What Is Your Business and Legal Guide to Independent Comic Book Publishing?

Three years ago, I decided to write a book about the business and legal aspects of the comic book industry (See Your Career in Comics: An Introduction). My original idea was to create a comprehensive book that covered what I saw as the four major aspects of the creative comic book industry:

1. Publishing independent comics (See the Creator Owned Path)

2. Working as a freelance comic artist (See the Work for Hire Path)

3. Getting creator owned deals with publishers of all sizes (See the Creator Driven Path)

4. Moving your story off the page and onto screens and into merchandise (See the Transmedia Path)

As the research, interviews, and casual discussions among colleagues began to accumulate, two ideas became very clear:

• Smaller is better: An all-inclusive book about the four major paths in comics is too big for someone with my limited intellect to tackle at once. It makes more sense to start with one aspect of the industry.

• To Have a Career in Comics Publishing, It Helps to Publish Some Comics: Publishing independent comics is the foundation for understanding and entering the industry. While there are a lot of ways to get into comics, making and publishing comics gives you experience on both the creative and the business side of the process.

Armed with these two insights, my experience in the industry, and a thick folder of notes, it’s time for me to write Your Business and Legal Guide to Independent Comic Book Publishing.

I’m planning to document the growth of the book in this blog, so if you have any questions or comments along the way, please let me know.

Have fun.

G

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 AT gamalhennessy@gmail.com FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.

Vault Comics Launches a New YA Brand

The young adult segment of the comic book industry has seen growth in recent years. Gains have been seen in library, book stores and direct market shops.

Independent publisher Vault Comics recently announced a new imprint called  Myriad to cater to this market. 

"The new middle grade and YA imprint will offer original graphic novels and serialized graphic works as well as a lineup of new and established authors and artists. The initial list of titles and creators will be announced in November 2018." (Publishers Weekly)

Myriad can open doors for emerging creators interested in YA comics and signal to other independent publishers that growth can still be found outside the superhero genre.  

Have fun. 

Gamal

 PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 AT gamalhennessy@gmail.com FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.

Fighting the Demons of Independent Comics Publishing

Publishing your own comics, like any type of independent creative endeavor, can be an exciting journey of achievement. It can also be a descent into poor health, isolation, and financial stress. Creators who can balance the love for their book with their long term well being have a better chance of enjoying the experience. 

Jessica Bruder wrote a thoughtful piece in Inc. Magazine called "The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship." While publishing an independent comic isn't the same as launching a Fortune 500 company, there are simple lessons in this post creators can learn like:

• Make time for friends and family

• Ask for help if depression or hopelessness sets in

• Take care of your body (sleep, exercise, etc.)

• Don't bankrupt yourself to make your book

• Don't define yourself only by your book

Publishing independent comics can feel like being a superhero with a secret identity. Both your passion project and your alter ego need to be protected. Neglecting either one can create an imbalance that destroys both.

 PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 AT gamalhennessy@gmail.com FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.

My Interview with On the Reel

Last night Mr. Stephen Johnson and the gentlemen of the R-Square Network show On the Reel invited me to discuss my recent article The Politics of Comics (http://bit.ly/2pQcqOl).  

The discussion touched on Chuck Wendig's firing, Comicsgate, the Trumpocalypse and the potential impact on commercial artistic expression.

What's your opinion?

Have fun.

Gamal

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 AT gamalhennessy@gmail.com FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.

The Politics of Making Comics

Comics, like other forms of popular art, have always been influenced by the political climate of the period they are created in. From the mythical stories of Kirby ready to face down nazi sympathizers who threatened him for his work in Captain America, to Seduction of the Innocent and the subsequent congressional hearings, to Comicsgate, politics have always been a part of making comics.

            Against that backdrop, the termination of Chuck Wendig last week is disturbing, but not surprising. I’ve written about the contractual tools parties can use to dictate the private activities of their business partners in earlier posts (See Avoiding the Trump Effect in Your Creative Contracts) and even a company like Marvel, who has been the target of Comicsgate because of their diversity efforts (See Is Diversity Killing Marvel Comics) can feel the reactionary pressure to pull away from an artist they see as too controversial for their IP. The deeper question is what kind of impact this move will have on comic book artists in the future.

            Will this create a chilling effect on emerging artists who rely on the Big Two as their main source of income?  Will it push away established artist who cherish their right to be vocal about their beliefs outside of their professional work? Will fans of fired artists drift away from publishers? Will aggressive elements on any side of a political issue see this as a signal to force more creators to be harassed, censored, or fired?

            What do you think the Wendig fallout will be, and how will it affect the way you make and read comics?

Have fun.

Gamal

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 AT gamalhennessy@gmail.com FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.   

Can Lion Forge Save Comics?

In an age of dwindling single issue sales, an aging core fan base and characters who don’t always reflect an evolving reader base, can a growing new publisher take advantage of the opportunity and seize market share?

Publishers Weekly sat down with the executives of Lion Forge Comics to answer that question.

“The comics market has shifted and we need to be nimble and take advantage of opportunities as they happen. We’re not bogged down by our history like older companies. You need to be diverse in this market. We don’t have to start a diversity division or create a black imprint. This stuff is in our DNA.”

- David Steward II, Lion Forge CEO

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE A ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 AT gamalhennessy@gmail.com FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.

So Where Was Captain Marvel?

Marvel Studios dropped the new Captain Marvel trailer this morning to deflect attention away from the "leaked" Joker image.

As an initial trailer, this sets up a mystery providing more questions than answers, but as a film set in the 80's (made clear in the Blockbuster reference) the most obvious question for me is where was this powerhouse hero when Loki was trying to take over the Earth and Ultron tried to drop a country on Europe?

Have fun.

G

 PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE A ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR OR CONTACT C3 AT gamalhennessy@gmail.com FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.