Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, entertainment, kickstarter

An Exciting Idea To Change the World

Published Sun, 12 Apr 2015 11:00:03 -0500

Written by Scott Amundson

Everyone who reads comics wants to make comics. And, they should! You would be surprised how controversial this opinion is to many fans and professionals in the comic book industry. Please allow me to explain.

I published my first comics on Comixology a few years ago. The four-issue miniseries was called BARBARIAN. I'm very proud of the exciting story we delivered with that project, but the response was not what I expected.

Many people were offended by the brashness of the BARBARIAN #1. I wanted to strike a chord with readers, but my comic book debut ended up going over most of my readers' heads. The people who stuck around for the rest of the series enjoyed it, but few made it that far.

The hate towards my first issue forced me to realize how challenging it is to make comics that connect with the right audience. How many great comic book stories are there that we will never see because of hateful detractors, lack of money, lack of means, willfully ignorant editors, vicious blacklisting or other factors? There are so many things that can stop people from making comics.

Meanwhile, the same people continue to make the same comics year after year. The last five years have seen a creative bankruptcy in the comic book industry. Editors with stifled creative ambitions have spearheaded endless "events" that can't even be called stories anymore. Older creators are so starved for work that they would sooner eat their pants pockets than give a newcomer a helpful hand up. The industry is in a very bad place. It won't be surprising if it ceases to exist as we know it within five years. There must be a better way.

I saw the medium I love in trouble and decided to do something about it. I'm putting to use the knowledge I've amassed making comics and interviewing some of the industry's top professionals over the last few years. The next generation of comic book storytellers will have it easier than my generation.

A New Hope

Brace yourselves! Conditions in the industry have just changed. Anyone interested in making comic books can now take my online course Write and Publish Comic Books for Fun and Profit and do just that!

This class is more than just a collection of lectures. There's already a student body of over 700 people who will become your brothers and sisters in arms for life as soon as you join. This is a strong support system that will keep you going through the years, as you do what needs to be done to make your own unique professional quality comic books and get them out to the audiences who will appreciate them.

All the instruction you need to make and publish your own professional quality comic books for next to no talent or money is there for the taking as soon as you join the course. You'll have lifetime access to my scripts, my instruction and my interviews on writing with Dean Motter, John Ostrander, Jimmy Palmiotti, Chuck Dixon, Dan Jurgens, David Hine, Stuart Moore, Stefan Petrucha, John Rozum, Leah Moore, John Reppion, Justin Gray, Chris Ryall and more. However, the in-depth instruction on story structure, scripting and the rest is not the most valuable offering of the course.

Get the Support You Need

My course will provide the continued motivation and direction you need to make the comic books nobody else will. Many people start making comics and never finish them. It's easy to give up. The continued motivation you'll receive from being part of an active creative community, watching the new lectures that are posted regularly and having access to the professor whenever you need someone to read your stuff and offer creative criticism and guidance is invaluable.

You Will Succeed

You will make and publish professional quality comic books if you stick with this program. Making a comic book can take a long time. It's almost sure to take longer than you think it will. But if you keep making progress on it day by day, you will eventually be able to share your vision with the world.

If you've ever wanted to make comic books, I urge you to take my course. You have my word that I'll do everything in my power to help you succeed. I want something to read!

Excelsior!