CE Alum Paul Allor's "Warlord" Published in "Barsowia."

The Barsowia anthology recently featured a story written by CE alum and Book Club Manager Paul Allor with illustrations by JM Ken Niimura (I Kill Giants, Amazing Spider-Man).

Barsowia is a Galician-language anthology, published in Spain.

"Barsowia has published the work of some extraordinary comics creators over the years," Paul said. "We're quite honorored to be included among their ranks."

The story reprinted in Barsowia is "Warlord," a part of the Clockwork anthology. You can read the English-language version online at www.clockworkcomic.com.

The Clockwork anthology contained 12 original stories on cross-genre characters such as space-faring gorilla pirates, heart-broken robots, a beautiful gunfighter, and even a man on death row.

Clockwork contained artwork by Comics Experience art alums and workshop members Ken Frederick and Carl Peterson, alongside well-known artists including Brett Weldele (Surrogates) and Nikki Cook (Memoir), as well as JM Ken Niimura.

It was also recently announced that Paul will be writing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #8 featuring Fugitoid. Paul's story will introduce the popular Fugitoid character into IDW's turtles continuity.

In addition to writing, Paul works as a comics editor on upcoming or released projects such as Girls' Night Out, Gutter Magic, Deluge, and Rex, Zombie Killer

Congratulations to Paul and JM Ken Niimura on the release of their work in Barsowia!

Parker and Lieber Discuss Artist-Friendly Comics Writing

Recently, writer Jeff Parker and artist Steve Lieber joined the Creators Workshop Book Club, to discuss their collaboration on Image limited series Underground.

During the session, Lieber and Parker discussed ways that writers can create visually-driven scripts, that take full advantage of comics' unique visual vocabulary. Though Parker is now known as a writer, he has a background in art. Both he and Lieber were among the founders of Periscope Studio, a comics collective in Portland, Oregon.

Think in terms of actions and moments

"You want to think concise," Parker said. "Comics is a series of moments, and all you've got is this one little moment. Just one action."

Lieber noted that Parker's scripts for Underground were visually driven, without trying to shoehorn filmmaker effects into the comics medium.

"He thinks visually," Lieber said. "He makes his points visually. When there's a dramatic moment in the script, what makes it dramatic is what you can see visually rather than what's said."

Lieber and Parker also pointed out that many comics writers say they write all of their dialogue first. That might be great for a play, Lieber said, but not for the visually-driven comics medium.

By contrast, "you want to be able to write out the entire comic with no dialogue," Parker said. "You should be able to break down the whole issue in pure action, as though it were a silent film."

Don't call the shots on art

Parker also advised that writers avoid "calling the shots" for artists. He said this is particularly true if the writer does not have an artists' background.

Parker said that for him, this translates to concise panel descriptions, especially if he's worked with the artist before, or if the artist is a member of Periscope Studio, where Lieber and Parker both work.

"Maybe I'll describe a big paragraph at the beginning saying what I want to get out of the scene, and then I'm pretty terse in my descriptions of each panel," he said. "I try to let the dialogue -- when there is dialogue -- carry some of that weight so you can tell what they're supposed to be doing."

Introduce your characters visually

Finally, Parker described himself as a firm believer that character is expressed through action, and that visuals can be used to explain and describe character motivations. He said writers should always look for opportunities to use visuals in service of character.

As an example, he said, the first time we see Wesley Fischer, Underground's main character, she is in her bedroom.

Fischer is a park ranger, and Parker noted that "everything she has is made out of camping equipment. She has lanterns sitting up on coolers, and she's lying on a pad with a sleeping bag on it with him. She has no real piece of furniture in the place. Everything is just some repurposed stuff, because she's all about being outdoors, in nature, going out into caves."

Lieber noted that Wesley "hasn't put down roots yet," and that this early visualization tells the reader a lot about Wesley's character, and one of the book's core conflicts.

Other topics discussed included:

* How the Underground project came together;
* Lieber and Parker's artistic influence;
* Lieber and Parker's decision to release Underground online, on a donation basis;
* Pacing/plotting in creator-owned comics vs. work-for-hire comics;
* The experience of working in Periscope Studio;
* Collaboration, and how Parker and Lieber handled disagreements;
* Working with retailers, and marketing the book;
* Whether it's better to have a small publisher or self-publish;
* Webcomics as a way to break in and get attention;
* Advice for breaking in;
* And many more.

Underground is currently available in trade paperback form, through Comixology and at www.undergroundcomic.com.

Parker is also the writer of ongoing comics Hulk and Dark Avengers through Marvel Comics. Bucko, a web-comic he created with artist Erika Moen, will be released in print through Dark Horse Comics.

Lieber's recent projects include Dark Horse Comics mini-series Alabaster: Wolves with writer Caitlin R. Kiernan, and Vertigo Comics graphic novel Shooters, with writers Eric Trautmann and Brandon Jerwa.

Creators Workshop sessions take place every month, giving members real-world knowledge that will help them succeed in their comics career. Additionally, the monthly Creators Workshop Book Club sessions feature guest writers and artists discussing the craft and art of comics, as well as the business side of things.

There's still plenty of time to sign up before the next session. We hope to see you there.

-- Posted by Paul Allor

Tim Daniel Joins Creators Workshop Tomorrow Night!

Tomorrow night, June 26, 2012 at 9pm Eastern Time, we'll be having a live, online Creators Workshop session with special guest Tim Daniel, comic book writer of the upcoming title Enormous and designer on many projects from publishers such as Skybound and Shadowline!

Tim has helped a lot of people you know make comics through his production and design skills. In 2005, he began designing logos and other interior graphic elements for comics and has since worked with Brian Michael Bendis, Robert Kirkman, and Nick Spencer as well as for Icon, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Comics.

His work can be seen monthly in Morning Glories and additional Shadowline series, 27 and Peter Panzerfaust. He's written and designed 'The Powers Encylopedia' as well as 'The Walking Dead Survivors' Guide.'

Tim's comics writing debut, Enormous, with artist Mehdi Cheggour, premieres in July as a 64-page, oversized treasury edition one-shot from Shadowline/Image.

The story follows Ellen Grace as she leads a search-and-recovery team saving children amongst the ruins of a city destroyed by gigantic monsters run amok.

Enormous recently received coverage of a special prelude story in USA Today which can be viewed right here.

There's still time to join us at the Creators Workshop before this sure-to-be great discussion! We hope to see you there.

---

If you want to make comics, write or draw comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

CE Alum Jody LeHeup Joins Valiant Entertainment!

Comics Experience alum Jody LeHeup was recently named to the position of Associate Editor at Valiant Entertainment.

In his new role, Jody will contribute to Valiant's relaunched line, which includes X-O Manowar, Harbinger, Bloodshot, and Archer & Armstrong.

LeHeup joins Assistant Editor Josh Johns and Executive Editor Warren Simons on the Valiant editorial staff.

"Valiant is already off to a roaring start and I'm thrilled to be joining such a talented team," said LeHeup.

Jody previously spent four years as a Marvel editor where he managed many bestselling and critically lauded titles during his tenure, including Uncanny X-Force, Age of Apocalypse, Deadpool, and X-Factor. His work on the acclaimed anthology Strange Tales garnered him a Harvey Award nomination in 2011.

"When we began our search for a new Associate Editor, Jody's name was at the top of my list," said Simons. "I had the opportunity to share an office with Jody at Marvel, and I saw firsthand how dedicated he was to creating amazing, innovative stories. He has a tremendous love for our medium, and I know he'll be an exceptional addition to our hardworking team at Valiant."

In 2007, prior to his time at Marvel, Jody took the Comics Experience writing class, when it was still being taught in person in New York City. (Courses are now taught live, online.)

“The Comics Experience writing class is a fantastic environment in which to hone your
storytelling skills and I recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about the craft of comic book writing. Whether you’re looking to begin or improve your work, Comics Experience has something to offer you. Not to mention the fact that the networking I did there played a part in getting me my first interview for work in the industry.”

Valiant Entertainment is a character-based publishing and licensing company that owns
and controls some of the most cherished comic characters ever created across all media worldwide. Since their creation in 1989, Valiant characters have sold 80 million comic books and have been the basis of a number of successful video game franchises.

We want to congratulate Jody on his new position!

Bunn and Hurtt Join the Workshop to Talk Collaboration, "The Sixth Gun"

Recently, writer Cullen Bunn and artist Brian Hurtt joined the Comics Experience Creators Workshop to discuss their own collaborative process on Oni Press' hit ongoing series The Sixth Gun and other projects.

During the workshop, one member asked Bunn about the scripts he writes for Hurtt, and whether the style of script is affected by their strong collaboration.

"I use a little bit of a prose approach," Bunn said. "The way I envision it is, this is the first time Brian is seeing anything for that story. It's the first time an editor is seeing anything for that story. I want them to enjoy it, and I want to paint a picture. I want to paint a mood."

By contrast, Bunn and Hurtt said, many comic scripts are written like movie shooting scripts, with multiple camera angles and specific instructions for each shot.

Bunn said he sometimes notes angles, but that it's understood that Hurtt can go in a different direction, without first consulting him. For his part, Hurtt said he loves Bunn's scripts, and compared reading them to reading a good book.

"You see the images in your head, and you get excited for that," he said.

He also said that the approach lends itself to a greater level of collaboration between artist and writer.

"I've worked with several others writers," Hurtt said. "They were talented writers, and very nice people, but there was no collaboration. They did the script, they turned it over to me, and I drew what was in the script.

"And when I can't be part of the collaboration, and can't be excited, the work suffers. I feel like my best work is when I work with Cullen, because it is collaboration."

Other topics discussed included:

* Transitioning to a full-time career in comics;
* The sacrifices required to build your craft and develop a career;
* The development of The Sixth Gun;
* The importance of setting aside ego when collaborating with an artist or writer;
* Other creative teams that Bunn and Hurtt look up to;
* How Bunn started to get work at Marvel Comics;
* And many more.

The Sixth Gun is released monthly through Oni Press, with volumes one through three available in trade paperback. Bunn and Hurtt's previous collaboration, The Damned, is also available in trade paperback form.

Creators Workshop sessions take place every month, giving members real-world knowledge that will help them succeed in their comics career. Additionally, the monthly Creators Workshop book club sessions feature guest writers and artists discussing the craft and art of comics, as well as the business side of things.

There's still plenty of time to sign up before the next session. We hope to see you there!

-- Posted by Paul Allor

[Photo of Cullen and Brian above by Jeff of Draw Me In.]

Ramón K. Pérez & Stephen Christy Discuss "Tale of Sand" Tomorrow Night!

On Tuesday, June 19, 2002 at 9pm Eastern Time, the Creators Workshop will be holding a live, online Book Club discussion on Jim Henson's Tale of Sand with special guests artist Ramón K. Pérez and editor Stephen Christy from Archaia!

Discovered in the Archives of The Jim Henson Company, Tale of Sand is an original graphic novel adaptation of an unproduced, feature-length screenplay written by Jim Henson and his frequent writing partner, Jerry Juhl.

Tale of Sand follows scruffy everyman Mac, who wakes up in an unfamiliar town, and is chased across the desert of the American Southwest by all manners of man and beast of unimaginable proportions. Produced under the complete supervision of the Henson Company, Tale of Sand will allow Henson fans to recognize some of the inspirations and set pieces that appeared in later Henson Company productions.

Adapted by artist Ramón K. Pérez with editor Stephen Christy, Tale of Sand has received FIVE Eisner nominations this year for Best Graphic Album-New, Best Penciller/Inker (Ramón K. Pérez), Best Coloring (Ian Herring and Ramón K. Pérez), Best Lettering (Deron Bennett), and Best Publication Design (Eric Skillman).

Stephen Christy, the Editor-in-Chief of Archaia, will be one of our special guests for the session.

He opened Archaia's Los Angeles office in 2008, after working as Development Manager for Devil's Due Publishing. Prior to his comics career, Christy worked in development and production for shows such as America's Next Top Model and The Real World.

And Stephen will be joined by our other special guest, Ramón K. Pérez. An established cartoonist and illustrator for well over a decade, Ramón's catalogue of work is as diverse as the styles he employs. His clients includes Archaia, Marvel, DC, Dark Horse Comics, Scholastic Canada, Lucasarts, Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, and many more. Aside from Tale of Sand, recent highlights include Captain America and the First Thirteen, Deadpool Team -Up #883, Dazzler, Resistance, JSA: Classified, numerous covers for Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and his self-authored and illustrated RIFTS: Machinations of Doom.

There's still time to join us at the Creators Workshop before this great discussion! We hope to see you there.

---

If you want to make comics, write or draw comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

CE Alum Rob Anderson Named Runner-Up in Skullkickers Contest

Rob Anderson, CE Alum and Comics Experience General Manager, was just named as a runner-up in the "Tavern Tales" writing and art competition in Jim Zub's Skullkickers from Image Comics.


The results were announced in Skullkickers #15 which just hit stands this week.

The "Tavern Tales" contest encouraged readers to submit their writing and art for the chance to appear in the upcoming short stories issue, Skullkickers #18. The winners were Aubrey Sitterson (writing) and Ivan Anaya (art), but four writing runners up were also named, including Rob!

Jim Zub received more than 300 entries in the contest, and more than 250 of those were writing pitches.

"All our writing Runner-Ups had great ideas and Skullkickers-worthy humor layered into their entries," Jim Zub said in Skullkickers #15. "It was excruciatingly difficult picking a winner."

In addition to being General Manager of Comics Experience, Rob Anderson is the writer of the comic book Rex, Zombie Killer, recently published by Big Dog Ink.

Rex, Zombie Killer, along with CE alum Bobby Curnow's Night of 1,000 Wolves from IDW, were the first stories "workshopped" at the script stage in the Creators Workshop to be distributed via Diamond Previews to comic shops.

In addition, the entire creative team on Rex consists of CE alums and/or Workshop members, including artist DaFu Yu, colorist Kevin Volo, letterer/designer E.T. Dollman, and editor Paul Allor.

Congrats to Rob on placing on the shortlist!

And congrats to all the Creators Workshop writers and artists who submitted to the contest. Keep making comics!

Only 4 Slots Left in July "Intro to Comic Book Writing" Class!

We just wrote a blog about this class on June 8th, and now, less than one week later, we have only 4 open slots left!

Our next Introduction to Comic Book Writing Class begins July 25, 2012, and the course will be taught by former Marvel and IDW Editor, Andy Schmidt.

Our last Intro to Writing Class sold out weeks early, and our current Advanced Comic Book Writing class sold out in record time -- before we could even post about it on this blog. So if you're interested in this class, you're running out of time!

Sign up for our Intro class here!

Your instructor, Andy Schmidt, worked on nearly every major character in the Marvel canon during his time there, and edited hit titles such as X-Factor, the Annihilation saga, Alias, and more.

At IDW, he managed major franchises like GI Joe and Transformers. He is also the author of the Eagle Award-winning book, The Insider's Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels, published by Impact Books.

In this six-week course, not only will you learn comic book writing from a pro, but the course will be packed with practical, real-world advice on the industry and "breaking in" to help you pursue your career in comics!

That's why Comics Experience alum, Nick Spencer, tweeted:

"For all aspiring comic pros asking for advice on craft/breaking in, I once again highly recommend Andy Schmidt's @ComicExperience courses."

A few years ago, Nick had to move to New York City to take Comics Experience classes (check out his guest blog here to read that tale).

But you don't have to move, now that our courses are offered LIVE, online. You can attend from wherever you live. You'll be able to see your instructor and his desktop, interact with your classmates, and discuss your classwork in real time. And you'll be able to communicate with your classmates all week long in a special, dedicated online forum for just you and your class.

Will this be the year you decide to pursue your comic book writing dream?

Introduction to Comic Book Writing with Andy Schmidt
Begins July 25, 2012!

---

If you want to make comics, write or draw comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

iFanboy's "Make Comics" Podcast, Episodes #25 posted!

Episode #25 of the iFanboy Make Comics podcast has been released!

Take note! The Make Comics Podcast is moving to its own feed, which you can subscribe to in iTunes, or here manually.

In this episode, iFanboy host Josh Flanagan and Andy discuss "Photo Comics and More."

As explained over on iFanboy:

"Josh and Andy talk about using photos for comics, and what’s important and what you can do. Some of this applies to other kinds of unorthodox styles in comics as well. But the important thing is that he’s making comics, and there’s something to learn from it."

Check out this new episode, plus all of the previous ones on iTunes, or follow the links right here:

Listen to Episode #25, "Photo Comics and More"

Listen to Episode #24, "Running a Convention Table with Mike Dawson"

Listen to Episode #23, "Make Digital Comics"

Listen to Episode #22, "Be the Letterer"

Listen to Episode #21, "Question: From Editor to Writer"

Listen to Episode #20, "Page Turns"

Listen to Episode #19, "Where Should I Live?"

Listen to Episode #18, "Comic Book Coloring with Chris Sotomayor"

Listen to Episode #17, "Art Portfolio with Robert Atkins"

Listen to Episode #16, "Conventions and Critique"

Listen to Episode #15, "Pitching"

Listen to Episode #14, "Making Time for Making Comics"

Listen to Episode #13, "Story"

Listen to Episode #12, "Marketing"

Listen to Episode #11, "Artist Portfolio"

Listen to Episode #10, "Inspiration"

Listen to Episode #9, "Online Networking"

Listen to Episode #8, "Building A Page"

Listen to Episode #7, "Professionialism"

Listen to Episode #6, "The Comic Book Script"

Listen to Episode #5, "Convention Networking"

Listen to Episode #4, "Good Feedback"

Listen to Episode #3, "Long Stories or Short Stories?"

Listen to Episode #2, "Finding Collaborators"

Listen to Episode #1, "Start Writing"

---

If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

Schmidt and Chee discuss characters and color in "5 Days to Die"

Please note: If you're interested in purchasing "5 Days to Die," Comixology has a 3-day crime sale running from June 12-14, 2012 offering all 5 issues of the miniseries for only $3.99.

In the Summer of 2010, IDW Publishing released 5 Days to Die, a weekly series providing five issues of hard-boiled, action-packed crime, underlying a deeply personal story of fatherhood and redemption.

Recently, writer Andy Schmidt and artist Chee discussed the development, creation and marketing of the book, during the Creators Workshop monthly book club session.

During the session, one workshop member asked Schmidt about the introduction of Ray Crisara, his main character. In the mini-series' opening scene, Crisara and his wife are in mid-argument, shortly before a tragic car accident that propels the rest of the story forward.

"I wanted to show that while they were dysfunctional, they were still a family," Schmidt said. "They may not like each other, but they still love each other."

However, he said, it was a counter-intuitive move, and that he was concerned it might make his protagonist unlikeable for some. But, Schmidt said, he believed it would pay off after people read the issue as a whole.

"I was hoping that he was a well-formed enough character by the end of the first issue that people would get on board with him," Schmidt said. "That the mystery would pull people through."

The flawed, vulnerable look at Crisara's family life also fit in with Schmidt's conception of the character, and his desire to avoid certain clichés of the action/thriller genre.

"I didn't want him to be the clichéd cool guy," Schmidt said. "I didn't want him to be the guy that shows up, and he's the hardass, and everybody's like, 'That guy's totally bad-ass!' I wanted him to feel real. I wanted that scene with his wife to be a real argument, a real conversation that someone could have. And I wanted it to be about family."

Schmidt and Chee also discussed many of the book's visual elements, including the color scheme, which provided a wash of color over each page, underlying the book's emotional content and the main character's deteriorating mental state.

Chee, who handled coloring as well as art duties, said he was inspired by Darwyn Cooke's work, particularly on his Parker series of books for IDW Publishing. At first, he said, he planned on using only blue tones.
"Then Andy suggested reds and yellows, which really helped," Chee said.

Chee also noted that the comic's distribution schedule, and his need to complete all five issues before any were released, was both a relief and a challenge.

"It gave me a lot of lead time, but I was also quite nervous about how the book would turn out," Chee said. "I would print the pages out and try to figure out what the results would look like."


Other topics discussed during the book club session included:

* How Schmidt and Chee began collaborating;
* The pitch process of 5 Days to Die, including the role played by alternate covers, and by the story's potential for other media;
* The series' use of strong double-page splashes
* How the weekly shipping schedule affected sales;
* The role of women in the story, and in action stories generally;
* Collaborating with artist and writers in other parts of the world;
* Injecting humor into a dark story;
* Marketing the book;
* And many more.

5 Days to Die is currently available in trade paperback form in comic shops or via Amazon, and through Comixology. Schmidt and Chee also collaborated on Challenger Deep, available in trade paperback form through BOOM! Studios.

Creators Workshop sessions take place every month, giving members real-world knowledge that will help them succeed in their comics career. Additionally the monthly Creators Workshop book club sessions feature guest writers and artists discussing the craft and art of comics, as well as the business side of things.

There's still plenty of time to sign up before the next session. We hope to see you there.

--Posted by Paul Allor

Stephen Christy, Ramón K. Pérez, Tim Daniel - Upcoming Guests on Creators Workshop!

In June, we'll have two great live, online sessions at the Creators Workshop: a Book Club discussion on Jim Henson's Tale of Sand with artist Ramón K. Pérez and editor Stephen Christy from Archaia; AND a Workshop session with comic book writer and graphic designer Tim Daniel on his design work with Skybound and others as well as his upcoming book, Enormous, from Shadowline/Image!

On June 19, 2012 at 9pm Eastern Time, we'll be discussing Tale of Sand with Stephen and Ramon. Discovered in the Archives of The Jim Henson Company, Tale of Sand is an original graphic novel adaptation of an unproduced, feature-length screenplay written by Jim Henson and his frequent writing partner, Jerry Juhl.

Tale of Sand follows scruffy everyman Mac, who wakes up in an unfamiliar town, and is chased across the desert of the American Southwest by all manners of man and beast of unimaginable proportions. Produced under the complete supervision of the Henson Company, Tale of Sand will allow Henson fans to recognize some of the inspirations and set pieces that appeared in later Henson Company productions.

Adapted by artist Ramón K. Pérez with editor Stephen Christy, Tale of Sand has received FIVE Eisner nominations this year for Best Graphic Album-New, Best Penciller/Inker (Ramón K. Pérez), Best Coloring (Ian Herring and Ramón K. Pérez), Best Lettering (Deron Bennett), and Best Publication Design (Eric Skillman).

Stephen Christy, the Editor-in-Chief of Archaia, will be one of our special guests for the session.

He opened Archaia's Los Angeles office in 2008, after working as Development Manager for Devil's Due Publishing. Prior to his comics career, Christy worked in development and production for shows such as America's Next Top Model and The Real World.

And Stephen will be joined by our other special guest, Ramón K. Pérez. An established cartoonist and illustrator for well over a decade, Ramón's catalogue of work is as diverse as the styles he employs. His clients includes Archaia, Marvel, DC, Dark Horse Comics, Scholastic Canada, Lucasarts, Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, and many more. Aside from Tale of Sand, recent highlights include Captain America and the First Thirteen, Deadpool Team -Up #883, Dazzler, Resistance, JSA: Classified, numerous covers for Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and his self-authored and illustrated RIFTS: Machinations of Doom.

Then, on June 26, 2012 at 9pm Eastern Time, we'll be joined by comic book writer and graphic designer Tim Daniel!

Tim has helped a lot of people you know make comics through his production and design skills. In 2005, he began designing logos and other interior graphic elements for comics and has since worked with Brian Michael Bendis, Robert Kirkman, and Nick Spencer as well as for Icon, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Comics.


His work can be seen monthly in Morning Glories and additional Shadowline series, 27 and Peter Panzerfaust. He's written and designed 'The Powers Encylopedia' as well as 'The Walking Dead Survivors' Guide.'

His comics writing debut, Enormous, with artist Mehdi Cheggour, premieres in July as a 64-page, oversized treasury edition-sized one-shot from Shadowline/Image.

The story follows Ellen Grace as she leads a search-and-recovery team saving children amongst the ruins of a city destroyed by gigantic monsters run amok.

Enormous recently received coverage of a special prelude story in USA Today which can be viewed right here.

There's still time to join us at the Creators Workshop before these two great discussions! We hope to see you there.

---

If you want to make comics, write or draw comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

July 2012 Comic Book Writing Class Open for Enrollment!

Our next Introduction to Comic Book Writing Class is now open for enrollment. Beginning July 25, 2012, the course will be taught by former Marvel and IDW Editor, Andy Schmidt.

Our last Intro to Writing Class sold out weeks early, and our current Advanced Comic Book Writing class sold out in record time -- before we could even post about it on this blog. So if you're interested in getting started with comic book writing, sign up for our Intro class now!

Your instructor, Andy Schmidt, worked on nearly every major character in the Marvel canon during his time there, and edited hit titles such as X-Factor, the Annihilation saga, Alias, and more.

At IDW, he managed major franchises like GI Joe and Transformers. He is also the author of the Eagle Award-winning book, The Insider's Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels, published by Impact Books.

In this six-week course, not only will you learn comic book writing from a pro, but the course will be packed with practical, real-world advice on the industry and "breaking in" to help you pursue your career in comics!

That's why Comics Experience alum, Nick Spencer, tweeted:

"For all aspiring comic pros asking for advice on craft/breaking in, I once again highly recommend Andy Schmidt's @ComicExperience courses."

A few years ago, Nick had to move to New York City to take Comics Experience classes (check out his guest blog here to read that tale).

But you don't have to move, now that our courses are offered LIVE, online. You can attend from wherever you live. You'll be able to see your instructor and his desktop, interact with your classmates, and discuss your classwork in real time. And you'll be able to communicate with your classmates all week long in a special, dedicated online forum for just you and your class.

Will this be the year you decide to pursue your comic book writing dream?

Enrollment is open now.

Introduction to Comic Book Writing with Andy Schmidt
Begins July 25, 2012!

---

If you want to make comics, write or draw comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

Indie Comics Magazine #6 Features FIVE Comics Experience Alums!

Indie Comics Magazine #6, the anthology series from Aazurn Publishing, will include five stories by Comics Experience alums and Creators Workshop members!

Indie Comics Magazine is a 64-page black and white comic book featuring eight complete stories in each issue.

The genres in this issue range from crime to zombies to sci-fi.

Issue #6 is now being solicited for pre-order on page 228 of the June 2012 issue of Diamond PREVIEWS and may be ordered via your local comic shop. (PREVIEWS Order Code: JUN120752)

This issue features stories written by the following CE alums and members:

* Timber Tom written by Don McMillan
* The Dead and Endless Wastes written by Frederick Kim
* Staying Positive written by Glenn Møane
* Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit written by Rob Anderson
* The Zombie War of 1812 by Joe Sergi.

In McMillan's Timber Tom, a space alien is not what it appears to be. In Kim's The Dead and Endless Wastes, a young Teddy Roosevelt battles zombies in the Old West. In Møane's Staying Positive, office sex is far from casual. In Anderson's Animal Control SCU, designer hybrid pets have become the latest fad. And in Sergi's The Zombie War of 1812, the British army joins with the Americans to battle an unexpected -- and undead -- adversary.

Several of the stories also feature lettering by Workshop member E.T. Dollman. Artists in the issue include Juan Romera, Antonio Bilfuco, Leandro Panganiban, Marc Jameson, and more.

You can view a trailer of the issue right here:


If you'd like to get a copy, make sure to pre-order it, to ensure that your local comic shop carries the book!

Congrats to all our alums and members appearing in this issue of Indie Comics Magazine!

iFanboy's "Making Comics" Podcast, Episode #24 posted!

Episode #24 of the iFanboy Making Comics podcast has been released!

Take note! The Make Comics Podcast is moving to its own feed, which you can subscribe to in iTunes, or here manually.

In this episode, iFanboy host Josh Flanagan is joined by creator Mike Dawson to discuss "Running a Convention Table."

As explained over on iFanboy:

"We talk about everything from how to attract people to your table, how much product you need, and what sort of an image you want to project at conventions. It’s a big load of useful information for potential creators going out there to make a name for themselves on the convention circuit."

Check out this new episode, plus all of the previous ones on iTunes, or follow the links right here:

Listen to Episode #24, "Running a Convention Table with Mike Dawson"

Listen to Episode #23, "Make Digital Comics"

Listen to Episode #22, "Be the Letterer"

Listen to Episode #21, "Question: From Editor to Writer"

Listen to Episode #20, "Page Turns"

Listen to Episode #19, "Where Should I Live?"

Listen to Episode #18, "Comic Book Coloring with Chris Sotomayor"

Listen to Episode #17, "Art Portfolio with Robert Atkins"

Listen to Episode #16, "Conventions and Critique"

Listen to Episode #15, "Pitching"

Listen to Episode #14, "Making Time for Making Comics"

Listen to Episode #13, "Story"

Listen to Episode #12, "Marketing"

Listen to Episode #11, "Artist Portfolio"

Listen to Episode #10, "Inspiration"

Listen to Episode #9, "Online Networking"

Listen to Episode #8, "Building A Page"

Listen to Episode #7, "Professionialism"

Listen to Episode #6, "The Comic Book Script"

Listen to Episode #5, "Convention Networking"

Listen to Episode #4, "Good Feedback"

Listen to Episode #3, "Long Stories or Short Stories?"

Listen to Episode #2, "Finding Collaborators"

Listen to Episode #1, "Start Writing"

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If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
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