How to Be a Good Comic Publisher
- Posted by Johanna on July 7, 2008 at 6:35 am
- Category: LinkBlogging
Katherine Farmar has assembled a list of tips for new comic publishers that sums up some great advice. The key point: you’re not a big guy. Don’t think you can use their tactics. Would that more young creators think about all of the items on her list before jumping into the weirdly stocked wading pool that is comics.
July 7, 2008 at 7:54 am
It’s all pretty good advice on the list too, mostly drawn from recent events… and I suppose that’s the good thing to come from all the nastiness that’s been going on.
That said, these aren’t just applicable for comics publishers, they’re good for most types of start-ups – Essentially:
1. Do it for the love.
2. Plan before you act.
3. Don’t screw your workforce.
4. Don’t screw your customers.
July 7, 2008 at 1:34 pm
A lot of it looks like advice from someone who has never been a publisher and doesn’t know the realities of what they’re advising.
Don’t offer new folks work-for-hire contracts? That’s going to make it very hard to go into the “licensed property” comics business (the source of a number of recent successes) because the licensor will often expect the licensee to pass along the rights to the material.
Don’t do superheroes? Marvel and DC seemed to have a lock on superheroes when Dark Horse started with a fair number of superheroes in their mix. They seemed to have a lock when Image launched. And if Robert Kirkman hadn’t followed up Battle Pope with Invincible, would he be the Robert Kirkman we know today? Comics is a tough field, and new publishers should not let themselves believe that the fact that the field is umpty percent superhero means that a superhero book has an umpty percent greater chance of succeeding. But most of the successful publishers below the Big Two still have some superhero-y material in their mix.
July 10, 2008 at 11:28 am
While I appreciated the post, I would’ve liked it even better if it had specific, technical information on how to create success in comics publishing- how to find your audience and market your work to them, when to send out review copies and press releases, who to send them to, etc. I see a lot of people making similar suggestions but very few offering real nuts and bolts stuff I’d like to see.
July 10, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Joe, I think those kinds of tips appear in more industry-specific forums. And if someone’s got guaranteed ways to create success, they’re probably busy using them instead of sharing them. :)