Post by G on Nov 9, 2010 0:30:05 GMT -5
Not saying I would do it especially in this day and age, but I've got to wonder, besides doing the work to make comics, what exactly does it take to launch not only a comic book, but perhaps a comic company itself?
Our old visitor Mark Davis (starbrand) has obviously launched a few home made type comics that were professionally printed. He has existed under the name of Landmark Comics and now Surprising Comics. I wouldn't call any of it a success, but I guess it depends on exactly what one would consider the definition of successful comic company these days.
Is it just enough to make your own comic book and have yourself pay for the printing and hope a few of the local comic stores put 10 copies on their shelves and call it a local project enough to call it successful? I mean, the fact you make a comic, pay to have it printed and even get it to be sold on a comic shop shelf could be a level of success in itself. But at the same time, it almost seems like a mark of failure. I mean, if you sell 100 comics locally, you haven't really done anything to sustain the costs of making the comics and paying yourself back for the work as well as making enough capital to create the next comic or even better yet, hire on talent.
At what level does it go from just a hobby to put your own comic out, to struggling company fighting to survive, to a comic company making enough to sustain itself and keep itself going, to being considered a full fledged legitimate comic company with monthly product and a shot at real competition to the 20 - 100 comic companies that at least are scratching to be listed in Previews?
Even companies considered mildly successes these days are falling by the wayside and dying out. These are comics we may have even purchased ourselves and considered these companies legit. Now they are gone or might as well be. The fact at one time they produced monthly comics and lived a bit of the dream, is that a success? I mean damn, when you think about it, comic companies like Valiant, Acclaim, Crossgen, Charlton, Atlas, Chaos, etc all at one time achieved a certain level of success only to burn out and be mere memories of comics. They had real artists we can name today and seek out their work and have since moved on to bigger things. Those guys originally may have been with one of these burned out companies. It was obviously a stepping stone to further success. Some of these guys and companies certainly lasted longer than others. But even in death they can boast a certain level of success. Hell, they might even be able to point at their comics in the Overstreet Price guide. That's meeting a certain standard right there because a lot of these rag tags that do have product never see themselves listed in the OSPG.
So what is enough for a rag tag group of people....say 4 or 5 dudes who have an interest and ability to create a comic. Where should they make a 1st step goal if they really want to make and create just one comic and have it continue from there?
I mean, its an accomplishment to just get that first comic out. Okay, so you make it that far you accomplish that goal of getting one comic out. What does it take to keep that goal going of getting 3 or 4 comics out? And then maybe in 2-3 years have a library of maybe 10-15 comics out and still at it? I mean the times couldn't be worse to try it, but I know there are guys out there dreaming this stuff up everyday and 99.9% of them are going to fail. So what does it take to be that 00.1% who not only get one comic out, but 15 and are still keeping at it?
I don't hardly think one person can do it on their own, although I'm sure its been done in the past. So what does it take to get a group of guys together and say "Lets do this" and at what cost are we talking to produce? Not talking about bringing in the money yet. Just make say 100 copies of a comic and then sit your ass at a convention table and call yourself a creator and sign comics and try and move from there?
What would it take to do what Surprising Comics has (Mark Davis, Starbrand). What would it take to beat that? Is there such a thing as building a comic company from the ground up anymore? Is it still possible??? Even in this day and age? Can a group of guys with no comics out actually be around 10 years from now with an existing library?
I'm just asking.....
Our old visitor Mark Davis (starbrand) has obviously launched a few home made type comics that were professionally printed. He has existed under the name of Landmark Comics and now Surprising Comics. I wouldn't call any of it a success, but I guess it depends on exactly what one would consider the definition of successful comic company these days.
Is it just enough to make your own comic book and have yourself pay for the printing and hope a few of the local comic stores put 10 copies on their shelves and call it a local project enough to call it successful? I mean, the fact you make a comic, pay to have it printed and even get it to be sold on a comic shop shelf could be a level of success in itself. But at the same time, it almost seems like a mark of failure. I mean, if you sell 100 comics locally, you haven't really done anything to sustain the costs of making the comics and paying yourself back for the work as well as making enough capital to create the next comic or even better yet, hire on talent.
At what level does it go from just a hobby to put your own comic out, to struggling company fighting to survive, to a comic company making enough to sustain itself and keep itself going, to being considered a full fledged legitimate comic company with monthly product and a shot at real competition to the 20 - 100 comic companies that at least are scratching to be listed in Previews?
Even companies considered mildly successes these days are falling by the wayside and dying out. These are comics we may have even purchased ourselves and considered these companies legit. Now they are gone or might as well be. The fact at one time they produced monthly comics and lived a bit of the dream, is that a success? I mean damn, when you think about it, comic companies like Valiant, Acclaim, Crossgen, Charlton, Atlas, Chaos, etc all at one time achieved a certain level of success only to burn out and be mere memories of comics. They had real artists we can name today and seek out their work and have since moved on to bigger things. Those guys originally may have been with one of these burned out companies. It was obviously a stepping stone to further success. Some of these guys and companies certainly lasted longer than others. But even in death they can boast a certain level of success. Hell, they might even be able to point at their comics in the Overstreet Price guide. That's meeting a certain standard right there because a lot of these rag tags that do have product never see themselves listed in the OSPG.
So what is enough for a rag tag group of people....say 4 or 5 dudes who have an interest and ability to create a comic. Where should they make a 1st step goal if they really want to make and create just one comic and have it continue from there?
I mean, its an accomplishment to just get that first comic out. Okay, so you make it that far you accomplish that goal of getting one comic out. What does it take to keep that goal going of getting 3 or 4 comics out? And then maybe in 2-3 years have a library of maybe 10-15 comics out and still at it? I mean the times couldn't be worse to try it, but I know there are guys out there dreaming this stuff up everyday and 99.9% of them are going to fail. So what does it take to be that 00.1% who not only get one comic out, but 15 and are still keeping at it?
I don't hardly think one person can do it on their own, although I'm sure its been done in the past. So what does it take to get a group of guys together and say "Lets do this" and at what cost are we talking to produce? Not talking about bringing in the money yet. Just make say 100 copies of a comic and then sit your ass at a convention table and call yourself a creator and sign comics and try and move from there?
What would it take to do what Surprising Comics has (Mark Davis, Starbrand). What would it take to beat that? Is there such a thing as building a comic company from the ground up anymore? Is it still possible??? Even in this day and age? Can a group of guys with no comics out actually be around 10 years from now with an existing library?
I'm just asking.....