Hey, guys, If you are a regular to the channel thank you so much for the continued support. If this is your first time watching my videos, thanks for stopping by...hope you like what you saw. Below is a link to the first video to the series, so hopefully that helps! ua-cam.com/video/ZKYnr3k_ubg/v-deo.html Kindest regards Matt
I heard that some people got hired by Marvel or DC if they did a webcomic on an certain character and their art was average or not as great, but because what they wrote or the concept they was trying to go for was interesting and unique like something they hadn't seen before, they got asked to do art or write comics for them. I guess every editor does their assessments differently, but they will know whatever you got the goods or not regardless on whatever you do.
Yeah I think every editor is gonna be different in what they look for and How they look for it. But thought sharing what some have told me can’t hurt. 😜 But the webcomic is a good idea because it all comes back to my first point...body of work. If you wanna work in comics you have to make comics...it just makes sense 😜
He's also making videos for the community. Why criticize someone who has insights and wants to help people create their comics. Thanks for another great informational video. Keep up the great work Matt!
Ha...cheers dude! Appreciate the clean version. 😜 Thanks so much for watching and I glad you found it helpful! 😊 Makes all the effort worth it when I hear that, so thank you 👍
Totally right. In order to get a place at a college you don't need to be proficient in the subject. To work in a kitchen you don't need to be that Master Chef! So to give advice on how to break into comics you don't need any experience or knowledge of working for a company. I'm sure people will grumble that this is advice from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about. I'm sure that some people will say that these are useless videos. But these people are stupid and narrow minded. Just because you haven't done something doesn't mean you can't talk about it for 23 mins and 45 seconds!
Some absolute gems of advice you're dropping here Matt. Thanks so much! Had a couple questions, if you'd be so kind... 1. Was the portfolio advice mainly for artists or could/should a writer have a 9-page portfolio too? 2. Does the portfolio have to include stories about existing licenced characters from big companies (that you might be showing the portfolio to) or can it be all original creator-owned characters? What are the pros and cons of this approach? Okay, guess that was 3 questions! Kind regards, Barrie
Hey buddy, Thanks for watching the portfolio advice about 9 pages was mainly for artists. For writers its a lot harder... my suggestion would be to build a body of creator owned work. Even if it’s just an anthology of short stories, but it MUST be creator owned, using no licensed characters. All original..all yours! Getting that or comics you’ve made in front of editors...that’s the key. Get some work made and just start getting it out there any way you can...comic cons when they come back, comixology, kickstarter, even giving away free PDFs online...and send a few copies out to editors you’d like to work with too...Also keep your eyes open on social media... For instance valiant recently did online portfolio reviews (because of the no current comic cons) from writers and they wanted to see 22 pages max of one story or various stories to get a ten min slot.
"do power pets" nah man, I would do my favorite obscure team. heroes for hire, or the qwenpool merc team. along with my favorite obscure batman villain for the 1 main character. killer moth.
I will say the UK publishers are more likely to give you a look. The guys at Titan were supercool. 2000Ad - not so much. The guy told me “ you draw too American” whatever that means. Titan, BDI, and Zenescope are all really chill. Warren Simmons is also supercool and I’d recommend getting a review from him if he’s available
Thanks so much for taking the time to watch the video and leave a comment, I do appreciate it. So sorry to hear you’ve had a tough time getting editors to look at your stuff at conics cons. I do think that a lot of the time it is a case of being at the right place at the right time... 🤞 you’re able to get a decent portfolio review soon once the comic cons are back up and running!
Can I ask a genuine question? What is your authority on this subject? You mention at 1:14 that you have friends and contacts in the industry, and yet you haven't broken in yet. Not trying to be disingenuous, but if you can write a great issue one to hook these editors as you claim, why haven't you broken in? What makes you able to give this advice? I know this may sound like trolling but I haven't heard of you (No offence), googling your name brings up some self published titles, small press interviews, so how can you tell others how to break in with any legitimacy? If it is that you are simply following this process, can you comment on if its working?
Hello, Gary, It did not enter my mind that you were trolling me, buddy. It’s a fair question. I did state at the beginning that yes I haven’t broken in and this video is purely advice that I have been given over the last few years as I tried to break in. So the goal by this video is to purely give someone info and ideas around the subject. Yes I have had portfolio reviews and s I have been in contact with editors and still not broken in. Sadly a lot of what it takes to break into comics especially for writers is being in the right place at the write time. Contacting an editor right on the cusp when they might have a gig...and sadly I’ve not been that lucky yet. Plus, you also have to consider that when people break in...they have to KEEP breaking in because the industry is constantly changing...titles get cancelled and editors leave companies and then your contacts have left and you have to start all over again. It’s a very tough business to crack. Also, there are only a limited number of titles out there within publishers...and they all already have writers...usually big names, so they are not going to drop a major name on a book to hire an “unknown” writer lie me. Also, I didn’t mention it in the video because I didn’t want to pop anyone’s dream, but one panel I saw for a big publisher who shall remain nameless...the editor doing the panel pretty much said you have such a small chance or getting to work for this company, because he doesn’t even have enough work for the writers in his current roster...so as I said the industry is incredibly tough to crack in to. But it can happen! Hence the Video to try and give some advice and ideas... But as to why I haven’t broken in...it’s probably because they’re better writers out there than me who are more deserving? Who knows. Over the last couple of year’s I’ve focused more on my own creator owned books rather than working on IPs I don’t own. And over the last few years I have been offered publishing contracts from a few smaller publisher who want to put my books out and I have turned them all down because the deal they were offering wasn’t right for me and my collaborators. I’ve been approached by a few producers wish to obtain the rights to some of my creator owned comics too. (These will be subjects for another video I have planned) Hopefully that helps?
also, buddy, if you haven’t...might be worth checking out last weeks video...you might like it because it’s all about setting realistic goals, expectations and dreams about wanting to break into comics...because this video is kinda a follow on from that...thanks fir reaching out and interacting with the channel...I really do appreciate it. kindest regards Matt
“Politely introduce yourself as long as they aren’t speaking to someone else” LOL don’t get your hopes up at a show like NYCC. These guys are ALWAYS speaking to someone else. I remember one year I was at the con all weekend tabling in artists alley and the Dynamite guys were always magically speaking to someone else when I had my portfolio and the hapless intern would just tell me to “come back later “ “ come back tomorrow” etc. finally I saw the editors all sitting around a table the last day of the show and they were all giving me stink eye and I asked the intern “ hey are they doing reviews now? The intern furtively walked up to the james Gunn looking dude at the table and whispered into his ear like Bib Fortuna would whisper into Jabba the Hutts ear and the editor just gave him an annoyed look and shook his head. Don’t even get me started on Scott Alley I asked him if he was doing reviews at the booth and he rolled his eyes and just turned and walked away. My advice, hide your portfolio if you can. Pretend your a fan and when you see a gap spring in there
@@MattGarveyComics I feel like its good to operate under the assumption that these guys are looking for reasons to NOT hire you. I actively solicited publishers for almost a decade. Got a few pitches greenlit. One by Markosia but bc of pay scale the writer backed out. I also worked for a talent agency for a couple of years and got some work through them which was nice honestly. The an agent can be beneficial if they like your work. I noticed a lot of international artists on books and I thought " how are all of these guys getting work?" my friend who worked at DC at the time as a penciller said they probably have representation so I researched talent agencies and got in with one. Agencies will usually give you a test but in my case I just sent them a portfolio and they put me in their stable. I primarily teach now.
Hey, guys, If you are a regular to the channel thank you so much for the continued support.
If this is your first time watching my videos, thanks for stopping by...hope you like what you saw.
Below is a link to the first video to the series, so hopefully that helps!
ua-cam.com/video/ZKYnr3k_ubg/v-deo.html
Kindest regards
Matt
I heard that some people got hired by Marvel or DC if they did a webcomic on an certain character and their art was average or not as great, but because what they wrote or the concept they was trying to go for was interesting and unique like something they hadn't seen before, they got asked to do art or write comics for them. I guess every editor does their assessments differently, but they will know whatever you got the goods or not regardless on whatever you do.
Yeah I think every editor is gonna be different in what they look for and How they look for it. But thought sharing what some have told me can’t hurt. 😜
But the webcomic is a good idea because it all comes back to my first point...body of work.
If you wanna work in comics you have to make comics...it just makes sense 😜
😮 This was alot of information & I appreciate you making this video 😁👍
My pleasure buddy, I appreciate you watching 👍
He's also making videos for the community. Why criticize someone who has insights and wants to help people create their comics. Thanks for another great informational video. Keep up the great work Matt!
Cheers James! And thanks for the view!
I have the best supporters…👍
Flippin’ awesome (trying my best not to swear!!) as usual Matt. Some stuff I hadn’t considered. Very insightful and useful. Thanks.
Ha...cheers dude!
Appreciate the clean version. 😜
Thanks so much for watching and I glad you found it helpful! 😊
Makes all the effort worth it when I hear that, so thank you 👍
Totally right. In order to get a place at a college you don't need to be proficient in the subject. To work in a kitchen you don't need to be that Master Chef! So to give advice on how to break into comics you don't need any experience or knowledge of working for a company. I'm sure people will grumble that this is advice from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about. I'm sure that some people will say that these are useless videos. But these people are stupid and narrow minded. Just because you haven't done something doesn't mean you can't talk about it for 23 mins and 45 seconds!
thanks
Some absolute gems of advice you're dropping here Matt. Thanks so much!
Had a couple questions, if you'd be so kind...
1. Was the portfolio advice mainly for artists or could/should a writer have a 9-page portfolio too?
2. Does the portfolio have to include stories about existing licenced characters from big companies (that you might be showing the portfolio to) or can it be all original creator-owned characters? What are the pros and cons of this approach?
Okay, guess that was 3 questions!
Kind regards,
Barrie
Hey buddy,
Thanks for watching the portfolio advice about 9 pages was mainly for artists.
For writers its a lot harder... my suggestion would be to build a body of creator owned work.
Even if it’s just an anthology of short stories, but it MUST be creator owned, using no licensed characters. All original..all yours!
Getting that or comics you’ve made in front of editors...that’s the key.
Get some work made and just start getting it out there any way you can...comic cons when they come back, comixology, kickstarter, even giving away free PDFs online...and send a few copies out to editors you’d like to work with too...Also keep your eyes open on social media...
For instance valiant recently did online portfolio reviews (because of the no current comic cons) from writers and they wanted to see 22 pages max of one story or various stories to get a ten min slot.
@@MattGarveyComics Thanks Matt, I really appreciate this advice. It gives me a direction to go in.
Apologies for the delayed reply.
Don’t worry about it you silly sausage, it’s all good! 👍
"do power pets" nah man, I would do my favorite obscure team. heroes for hire, or the qwenpool merc team. along with my favorite obscure batman villain for the 1 main character. killer moth.
All good excellent choices there! 😜
Wow!
Cheer wife watching dude
@@MattGarveyComics I’m not married
Ha, cheers matey even
@@MattGarveyComics I dont know what these comments mean I am from america we speak American!
"You're gonna open the red one". haha. brilliant.
🤪
Great video as usual 👌
awwww, cheers, dude...thank you so much for wacthing this weeks vid, buddy!
I will say the UK publishers are more likely to give you a look. The guys at Titan were supercool. 2000Ad - not so much. The guy told me “ you draw too American” whatever that means. Titan, BDI, and Zenescope are all really chill. Warren Simmons is also supercool and I’d recommend getting a review from him if he’s available
Thanks so much for taking the time to watch the video and leave a comment, I do appreciate it.
So sorry to hear you’ve had a tough time getting editors to look at your stuff at conics cons.
I do think that a lot of the time it is a case of being at the right place at the right time...
🤞 you’re able to get a decent portfolio review soon once the comic cons are back up and running!
Very nice
Cheers borat 😜
New Sub sent by Just A Rican And His Comics✌
Cheers for the sub dude...hope you like the content! Thanks to just a Rican too! 😊
Can I ask a genuine question? What is your authority on this subject?
You mention at 1:14 that you have friends and contacts in the industry, and yet you haven't broken in yet.
Not trying to be disingenuous, but if you can write a great issue one to hook these editors as you claim, why haven't you broken in? What makes you able to give this advice?
I know this may sound like trolling but I haven't heard of you (No offence), googling your name brings up some self published titles, small press interviews, so how can you tell others how to break in with any legitimacy? If it is that you are simply following this process, can you comment on if its working?
Hello, Gary,
It did not enter my mind that you were trolling me, buddy.
It’s a fair question.
I did state at the beginning that yes I haven’t broken in and this video is purely advice that I have been given over the last few years as I tried to break in.
So the goal by this video is to purely give someone info and ideas around the subject.
Yes I have had portfolio reviews and s I have been in contact with editors and still not broken in.
Sadly a lot of what it takes to break into comics especially for writers is being in the right place at the write time.
Contacting an editor right on the cusp when they might have a gig...and sadly I’ve not been that lucky yet.
Plus, you also have to consider that when people break in...they have to KEEP breaking in because the industry is constantly changing...titles get cancelled and editors leave companies and then your contacts have left and you have to start all over again.
It’s a very tough business to crack.
Also, there are only a limited number of titles out there within publishers...and they all already have writers...usually big names, so they are not going to drop a major name on a book to hire an “unknown” writer lie me. Also, I didn’t mention it in the video because I didn’t want to pop anyone’s dream, but one panel I saw for a big publisher who shall remain nameless...the editor doing the panel pretty much said you have such a small chance or getting to work for this company, because he doesn’t even have enough work for the writers in his current roster...so as I said the industry is incredibly tough to crack in to.
But it can happen!
Hence the Video to try and give some advice and ideas...
But as to why I haven’t broken in...it’s probably because they’re better writers out there than me who are more deserving? Who knows.
Over the last couple of year’s I’ve focused more on my own creator owned books rather than working on IPs I don’t own.
And over the last few years I have been offered publishing contracts from a few smaller publisher who want to put my books out and I have turned them all down because the deal they were offering wasn’t right for me and my collaborators.
I’ve been approached by a few producers wish to obtain the rights to some of my creator owned comics too. (These will be subjects for another video I have planned)
Hopefully that helps?
also, buddy, if you haven’t...might be worth checking out last weeks video...you might like it because it’s all about setting realistic goals, expectations and dreams about wanting to break into comics...because this video is kinda a follow on from that...thanks fir reaching out and interacting with the channel...I really do appreciate it.
kindest regards
Matt
@@MattGarveyComics Appreciate the response! Good luck.
“Politely introduce yourself as long as they aren’t speaking to someone else” LOL don’t get your hopes up at a show like NYCC. These guys are ALWAYS speaking to someone else. I remember one year I was at the con all weekend tabling in artists alley and the Dynamite guys were always magically speaking to someone else when I had my portfolio and the hapless intern would just tell me to “come back later “ “ come back tomorrow” etc. finally I saw the editors all sitting around a table the last day of the show and they were all giving me stink eye and I asked the intern “ hey are they doing reviews now? The intern furtively walked up to the james Gunn looking dude at the table and whispered into his ear like Bib Fortuna would whisper into Jabba the Hutts ear and the editor just gave him an annoyed look and shook his head. Don’t even get me started on Scott Alley I asked him if he was doing reviews at the booth and he rolled his eyes and just turned and walked away. My advice, hide your portfolio if you can. Pretend your a fan and when you see a gap spring in there
Ouch, sorry this happened to you, buddy! i wouldnt "pretend" i'm a fan though, because i'd get found out... :s
@@MattGarveyComics I feel like its good to operate under the assumption that these guys are looking for reasons to NOT hire you. I actively solicited publishers for almost a decade. Got a few pitches greenlit. One by Markosia but bc of pay scale the writer backed out. I also worked for a talent agency for a couple of years and got some work through them which was nice honestly. The an agent can be beneficial if they like your work. I noticed a lot of international artists on books and I thought " how are all of these guys getting work?" my friend who worked at DC at the time as a penciller said they probably have representation so I researched talent agencies and got in with one. Agencies will usually give you a test but in my case I just sent them a portfolio and they put me in their stable. I primarily teach now.