The Professional Comic Book Creator for December 2020 (Gifts for Comic Creators)

The Gift of Wisdom to Comic Creators from Dave Chappelle

(Creative Contract Consulting)

Dave Chappelle is a legendary comedian. He doesn’t make comics. But he did offer extremely relevant advice for comic creators on every level when it comes to understanding contracts, negotiation leverage, controlling your public image, and deciding who to work with in his latest comedy special on YouTube. I explained his advice in a series of recent posts.

Gifts for the Comic Creator in Your Life

(Creative Contract Consulting)

If you’re trying to figure out the right gift for the comic creator in your life (even if that creator is you), please allow me to offer the following suggestions in both the business and creative aspects of the industry.

Giving Your Books to the Right People

(Comics Experience)

Granular marketing analysis will help you find the readers that love your comic the most. You can’t leave to chance that the right people will magically find your book. The magic is in the analytics.

The Next Generation of Digital Comic Book Publishing

(NerdBot)

Colin Bass gathered the perspectives of comics book readers, independent creators, and representatives of the new digital platform GlobalComix to discuss the present and the future of digital comics worldwide.

Have fun with your comic.

If you have questions about the business or legal aspects of your comic book publishing and you'd like a free consultation, please contact me and we can set something up that fits in with your schedule.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

What are the Best Books to Give to the Comic Book Creator in Your Life?

If you’re trying to figure out the right gift for the comic creator in your life (even if that creator is you), please allow me to offer the following suggestions.

I referred to all of these titles in my book, The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing, but each one deserves to be read on their own.  

Art:

Images are a fundamental aspect of the medium, so artist on every level can benefit from these classic guides:

• The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics by Comfort Love and Adam Withers

• Creating Comics from Start to Finish by Buddy Scalera and Chris Eliopoulos

• The DC Guide to Creating Comics

• How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by Stan Lee and John Buscema

• The Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels by Andy Schmidt

• Making Comics by Scott McCloud

I also want to give a special mention to the Strip Panel Naked YouTube Channel and their monthly magazine Panel X Panel.

Comic Book Industry History and Trends

If you don’t know where the industry has been, what’s happening now, or where it’s going it will be harder to succeed.

• Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture by Rob Salkowitz

• Demanding Respect by David Lopes

• Pros and Comic Cons by Hope Nicolson

Contract Negotiation

Contracts are fundamental to comics, whether you’re doing your own book or working for someone else.

• Getting Past No by William Ury

• Getting to Yes by William Ury

• The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

Crowdfunding

Kickstarter is generating millions of dollars per year for comics, but only if you do it right

• Crowdstart by Ariel Hyatt

Distribution

Your books have to find their way into the hands of your readers somehow. 

• Comic Shop by Dan Gearino

• How to Self-Publish Comics by Josh Blaylock

• Your First 1,000 Copies by Tim Grahl

Economics

The comic book industry is a business. Understanding the numbers will give you a better understanding of the business.

• The Economics of Digital Comic Book Publishing by Tim Allen

• The Long Tail by Chris Anderson

Law

Several different aspects of law impact every comic, but these books focus on the most important element; intellectual property,

• Comic Book Start-Up 101 by Dirk Vanover

• The Pocket Guide for Comic Creators by Thomas Crowell

• The Law for Comic Book Creators by Joe Sergi

Marketing

Finding the right people to read your comic can be the difference between financial success and frustrating failure. 

• Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port

• Comic Book Marketing 101 by Mat Nastos

• Is $.99 the New Free? Steve Scott

• Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene

• The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene

• This is Marketing by Seth Godin

Project Management

Publishing a comic involves a lot of moving parts. Making all those pieces fit together takes more skill than luck.

• Unnatural Talent by Jason Brubaker

• Write or Wrong by Dirk Manning

• Write, Publish, Repeat by Sean Platt

Writing

Comics are a narrative art form, so the story might be the most important element. While there are good books on the specific discipline of comic writing, there are also lessons to be learned from both outside the industry, including:

• Dialogue by Robert McKee

• Elements of Fiction Writing: Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell

• Making a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld

• On Writing by Stephen King

• Story by Robert McKee

• Twenty Master Plots and How to Build Them by Ronald Tobais

• Words for Pictures by Brian Michael Bendis

• World-Building by Stephen Gillett and Ben Bova

• Writing for Comics by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows

• Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Ignlesias

• Writing Subtext: What Lies Beneath by Linda Seger

So which are your favorites? Are there any books I left out? Share your opinion in the comment and help grow the comic creator library.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

If you have questions about the business or legal aspects of your comic book publishing and you'd like a free consultation, please contact me and we can set something up that fits in with your schedule.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

The Professional Comics Creator October 2020 Issue

Events

The GlobalComix Webinar on Financing Your Comic Publishing

What are the economic realities of putting money into your comic project? What factors impact your budget? Where can the money come from? How can you manage the financial risk? Eric Tapper and I are going to be taking a look at all these issues in a free webinar on Thursday, October 29th at 8:00 pm eastern time. Click here to reserve your space.

Independent Comics Continue to Surge into Mass Media

This might be a strange year for comic retail, but the pandemic, economic downturn, and political unrest apparently haven’t been able to slow down the wave of comics headed to the big screens. While the major players are pushing back release dates to adjust to COVID, independent publishers and titles continue to make waves. This month Comics Beat reported that WB picked up Black (from one of my former clients Tim Smith III). In the same week, Deadline announced that Scout Comics signed a deal with Mosaic to represent them for TV and film distribution. A few days later, Forbes reported that TV distributor Rive Gauche merged with another of my former clients AfterShock Comics to form a new entity called AfterShock Media to expand into film, television, and games.

All these moves will be topics of discussion on Friday, October 16th, when I moderate a panel on breaking into Hollywood for the FIT Diversity Con. You can click this handsome image for more information. Just remember, making the leap to comics isn’t as easy as it looks, even in this golden age of comic-related media.

Finding New Audiences in YA

The young adult (YA) market has been a growth sector for books for more than 20 years. More comic book publishers are seeking out readers in this demographic to expand their reach beyond the direct market. The Hollywood Reporter ran a story about IDW hiring a former Disney exec to guide their YA efforts. They also reported that C3 client Mad Cave Studios is also expanding into YA with their Maverick Imprint. Punisher creator Gerry Conway caused a minor stir when he suggested every current comic should be canceled to divert all efforts into the YA market.

But the YA market isn’t for every creator and every comic. I recently sat down (virtually) with Comics Experience to discuss how comic book creators can find their true audience by taking a long look at their comic and avoid chasing the wrong readers.

On the Shelf (or recent comics I’ve read)

Never trust a comic book attorney who doesn’t read comics. This month, I’ve read and reviewed several titles, including Strange Planet, Cyberpunk 2077, Archangel 8, Elektra, and the Alien Legion Omnibus.

Have fun with your comic

Gamal

If you’d like this free monthly newsletter sent to you via email, please sign up here.

If you have questions about the business or legal aspects of your comic book publishing and you'd like a free consultation, please contact me and we can set something up that fits in with your schedule.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

Professional Comics Creator End of Summer Roundup

News

How Does the DC Fallout Impact You?

COVID-19 hit the comic book industry like a tsunami in the spring, and the end of summer was no different. When DC announced major cuts to both its staff and it’s upcoming releases, it sent shockwaves through every level of the industry that we’re still trying to understand weeks later.

Jim Lee explained the move to the Hollywood Reporter as part of a plan to focus on the core line of books and devote more resources to new readers and digital markets. Industry experts like Rob Salkowitz put the story into a historical and business context, assessing the need for change and the perspective of DC parent company.  Other news outlets are still trying to read the tea leaves, but no matter what happens comic creators at every level are going to have to adjust to the new realities DC is responding to and creating.

Additional reading: Are Independent Comics Worth Making if Marvel Stops Publishing?   

Major Publishers Invade Kickstarter

August also put a spotlight on major comic book publishers generating major revenue and minor animosity with Kickstarter. While Bleeding Cool points out that crowdfunding has always had space for major creators,  the New York Times focused on Hollywood superstars using the platform to create major comic book events. While there are vocal accusations of major publishers displacing independent creators, the reality of crowdfunding is if you have a crowd of your own, you can get funding. If your book has a different audience than Keanu Reeves’ book, his Kickstarter probably won’t impact your efforts at all.

Business

What are the three economic realities of publishing comics?

(GlobalComix)

While managing the finances of your book might not be as exciting as seeing your vision come to life or as inspirational as seeing your book on the shelf of a comic shop, it is a critical aspect of independent publishing that revolves around three basic economic realities.

How do you create a budget for publishing your comic?

(GlobalComix)

Before you sell your house, beg your grandmother for money, or rob a bank to publish your comic, it helps to know how much money you need in the first place. It doesn’t make any sense to spend a lot of time stressing about cash when you don’t have a clear idea of the costs you’re trying to cover

New Ways to Track Comic Book Sales

(Comics Beat)

While good retailers know very closely what their customers will buy, there is still no substitute for sell-through sales data. Now, ICv2 is giving us the Q2 sell-through rankings via ComicHub.

Legal

A Simple Guide to Creative Contracts

(Creative Contract Consulting)

Drafting, negotiating, and signing the contracts for your creative project might take some time and cost you some money, but you'll save money in the long-term and put both you and your book in a better position to succeed.

Opinion

How to Break Into Comics (Video)

Industry Analyst Perch offers one simple (but not easy) method for getting into the comic book industry.

Events

GlobalComix Demo Webinar

GlobalComix is a digital marketing and distribution platform designed to maximize exposure and revenue for comics of all types and genres. Join the CEO of the company for a free webinar or Tuesday, September 22nd at 8:00 pm Eastern to learn how to use GlobalComix's newest tools to publish, amplify your reach and readership, and get to know your audience.

Special Thanks

Once again, I’d like to thank all the backers for my upcoming book The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing. Special thanks goes out to my editorial and business team that made the campaign a huge success.  

Nicola Black

David Hyde

Joseph Illidge

Mike Marts

Have fun with your comic

Gamal

If you’d like this free monthly newsletter sent to you via email, please sign up here.

If you have questions about the business or legal aspects of your comic book publishing and you'd like a free consultation, please contact me and we can set something up that fits in with your schedule.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION