One last update before I head to the dungeon
This will be the last update for a few days. I didn’t expect the outpouring of support, or it to spawn webpages and blogs and Facebook groups.
I got very distracted by all of the positive action going on and fell behind in my own work. I have landlords and ex-wives to feed too! I’ll start work on the Creator Column for…TBA. And I'll be popping on Tit and Facebook a bit when I can until I'm caught up and bills are paid.
First of all, WOW. It’s been a weeeird week here, but I’m happy to report mostly positive things. Isn’t that fucking cool?
There were some nutballs too, mind you. One guy thought my call for supporting ALL comics meant buying ALL comics. Yeah, uh, no.
There has been a huge reaction to what I wrote about creator-owned books and a genuine outpouring of support for a more DIY attitude in creator-owned. It’s not like anything I said was revolutionary. I know it wasn’t. I didn’t expect any reaction. I was just purging demons, but wow, yeah, thank you all so much.
I’ve realized since posting that not just negative things inspired me, but also the times people opened my eyes.
Years ago, I had a really rough time. I did stupid shit. It wound up online, and my life was eviscerated in the blink of an eye. I take full responsibility for everything that happened. This isn’t what this is about. It’s about what happened when everybody left.
I was sitting in a little apartment in North Hollywood. The remains of my life sat in boxes. I was just in shock and trying to keep writing but not really getting anything done. Traffic on my message board dropped to zero, my email froze, my phone was silent.
Then late one night a single email popped up.
It was from Mark Millar.
I knew his work, of course, but we had never met or spoke. The sum of his message -and I’m paraphrasing here- was along the lines of, “I imagine you’re living in a sort of vortex and I thought I’d check-in.” We had an exchange about comics and what had happened and we’ve touched base every so often since.
I’m only now realizing how much of an eye-opener this was and how it led to my current thinking.
Mark didn’t have to do that. Nobody else did, but he did this one simple thing, and I will never forget it.
Simple things can help.
And as I think back throughout the years there have been a lot of these moments. I wouldn’t have any career at all if people like Clive Barker, Dean Mullaney, John Bolton, Steve Bissette, and Richard Matheson hadn’t had faith in a 20-year-old spaz.
So yeah, little stuff. Try it.
Lots of blogging and Tweeting/Facebooking about comics and creator-owned this week.
Eric Powell came out with a video that was received with equal enthusiasm from both sides! You can see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPk6chRXDDg
Personally I thought it was hilarious and that’s exactly what I expect from Powell. He communicates his points best through biting satire and that’s just gonna piss some folks off. I think Eric knows this and was ready for the reaction he got, both negative and positive.
I did not envy some of the attacks Powell had to endure, but since I’m taking this no-fighting stance, I showed my support by re-Tweeting and posting. At the end of the day Eric is a friend and I don’t want to watch anybody I love suffer in any way.
BUT, I can also see how my friends working at Marvel and DC felt seeing it. I know some felt attacked and I see that. I think it’s important to point out most of the top creators at Marvel have also done great creator-owned books and still do. They have to pay their bills and I imagine being portrayed as a victim or lackey doesn’t sit to well. I’m not fan of the face-less corporate monster, but I support my friends who can get in, stay in and thrive in that atmosphere.
Besides, I’d really be a hypocrite if I came out railing against Marvel or DC. I work for these places time-to-time. I need the check, frankly. I work for or have worked for both Disney and Warner Bros and if Marvel called and asked me to write the Hulk, I’d probably say yes. That’s just a fact.
I get both sides of this. I do. I am choosing not to attack. I’m choosing to ignore the people out there who seem to just want be contrary and show how smart they are yet offer no real solutions. If I open my mouth I want to TRY to offer some sort of solution.
I am not doing this for my own self-interest but because I really believe being positive works best for me (see above). The only selfish part of this for me is trying to prevent a Twitter triggered stroke.
The good news is, we’re talking. I’m going to make a real effort to keep this going and see where it lands. I’m seeing more movement then destruction right now and it’s been a loooong time since I’ve seen that.
Create and help instead of destroy and hate. Seems so simple, but we’re talking about peoples careers, their livelihood. It’s going to get emotional. Let’s try not to pound each other into the ground before it’s too late.
About the column I'm doing. I need your help, Creators. Send me info on your books to [email protected] and send me what you'd like me to post. I want your voice to help sell your stuff.
The only requirement is that you own a piece or all of your rights. This isn't to say I won't feature a creator who does mainstream work, but the main focus of the column will be creator-owned creators.
I'd also like to spotlight publishers, editors, retailers and blogs, anyone who is out there doing comics.
I really believe if we all help each other, we can all win.
I’ll leave you with this Amazingly beautiful art for Creator Spotlight Column (with more than a little nod to Jack Davis) by Stephanie Buscema!!! Thank you Stephanie!
And now I go write funny books and books about monsters and freaks. Thank you for indulging me once more.
-Steve
Other Creator-Owned Posts
What’s all this Creator-Owned Talk?
Creator-Owned Comics: Not Whining Yields Results