It’s been pointed out in numerous places that Dave Sim, Terry Moore, and I are all returning to our self-publishing roots with new comic book series – - all within weeks of each other. But what exactly are those self-publishing roots?
Smith and a wide array of guest bloggers will answer that question over the next few weeks, as he’s invited Colleen Doran, Larry Marder, Paul Pope, Terry Moore and many more to talk about their early days in comics. Smith gets the ball rolling:
Self-publishing pretty much started with Cerebus and Elfquest in the late 70s. The success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brought about visions of fame and fortune. Some of the indie cartoonists in those heady days, lead by Scott McCloud, got together and drafted a Creators Bill of Rights. By the time The Self-Publishing Movement began, Comics – the community and the industry – was poised for anything. Hundreds, if not thousands of artists picked up their pens and had a go at making their own books. At the height of the movement, self-published titles made up 17% of the comics market.
As I looked around the showroom at this year’s SPX, filled with hundreds of dedicated, enthusiastic indie comics creators working in every genre and every possible medium, I thought it might be fun to look back at those roots.
Watch for Doran’s to appear on Wednesday, with more to follow.
