In California, being an agent is by necessity a much more regulated profession than it is in most other parts of the U.S. and Canada, but I’m not aware of similar resrictions on being a manager; I think it’s like being a producer, you can just hang a sign on the door and call yourself one.

Each gets between 10 and 15 percent of your earnings, so having both means that your representation takes 20 to 30 percent of everything you make as a screenwriter.

Personally, I can’t imagine why someone just breaking in would need both, unless the manager in question is really more of a mentor — providing advice and support without payment. It’s when you have a career to manage that you might need a manager. But even then, a good agent who has your confidence usually can give that kind of career advice (although whether they will or should depends on the writer and the agent!)

An agent, on the other hand, is essential, since most writers don’t have the information and experience to negotiate their own contracts, and more importantly, the vast majority of production companies for both film and television won’t even look at unagented submissions.

I see your point about the manager being more concerned with what agents are looking for; still, as the link you added points out, creating a graphic novel, whether or not it’s based on a screenplay you have ready, is not exactly a quick and easy way of getting yourself out there!

Johanna, I seem to recall that you’re not exactly a Bendis fan, but his ‘Fortune & Glory’ is about this in reverse: An autobiographical graphic novel about his experiences in Hollywood, trying to create and then sell a screenplay based on one of his early, noir graphic novels. And in additional to being really entertaining and funny, it manages to explain the entire process and the roles of everyone involved very clearly and well. It’s the only Bendis I like, and nothing like either his noir or superhero stuff.

The problem to my mind isn’t really the idea of taking an idea that’s been gathering dust in one medium and adapting it to another; that strikes me as quite reasonable, and it’s something I’ve thought of doing myself, with a couple of screenplays I have in the trunk that went nowhere as screenplays, but that would be just as fun and equally good as graphic novels, with some work.

Instead, I think the problems are
a) This writer has been encouraged to hop into a medium she knows nothing about, to “build her brand”. That steep a learning curve doesn’t bode well for her chances. It takes time to become a good comics writer, and to learn how screenwriting and comics writing are the same, and how they differ. You’ll note that I mentioned above that my screenplays might adapt well into comics form given some work, not as-is. Her manager’s assumption that she can just hop into comics is thoughtless, shows a lack of understanding for the writing process and a lack of respect for comics.

And b) On the subject of her manager… If I had a manager who was supposed to be guiding my screenwriting career, and s/he told me to that I first had to something in another medium to gain any traction, I’d fire him/her. I mean, really, shouldn’t your manager be doing more to advance your prospects as a screenwriter than throwing up their hands and suggesting you give comics a shot, ’cause breaking into the movies is hard?

I share your skepticism though about the wisdom of creating a comic for the sole purpose of scoring a film gig. That’s not likely to result in a very good comic.