You remember walking into your local comic book shop and staring wide-eyed at the racks of vibrant book covers splashed with every conceivable color. You remember being dazzled by the finely rendered landscapes, the awe-inspiring superheroes and the dastardly villains. And you remember thinking, "I can do that!"

Guess what? You can. Provided you can handle a pencil, that is. You don't have to be Picasso, but if you have the drive (and the ability to draw circles and squares), we can guide you along the path to comic book celebrity status. It won't be easy. Breaking into the comic book biz is just like breaking into show biz - you're up against a whole field of aspiring wannabes who think they're the next Tom Cruise (or, in the case of comics, the next Jim Lee). You've got the talent, but how do you ensure that your work gets seen? Read and learn, baby.

1. PREPARE A PORTFOLIO

Let's make one thing clear: this SYW will not teach you how to draw. This is the Internet, not an art class. But if you already know how to draw and you want to start a career at a comic book publishing house (such as Marvel), you're in the right place.

If you've ever applied for a job in graphics or design before, then you know the importance of a portfolio. It's more than just a glorified résumé with lots of pretty pictures. Ideally, your portfolio should showcase the range of skills a potential hiring editor will look for in an up-and-coming artist. There are 5 basic things you need to do to prepare a proper portfolio to really wow the publishing houses:

1. Know what comic book editors are looking for
2. Know your specialty
3. Gather your materials
4. Prepare your samples
5. Be original


1. Know what comic book editors are looking for

These days, any kid with a crayon and a sheet of loose-leaf paper can churn out a sketch of Superman in a flashy pose (known in the biz as a "pin-up"), but not every kid has a sense of pacing or an understanding of distance and perspective. Comic books are a visual storytelling medium (think of it as a page-by-page translation of a movie or TV show), so editors have no need for one-dimensional pin-up machines. Editors are looking for artists that:

  • Have a knack for sequential storytelling

  • Can draw convincing and realistic cityscapes

  • Can convey emotions and drama within the faces of your characters (instead of adorning them all with the same redundant scowl)

One last thing to keep in mind is that there are tons of comic books out there that have nothing to do with superheros. So if you don't want to spend your time drawing Super Goose (protector of fowl abroad), you still have plenty of options. Just draw what you like to draw.

2. Know your specialty

Comic book art production actually involves several distinct steps - penciling, inking, and coloring (obviously, this last step doesn't apply for black-and-white books). Each page of artwork begins with a penciler, who lays down the preliminary pencil lines to be traced over with ink by the inker. Only after the pencils are inked can color be applied by - who else? - thecolorist. So you should know in advance which area would be your strength.

3. Gather your materials

We're assuming that you're already an artist, so you already know something about the standard tools of the trade:

  • If you're a penciler, use 2H and HB pencils (a 2H contains harder lead that produces lighter lines, while an HB has softer lead that results in darker lines). Have examples that display both.

  • If you're an inker, use India ink.

  • For paper, we suggest you use 10" x 15" Bristol paper (this is the standard size for comic book art, which is later shrunk down to comic book size). You can use bigger paper if you want, but you don't want to go larger than 11" x 17".

4. Prepare your samples

  • Put together about 6 pages of sequential storytelling art- this shows potential employers that you're not one of those aforementioned pin-up machines, and that you're quite capable of telling a story through pictures.

  • We're now going to contradict ourselves: don't completely steer clear of pin-ups altogether. After all, they are useful for providing quick glimpses of your raw talent, and they can be very effective. In fact, in addition to your sequential art pages, throw in an assortment of pin-ups and splash pages to show off some of your artistic strengths.

  • Don't include too much. Editors are busy (and stressed-out) people, and having to sift through thirty pages of mediocre material can drive them insane. (Not that you'll ever submit mediocre work!)

  • Be smart in deciding which pieces to include. As a general rule, always choose your best and most recent work.

  • Be organized. Make sure your samples are arranged in an order that makes sense. Not only will your future editor be grateful, but he/she will be impressed by the professionalism and thoughtfulness of your presentation, an impression which they'll transfer onto you. Think of it as an indirect method of kissing up.

  • If you're just doing pencils, that's the whole shebang. If you decide to do inks, show samples of your inked work next to copies of the penciled originals so editors can compare the two - the same goes for colorists.

  • If you're worried about damaging your originals, make photocopies of your work.

  • After you've got what you need, throw everything into a folder of some sort. Most artists keep their work in a flat binder or portfolio case with perforated plastic pages - quite convenient for displaying your masterpieces.

5. Be original

  • Being the innovative and fundamentally sound artist that you are, your range of expertiseobviously includes more than the usual poses, bulging muscles, and outrageously disproportioned breasts - and you want editors to see that.

  • Show them that you're a master of the little things, like anatomy, perspective, and background details.

  • Stay away from swiping your favorite artist's style. Drawing like a Todd McFarlane clone may impress your friends and family, but editors are looking for fresh and innovative talent, not a rehash of something they've seen before. Follow the standard dating advice - be yourself.

If you need more information on portfolios in general, check out How to Prepare Your Portfolio: A Guide for Students and Professionals.

2. APPLY FOR A JOB AT A COMIC BOOK PUBLISHING HOUSE

You have now have a beautiful portfolio… but where do you take it? If you've always dreamed of drawing your childhood favorites (characters like Batman, Spawn, or the X-Men), then your goal is to get hired by one of the major companies (the "Big Two" are Marvel and DC). Other large independent companies include Image and Dark Horse. If you've always wanted to bring your own creations to life, worry not - we'll deal with the self-publishing option a bit later on.

In order to make it to the promised land of mainstream comics, you'll have to contact editors at the major companies and introduce them to your stuff. This is a trying process that requires iron resolve, stubborn determination, and incessant phone calls. There are 5 standard steps:

1. Request submission guidelines
2. Apply
3. Deal with positive feedback
4. Deal with rejection
5. Remember the small press

1. Request submission guidelines

Most of the major companies have submission guidelines for artists and writers. These are written instructions on how to format your submitted materials. Since many companies won't consider submissions that don't follow their guidelines, we suggest you play it safe and do what they say. Many companies (like Marvel and DC) have submission guidelines on their websites. You can also try to contact editors directly, though you'll have to do a bit of research to find their names and contact information. Most editors can be found listed in the credits of their company's books, and a phone call to the company's offices could lead you in the right direction.

2. Apply

After you receive the submission guidelines, start putting together your samples (following a procedure similar to the one outlined above for portfolios). Your samples should be photocopies of your best work and should accurately reflect your range of ability. Be sure to include a cover letter (explaining your intentions in a brief and courteous manner) and your contact information. Package your materials up and send it off to the appropriate editor. Then wait.

3. Deal with positive feedback

If you receive an encouraging response in the form of a phone call or a letter, great! But don't break open the champagne yet. Chances are you won't be hired right away, but at least you attracted an editor's attention to your work. Your work will probably be placed on file (and even better, you'll be on the list of candidates for potential jobs in the future). If you're really lucky, though, you'll be called in for an interview immediately. In this case, bring your original portfolio (duh!) and be sure to read our fabulous article "SYW Ace a Job Interview?"

4. Deal with rejection

If, on the other hand, the response you receive sounds more like a rejection, don't fret - it's not the end of the world. All it means is that, in the editor's opinion, your work is not a good fit for that company at that time. So just send your stuff to other companies, and even feel free to try the same company further on down the road. Don't take it personally. Unless you really do suck. Then you should.

5. Remember the small press

Keep in mind that the larger, more established companies are harder to crack than the smaller independent publishers. Though these books may be less glamorous because of their smaller distribution and tighter budgets, they can be a stepping stone to landing an assignment with the bigger companies. Some of the most celebrated comic books in the industry today were published independently: Bone, Understanding Comics and Strangers in Paradise, just to name a few. There are tons out there, so start applying.

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.

4. CONSIDER SELF-PUBLISHING

No one's calling you back. Your cheeks are stained with tears of self-pity. What do you do? Two words: self publish. Yes, putting out your very own small press comic is a monstrous undertaking, and only the most industrious soul should even consider it. Not only does self-publishing involve many non-creative aspects of comic book production, it also requires a decent amount of start-up capital, so having a good financial base is a necessity. And having a practical plan of action wouldn't hurt. But if it works, you get major bragging rights. There are 5 steps:

1. Know what you're in for
2. Come up with a concept
3. Partner up
4. Create the book
5. Find a printer and distributor

1. Know what you're in for

Opting to create your own book means shifting many of the responsibilities of production (typically associated with the business side of the industry) onto the creative team. In other words, if you're planning on self-publishing, you'll have to do a bunch of business-y stuff, no matter how much you hate it.

2. Come up with a concept

Before you can even think about drawing your own book,you have to come up with a feasible concept. If you've been bouncing a cool character or story around in your head for a while, start fleshing it out. If you don't have an idea handy, think back to all those wild superhero designs and make-believe situations that you concocted as a kid. The key is finding a concept that's unique, interesting, and never been done before.

3. Partner up

Once you've got your million-dollar idea, you'll have to find some help. As diligent and hardworking as you may be, nobody can go it completely alone in this industry. Here are possible helper roles:

  • A writer (if you're not much of a scribe yourself). Find one who can translate your vision into a workable script so you can concentrate on the visual side of things.

  • An inker (if you don't ink your own stuff).

  • A colorist.

  • A letterer (if your budget permits you that luxury).

  • An accountant to handle the financial matters.

  • A lawyer to tackle legal issues like copyrights and contracts.

All of this is contingent on the size of your budget, of course. You'll probably have to pay for accountants and lawyers, but you might be able to wrangle in some talented weak friends to do the other stuff.

4. Create the book

Once your support personnel are in place, you can go about the creating your book. From a purely artistic point of view, this means you'll have to translate your writer's script into 32 pages of fluid, coherent artwork. Plot out each page and work your penciling magic. Then send them to your letterer, who will fill the captions and word balloons with dialogue. The letterer will then pass the pages on to the inker, who solidifies your pencil lines and prepares the pages for color. The colorist then applies the final treatment. Put all the completed pages together, and you've got yourself a comic book.

5. Find a printer and distributor

Finding printers and distributors definitely falls on the more technical side of things - you'll have to make a whole bunch of decisions, including how big a print run you want to have (10,000 copies is a standard size for a small, black-and-white book), what kind of distribution option you want (direct market vs. newsstand distribution), and how much you're willing to pay for everything. This is where your nerdy business friends come in. (For your information, Imprimerie, Quebecor is the largest printing plant for the comic industry, while Diamond Comic Distributors is the most widely used distribution company.)

Once you decide on a printer and a distributor, you'll have to call each of them up and send them samples of your work to convince them that your book is the next "big thing." For a great guide on how to navigate the whole self-publishing process (as well as a list of top printing and distribution companies in the comic book industry), pick up a copy of How to Self-Publish Your Own Comic Book. Don't worry… it has plenty of pictures.

And who knows? Maybe we'll see you sitting behind a professional artist's table at the next convention.