Posted in: Comics, NYCC | Tagged: comic con, entertainment, new york, new york comic con, NYCC, nycc 2016, nycc16

"Basically Just Be Cool" – Breaking Into Comics the Marvel Way at NYCC 2016

Hugh Sheridan writes from New York Comic Con,

Marvel Talent Manager Rickey Purdin moderated the "Breaking Into Comics the Marvel Way" Panel at New York Comic Con this Thursday.

Attending were writer Charles Soule, artists Danilo Beyruth, Sanford Greene, Aaron Kuder and Will Sliney and Marvel staffers Darren Shan and CB Cebulski.

Purdin started off asking how the panelists first got in to the industry.

Soule – noting that there were a lot of people on the panel decided to be brief – "basically I graduated law school so Marvel hired me to write Daredevil"

Will Sliney talked about how he attended loads of conventions, relentlessly showing his portfolio. By getting to know other creators and editors he started working for small publishers and worked his way up to Marvel.

Cebulski talked about how he always had a passion for comics and was determined to work in the industry. He remembers reading his first comic book – X-Men #120 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne – he loved it but did not even realize that someone actually made it.

It was not until his dad told him to watch the news because the creator of Star Wars – George Lucas – was on it that it hit him that people actually made up these stories and ever since he has wanted to be involved with that. Every job he has ever had since has been only to facilitate his aim of working in comics. He was living in Japan and got a job in anime, which led to working in Manga which led to Marvel.

Sanford Greene talked about how he has worked many jobs – from short order cook to graphic designer – all while trying to break in to comics. He met Cebulski 15 years ago and ''latched on to him" with Cebulski giving him criticism and advice until he got an assignment at Marvel.

CB said he remembers being so happy when he first saw Greene's name on a comic – Greene snapped back "please stop remembering it. I think we need to forget that work"

Purdin asked the panel if they had any advice for how prospective creators should approach professionals?

Soule talked about two different approaches – "hunting versus fishing". Hunters "target people aggressively who you think can help you –this can work in that creators do get to know your name – but often it is in a negative way"

Fishing is where you make casual contact with creators and editors – they get to know your name and your work and over time might consider you for work.

"Basically just be cool" said Kuder

Purdin recommended that creators use all the online resources that they can to get their work out there – websites, social media "geocities even".

Kuder agreed and said that the internet was a great help to him early in his career. Feedback from online forums, sometimes rough, gave him the ability to tell the difference between "intelligent critique and insults" something he still finds useful.

Cebulski advised people to not just to tweet "check out my stuff" at him with a link to their samples. Creators should intro themselves first – talk about how they are starting out and looking to get in. Otherwise he doesn't know what the link is to and he needs to be careful about viruses etc.

The panelists also said when artists are posting their work on Facebook they should not tag the names of pros who they want to see their work to those shots. Cebulski talked about how his mom is on Facebook and he isn't wild about her contacting him about "racy photos of Catwoman" tagged with his name.

Soule advised people to be careful about their social media profile – "don't be negative about everything" as editors can check that stuff out.

Cebulski agreed and advised people to use their real name on their work "I am much more likely to look at that then something from DarkElf1624"

Greene quipped "especially if it's just a tweet that says "check out my stuff!""

Sliney emphasized that these days creators have to be all about "building their brand" and their social media and online presence should be developed keeping that in mind. He said he liked the term "creative entrepreneur" to describe way modern creators need to perceive their role – always looking to increase their profile and take advantage of any new resources that become available.

Purdin asked if the professionals had any advice about when and whether newer creators should consider "quitting their day jobs"

Soule said he still works as a lawyer – he is licensed in New York so he's available to give advice to anyone at the con "my rates are not reasonable" he quipped.

Kuder said he is a very practical person, the son of an economist, and it took him a long time to quit his regular job. Even then it was only because he got a four issue series and "in the real world a four month job is not usually a great opportunity" but it worked out for him.

Cebulski said quitting is a "highly personal decision" for people and depends on their own circumstances. He advised that creators think of two things in particular – health insurance (most freelancers don't get any from the big publishers) and structure – he quit a Marvel staff job to do freelance and found it difficult to produce work when left to his own devices. Freelancers need to produce work on deadline and need to be confidant that they can do that on their own.

Sanford Greene related his own story – his wife was sick of him "whining" about how he wanted to get in to the comics industry. She said "take one year – go for it" and she would take on the burden of being the main breadwinner for that time.

So his main advice is "get yourself a spouse"

"Marry the Marvel Way!" quipped Cebulski

Purdin threw the panel open to questions from the crowd.

Someone asked about how you go about getting internships –

Purdin advised that people go to "disneycareers.com" and that "each semester" they are recruiting people for the "next semester". There are internships going throughout the company on every level of staff from editorial to sales and marketing.

A female fan asked about the best ways to meet editors –

Soule said that she could start right here at the con – there are a lot of them around – just go up and introduce yourself politely.

"Or you could just go to their houses" he joked.

Another fan asked whether people "should stay focused on working for one publisher and whether they should turn down work if it is not from the place they want to work at?"

Soule said no – "work gets you work"

Cebulski agreed "the best way to get published by a big company is to get your stuff published elsewhere first"

However Greene advised people to be smart – some places might not be the best showcase for your work. If you work on a "demon porn" book – "Marvel are not necessarily going to look at that and notice the great composition".

Kuder also strongly advised creators to always insist on being paid for their work as he feels strongly that "art for exposure" deals are exploitative and don't lead anywhere.

One questioner asked how you can protect your ideas – your intellectual property – when you are sending out submissions?

Soule – who has "unique expertise" on this as a lawyer – said that you can't really legally protect your ideas. You can protect scripts and art but the basic ideas in them cannot be copyrighted. Anybody can publish a series about "a dude who gets bitten by a spider and gets spider-powers" for instance.

But he said that it shouldn't overly worry submitters – "if I like your idea, it is really you I like" stealing that idea and handling it off to other creators would not be as effective.

A 16 year old in the audience asked about what age was it appropriate to start submitting his art?

Purdin said "Now!" he said that there are artists submitting at the con who are 21 whom Marvel has been seeing since they were 15 and their work keeps improving.

Kuder joked "Yeah, Marvel will employ children, no problem"

A fan asked whether it is better to have your work produced by small publishers rather than just putting it online yourself?

Purdin said it didn't really matter to him and that often artists he is recommending to editors only have links to showcase their work.

Shan, an associate editor at Marvel disagreed saying he is much more likely to hire someone who has gotten published before.

Soule advised people to be very careful about their contracts as some small publishers have "egregious property rights clauses" that control the film and TV rights to your work.

One questioner asked why the panel was all male?

Purdin said it was because none of the female creators they contacted about the panel responded.

"Well you should have tried harder!" said the questioner

Greene said "She should have just dropped the mic after that!"

The panel finished up with Sliney saying that the industry was a very supportive one – "people are happy to help" new people in their careers – "we all got help" and most creators are open to fans if they are approached appropriately.

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