want both. Don't ignore the submission guidelines. Follow them and if you can't find them, ask somebody. Editors may thin their submission stack by rejecting those entries that don't adhere to their guidelines. Before you submit, research publishers. Target those that release similar material. Don't waste your time sending a mature readers project to Fun Family Bible Comix. Find appropriate publishers and follow their submission guidelines to the letter.

If you think I'm not serious, maybe you'll believe Scott: "If you display an absolute ignorance of what we do, it's a turn off...What I mean is if someone pitches a 30-issue superhero miniseries this happens all the time, really. When has Dark Horse ever done this? Is it because it never occurred to us?"

Editors often find themselves swamped with work, including pitches from established professionals. The comics industry demands a huge commitment, and sometimes, you just get squeezed out. Kody says, "I can tell you that many submission packages never get opened at all. If a publisher is swamped with work, the new submissions will probably go in the trash."

But, as Steve says, "Rule one: be patient. Rule two: never give up."

Now you know what not to do, and you've decided to start shopping around your dream project. But, you keep hearing about these cover letters. A cover letter introduces you and your proposal. However, editors and publishers have no shortage of work, so don't tell your life story. Find the appropriate editor and address a concise letter explaining your project. Chris says, "Be professional and include contact information on correspondence. A lot of people put it on the envelope and then it's gone. Address your submission to a person to a publisher. That shows you've done research. If the letter has nice things about the company and how their project fits in with their work, it makes the publisher interested. Don't scattershot. The more homework you do, the more likely they'll pick up and respond in kind."

Scott: "If I get an unsolicited submission, and notice that every other editor has the same envelope in their inboxes, I don't feel any responsibility to reply. If I open it and it blows me right out of my shoes, obviously I will, but that, of course, is rare. But, if it's merely promising, but nothing I can use right now, I'll assume someone else will respond to their identical package."

Steve: "Avoid starting the letter 'Dear Ahole.'"

Don't send form letters. Research the company and find out to whom (an editor or publisher, by name) you should send your package. Say nice things about the company and intelligently comment on their product. And, don't start the letter with "Dear Ahole." Always use "Dear Dipsh-t" instead. It's much more polite.

Say you've got a zinger of a project, but it reads like you slept through high school English class. You clearly can't spell and you think ebonics is a valid language. You should be concerned. Scott says, "If you can't spell or write proper grammar, it probably, in my opinion, is an indicator of a general laziness of thought. I don't mean if there's a typo on page five. I mean if you clearly don't know how to spell words that you ought to, or if you write fragments and don't seem to be doing it for effect."

Steve says, "Aside from dialogue, where you can play with grammar and spelling, it is very important to show you have a basic grasp of writing mechanics." For those that want to write but struggle with the mechanics, I recommend THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White, along with ON WRITING WELL by William Zinsser (mostly for nonfiction, but still helpful).

Of course, hopeful creators new and veteran alike deluge publishers with ideas. A new creative team must stand out to avoid getting lost in the shuffle. I asked everyone to explain what grabs an editor's eye. "Great art," says Scott, "That's the only thing that makes a submission jump out at me."

Steve says, "[Send] a good, concise idea that isn't preceded by a long introduction about how great an idea it is. "

Chris says, "Convention season is April through October. The best time to get attention is October through March. It's the slow season. Top Shelf gets 1,000 submissions per year, and 850 of those during the spring and summer."

However, you shouldn't avoid conventions. Cons offer a valuable opportunity to speak with comics professionals, but you should avoid making an ass out of yourself. "Try not to approach editors while they are in the bathroom stall," says Steve. "Ask if they are accepting submissions. If they are, hand it to them, say thank you, and walk away. Don't corner them and don't pester them. If they like what you handed them, you will hear from them."

Kody says, "That's the only way you can guarantee your work will be seen and you'll also have a chance to discuss the work and get feedback from the editor."

For artists in particular, Kody adds, "Introduce yourself and let the editor know right up front what type of work you're showing. If you're showing inked pages you haven't penciled, the editor needs to know this before looking at the work...Make sure you present yourself as a professional. Shower, wear a clean shirt and pants, take notes if you need to, and don't defend anything in the work or make excuses. Simply listen, ask questions...and thank the editor for his or her time...I do think it's OK to ask the editor if they'd like to have a copy of your portfolio at the end of the review. So make sure you've got copies and that your name and contact information are on every single page. I also think it's best to keep the copies at 8.5 x 11 instead of 11 x 17. It's easier to handle and has less of a chance of getting damaged in a bag...If you insist on leaving your work with an editor or at a publisher's booth, they may take it just to be polite, but you can bet that an editor won't be taking hundreds of submissions packages home on the plane. They'll get tossed in the trash instead. If the publisher is doing reviews, schedule your review. If they're not, mail it in when you get home. Insisting someone take your work makes you look pushy and a bit of a jerk. If they decide to take the copies, be sure you include a business card, thank them for their time and move on. If they say no, thank them, shake hands and move on. And if someone does offer to take your package, don't constantly drop by that booth asking about pitches or submissions you dropped off. Once it's out of your hands, the work will speak for itself or get tossed. They'll always contact you if they like what they see."

Scott says, "Conventions are so hectic, it's very hard to focus on a pitch from a guy whose work you have no prior knowledge of. But, it's a good way to establish a connection, assuming you have a reasonably tolerable personality. Don't walk up to me at a show and be an ahole."

Chris says, "It's always good to bring samples, because some publishers prefer live submissions. However, a lot of editors are trying to sell stuff to cover printing costs. Cons are more about selling stuff and marketing than about portfolio reviews. If you're talking to someone at a booth and a customer comes up, step aside. If you respect that, they'll respect you. A rule of thumb is that someone holding a portfolio bag is not a sale 99 out of 100 times they're not there to buy, but get their stuff looked at. But, if you buy a few things, you're showing respect for the line and they're more likely to look over your stuff. You don't have to spend money on every booth you go to, but you're better off combining your portfolio day and your shopping day."

Convention behavior in short: act like a damn adult. Treat it like a series of job interviews. Approach editors and publishers with humility and courtesy. Accept rejection gracefully. Always give a business card.

Obviously, comic conventions reach look and sound like an insane asylum for editors. They can't deeply involve themselves with every would-be creator. However, the company office offers little reprieve from the countless thick envelopes that fill an editor's mailbox. And with so many new creators banging down the door with proposals, the odds of getting accepted seem akin to winning the lottery.

Scott again: "We get so many submissions, and new properties by unknown creators almost always lose money. So there is not great motivation for us to aggressively look at the over-the-transom pile. The simple answer to this is that you should wait to submit until you are doing amazing work. The goal is publication; when published, you are going to be racked with dozens of other new comics fighting for attention, along with dozens of old comics that already have the readers' attention. So just as you need to really blow the editors away, you need to blow the readers away...Hone your craft, get really, really good, and don't believe your friends when they say, 'This is as good as the average book on the shelf these days.'"

All of this may seem intimidating to someone that dreams of breaking into the comics industry. To anyone still interested, know that editors and publishers will reject your work many times before someone accepts it. However, take heart "I think rejection is a vital part of the learning process," says Kody. "It's part of reaching the professional level and it's important for any creator to learn to take rejection and criticism...I really don't think it's anything to be freaked out about. But I think the bulk of the people getting rejected simply aren't ready yet. We've all been there, and I keep my stack of rejection letters in a scrap book to show people when they ask about getting into comics. When I look back on the rejection letters I got and the work I showed, I can now see that I wasn't ready. I'm sure most creators...have the same opinion of their early rejection letters...I really do think it's part of the process and shouldn't deter people from creating and sending out new work."

This may come as a shock for some, but part of the breaking-in process includes an honest assessment of your abilities and your material. You may not be ready to submit, but you should remain ready to create. This harkens back to last week's COMICSCAPE on self-publishing. You must start somewhere, and no one wants to sit on a stack of unpublished work that no one's reading. I asked everyone for their opinion on going it alone with the small, small press. Scott says, "Self-publishing, or working in the very small press, gives you an opportunity to hone your craft. I run into people who think they can write comics without ever having done it. Not that you have to have done it for publication, but that's a good motivator, and a good calling card. Generally, I am much more motivated to read a pitch if I've read or even heard about something the creator has already done. You really need to find a way to stand out, and the best way is to get good work out there so I'm looking for your pitch. Most of the people I've hired who weren't already stars had done something interesting and ambitious at a smaller publisher, which made me want to give them a shot."

Chris says, "I encourage people to self-publish in different ways like mini-comics while they get their feet on the ground. The main reason is just honing their craft. Ideally it takes several stories and hundreds of pages to get really good. You need to have the confidence to put stuff out there and the humility to know the next thing will be better."

On the other hand, Steve says, "Sometimes [self-publishing is] the only way you can get a decent sample together, but it's not necessary. Shopping still works. Every publisher wants to find a good, original, QUALITY project." In short, if your project will blow the door off the comic industry, someone will publish it. However, that's rare. Like anything else, creating comics takes practice. You may not be as ready as you initially thought. Before you spend time and money mailing samples to every publisher you can find, honestly assess your situation and decide if it's really time. Steve says, "Write because you love it, not because you want to be the next big star or you're out to prove the bullies who picked on you were wrong [Editor's note: Well, I'm screwed.]. If it doesn't come from the heart, then you are wasting everybody's time. Damn, did that sound harsh?" Harsh, but true, Steve.

Here we stand, back at self-publishing and small press. Those trying to avoid the long, arduous road to comics stardom will probably be disappointed (but please, don't let that discourage you). No one quoted in this week's COMICSCAPE doesn't want you to write or to submit your work (well, maybe less frequently, but still). However, innumerable comics compete for reader attention and cash. However, self-publishing and small press give new creators an opportunity to establish their name and improve their writing. You won't make much money, but that's not what this is about. Before you set your sights on any of the majors, decide if you're ready and consider publishing your own material. You've got no place to go but up. However, if you think you're ready for the big leagues, I hope we've made it easier for you to get there.

DC COMICS

AUTHORITY REVOLUTION #11 (OF 12) (MR)$2.99

The penultimate issue! Okay, I just like saying "penultimate". A lot. Makes me feel like I'm writing this with a pen that lights up and sings "God Save The Queen". Which, by the way, I do have a pen that does that. Holy crap, is it annoying. Anyway, I realize we're all a little burned out on AUTHORITY and this latest series took way too long to come out, but...it's been good. C'mon, admit it: it's been pretty badass. Come back to the fold. You stuck with ULTIMATES, didn't you? ...No? ...oh. Okay. Never mind.

BATGIRL #67$2.50

Al: Never thought the writing lived up to the character on this one, but here's a team-up with Birds of Prey, who are awesome. And wear fishnets, which is a distinct improvement over Batgirl's weird bondage suit. And while we're at it, isn't it time she became Batwoman? Hell, Susan Storm handled the change just fine. C'mon now.

Kurt: Oh, why not "Bat-Womyn" while you're at it? Can I see that "Male Feminist" button on your hemp backpack again, or did you hide with your water bong and protest sign?

BATMAN JOURNEY INTO KNIGHT #1 (OF 12)$2.50

This chronicles Bruce Wayne's transition to Batman. So, this is like, BATMAN: YEAR ½ or something. I'm just waiting for BATMAN: SCHOOLYARD KNIGHT or something next year. Jeez. I'm totally getting this book.

BATMAN STRIKES #12$2.25

BIRDS OF PREY #85$2.50

BOOKS OF MAGICK LIFE DURING WARTIME #13 (MR)$2.75

DETECTIVE COMICS #810$2.99

Who killed Spoiler? The fans! That's who! And we feel no shame!

HUMAN RACE #6 (OF 7)$2.99

Al: For those of y'all who've missed it: some of the characters in this book are named Nymph, Ulysses and Sensei. So, yeah: we're running out of superhero names.

Kurt: Next week, look for Super-Powered Man!

JLA ANOTHER NAIL TP$12.95

JSA VOL 9 LOST TP$19.99

LUCIFER #65 (MR)$2.75

MANHUNTER #13$2.50

Al: I know it sounds like a tacky tie-in to OMAC PROJECT, and it is. But Manhunter started out really interesting and got more so. It's kind of a cool book. Just so you know.

Kurt: Is this like an epilogue to the SACRIFICE story arc, or something? If it is, I'm gonna be pissed.

MAXX BOOK FIVE TP (MR)$19.99

POWERPUFF GIRLS #65$2.25

A book single-handedly kept alive by the support of one "A. Brown."

SEVEN SOLDIERS KLARION THE WITCH BOY #3 (OF 4)$2.99

Al: It's all...starting...to come together! Which is Grant Morrisonian for, prepare to get even more confused.

Kurt: You don't get it? JFK plotted his own assassination in an insidious cover-up between the Sheeda race, the bin Ladens, and the Bush family, in an effort to double-cross the combined efforts of the Rosicrucians, the Illuminati, and the Knights of the Round Table to destroy the comics industry from the inside out using fictional characters as reality-tampering Persons of Mass Destruction. How could you possibly misunderstand that?

SWAMP THING BOOK 2 LOVE IN VAIN TP (MR)$14.99

TERRA OBSCURA VOL 2 TP$14.99

TOP TEN BEYOND THE FARTHEST PRECINCT #1 (OF 5)$2.99

IMAGE

BONE REST #2 (MR)$2.95

Al: The place where I rest my bone is called "Kurt's mom." I'd tell you what this book is actually about, but it doesn't make any sense.

Kurt: Al named his blowup doll "Kurt's mom" for some reason. You should see the thing. I think FEMA'll probably quarantine the crusty thing soon, but that doesn't stop ol' squishy here.

MAGE THE HERO DEFINED VOL 1 TP$9.95

SMALL GODS #10$2.95

TOMB RAIDER WITCHBLADE MAGDALENA VAMPIRELLA ONE SHOT$2.99

Al: Wait, didn't this already happen? No, that's cool, we can repeat ourselves: blah blah blah masturbation.

Kurt: It wasn't a one-shot for Al. Quite a few, actually. Sick bastard.

MARVEL

ARANA HEART OF THE SPIDER #7$2.99

CABLE DEADPOOL #18$2.99

DEFENDERS #2 (OF 5)$2.99

GHOST RIDER #1 POSTER$5.95

Al: Here's the thing with Ghost Rider: Ghost Rider is awesome. Okay, he's really hard to write because his basic premise is sort of a mess. (Spirit of vengeance, the demon Zarathos, multiple incarnations, looks like one of the Village People mixed with Rage Against the Machine's first album.) But the idea of him the raw idea, which is this dude with chains on a blazing motorcycle well, that's still cool. He's cool like Moon Knight, another guy who's a little problematic when you really get into him, but if you don't think too much he kicks ass. And I remember when I had my room papered with posters of Ghost Rider and Wolverine. Then I grew (sort of) up and gave all the Wolverine posters to Kurt. But anyway, this looks like a cool poster. Ghost Rider makes a great poster. But he does not make a great movie, and he will not make a great movie, and especially not with Nic Cage anywhere near it, and especially not with f&*king Mark Steven Johnson directing it because the man is a really bad director, Marvel, get your head out of your dog's ass. Whew. Feel better? No.

Kurt: Some of us relive our younger days through heroic flights of fancy. Indeed, these costumed heroes hark back to more innocent days spent slaying imaginary dragons in the late afternoon sun. Though these days remain on the road since traveled, the four-color exploits of our costumed heroes return us there, if only for a short while. Some of us relive our childhood with comic books our beloved sequential art! How I could sing thy praises to the Heavens! Indeed, we do relive those fairer times, while others (mostly Al) hide in the colored balls at Chuck-E-Cheese's waiting to cop a feel. Perv. And DAREDEVIL: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT totally ruled all.

LIVEWIRES #6 (OF 6)$2.99

Al: Last issue of the third-most interesting new book to come out of Marvel in the past thirty years. (The second, of course, is RUNAWAYS. The first was KICKERS, INC.) If you haven't jumped on board yet, wait for the trade. And then buy the crap out of it. Thank me later.

Kurt: I have this vision of Garth Ennis's Punisher standing over all of the Livewires holding a smoking gun, each of them shot to bits. Stupid robots.

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #3$2.50

MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #21$2.99

MARVEL MILESTONES CAPTAIN BRITAIN PSYLOCKE GOLDEN AGE SUB-MARINER$3.99

Okay....so, Captain Britain teams up with Spider-Man to defeat the Red Skull in a story that apparently manages to be both "brand-new" and "from the UK's SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN magazine" they have a new one in the UK? and then there's a reprint of UNCANNY X-MEN #213, where a pre-Asianificationed Psylocke fights Sabertooth (not a great story, btw, especially coming as it did hot on the heels of the Mutant Massacre), and then a reprint of HUMAN TORCH #2 from 1941. That's weird, isn't it? Are they just picking books out of a hat?

MARVEL TALES FLIP MAGAZINE #2$3.99

MUTOPIA X #2 (OF 5)$2.99

NEW THUNDERBOLTS #11$2.99

NEW X-MEN HELLIONS #4 (OF 4)$2.99

POWER PACK DIGEST TP$6.99

Al, your book's in. Should I put it next to "Kurt's mom" like the last time? You still owe my $50 for using my address after Megan's Law took effect.

SPIDER-MAN HOUSE OF M #3 (OF 5)$2.99

STORMBREAKER SAGA OF BETA RAY BILL TP$16.99

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1$3.99

Al: Spider-Man comes up with a new girlfriend! I saw this hilarious thread on Newsarama where everyone was convinced that it was Ultimate Arana. Seriously. But if you look carefully at that silhouette and stop thinking about Black Cat for a sec it's obviously Kitty Pryde, which is a pretty interesting idea.

Kurt: Man, think of the possibilities...

ULTIMATE X-MEN #62$2.50

WEAPON X DAYS OF FUTURE NOW #2 (OF 5)$2.99

I don't know if we made fun of this already, but this titles just begs for it. What next? DAYS OF FUTURE LAST WEDNESDAY NEXT MONTH?

WOLVERINE SOULTAKER TP$13.99

More like, WOLVERINE: CASHTAKER.