Post by G on Aug 11, 2009 15:50:54 GMT -5
I remember when I was a kid me and my friends would take roughly 6-8 sheets of paper and fold them in half and then draw comic pages on each page. Typically we would get from 1-4 panels on a page. Complete the book and run it through copiers selling them to other kids in school, giving them away and saving them. Me and my friends each had our own company names. They were TCG, BCG and RAC which respectfully made "Tommy Comics Group" (me), Best Comics Group and Renato Action Comics (friends). For roughly 4-5 years from late Elementary to Early High School, we all off and on drew comics and then we got older and most of us faded away. I had one friend (BCG) who still tries til this day to draw comics. His #1 problem is starting too many books and never finishing them. Gets 4-5 pages of nice work and then switches gears and starts another book.
Anyway, he ended up being the one with the most talent and would go to the bigger conventions looking to show off his work. Although he was talented and had the best shot at making it, he was often slammed and sent home with his tail between his legs because they didn't fall madly in love with his work. Alongside my friend would be other people doing the same thing, showing off their works and getting rejections and harsh critiques. In all, it was pretty interesting stuff and I used to try and collaborate with him and tell him stop going to the Big Guns of comics. Go to these little guys, break in, get a few books under your belt and then when you have some real published works, then go back to the big boys and show off what you have! Alas, he never would do it. He always tried going to Image, Marvel, DC and Crossgen.
Anyway, the reason I am saying this is I noticed the last few times I have been to bigger shows, I haven't been seeing people bring their works to artists, writers and editors like I used to. It seems more of a book signing, well-wishing thing. Furthermore, I know how kids seems to show so little interest on working on things like comics when they would much rather grab a joystick and veg out for hours. (sad). I began wondering if less and less kids spend their days drawing comics and trying to get better at the craft?
Why does this seem to matter to me these days? Well, it seems if less kids are drawing comics or art in general than before, it would seem as we get older, there will be less young adults who try and break into the comics industry and there will be a dilution of talent. Sure this may take some time to be totally true, but I wonder out loud if there is already a decline in emerging talent and its just more to come down the road.
Think of the days when the legends drew. What else did they have to do back then? Not nearly as many options to be lazy and waste away back then. If you wanted to have fun, you had to do something. Its not that way anymore. You wanna have fun today? Turn on the tv.
Im just wondering out loud. Do you think there are less kids drawing comics (or in general) than their used to be?
Anyway, he ended up being the one with the most talent and would go to the bigger conventions looking to show off his work. Although he was talented and had the best shot at making it, he was often slammed and sent home with his tail between his legs because they didn't fall madly in love with his work. Alongside my friend would be other people doing the same thing, showing off their works and getting rejections and harsh critiques. In all, it was pretty interesting stuff and I used to try and collaborate with him and tell him stop going to the Big Guns of comics. Go to these little guys, break in, get a few books under your belt and then when you have some real published works, then go back to the big boys and show off what you have! Alas, he never would do it. He always tried going to Image, Marvel, DC and Crossgen.
Anyway, the reason I am saying this is I noticed the last few times I have been to bigger shows, I haven't been seeing people bring their works to artists, writers and editors like I used to. It seems more of a book signing, well-wishing thing. Furthermore, I know how kids seems to show so little interest on working on things like comics when they would much rather grab a joystick and veg out for hours. (sad). I began wondering if less and less kids spend their days drawing comics and trying to get better at the craft?
Why does this seem to matter to me these days? Well, it seems if less kids are drawing comics or art in general than before, it would seem as we get older, there will be less young adults who try and break into the comics industry and there will be a dilution of talent. Sure this may take some time to be totally true, but I wonder out loud if there is already a decline in emerging talent and its just more to come down the road.
Think of the days when the legends drew. What else did they have to do back then? Not nearly as many options to be lazy and waste away back then. If you wanted to have fun, you had to do something. Its not that way anymore. You wanna have fun today? Turn on the tv.
Im just wondering out loud. Do you think there are less kids drawing comics (or in general) than their used to be?
