DC Shipping Comics on Time...For Better or Worse

[Huerta]

It depends on who u are. If u sell based on ur name then the company will wait for you. Of course not many artists will get that kind of deal but you have to pay your dues first.

ANd there is no magic way on drawing quicker for guys like MAD!, Lee, Yu etc.. it is what it is. If you want monthly comics on a regular basis dont hire artists of their caliber.

[Johnny Blaque]

Why does Yu get clumped in with late artists? That guy hits his deadlines I think.

EDIT: Also I think this rumor is a good idea. Lots more chances for new talent to break in

[Inkthinker]

Seeing how this thread is going I feel like asking a question of the professionals.

My question is: Do the aesthetics of your images matter to you, or do you save that for personal work?

I'm imagining it would be hard to make a drawing that matches a specific artistic vision and get it done fast unless one has a very clean and simplified style.

I know I can't get a drawing done fast when I try to draw it in a specific way, but if I go for "good enough" or even "readable" I can be pretty quick.

Someone over at DA had a great quote in his/her sig that went something like "First you're awful and fast. Then you're good but slow. Then you get to be good and fast."

Seems to hold true in my experience. The more time you spend as an illustrator, the easier it becomes to produce work that both agrees with your aesthetic desires AND can be produced in a reasonable amount of time.

Keeping in mind, too, that I don't know a lot of comics artists who apply any aesthetic other than their own... unlike some fields, most comics artists aren't expected to remold their own style too much from their preferred baseline. You don't hire a guy with a Hitch style to draw like O'Malley. Presumably, if you're good enough to be hired by an editor, it's because they see something in the style you already present that they want you to produce for them.

The aesthetics of my work almost always matter to me... I like to produce good work. On more than one occasion I've produced bad work because I was getting a paycheck, but it can eat away at your insides over time. I don't recommend it.

[Steampunk]

The stupid thing is that many months have 22 working days (at least 21, and sometimes 23), so that really did fit the "page a day" standard pretty well...why would they change it to a four week schedule?

I think it really is editorial's job to stay on top of this stuff and plan out relief issues so that their regular artists don't get behind. Captain America has been perfect for this and even when the books are collected, there isn't anything that seems out of place.

I'd rather see every fifth issue be a fill-in rather than the last six pages of a book by someone else. See how horrible Wildcats looked when Travis started falling behind!

I know all about professionalism, but comics are a bit different than most jobs...where do you fit in vacation time or days spent at conventions? I really do think it's unfair for people to *expect* that every artist can do 12 monthly issues a year...so I really do think that it falls on editorial to manage that sort of stuff better.

[The_Standard]

They also seem to mention if a book is running late they will give the remaining pages to a fill in artist, that could mean more jobs availble to those who fill in.

[Huerta]

Why does Yu get clumped in with late artists? That guy hits his deadlines I think.

EDIT: Also I think this rumor is a good idea. Lots more chances for new talent to break in

Yu can be monthly but he has to bust his ass off and an artist can only do that for so long before he wears himself out and artists need to live theirs lives too instead of just making comics.

[shoryukenmaster]

Yu can be monthly but he has to bust his ass off and an artist can only do that for so long before he wears himself out and artists need to live theirs lives too instead of just making comics.

I sort of agree with that, but in a lot of ways I don't. In any other industry (and yes I do mean the creative ones) that wouldn't fly. You either deliver or they find someone who can. If you need to recharge that's what vacations and weekends are for. This is a job just like any other.

[Huerta]

I sort of agree with that, but in a lot of ways I don't. In any other industry (and yes I do mean the creative ones) that wouldn't fly. You either deliver or they find someone who can. If you need to recharge that's what vacations and weekends are for. This is a job just like any other.

I know exactly what the other entertainment fields are like and theyre a bit better than the comic industry with pay and work wise. Comics are non stop. Movies, games, product designs etc... are single jobs that pay bank and allow you to chill for a few weeks. The dream of an artist isnt to work like a slave and struggle all day everyday but to make living out of art and enjoy it. I know lots of stories from many artists working and I will say this... I will never work for companies like Pixar or Dreamworks. Reminded me of a sweatshop that just happenes to pay very well.

And art is not like any other job. Its why only so few make it in the business and most quit.

[shoryukenmaster]

The dream of anyone isn't to work like a slave and struggle all day everyday but to enjoy life and enjoy what they do.

All I'm saying is that there are plenty of jobs that are non-stop and constantly pushing your creativity that don't care if you're feeling it or not. You've got to produce.

You've got to work at least 8-10 hours a day, you've got deadlines, you've got to meet a customers and bosses satisfaction, and collect a paycheck. Sounds like a job to me.

[Huerta]

The dream of anyone isn't to work like a slave and struggle all day everyday but to enjoy life and enjoy what they do.

All I'm saying is that there are plenty of jobs that are non-stop and constantly pushing your creativity that don't care if you're feeling it or not. You've got to produce.

You've got to work at least 8-10 hours a day, you've got deadlines, you've got to meet a customers and bosses satisfaction, and collect a paycheck. Sounds like a job to me.

Most artists dont work everyday. Comic artists do.

Oh and Dreamworks is doing a movie called Monster vs Aliens done in the 5o's/60's retro style. Should be dope.