All right, so last time we posted Marvel EiC Joe Quesada’s tips on how to put together a spectacular art sample for editors, we got some nice response. But some people were wondering — what about writing?
Well, the Twitterverse has given us some new tutorials from some comics superstars: some writing tips from Joe Q himself, as well as a step-by-step look at cover art by Jim Lee!
Here’s Quesada’s tips for anyone interested in writing, which he posted a few days back (remember: this in reverse chronological order, as per Twitter’s format):
# Hope that little bit helped. See ya!4:42 PM Apr 9th from web
# Okay, gang, I have a dinner date and have to run. More next week. I’ll also look over your questions and post tweets with some answers.4:42 PM Apr 9th from web
# What form does that submission take and how long or short should it be? Therein lies your answer.4:42 PM Apr 9th from web
# Put yourself in the position of the editor who is overworked and getting hundreds or subs.4:41 PM Apr 9th from web
# If we like what we see, we’ll ask you to show us the rest.4:41 PM Apr 9th from web
# But even with that, keep it simple, 11-22 pages or so. We don’t need six issues, we just need to see your best.4:41 PM Apr 9th from web
# Artist and writers are coming together to show off their talents and printing their own mini comics. These make it much easier for Editors.4:40 PM Apr 9th from web
# Brian Bendis is the master of this, produced his own stuff and worked it well. Got read and got in. Now he is king
4:40 PM Apr 9th from web
# Having something in comic form, an ashcan, what have you, is the easiest. Today with the global community, this is easier to do than before4:39 PM Apr 9th from web
# Now, all this said, sending in a writing submission like this is a very difficult way to get discovered. Having something in print is easier4:39 PM Apr 9th from web
# These don’t have to be fleshed out but go a very long was as they show us just how creative and prolific you can be.4:38 PM Apr 9th from web
# If you consider yourself someone who has great high concepts, you can also include several high concepts along with you initial pitches.4:38 PM Apr 9th from web
# This will show us your range.4:37 PM Apr 9th from web
# I’d recommend perhaps two or three samples like this. Pick a different character or team of characters. Add variety to the mix.4:37 PM Apr 9th from web
# Then, give us a scene with panels, action and dialog so that we can get an idea of how you would handle scripting. About 3-5 pages of comic4:36 PM Apr 9th from web
# Follow this with a three-paragraph breakdown of the three acts in your story. If you can’t do this rethink your story.4:35 PM Apr 9th from web
# If you can’t distill it down to one two sentences, then it’s not going to work. Trust me, this is very tough to do, you’ll be surprised.4:35 PM Apr 9th from web
# Give us a one or two sentence pitch of your story. In other words, “The High Concept.”4:34 PM Apr 9th from web
# Start by thinking of a 22 page, told in one story. This is much harder than you may think.4:34 PM Apr 9th from web
# This is what our monthly writers have to do. Yes, they reinvent from time to time, but most often they’re playing with the toys as they are4:33 PM Apr 9th from web
# This is what separates the men from the boys, women from girls. Work within the parameters, what can you do, can you make it interesting?4:31 PM Apr 9th from web
# Pick a character, lets say Spidey, and show us a pitch for a Spidey story as he exists in current continuity and current cast.4:30 PM Apr 9th from web
# If you get a gig at Marvel and steady work, then later we’ll be interested in your higher concepts. But when breaking in, keep it simple.4:28 PM Apr 9th from web
# What we want to see is how you handle our characters as they exist right now. Example: don’t redefine Wolverine, just write Wolverine.4:27 PM Apr 9th from web
# This is a waist of time. We don’t want to see that from you at this stage in the game.4:25 PM Apr 9th from web
# Too often writers want to send us an idea on how to reinvent or interpret an old character, or a concept for a big event.4:24 PM Apr 9th from web
# In many cases it may never get read at all. My advice is the same as for artist, keep it short and sweet.4:23 PM Apr 9th from web
# No matter how you look at it, a Brubaker script will always be at the top of the pile of stuff to read.4:22 PM Apr 9th from web
# Editors are busy and have scripts that have to be published that take precedence over everything else, so your sub is going to have to wait.4:21 PM Apr 9th from web
# Okay, now that that’s out of the way – -4:21 PM Apr 9th from web
# This is simply because a writer can produce more work in a given month than an artist can.4:19 PM Apr 9th from web
# However, while it’s harder to break in as a writer, if and when you do, you have a better opportunity to make more money than an artist.4:18 PM Apr 9th from web
# So, first and foremost, it’s much harder for writers to get looked out. That”s the hard truth.4:17 PM Apr 9th from web
# We’re trying to get our house in order and come back with a better submissions system and hopefully be able to avoid backlog in the future4:16 PM Apr 9th from web
# First let me make clear that because of a huge still unread stack of submissions, Marvel is currently not looking at new writer submissions.4:12 PM Apr 9th from web
# I’m going to keep this as short as possible and pick it up on another day. Consider this installment #14:04 PM Apr 9th from web
Good stuff. What about Jim Lee, you ask? Well, read on for today’s posts on art:
# Which led to this quick color tweak using sliders by me. Jonny then made it look much better/professional and sing! http://tiny.cc/7gPuv5 minutes ago from web
# Initial color pass by Jonny Rench wh I thought a bit 2 saturated and on sepia side for GOW which is more blue/cool http://tiny.cc/PWkZF7 minutes ago from web
# Approved n now w inks by Scott Williams;made tiny adj 2 linework myself wh is rare.Scott nails it 99 times out of 100 http://tiny.cc/U6J0f9 minutes ago from web
# Once approved by the kind Epic folk I added details,texture&shadow cleaner version easier to see for approval sake. http://tiny.cc/KJW5g12 minutes ago from web
# Which led to this layout img.Nt as wildly contorted so it lost sme energy but I wanted to make it a mre subtle gesture http://tiny.cc/kuvks14 minutes ago from web
# Initial layout for Gears of War cover…anatomy was too whack so I shot some photo ref which is rare http://tiny.cc/y277I17 minutes ago from web
# OK you doubter.My Gears of War cover w spectacular inks by Scott Williams and colors by Jonny Rench.Introes a new char http://tiny.cc/XKWvfabout 2 hours ago from web
April 14th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
See, here’s the problem… They keep telling us WHAT to put into an editor’s hands (how to build a writer’s portfolio, etc.), and that’s fine, but it’s never clear HOW to get it INTO their hands, especially for those of us who live in the middle of nowhere and can’t attend any of the big Cons.
The old Marvel writer’s submission policy required you send an inquiry letter first (if you were following the rules) and those were never even replied to because they weren’t looking. I guess I could’ve NOT followed the rules…? I assume that’s what most people did and I assume these are the same ones who are still getting their work looked at in that backlog Joe talked about.
Lame.
April 16th, 2009 at 6:11 am
Jeremiah, it does give you some clues about how to break in. For example, @joequesada says in this post that gaining individual fame by publishing your own work and garnering a following on your own is a good way to get started. He also alludes to something @CBCebulski revealed in his blog, that at cons, he takes a quick look at work from anyone.
But here’s the thing. Your work can’t just be good. It has to be stunningly original. It has to stand out. If it doesn’t, you might as well stay home. That’s the harsh truth of any writing or art gig in any genre. Gotta WOW them.