A bit about me and what I'm doing in the comics world.
I believe I have good ideas.
With that comes a long life of pursuing the creative, constantly wanting to make things, messing with things, paint something, change things, see THINGS that are not there, and wish them to be there.
I've chosen comics, MOSTLY, to do these things, though I dabble with so much, it almost seems ridiculous how much I would like to do.
Like, pick a thing, man!
Comics, to me, really good comics, take you away from yourself and your world for the moment. Great comics, like any great art, change you. You are not the same, and you are forever something else than before you opened those pages.
That is where I want to fall into.
So as we advance, that is what I want to present. I have no idea what I can and can't do here. I may submit only one project on here, or maybe a bit of everything. I mean, I have my blog and Patreon to post, and for my artwork, I post all the time on Instagram, so I have to think about what is the best to present on here. I can post my ideas, but you can find me on my live Claim Sales talking comics, selling comics, and talking to friends about comics every Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, I have a podcast. So as I scatter myself across so many places, what the fuck am I really doing?
Let's find out.
I have made comics for a while now, having done webcomics with Graphicsmash.com and late great Joey Manley on there, worked with various publishers, and even worked on my own with Creature Entertainment and hit the scene hard some years back. I'm not a stranger. I've done some pro stuff, mainly in the indie field as a comic artist, doing variant covers, sketch cards, and even small runs on other independent companies.
I run a comic shop in Miami called The Goblins Heist, where I work eight days a week to make a living at this. I see the business side of comics, with all the ugly gears, warts and all, and love how it works. I shake my head like any fan at aspects of it and cheer teary-eyed right beside you too when it does right.
So, hearing about new avenues to present and show work off? Of course, I have to try it out, and this is that. The paywall aspect has been debated among makers and artists for years, just because of its pure hubris; who are you to ask for money to share your work. Imposter Syndrome has been talked about forever now, and no matter what level you are at, it nips at your ego and soul here and there. No one masters it; they develop a thick skin against it. Substack is another way to connect to you, reading this; otherwise, I never would have gotten a chance to do it. If that happens, Mission Accomplished. It's effortless to dismiss this or excite it beyond all normality.
I think it's neither; I think it's going to base itself on the work. I don't care how "Innovative" and "Beyond the pale" this platform might be. If you are paying ANYTHING and get something back that's forgettable or just bullshit; it's all going to fail. The spectrum is there, good and bad. You have to MAKE COMICS. Good or bad. And with the Good comes something bigger than likes, links, or whatever: WORD OF MOUTH is still king. I utter this whenever someone comes in with some vast insane possibility to market and get the crowd, the likes, the followers, the thumbs up, and WHATEVER else.
On the other end of the spectrum? My father once said, "You can rip people off, but you can only do it once."
If you buy in and see nothing you want on here, you take your money elsewhere. Plain and simple. And sometimes, they are going to be a butt-ton of competition and better work or worse work, cool work, hip work, etc., and you don't make everyone happy. Well, That is not my job. My job is to engage you with what I love, and hopefully, I'll find a few maniacs like me to entertain and get my daily bread.
Anything more than that is just cream.
I believe I have good ideas.