Story First....Blockbuster Second

I think this is an interesting opinion piece on the state of storytelling in Hollywood.
http://www.badassdigest.com/2011/01/10/the-devins-advocate-james-cameron-calls-out-the-story-crisis-in-hollywood

I post this because the influence of the blockbuster has by default become the basis for many Comic Books. Comic Books make for big blockbusters so creators seem to be pre-editing their work to fit the movie format. In the end this weakens what Comic Books have to offer as a medium for more complex storytelling. It has generated this strange storytelling loop.

Comics tell stories
Movies are made of those stories
Comics are made to be like Movies.
Movies are made of Comics

A copy of a copy of a copy.


Between the companies that try to pass off "pitch books" as real Comics to the Comics that look like a series of storyboards for a movie that has yet to be made. There is a point where someone has to say it's okay for a Comic to just be concerned with being a Comic. Everyone has their eye on potential outside of Comics. You would be doing yourself and your work a disservice if you didn't. At the same time the art form of Comics has it's own unique style of storytelling that seems to be glossed over in order to tell a story that makes it easier for a producer to see how this could be a movie.

I was once told the best thing about a Comic is that "it's budget is your imagination.". You don't have to put money aside to pay for ILM when you are making a Comic. If you can think it up and you can draw it, it's possible in a Comic. That limitless storytelling potential combined with the ability for a single individual to create a comic on their own and deliver it in a popular format, either through print or digitally is one of the last frontiers for the storyteller with vision. I try and remember that when I go to the board and start drawing or when I sit in front of the computer and dream up ideas.

IMHO it takes a distinct vision to tell a great story. There are many entertaining stories but really there are very few stories that stir something deeper in you. Delivering that vision to an audience becomes the challenge of any storyteller in any medium. When it comes to Movies the cost of delivering that vision has a serious price tag. If a movie fails and statistically most of them do, there is a lot of money on the line. When there is so much money at stake more people want their opinion figured into the final product. Everyone of these people create a layer between the person with vision and the public. Sometimes it can be helpful other times it just pushes the idea farther and farther away from the source. Weakening whatever made it interesting in the first place. As a Comic creator the barrier of entry into the market (because of cost and the layers between you and the reader) are much less. That close relationship with it's level access to each other separates Comics from other visual storytelling art forms. It's an advantage we as Comic creators as well as Comic fans should hold sacred and always be aware of what makes this art form special.

Articles for the Comicpreneur

Some interesting articles I've found related to comic book market, digital comics and marketing you work online. Must reads!

Portland retailers give their opinion on the market and digital downloads.
Portland Comic Stores Sound Off!

Matt Nastos Gives some valuable tips on marketing your comics online.
Nastos Tips on Marketing Your Comics

The numbers suck. How the direct market is shaping up. Perfect time for something new to gain some ground?
Numbers Down!
In the Crapper!

How internet buzz killed the comic book star or hyping a boring comic is still just hype.
Buzz Killed The Comics!

Welcome to The Comicpreneur

Welcome to my new blog "The Comicpreneur".

My name is Karl Altstaetter and I've been working in comics since I was 12. Yes that's right 12! I started working at a retail comic store as a kid where I learned the ins and out of selling comic books. I later moved onto working in comics. I've done work for Marvel and DC as well as Image. I eventually started my own comic publishing company where I published my own comics for almost 8 years. I recently spent 6 years working in the toy industry where I created the Marvel Authentics Die-Cast collectable car line. I walked it from pitch to shelf. I am now working on a new comic project called Me2 with MTV. It will be distributed on various digital platforms.

At least once a week I get an email a PM or note on Deviant Art where someone wants my advice on the business side of comics. There is a growing trend in comic books which I call "Pro Am" creators. Creators who don't do comic books for a living but as a way to express themselves as part hobby part small side business. Many creators are starving for information about the business of comics. They want to know how to get the most out of their work financially and at very least not lose money on what they are doing. I decided to create this blog to to address some of those questions and hopefully create a resource for creators to ask questions and get answers and new ideas on this subject.

I've spent a lot of time on the business side of comic books and I've seen trends come and go and I've seen independent comics be big hits and fail miserably. I've also learned that it's not as random as one might think to create a successful comic. Like any creative endeavor it starts with a strong idea and a dedication to making it happen. There are market factors involved but like most businesses those are issues you must consider and factor into how you will market your product. I use the word "product" loosely. I don't see comic books as a  pure "product" like a can opener or trash can. Yet I do believe that you must consider the product development side of any creation you plan on taking to market. In fact I believe that this lack of consideration of the product development of comics is one of the key factors why so many comics fail or run out of gas.

I see comics as an art form that can tell almost any type of story and has yet to even be fully explored in print form and even more so in digital form. On one level there is a huge amount of creative potential yet very little of it is being expressed to larger audiences due to the structure of the mainstream comic market.

I'm going to start out by doing a series of articles on the business of the mainstream comic business. I want to paint a realistic picture of the market as it stands so we can start talking about how to change it or move around it to reach more readers and hopefully sell more comics.

From there I'll just post ideas and tips I think are relevant and important.

I also hope to have guest blogs by various comic creators talking about their experiences with self publishing as well as people from around the comic world and beyond with tips and information.

Some of the subjects I hope to get at.

Marketing
Prices
Where to find good deals
Digital distribution
Selling directly to consumers
Selling to the direct market
Product development
Selling your intellectual property

I'd like to ask you to help me by posting your ideas and experiences.

I believe in the collective power of creative minds. Let's do this!

Comicpreneurs are GO!


-Karl

What is a Comicpreneur

What is a Comicpreneur?

A Comicpreneur is a new breed of comic book creators that are dedicated to creating a successful business around their creator owned comic book.

A Comicpreneur is a creative person, an artist, a writer who wants to understand and get the most out of the business side of their creative endeavors.  

They understand that you have to sell your work in order to fund the creation of more work.

They also understand and accept the value in their work. They know that what they create is worth something and should be priced as such.

They understand that one of the keys to success is building a brand around their work and their name.

A Comicpreneur is tuned into the the comic market and the greater marketing world looking for ways to broaden their readership and build their brand.

They are tech savvy and keep up on the latest social networking tools and software to better create their work and showcase it to the world.

A Comicpreneur doesn't wait to be told that it's okay to create their comics. They make them because they believe in the work they are doing and it's ability to resonate with readers.

They are faster than the larger companies and can take advantage of market forces.

They look for ways to cut costs and maximize their profit on their work.  

They watch the margin because your creative future lives there.

A Comicpreneur loves to create comics and loves selling them almost as much.

A Comicpreneur lives on the line between art and commerce and uses them together to be successful at both.