Americans stealing our talent!

[pauljholden]

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that even when writing exclusively nasty things about how stupid, lame and loathsome superheroes are, you're still writing about superheroes.  Which suggests to me that you are interested in superheroes (and how awful they are).  And when you are doing it well and seem to be enjoying doing it, then it looks to me like you (deep down) enjoy writing about superheroes*.

I see the same thing but I draw an entirely different conclusion: US mainstream comics REQUIRE you to write / draw superheroes in order to make any sort of living. If you're able to bend that format into something that you want to write then you do it (otherwise, I'm sure the restriction would drive you mad or to a different medium).

I'm pretty sure where you see Garth enjoying writing about superheros I see Garth making a good fist at trying to enjoy working within the limits of the mainstream comic market.

-pj

[Emperor]

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that even when writing exclusively nasty things about how stupid, lame and loathsome superheroes are, you're still writing about superheroes.  Which suggests to me that you are interested in superheroes (and how awful they are).  And when you are doing it well and seem to be enjoying doing it, then it looks to me like you (deep down) enjoy writing about superheroes*.

I see the same thing but I draw an entirely different conclusion: US mainstream comics REQUIRE you to write / draw superheroes in order to make any sort of living. If you're able to bend that format into something that you want to write then you do it (otherwise, I'm sure the restriction would drive you mad or to a different medium).

I'm pretty sure where you see Garth enjoying writing about superheros I see Garth making a good fist at trying to enjoy working within the limits of the mainstream comic market.

Or it is a cathartic boot in the nuts for a superhero genre that currently dominates American comic books and makes it difficult for creators to do well in other genres?

[maryanddavid]

I have alway wondered that there has never been an attempt at a British Image, the amount of creators from Britain that are the cream of the crop in the states, and pumping out some great stuff. There is a few indy publishers in the states publishing work by Moore, Ellis, Bolland.
Would it be worth Rebellions time and effort to look to the direct market and publish the efforts of well known Brit(and Irish) creators for the states?  Mayby not, but the new creator owned slot in the meg is working well.

Clint is probably the nearest effort, not my cup of tea but Millar and Titan to be applauded for having a go, mostly reprint IMO not the way to go, but all new material would have cost a fortune to launch.

David

[pauljholden]

I have alway wondered that there has never been an attempt at a British Image, the amount of creators from Britain that are the cream of the crop in the states, and pumping out some great stuff. There is a few indy publishers in the states publishing work by Moore, Ellis, Bolland.
Would it be worth Rebellions time and effort to look to the direct market and publish the efforts of well known Brit(and Irish) creators for the states?  Mayby not, but the new creator owned slot in the meg is working well.

Clint is probably the nearest effort, not my cup of tea but Millar and Titan to be applauded for having a go, mostly reprint IMO not the way to go, but all new material would have cost a fortune to launch.

David

Image is a peculair beast, coming about, as it did, from several american titans who were earning shitloads of money off the back of spiderman. That funded the start of it and, I don't think it could ever be replicated again (and certainly could never be replicated in the UK).

Now, as well as the original image founders work, it also acts as a brand for anyone who can get their work accepted. BUT they don't pay (in fact, you pay a fee, but that comes out of the payment from distributors) - there's an inherent gamble in doing image work, one that doesn't always pay off.

I've often thought that there should be a UK creators anthology title, one for x-droids, but, as far as I know, anthology titles don't really sell very well in the US.

-pj

[Emperor]

Image is a peculair beast, coming about, as it did, from several american titans who were earning shitloads of money off the back of spiderman. That funded the start of it and, I don't think it could ever be replicated again (and certainly could never be replicated in the UK).

It might be doable, especially if you don't offer a page rate. In some ways aren't Com.x doing something like this but for graphic novels?

You'd need the seed money but there shouldn't be something to stop one of the independent publishers from doing this. It might be you could get this through Kickstarter or Indiegogo.

You'd also need someone with a solid business head to make sure you are able to recoup your costs so you can keep the momentum going once you've got going.

Now, as well as the original image founders work, it also acts as a brand for anyone who can get their work accepted. BUT they don't pay (in fact, you pay a fee, but that comes out of the payment from distributors) - there's an inherent gamble in doing image work, one that doesn't always pay off.

You can get a page rate from Image but you'd have to negotiate it with them and they'd want a slice of the IP. You'd probably be better off either going it alone or using Kickstarter/Indiegogo so you can keep the artist working on the title but plenty of Image Comics managed this without going down that route but you'd need to know if the artist can manage it.

I've often thought that there should be a UK creators anthology title, one for x-droids, but, as far as I know, anthology titles don't really sell very well in the US.

That was kind of what Mark Millar was talking about before CLiNT came into focus - an anthology that his ex-droid chums could use to develop properties with an eye to getting them optioned (the anthology format meaning you could compress your stories and get them out there quicker). Pity it never happened but perhaps someone somewhere is thinking about it. The creator-owned slot in the Meg might show the way forward, getting Jock and Andy Diggle back is kind of a Big Deal, so might get people thinking about a creator-owned anthology (as there must surely be more people who might be interested in this but the slot is going to be tied up for a while now - droids and ex-droids must have ideas for series they are keeping for themselves rather then offering up as WFH).

[TordelBack]

I'm pretty sure where you see Garth enjoying writing about superheros I see Garth making a good fist at trying to enjoy working within the limits of the mainstream comic market.

A fair point. 

[O Lucky Stevie!]

ISRC The Boys was resultant of Wildstorm asking Garth for something more commercially viable to shore up the lower sales expected on Battler Briton & other former IPC characters.

He most certainly delivered on that front, didn't he?  

That was kind of what Mark Millar was talking about before CLiNT came into focus - an anthology that his ex-droid chums could use to develop properties with an eye to getting them optioned

So this was the title that MM was discussing with Brendan McCarthy! It appears that Stevie's been picking up CLiNT under a misapprehension.

[credo]

It really is a sad thing that so many talented artists and writers, quite rightly, head off to the American publications to earn substantially more dosh. Great for them, no doubt, but sucks for me as I've never had any desire to read the kind of comic that's created for the American market. Superheroes (with the exception of Zenith) have always just bored me rigid.

Of course this means I've missed out on pages and pages of Alan Moore, Kevin O'Neil, Brian Bolland and so many others (I think it's O'Neil that hurts the most).

Still, if O'Neil hadn't left Nemesis, we'd never have got Talbot and then wouldn't have had Hinklenton.

Also, be thankful of the talent 2000AD's kept: Ezquerra, Mills, Wagner, Grant, Flint and loads more.

[Emperor]

That was kind of what Mark Millar was talking about before CLiNT came into focus - an anthology that his ex-droid chums could use to develop properties with an eye to getting them optioned

So this was the title that MM was discussing with Brendan McCarthy!

Yep. I am not sure if this was an idea for CLiNT before it became a Millar reprint anthology or if it was for a different magazine entirely but it always struck me this sounded like a better idea than CLiNT turned out to be. I'm just trying to find the original rumours...

[Art]

I got stolen by an American. Mainly she makes me do the dishes and look after the kids.

[Emperor]

I got stolen by an American. Mainly she makes me do the dishes and look after the kids.

Does the despicability have no limits?

[Richmond Clements]

I got stolen by an American. Mainly she makes me do the dishes and look after the kids.

You should throw the tea in the harbour- the irony will destroy them... or something.