How do I get a comic Published?

Question

I've been working on a comic for a little while now. It was recently suggested to me by my art teacher that I should look for a publisher; however, in addition to my age, or lack of it, at 15, and lack of any experience or knowledge of how to go about doing such, I haven't thought about it much. Now I'm wondering, how could I go about finding a publisher? I live in rural Missouri, so I imagine this is no simple feat. Is it impossible for someone like myself, being so young, and lacking any advanced art education or experience, to achieve this goal?

Answer 1

This may be uncertain Jealousy's influence, but I vote you get critiques from people who know nothing about you, unlike your teacher. Give a manuscript to a trusted friend, then have that trusted friend give it to his/her trusted friend. Currently I, at 15, am critiquing a young adult's fantasy novel, written by a friend of the librarian at my school. She trusts I won't spread it on the internet or copy it... and I won't. I am able to criticize it in my most honest manner, because I don't know the friend of my librarian friend. Ask questions to the reader like, do you care about the main character (as in what happens to he/she)? What do you find confusing in this chapter? Do you have any suggestions?

Publishers take a work on when they think it will sell. Do you think yours really will? What... do you mean by lack of advanced art education? Does that really set you back behind the competition?


Here is a self-publishing site (I think):
http://www.lulu.com/

I recommend you borrow this book:
The Complete Idiot's Guide: How to Create a Graphic Novel
from your local library. Or even buy it... its helpful. I read it.

Are you creating a manga or the other kind of comic (like Peanuts, Superman, etc.)?
If the first (or possibly the second also?), you can benefit by going to a comic con-- the biggest being the one in San Diego, which occurs each year. There you can put your comic on display, and prey on roaming publishers. A work will be considered more if it has the words "solicited" on its package. Otherwise, off to the sludge pile! Possibly.

You can compete in competitions also, like Rising Stars of Manga and for the Shounen Jump's Hop Step Award(for mangas).

The author of the famous Eragon Inheritance Trilogy, Christopher Paolini, was 15 when he wrote the 1st book. 19 when his book became a NY Times #1 Bestseller. "During one of his promotional tours, he gave a speech at the school of the stepson of Carl Hiaasen, who showed it to his stepfather. He enjoyed the book so much, he told his publisher, Knopf, about it[. "

Answer 2

There are all sorts of places that can do the printing for you without a publisher, but there's a certain amount of minimum orders that need to be ordered for any print job. A full color comic of 32 pages, 250 copies, will run you around $2,000. I got that figure from the artist of Sheba (comic book).

To get information, you can email the artists of several independant comics and ASK them what they pay, who they use, who they go with as a publisher, how much of a percentage they get off the sales, etc. Two artists who are very easy to talk to (and who encourage young people starting out) are Donna Barr (she draws Stintz, The Desert Peach, and several other titles) and Phil Foglio (Girl Genius). Both use publishers and can tell you how that works. If YOU aren't having the comic printed, the publisher is the one to handle that part. The artist of Red Sonia is easy to talk to also.

It's certainly possible--the only criteria is an artistic ability needed. Bone never would have gotten made if it wasn't for independant publishing. Ditto most of the titles that compete with DC and Marvel. By contacting the artists who are working with publishers, you'll get honest information on how art needs to be submitted, how long it takes, what to do with black and white vs color, etc.

You can also look at getting your stuff up on the internet on a free hosting site (webcomics). Drunkduck is a good one easy to use. lulu.com is harder to get around, a beginner would have to much trouble on that one. By putting it up a little at a time on a hosting site, you get your work seen.

Answer 3

I have no idea, but i found this the other day :D

http://joeljohnson.com/images2/wallywood22panel2560.jpg