Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, entertainment

Comics Master Class: Frictionless Collaborations

 by Aldo Alvarez, Ph.D. AKA Dale Lazarov

Collaboration, at its core, is about a context of relatedness between creative people that brings out something in the project, and the individuals, that would have not been possible without it. In my role as Astute Geek Elder Gay Latino Wizard, I am often asked what makes a collaboration on a graphic novel – or any creative collaborative endeavor – effective and frictionless. There are a number of aspects that reoccur when that context for collaboration is present.

— The support system of the collaborators as individuals enables the success of the collaboration. Networks of friends have led collaborations to happen as if they were as invested in the work as the collaborators. Significant others help problem-solve when confidence falters or deadlines loom as if they were part of the team.

— The collaboration is about the gestalt of the project, not the individuals involved. A sense of shared ownership and origination, of mutual service and reciprocity, of generosity of spirit and good sportsmanship, of clear, respected boundaries and roles to the project, makes things smooth and affirming to everyone involved.

— The improv theatre principle of "yes, and" keeps the collaboration playing together in the same scene instead of drifting in different directions. Saying "yes, and" allows collaborators to challenge each other in a productive way while preserving the trust of the collaboration and meeting the collaboration's evolving needs. Creatively using "yes, and" in a collaborative context is also insanely fun and surprising in its results.

— Collaborators offer something of benefit to the collaboration, in a way that expresses thoughtfulness about the other people involved, when asking to have an individual need met. They do so without stating or implying a judgmental stance or unilateral entitlement about any of the issues affected by the unmet need. Collaborators also perceive or anticipate each other's unmet needs and offer a productive solution to them because it's kind.

— The collaborators get each other as creators and share a likeness when it comes to the goals of the project. Whether it's a principle for a certain genre of narrative or art, a principle for excellence or integrity as artists, or a principle for a certain thought, feeling or subject matter in the work, the partnership follows it as if it were the music they glide to together.

Keep in mind that terms for collaboration differ from collaboration to collaboration. But note that even pragmatic work-for-hire collaborations require a level of chemistry, commitment and trust that, ideally, is mutually beneficial, rewarding and life-affirming.

Aldo Alvarez, Ph.D. is the author of INTERESTING MONSTERS (Graywolf Press, 2001) and has an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University of the City of New York and a Ph.D in English from Binghamton University (SUNY).  He's tenured faculty at Wilbur Wright College in Chicago and teaches writing, research, fiction, gay and lesbian literature, graphic novels and LGBT Studies. He was born and raised in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, a shipping port and college town in the west of the island that received comics pamphlets, glossy comics magazines and comics hardcovers from all Spanish- and English-speaking countries.  He also writes and art directs gay graphic novels as Dale Lazarov.

Dale Lazarov writes, art directs and licenses wordless, gay character-based, sex-positive graphic novels published under the Sticky Graphic Novels imprint: TIMBER (drawn by Player), SLY (drawn by mpMann), BULLDOGS (drawn by Chas Hunter & Si Arden), PARDNERS (drawn by Bo Revel), PEACOCK PUNKS (drawn and colored by Mauro Mariotti and Janos Janecki), FAST FRIENDS (drawn by Michael Broderick), GREEK LOVE (drawn by Adam Graphite), GOOD SPORTS (drawn by Alessio Slonimsky), NIGHTLIFE (drawn and colored by Bastian Jonsson and Yann Duminil), MANLY (drawn by Amy Colburn), and STICKY (drawn by Steve MacIsaac).  Sticky Graphic Novels are published in hardcover by Bruno Gmünder GmbH and in digital format through Class Comics.  In his secret identity, he is Aldo Alvarez, Ph.D. and he lives in Chicago. His website is at StickyGraphicNovels.com. 

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