Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics

The Order & Chaos Of An Independent Comic Creator

Published Sat, 06 Jul 2013 12:00:55 -0500

Last updated Sat, 06 Jul 2013 13:30:50 -0500

Fred Boulos writes;

"So you want to make lots of money making independent comics?" Uh…no.

"So you want to turn that fantastic idea into something you can promote to make that Hollywood blockbuster that will make you millions and millions of dollars?" Uh…not quite.

"You want all the cosplaying women you can get who fit nicely between Powergirl and Supergirl?" Uh…best move along then.

"You want to put your ideas to paper, flesh them out into a graphic concept that you hope others will gravitate to, and potentially lead to other ideas and better graphic concepts?" That's more realistic.

"First you make the graphic novel. Then you get the money. Then you get the women." Down boy, it ain't realistic.

The story begins the same. Fan of many a graphic presentation. Herald of Ennis, Remender, Miller, Wood, Vaughan, and so on. Perhaps a flickering of alternating worlds and timelines; of stories you knew could be told, but have yet to be; of people you knew, but whom did not exist; of faint hopes and dreams that you believed could materialize, if only the will allowed; of a voice yet whispered, that longs to crescendo. So you did.

So I did.

Attempting to bring that – YOUR – creation to a position of seminal existence, isn't always easy. My first attempt was a book called Inanimate. Fully paid for and then shopped around upon completion, it wasn't something that I wanted to do a few pages of to try and get someone to look at. It was a fully fleshed out idea I had for a world I wanted to escape to for a short period of time; a world I wanted to experience completely, and not simply at the whims of some other individual's approval. It is always a risk, but I live by the simple truth that we learn as we go, and the knowledge garnered from all experiences makes us better. I'll take what I get and mold it into future directions. Upon the lack of interest, it is easy to let something shrivel up and die. However, that world existed: I saw it. I felt and lived with the manifestations of one individual's – MY – dreams. I felt the need to share openly, and so a webcomic was freely born for others to possibly enjoy.

And so, Order & Chaos. A second attempt to realize a more fundamental experiment: produce and realize another world that could see distribution through a digital channel that offered greater exposure and wider awareness. I thought of Kickstarter/Indiegogo, but the initial physical publishing wasn't important to me. I paid for the book myself and hired a team that would help me realize this new world already. Looking for money to complete the work or have it printed, didn't come to mind: if I believed in it enough, I would put my own money where my mouth is. But the digital distribution at a wider level from my previous attempt, would take more work.

Enter Comixology Submit.

I applied in early March, and was accepted! Order & Chaos is now alive and has the exposure I am very happy with.

Now about that making millions of dollars :)

If you are a creator – if you wish to strive to better your craft and yourself – money isn't everything. ESPECIALLY, if you are an independent comic creator.

Goals are important, but they must be realistic:

Create a world filled with characters that presents a situation that would make YOU want to escape to it for a short time (CHECK!)
Flesh out that world into a physical being that presents what you see in your mind's eye to another to experience as you saw it (CHECK!)
Present the material for others to easily obtain and enjoy (CHECK!)
Possibly generate some form of revenue that would assist in the production of future world building (remember that "Possibly" at the beginning of the sentence?)
Take what you learned and improve yourself and the nature of the worlds you create. (CHECK!)

Order & Chaos was my attempt to learn from what I did before and to move forward with my career as a writer. My expectations are fairly simple and I hope that my craft grows as I personally hope to.

"First you get the idea. Then you create the world. Then you become a traveler."

I am an Independent Comic Creator, and I am looking through the order and chaos to build a voice. Join me.

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