3. MEET COMIC BOOK EDITORS

We were gonna call this step "Stalk comic book editors," but our lawyers advised us against it. A face-to-face meeting with an editor precludes the possibility of your submission getting "lost" in the pile of mail that currently swamps his/her office and guarantees that your work is seen. In this way, editors can also provide immediate turnaround in terms of feedback and criticism.

The best way to arrange a meeting? Given the hectic day-to-day activities of a typical comic book editor, setting up a personal interview is a fairly difficult proposition. Your best bet is a chance encounter. No, we're not suggesting you hang out at the local 7-Eleven with portfolio in hand, waiting for a random editor to drop by for a Slurpee run. We're suggesting that you hit the convention circuit.

Comic book conventions are large annual events that attract comic book dealers, publishers, and thousands of fans from all over the world. More importantly, they attract editors from all the major companies - making conventions the perfect place for artists to peddle their work to editors. To find a convention in your area, check out the Shows and Conventions page on Wizard: The Comics Magazine's website. These listings typically include information about publishers that are scheduled to appear. Just looks at the schedules to find out when they're meeting "fans" (that's code for "prospective employees").

Editors often hold portfolio review sessions during the course of the convention, giving humble up-and-comers the chance to receive constructive criticism directly from their idols. A few points to keep in mind once you're in convention land:

  • Conventions are certainly the best way to meet editors in person, but you'll have to fight to make yourself stand out. If you've followed our portfolio tips, you should be well on your way to making a good first impression.

  • Be polite when introducing yourself and your work, and be attentive during your editor's review.

  • When you're done, be sure to give him/her your contact information. If the meeting went smoothly, send the editor a follow-up letter after a week or so, along with copies of your samples and another copy of your contact information. This serves as a reminder of your existence.