How About Something Positive?
I found something REALLY cool and positive today on DigitalStrips.com, it’s a video interview with Jennie Breeden who writes and draws The Devil’s Panties. In my opinion, Jennie is one of the most positive and helpful creators out there. I’ve seen her do “her thang” at comic shows, and like Wolverine, she could be the best there is at what she does.
In the 2 part interview, they cover everything about webcomics and then also delve into her putting her books out through a publisher and the process of dealing with Diamond and the direct market– it’s really informative and shows you how much work goes into doing all this stuff yourself. If I were talking to Jennie at a show about this, I’d actually like to tell her, instead of Lulu or spending an arm and a leg, you could go through Comixpress and do your own Black and White interior books and actually DOUBLE your profit per book than you would through Diamond…. but I understand wanting to be in comic book shops as well. I hate seeing creators a little frustrated by that crazy “jumping through fire hoops” process. Heh.
At one point she mentions a sort of 4 year rule, where she says if you want to do this webcomic or comic thing, give yourself 4 years with keeping the day job and doing this stuff on the side. That’s a really smart thing. I know some young creators I talk to, when I mention to them the FIVE YEAR idea, they usually get this shocked look in their face that almost says.. “but in five years, I’ll be old!!!” — yeah, it’s true. And before you know it, you’ll be 30… 40…. but you do have to start somewhere. And I’m always shoving the update schedule thing down people’s throats too. DAILY!!!!! DAILY!!!!! — if you can’t do daily, fine, try semi-daily MWF…… Weekly, I still think is sort of a waste of time if you’re looking for returning readers, unless you have a fanbase already and are pointing them to a new side comic of yours or something. But yeah– the bottom line, drawing comics, updating on time, and then trying to make money with it—- it’s not easy. It IS possible though.
so go check out something POSITIVE. A real POSITIVE creative force. Unlike, uh… yeah, just go there.
http://www.digitalstrips.com/2006/08/interview-with-jennie-breeden.html
August 19th, 2006 at 2:24 am
I had the opportunity to talk with Ms. Breeden at this past summer’s Wizard World Chicago and I whole heartedly agree with D.J.
Jennie is a wonderfully friendly and positive person, an absolute pleasure to talk to. She not talked about her own work, but was kind enough to listen to me talk about mine and look at my book collection that I had with me. She had some very constructive and helpful advise for me.
I still feel a little sorry for some of the more geeky fanboys she had to deal with there.
August 19th, 2006 at 6:52 am
She seems like such an awesome person. In a field littered with arrogant asshats it’s refreshing to see someone who doesn’t carry an ego the size of Texas. I found it sad a comic as good as hers made her -400 last year. I agree with DJ, there are ways of making money out there. The guy who draws “the Norm” set up a pay service and his goal was $100k per year (he ended up making between 70-80k) upfront to keep his strip updating daily.
The four year rule is nice but some of the biggest names in the art industry (Schultz, Watterson, Dr. Seuss (I know it’s not his real name)) hit in their thirties and fourties. If you love it and truly want to make a living at it you’ve got to do what DJ is and bust your ass. Jen may never get rich but she is doing what she loves and has left her mark on the world.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
I don’t know if you did this inadvertantly, but there is another webcomic called SomethingPositive, by R.K. Milholland, which is an awesome comic.
August 19th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
I read both Something Positive, and Devils Panties. I’ve been reading Jennie since before she got “spotted”. She is a down to earth person, with the slightly skewed outlook of a lifelong gamer. She LARPs, games, collects comic books…
Too bad I’m already married (and hideously ugly…) or I’d have stalk… snatched.. uh.. persued her….
uh..
I’d have gotten shot down about a billion times by now..
Seriously, Jennie is on the cusp of professional success, and deserves every second of it. (not that she isn’t a great hit, but she still has a day job, last I’d heard) Every sunday she posts her artwork rather than her comics, and it’s unbelievable.
August 19th, 2006 at 7:52 pm
I’ll see yir already married and hideously ugly and raise you a “rather admire her from afar and wouldn’t want to ruin such sweetness.”
Nice interview, DJ. Thanks for linking it. I even bookmarked her. I love it when an artist enjoys their work so much that they’ll wade through all that adversity to keep doing it.