I need help as an independent comic book artist

[albertkinng]

Hi! This is not a post looking for funding on my campaign at indigogo This is a post looking for help on how to get people noticed my campaign in on. You see I've been working for a long time on a great story and sketches to bring a new Superhero to the surface. I did everything my friends told me. register characters, register script, register drawings, names, colors etc etc... I've spend a lot of money just protecting this dream and now I'm trying indigogo to see if someone fall in love of my story, I've been a comic collector for years and a comic strip artist for a couple of news papers but this is the first time I want to try a Graphic Novel/comic series to be published. do you know any comic community forums that I can just shout out about my comic 'Alienox' and see if people can support my campaign? I really don't know how to get to the masses with this and it's getting frustrated. thanks in advance

[keeen]

Damn, that's a tough question and predicament. I want to wish you the best of luck. Here's a couple suggestions, with the caveat that I have absolutely no experience in the area, so my ideas are probably worthless.

- some publishers take open submissions?
- I think comixology publishes independently-created stuff?
- can you work conventions doing sketches and have some copies of your book on the table to sell? alternatively, can you hustle your ass off and maybe get into some comic shops to sell/sign your book?
- at least one podcast I listen to (11oclock comics) seems to occasionally shout-out work that listeners send in to them
- there's gotta be some kind of cross-pollination on instagram or deviant art or whatever online communities artists hang out in (you know, leaving comments on someone else's page: "great stuff here's what I'm working on")
- also, why NOT publish a link to your campaign right here? It's like you were reluctant to do so in this forum, but then you were asking about forums just like this where you could do so...just do it!

Like I said, probably worthless suggestions, and don't directly address the indiegogo question, so maybe I've misunderstood

[MRP]

Hi! This is not a post looking for funding on my campaign at indigogo This is a post looking for help on how to get people noticed my campaign in on. You see I've been working for a long time on a great story and sketches to bring a new Superhero to the surface. I did everything my friends told me. register characters, register script, register drawings, names, colors etc etc... I've spend a lot of money just protecting this dream and now I'm trying indigogo to see if someone fall in love of my story, I've been a comic collector for years and a comic strip artist for a couple of news papers but this is the first time I want to try a Graphic Novel/comic series to be published. do you know any comic community forums that I can just shout out about my comic 'Alienox' and see if people can support my campaign? I really don't know how to get to the masses with this and it's getting frustrated. thanks in advance

If you are on Facebook, there are some groups devoted to indy creators, allowing them to network, ask questions, etc.

Try searching the Indyfest Network and ICC (Independent Creators Connection) on facebook groups. If you join you can pose your question to people who have already been through the process and who might have practical experience to draw from in answering your questions.

You might also look for local comic shows in your area that are indy comic friendly (especially if there are small press shows in the area) and attend and talk to the creators there. You might look at making an ashcan sampler to bring and show around, or maybe even do some shows as an exhibitor with those ashcans and art prints to sell to generate interest in your book. It's going to take time, money and effort on your part, but there are thousands of creators getting their stuff out there on some level or another. You are not likely to sell your book/idea to one of the Diamond level publishers out of the gate, but there are ways to get your stuff out there and get attention for it.

Look at some of the events/shows geared towards small press comics too.

APE (Alternate Press Expo)

Columbus Ohio has SPACE (Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo) and the Cartoon Crossraods CXC (which is the brainchild of Jeff Smith of Bone fame) and this past weekend in Dayton there was ICE (Independent Creators Expo) (I'm in that area so I am more familiar with them)

Toronto and San Francisco have events/shows that are small creator friendly as well. There are probably lots more I am unfamiliar with and some could be in your area.


some links...

SPACE http://www.backporchcomics.com/space.htm

Cartoon Crossroads Columbus http://www.cartooncrossroadscolumbus.com/

ICE http://ice.studioakumakaze.com/

all have Facebook presences as well

there are lots of people there who will be better able to address the questions about funding and getting attention for your stuff.

You might also look at the forum here on CBR showcasing creators, as it more focused on the creator side of comics than the forums for readers of comics. This thread might be better noticed by people who have answers there...

-M

[TotalSnorefest]

You might also look at the forum here on CBR showcasing creators, as it more focused on the creator side of comics than the forums for readers of comics. This thread might be better noticed by people who have answers there...

The forum MRP means is this one right here, in case you were wondering! I agree it might be useful to ask other creators who ran a succesful campaign how they did it.

For Kickstarter (and therefore Indiegogo as well, I assume) the general seems to be to NOT underestimate shipping, it adds up fast worldwide. So if you're going for a physical product, don't promise you'll deliver a copy for 10$ to anywhere from Chile to New Zealand, it's not feasible.

I would try to leverage your existing clout as a newspaper artist if at all possible, do your strips have fanpages? If not, make one and inform them about your new project.

[albertkinng]

Wow! Thanks for all the suggestions! Here is my campaign address: https://igg.me/at/alienox/x I'm going to create a fan page in facebook and all that! that's great advice!
fbcover-squashed.jpg

[Timothy Wood]

Share it with creators like me
Don't forget that we are just people who started out just the same.
Send us a message on twitter / fb / crowdfunding sites. The people who don't give you the time of day are
either super busy or not very nice. Most people will be happy to give you some pointers, direction or help.

I'd be happy to chat.