Former Obie writes how-to book for comic artists

One of my fondest memories is of going to the Library of Congress with my father to read GI Joe comic books. This was when I was in elementary school, and I believe that dad was trying to show me what a valuable resource the library was. So with that in mind, we made the half-hour trek into D.C., entered the (as I remember it) cathedralesque monolithic concrete structure that was the old Library of Congress building and made our way through the 20-foot tall stacks of archived texts to the information desk, where we requested the comic book. And while I know now that GI Joe only reinforces the paradigm of violent confrontation as a means of solving complex social issues, as well as further entrenching the warped values and traditions of the U.S. military, at the time it seemed like a neat thing to do. I still remember the issue.

I continued to read comic books off and on all the way through high school, and thus appreciate the fascination some people have with them. In many ways it is an excellent storytelling medium, with the capacity to show visual images and still have a narrative, which explains the cult status of comics, from the mainstream X-Men and Superman to the more obscure Flaming Carrot . Others take on social issues, like Hothead Paisan , which stars an unapologetically militant lesbian. Millions of people buy comic books on a regular basis, and virtually anybody can enjoy one. And with the popularity of comics, there must be a corresponding number of men and women who aspire to be writers, artists and publishers for the comics industry.

At least one author is banking on that last statement being true. Oberlin alum Brian Saner-Lamken, OC'92, has written a short book called Pro-Motion, How today's creators broke into comics...and their advice to you! It is a series of 70 interviews with men and women in the field; some are founders of modern comics, a few are big names in today's mainstream comic industry and many are doing significant independent publishing and production. Each of these interviews has exactly four parts - Date and place of birth, First exposure to comics, How they broke into the comics industry, and Advice to aspiring creators. In addition, there is an index of publishers and resources, a guide to making a comics 'zine, a brief essay on independent publishers, an interview with a major player on how to get into the industry and a comprehensive index of the book.

The introduction gives some of the details of the work involved in making comics, as well as a series of definitions of comics terminology. (The person who fleshes out an initial idea for a comic book is the Plotter). It also tells the reader that the book is there for them to learn how to break into the business, by utilizing the wisdom of the 70 contributors.

I found the interviews to vary greatly in effort. Some of those interviewed clearly put a great deal of thought into their answers, such as Shea Anton Pensa, who has worked for both DC and Marvel comics (The two biggest publishers of comic books); he not only gave a detailed and interesting account of how he broke into the industry, but also wrote a good eight paragraphs of solid advice to aspiring artists. Other interviews were laughable: The great Stan Lee, who did the foundling work on such legends as Spider Man , the Fantastic Four , and X-Men , could have sent in his contribution to the book on a post card.

I asked Brian Daniels, proprietor of Strange Daze comics, to give me a list of the most relevant figures in comics today. While many of those named are represented in the book, others are noticeably missing: Todd MacFarlane, founder of the enormously popular Spawn ; Jim Shooter, who has worked with both Marvel and DC in the past and now publishes Broadway Comics; and neither Kevin Eastman nor Peter Laird, who made the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and were responsible for the boom in independent publishing in the early '80s.

On the whole, the book is fairly good for general and practical advice. Surprisingly few of those interviewed left their hint for breaking in at "practice, practice, practice." Many told poignant stories of how they were devastated when their portfolios were rejected, or emphasized the importance of developing your own style apart from what's popular now or what has been done. In fact, aside from a few specifics of the trade (like the importance of keeping your brush clean), most of the advice given applies well to anyone.

Scott McCloud, whose comics advice has been put on multi-media CD, warns the aspiring artist that "just because you've decided to sell out, that doesn't mean that anyone is going to buy ." Randy H. Crawford, producer of many minicomics ('zines), has this to say about the mainstream industry: "if you're willing to learn to hate doing what you once loved and then keep on doing it, thanklessly, with no job security or future, then by all means become a comic-book professional." (Crawford is a fan of independent work.) A few others cite the importance of a supportive family. In any case, the weak submissions are the exception rather than the rule; most offer at least an entertaining story, if not worthwhile tips; and while grizzled long-timer Lee's entry is extremely disappointing and the most shallow in the book, other no-names offer a great deal of knowledge.

The indexes are also good. Following the instructions in the 'zine section will guarantee a product better than most of what circulates now. The guide to independent publishing gives a good explanation as to why they are worthwhile to look into, as far as contacts, experience and recognition go. The lengthy interview dealing with how to get into the comics industry offers heavy-duty practical information on the topic; and while I can't testify to how exhaustive the list of publishers is, the list is long .

All the good stuff aside, the book has problems. Key among them is that Brian Saner-Lamken inexplicably fails to mention Oberlin anywhere except in the "About the Author." This may leave readers feeling that nothing comics-related happens in Ohio. But sleep well tonight, gentle reader, for there is a great deal going on at the local and semi-local level. Two of the contributors to Pro-Motion are from Celina and Cleveland, respectively; closer to home, Brian Daniels not only manages Strange Daze but has put together a comic of his own, Bog Swamp Demon , with West Salem's Ryan Brown, whose credits include the characters Leatherhead and Mondo Gecko for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. Their comic is being published by Helm Comics, which has made major successes out of other comics in the past. Local artist Sean Williams has also airbrushed comic book covers.

The medium of comic books has a universal appeal, for many dating back to their childhood. It follows that, for some, to have a career in this field would literally be a dream come true. Those men and women would be well advised to both read Pro-Motion and examine what is happening locally. Both can offer general knowledge, practical advice and inspiration.