By Shon C. Bury Welcome to the second installment of In the Trenches. This time out we tackle the often twin topics of convention going and portfolio prep from the point of view of the not-so-salty artists trying to "break in" to the biz. Would-be pencilers will find this column more useful than inkers, colorist, and writers. But stay tuned. I’ll get around to the rest of you as con season heats up.  Now, you may only have the one style. And that’s perfectly fine for the comic biz (oddly, it’s actually preferable). But appreciate that Oni isn’t going to be able to do anything with your Spidey samples and Marvel isn’t going to be able to help you with your Yoai manga samples. In short, take the time to learn your audience. In this instance, your audience is the portfolio reviewers (and the publishers they represent) and not the audience you hope to some day have. Two other very solid rules of thumb (and again, we’re going to cover all this in much more detail in future columns) are these two tried and true gems:
Got your portfolio (and lots of copies with contact information)? Check.  Once you’ve put your portfolio together, it’s time to lock in your con. By way of making things simple for me, let’s assume you’re trekking out to SDCCI for the first time and you have no professional credits to your name. And let’s assume you’ve scored transportation. The two biggies in terms of logistical nightmares at this juncture are hotel registration and convention registration. As you read this, it is safe to assume that every hotel room in the entire city of San Diego is booked up. I’m not even joking a little bit. Last year, it took all of 2.3 seconds for all the show’s special hotel offers to be gobbled up, leaving many a pro on hold for...days and junk. It’s a wack system in major need of overhaul, but don’t hold your breath. It’s not uncommon for regular attending pros to not have lodging for weeks after registration begins, even though they have their pro badges and flight plans in place. You may have to make due this time out however you have to make due. Now, if you do find a serviceable room in the vicinity of the con, do yourself a favor and book it for next year before you check out. I’ve been staying in the same crap hole for years just for piece of mind. There are tons of hotels in the Gas Lamp District within walking distance of the convention center. I think most are run by the Russian mob, but that’s a totally different topic. And, no, you can not crash with me. Seriously, don’t even ask. Got your room? Check. Equally as important as having a place to crash is actually being able to get into the show. You’re not a pro yet, so you have to get into the Disney World-esque lines like everyone else. Remember that part about populous? Over SDCCI’s four day show, at least 120,000 attendees will cram into the ginormous convention center each day. Each. Day. Every year attendance records are broken, and every year tickets sell out quicker and people are sent away--after waiting in line for a long damn time.  Perpetrating the Con Now, if you get your portfolio ready, make it to San Diego, check in to your hotel, then get blocked at the door because you underestimated attendance and didn’t have the forethought to pre-register...you are going to go insane. Because I don’t want to be walking by you while you go insane, I’m going to help you out for purely self-serving reasons: Go here. Pre-register. You can pick your badge up Wed before the show even begins (and here’s another tip: get to the show before the doors officially open every morning). You re not a pro, so don’t bother trying to register as one. If you try to register as a pro without having any credits, you are just wasting your time and slowing down the process for everyone else. Including me. Since I’m giving you such awesome advice here, do me the personal favor of not slowing this process down. Your time will come...and my blood pressure will thank you. Once inside--after all this--the real work actually begins. See that ½" program guide in your hand? Sit down and study it like you’re registering for your first quarter of college classes. Study the map. Find out where the portfolio reviews are being held, and how they’re being held. And get their before the doors open. I’m not even kidding about the lines or the size of the show floor(s).  And then...there are but three things in the entire world to do: practice patience, absorb the feedback, and accept criticism graciously. Even if you’re really damn good, portfolio reviewers are there to point out the flaws in your work. Understand, this is intended to help you improve your craft, not discourage you. Also understand that every single person who reviews a portfolio has there own tastes, guidelines, and specific things they are looking for. They won’t always match up with what you’re presenting. Their opinions are not flawless and are largely subjective. And they have been looking at portfolios for hours upon hours. Here are a few more things to keep in mind while getting your portfolio reviewed:
"Breaking in" to comics and traversing conventions in the attempt to do so is absolutely arduous. It can take years to achieve. But if you have talent and tenacity coupled with a good personality, things will happen. Your portfolio may get critiqued to death, your ego may get shredded, it may seem all too impossible to achieve your dreams, but if you build on each little success incrementally sooner or later you’ll land your first job. Then another. Then another. And there’s your career. Each face-to-face encounter matters. Each business card handed out matters. And if you take the critique of your work back to your drawing table and strive to improve with the humbleness necessary of anyone set on mastering their craft, then next year you’ll be able to show those same reviews your portfolio again. And they’ll see that you’re serious about playing with the big boys. Take It From Me (or... "You’re Not Special, So Shut The Firetruck Up") In keeping with the topic of portfolio reviews, I wanted to share this story Marvel Senior Editor Mark Paniccia shared with me over Guinness and fish and chips the last time I was in Manhattan. We where chatting with Marvel talent manager Chris Allo about how hard it is for editors these days to sit down and review portfolios (hence the importance of talent managers and agents). There’s just not enough hours in the day, and--let’s face it--9 out of 10 people in those review lines are not even close to being ready. We all shared some horror stories, but Mark had the best.  Now just so you know a quick thing about Mark: He’s been in the biz for nearly 20 years. His office edits all the Marvel Adventure books as well as World War Hulk and all the Aftersmash stuff. He’s always working. I’m willing to bet he regularly puts in 70+ hours a week. Then he goes home and works some more. Still, on this one occasion, he volunteered a weekend afternoon to review portfolios at an NYC art school. Mark reported that the whole review session was poorly organized and that most of the artists did not have comic-book art to begin with (but we won’t do that now, will we?). After wasting an entire afternoon--and feeling more than a little annoyed with himself that he didn’t spend the day with his wife and daughter--he was preparing to leave when one of the organizers sent an artist over his way. Mark had reviewed the kid’s portfolio already. Mark--being the genuinely nice guy that he is--sat back down and reviewed the portfolio. Again. He made the same critiques. It was all déjà vu until...the kid decided he didn’t like Mark’s critique, grew angry, and began to argue with Mark. Whuh?! Take it from me...if your skin is so thin and your people skills are so retarded that you can’t take an honest critique of your work (from one of the nicest guys in the industry, no less)...go become a deep fry cook somewhere and leave commercial art to the big boys. Critiquing is an inexact, entirely subjective thing. Appreciate that. Also appreciate that reviewers in this situation have a really darn good idea of what will sell commercially for their respective publisher and that your work has to break through all that in order to...get...you...work. If you’re serious about "breaking in," do me a favor and enter into this pact with yourself: "I avail myself to this critique and I will take what I can from it for the betterment of my craft, knowing that all things are subjective; on the day that I cannot do so, I will shut the firetruck up, put my faux-leather portfolio case in the closet, and take the nightshift job at Hollywood Video where my particular skill set will be best utilized by society." That’s a good pact. Pluggin’ Junk (or... "My Bookcase Imploded and Look What I Found!") Okay, seriously, in the dead of night I woke to the sound of a large thoomp in my office. I stumbled to the light switch (not even close to being conscious) to discover that the shelves of my graphic novel bookcase imploded. I had no idea how much all those trades weighed when smashed side-by-side like that. Apparently, they are heavy. Realizing this, I went back to bed knowing full well that a few of the books on the bottom shelf where not going to service the night. In the light of day, I took the opportunity to re-organize my graphic novels. Been meaning to do so for a while, so it was all good. I openly wept to see that my copy of Watchmen was toast, but that was the only book of consequence that got ruined. And it has since been replaced. And, you know what? I found some cool books that I hadn’t read for a while (or finished reading), so I took the opportunity to pluck through them and review them for this column. I fixated on my non-standard sized, perfect bound books in my never-ending fascination with the evolution of comic-book formats--and because I’m OCD and had a hard time figuring out how to organize them: My Dead Girlfriend - 5" x 7-1/2". The first volume of this horror-comedy-love story set in a town filled with all the traditional monsters. Eric Wight wrote and did the art chores on this charming little number about a middle school outcast whose girlfriend is a ghost. Another OEL from Tokyopop...tho it ain’t so much manga as it is cartoony (just sayin’). 9.99 for an enjoyable 192pp read. Strangers in Paradise Pocket Book 1 - 6" x 8". I’ve only ever picked up a sporadic issue of Terry Moore’s classic Strangers in Paradise over the years. I’m glad Abstract Studios decided to compile the books into these very backpack friendly collections. This volume shares 344 pages of slice-of-life fun with Katchoo and Co. BW as they where intended to be. $17.95 ain’t that high of a price tag, if you’re like me and have been meaning to catch up on this book for a while. Nightmares & Fairy Tales - 5-1/2" x 8-1/2". Serena Valentino never disappoints. In this first volume with art by FSC (serious?), Serena introduces us to the rag doll Annabelle...who "guides" us through retellings of classic fairytales as well as original horror stories. Later volumes feature art by my SDCCI hotel buddy Camilla D’Ericco. Slave Labor Graphics definitely maintains its counterculture street cred with this book. A little steep at $14.96 for a (roughly) 150pp BW book, but if you can get a twofer with Serena’s Gloom Cookie...go for the twofer. Heartbreakers Meets Boilerplate - 6" x 8-1/2". Paul Guinan and his wife/creative partner Anina Bennett really did something special with this book. As in, special enough to get nominated for a frackin’ 2006 Eisner. Paul--always an amazing artist and graphic designer--really went all out utilizing drawings, paintings, and photos in a mixed-media fusion called paintography™ . You have to check out the site he put together about the faux history of 19th century robot Boilerplate. Anina wrote a great story and once again proves a wonderful model for Paul’s artwork. IDW brought this 100pp lusciously grey toned book in at an insanely reasonable $9.99. The Dreamland Chronicles Book Two - 6" x 9". Okay, so I got this book for free while shopping printers recently. Cool, since writer/creator Scott Christian Sava was the one who gave me the lead on the printer who does his books in the first place. I’ve since gone back and read volume 1 (downloaded the "animated" version from WOWIO), and I’ve gotta say that I really enjoy this cg animated fantasy tale. It has all the tropes an all-ages fantasy needs to make it both true to the genre and utterly engaging for readers of any age. Scott’s really making the web and trades publishing model work for him. Can three million readers be wrong? Give this thing a shot. $19.95 from Scott’s own Bluedream Studios. Publishers, interested in having books reviewed here? Email review@spacegoatproductions.com for shipping instructions. Adult ADD Watch (or... "Oh, Did I Type THAT?") Small correction to print. Last column I wrote that my new OGN Shon C. Bury’s NOX would be out in February. I lied. It’s just getting out the door to the printer, so it’ll be early March before Diamond gets their copies. Still haven’t bought your copies? Order online. Wanna take a quick peek? Check out my ComicSpace thingy here. I have the first chapter up. Plan to load the next chapter soon. Befriendificationate me while you’re there. Got comments for this column? Suggestions for future columns? Give me a shout. Or dig in below. I’m easy. |
As an aspiring penciler, there are a lot of reasons to attend some of the bigger cons around the US. Perhaps the biggest reasons are for would-be and will-be comic book pencilers--trekking across the continent with faux-leather portfolios cases in one hand and dreams in the other--is to make face-to-face contact with pros in the never-ending quest to get some paying work on your drawing table. The reality is that many will go home with their dreams dashed--whether through lack of talent or tenacity or presentation skills--but many will return home with the fruits of their labor: business cards, professional advice, and (rarely) their first paying gig. Even if you come home thismuchcloser to your first paying gig, you did good. Follow up and get to work on your next batch of samples. More than anything, this column is about increasing your chances in becoming one of those guys, and not one of the ill-prepared quitter faces. 
Picking your Con should be based on personal finances, location, and effectiveness. Of course, never travel cross country to a big show if funds are tight. Between the internet and local shows, there’s no reason to max out your credit card jetting off to a show that is almost guaranteed to not yield work. There are exceptions. You are not one of them. Pick a show that’s in the same region as you. But if you have the cash and live in the region, get your @$$ to SDCCI or NYCC. If just for the experience. It’s nearly impossible these days--as crowds as populous as many large US cities crowd into convention centers--to get any real work done during the show, even if you have a network built up. But, honestly, you never know who you’re going to meet. 