By Justine Chamberlain
Manchester Comic Con hosted dozens of comic book writers and illustrators in its Comic Village and amongst them, I found Victor Wright from Geeky Comics. I asked the award winning author about self-publishing the comics he’s written and if he has any advice for anyone interested in following in his footsteps.
How do you go from writing an interesting story to having it produced?
I self-publish all my books myself. I do it for one reason. I’ve had several offers to be published and I’ve turned them down because the revenues and rewards from being published aren’t as great now as being self-published. I can self publish by myself on Amazon, all over the world. I can self publish on any other website that has the facilities, so I don’t really need an international publisher to publicize me because they simply won’t put the money in. A lot of authors get tied up with publishers thinking they’re going to have this wonderful marketing campaign that doesn’t exist.
You need more than just a writer to self publish your own comics though, so how do you go about finding illustrators?
The internet! It’s really straightforward. Obviously I use people that I know anyway and have worked with before, and then there are people who I chase down because I like their particular style. But I’ll also place adverts on places like deviantART, and I’ll put an advert saying I’m looking for an artist for a particular type of publication and I’ll explain what that is. I’ll probably get around 200 or 300 artists apply, and then I’ll sift through their portfolios until I find somebody that meets my requirements.
By putting all this together yourself, do you think it becomes a superior product?
I wouldn’t say that it was superior. I certainly use a lot of Marvel or DC artists and colourists, but I tend to use artists that I like the style of and everything that I’ve produced so far, sells. I think the audience that follows me like the things that I’m into.
Any tips for any writers looking to self-publish their comics?
Stick at it, because it’s really difficult. There’s nothing easy there. I always think back to when I was a kid. I had a friend called Ian and we used to draw Spiderman and Batman etcetera. Ian went in one direction and continued illustrating, and I went the other direction and started writing. And today, he produces my cover illustrations! His skills have improved and become really dynamic and he’s very well known for his illustrations, and I’ve become an award winning author, so it’s turned out well for us. So my tip is just to stick at it.
Featured image and gallery: Truck Festival For almost thirty years, set within the rolling fields of Hill Farm in Steventon, Oxfordshire, Truck Festival has been a cornerstone of the British festival calendar. Dubbed the ‘godfather of the UK’s small festival scene’, the festival continues to live up to that title, with a line-up packed with…
Featured image: American Football – American Football album artwork The debut album has long been treated as a baptism of fire for artists – the deciding factor that determines whether a band will ‘make it’ or not. Some debuts set the tone for what follows: Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m…
Featured image and gallery: Lucy Elson-Whittaker Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra come to the Palace Theatre in Manchester to celebrate the release of their new album, Night Blooms. Liverpool-based Brooke Combe opens the evening with a stripped-back set alongside her guitarist, her soulful vocals instantly captivating the crowd. Blending heartfelt performances with quick-witted…
Featured image and gallery: Sally Stretch Three decades after they first emerged in Manchester, Take That return home to the Etihad Stadium and deliver an unforgettable show, combining circus theatrics and crowd-pleasing hits from across their catalogue. Formed in 1990, the group have released multiple chart-topping albums and embarked on numerous world tours, including 2009’s…
Leave a reply