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Breaking Into Marvel Comics At NYCC 2017

Published Sat, 07 Oct 2017 06:00:17 -0500

Octavio Karbank reports for Bleeding Cool from New York Comic Con 2017 from the Marvel Legacy: Breaking Into Comics The Marvel Way panel

If you've been on the Comic Con convention circuit for a while and you have any interest in working in comics, then odds are you've found yourself at one of Marvel's breaking into comics panels. I myself have been to a fair number and ultimately, you never hear any breaking news, nor do you hear anything that'll get you into Marvel tomorrow or the next day. Even though you have several panelists at a time talking to the audience, it seems to boil down to the same thing: hard work and perseverance. If you have both, then you'll eventually make your way into the world of comics.

People don't just get chosen out a flock, nor does Marvel or someone like that recognize your inherent greatness just by you saying you're great. You have to prove via blood, sweat, and tears that you are worth their time You have to show that you're capable of not only telling a story, but completing projects you set out to accomplish.

Marvel's talent scout Ricky Purdin lead the panel and the actual speakers were Ed Brisson, Javier Garron, Irene Strychasik, and one or two others. They started off by explaining the basics, that there's no one way to get into comics and that everybody has their own journey into the industry. Even Ed Brisson, who now writes Iron Fist, spent nearly two decades trying to break in.

The conversation shifted on how to get into Marvel comics and for artists, it was the same thing I've always heard: go out and draw. Essentially, go make comics, and the same held true for writers. However, an audience member asked about novelists, to which the response was that if you're a novelist sort of writer you shouldn't send in a full length novel, as it takes a while to read a whole book, but a short collection of stories.

Regardless as to which path you choose, whether it be teaming up with an artist and making a comic or trying to make a short anthology, everyone has their unique story. It's important to remember that working in comics is not all fun and games. It's a real job, with real deadlines and stresses. It will require plenty of work on your part, but in the end, it will be worth it.