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NYCC

Case study: THOMAS ALSOP

by Palle Schmidt Leave a Comment

I met Chris Miskiewicz at the MoCCA Festival in New York in early 2011. The Devil’s Concubine was set to be published in the US that year but wasn’t out yet. I carried a print-out of the book with me, as well as a sample of my upcoming book STILETTO. I was blown away by the response. I wasn’t used to that kind of praise, and for the first time, people seemed to really GET IT. It felt like I’d been in a box for ten years and now someone had finally taken the lid off. I didn’t know what to expect from the show but I certainly wasn’t looking for work.

I met Chris as he and Dean Haspiel were setting up a booth. Chris and I clicked immediately. He gave me a copy of his Everywhere! anthology booklet he had printed for the show and asked me if I would consider doing an episode. We exchanged numbers and continued to chat for almost an hour. I walked back to the booth this Danish cartoonist had set up in the corner of the con floor and started reading the booklet. I texted Chris 5 minutes after we parted ways: “I’m in.” For a guy who wasn’t looking for work, I was totally failing after just one day in the country.

We stayed in touch over the next months via e-mail and texts. Chris sent me a great script for Everywhere! episode, a heist story that was more or less written with my taste in mind. It was a great experience and Chris continued to bring up Thomas Alsop, a concept he had pitched me on the con floor that first time I met him. I still figured it had nothing to do with me, not ready to commit to anything that major and not sure how to go about it.

Later that year I heard of New York Comic Con for the first time and figured I would try to fly over for that. I’d already been to San Diego Comic Con and did a few signings on the West Coast. I reached out to Dean and asked if I could come sit at his studio for a week or so before or after the con and he said sure. I went and got to know both Chris and Dean a whole lot better.

Scripts and photo references for Thomas Alsop started filling up our Dropbox and we did a little teaser episode for Trip City called The Case of Dead Uncle. Google it, I’m sure it’s still out there. Again Chris was smart enough to lure me in with something short and doable rather than a full script for 8 issues.

Chris had already written the entire 8-issue arc before I even drew a single page. It was crucial to have the ending (and wow, what an ending!) in mind even as I was working on issue 1. Whether it would ever go anywhere was still in the wind, but when Chris spent his own money creating a live action trailer (viewable on the front page of thomasalsop.com) I was floored. It looked like a million bucks! This crazy New Yorker meant business and he clearly knew what he was doing. 

In July of 2013 we pitched Thomas Alsop to BOOM! at SDCC. We’d bumped into a friend of Chris’ on the con floor who introduced us to Matt Gagnon and we chatted for like 20 minutes. Only after parting ways did we realize he was the editor in chief. 

BOOM! eventually picked up the book and I started breaking down the script and drawing issue #2. We did hit a small snag when the publisher suddenly wanted to discuss a key point in the story revolving 9/11. If it had been a minor element we would have probably obliged to change it but since it was in line 2 of the pitch they bought and was a crucial focal point of the whole series, Chris and I stood our ground. We eventually agreed to a add little essays as back matter, making it clear for the readers that Chris was not just some douche exploiting a national disaster but was himself a New Yorker, born and bred. The book went forward and the controversy never happened. On the contrary, the respectful handling of 9/11 in the story seemed to land us an even more committed fan base and the book was dubbed Best Mini-Series of 2014 by USA Today. So even though BOOM! decided not to do a second series due to lack of commercial success, we still have a book we can be proud of out there. And who knows, maybe some day…

Lessons learned:

If I have any regrets in my career, it is not going to a US con sooner. Where the US has an actual comics industry, Denmark does not. I learned a lot from working with Chris, and found out I don’t necessarily have to be the one behind the wheel to enjoy the ride. 


This post is an excerpt from my book SOLO – Survival Guide for Creative Freelancers – Pre-order now on Amazon.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: #SDCC, BOOM! Studios, Chris Miskiewicz, collaboration, comics industry, community, Dean Haspiel, Hang Dai Studios, New York, New York Comic Con, NYCC, SOLO, Thomas Alsop

Dean Haspiel Short Cuts to Making Better Comics – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 15

by Palle Schmidt 2 Comments


Emmy-award winning artist Dean Haspiel gives some insights on the craft and business of comics, the benefits of being part of a studio community and his current work on the series The Fox with writer Mark Waid. Dean also shares what he believes to be the secret to making better comics: It’s all about hair! For more about Haspiel’s work, check out http://www.deanhaspiel.com and http://www.tripcity.net .

Dean Haspiel sketching on napkins at an after NYCC event, New York 2013.
Dean Haspiel sketching on napkins at an after NYCC event, New York 2013.

Filed Under: News, Podcast Tagged With: career, comics, community, creativity, Dean Haspiel, Hang Dai Studios, improving as an artist, learning, making comics, Mark Waid, New York Comic Con, NYCC, studio, The Fox, tips for making comics

Talking Bad Karma with Seth Peck – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 12

by Palle Schmidt Leave a Comment


At NYCC I talked to Seth Peck about the Bad Karma writing collective, the succesful Kickstarter campaign behind the book Bad Karma Vol. 1 and about the importance of having partners in crime. For more info on Bad Karma and to get books and merchandice go to http://badkarmacreative.com/

The Bad Karma boys, left to right: Jeremy Haun, B. Clay Moore, Alex Grecian and Seth Peck
The Bad Karma boys, left to right: Jeremy Haun, B. Clay Moore, Alex Grecian and Seth Peck

Filed Under: News, Podcast, Pro Tips Tagged With: Alex Grecian, B. Clay Moore, Bad Karma, career, collaboration, comics, Jeremy Haun, Kickstarter, making comics, New York Comic Con, NYCC, pro tips, productivity, Seth Peck, storytelling, workflow, Writing

Tom Lyle and his Inner Voice – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 11

by Palle Schmidt 1 Comment


We’re often told to listen to the voice inside ourselves. But what if that voice is preventing you from working on the thing you love most? This morning I went back to the New York Comic Con to talk to Tom Lyle (tomlyle.blogspot.com), comics artist known for his work on Spiderman and Batman & Robin and teacher at the Savannah College of Art & Design (https://www.scad.edu/). And I was surprised and encouraged by the fact that this 28-year comics veteran also hears voices. So it’s not just me!

Give it a listen and leave comments below.

Tom Lyle signing for one of his long time fans at NYCC 2013
Tom Lyle signing for one of his long time fans at NYCC 2013

Filed Under: News, Podcast, Pro Tips Tagged With: Comic Con, creativity, critique, improving as an artist, learning, making comics, mind hacks, New York Comic Con, NYCC, pro tips, productivity, Savannah College of Art & Design, Spider-Man, storytelling, tips for making comics, Tom Lyle

Great Advice from Comics Writer Jim Zub – Comics for Beginners episode 10

by Palle Schmidt 1 Comment


I met Jim Zub, writer of Skullkickers, Samurai Jack and the Pathfinder comics at the New York Comic Con and grilled him about why he is letting everyone in on the secret to making comics. Turns out it’s all because of roleplaying!

For more of Zub’s great advice, go to http://www.jimzub.com or follow @jimzub on Twitter.

 

Filed Under: News, Podcast, Pro Tips Tagged With: career, Comic Con, comics, creativity, how to, improving as an artist, Jim Zub, Jim Zubkavitch, learning, making comics, New York Comic Con, NYCC, Pathfinder, pro tips, Samurai Jack, Skullkickers, storytelling, tips for making comics, Writing

Breaking In at the New York Comic Con – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 9

by Palle Schmidt Leave a Comment


At cons like NYCC you hear a lot of chatter about “breaking in” to comics. In this episode we get three different perspectives on the subject: from writer Kurtis Wiebe (http://kurtiswiebe.wordpress.com/), artist Rick Parker (http://rickparkercartoons.blogspot.com/) and colorist Jose Villarrubia (http://www.mica.edu/About_MICA/People/Faculty/Faculty_List_by_Last_Name/Jose_A_Villarrubia.html). Some great tips and valuable insights in this one!

NYCC-2013

Filed Under: Podcast, Pro Tips Tagged With: breaking in, comics, Comics conventions, comics industry, creativity, critique, Image Comics, improving as an artist, José Villarrubia, Kurtis Wiebe, learning, making comics, New York Comic Con, NYCC, pro tips, Rick Parker, tips for making comics

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