comicsexperience.com

Thursday, May 31, 2012

CE Staffer Paul Allor to Write Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series for IDW!

As announced yesterday on the IDW forums, Paul Allor 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.

Paul is a Comics Experience alum, Creators Workshop member, and on staff at Comics Experience as the CE Book Club Manager.

The book will feature artwork by Paul McCaffrey, and feature covers by McCaffrey (shown at left) and David Petersen (Mouse Guard).

Each issue of the Micro-Series spotlights another character in the TMNT universe. The other Micro-Series issues are written by Brian Lynch, Erik Burnham, Mike Costa and Barbara Kesel.

The series is edited by Bobby Curnow, a fellow CE alum and a professional member of the Creators Workshop.

The Fugitoid issue will be solicited for pre-order by comic shops in the July Diamond Previews catalog.

Paul Allor is also the author of the Clockwork anthology, which 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 JM Ken Niimura (I Kill Giants), Brett Weldele (Surrogates) and Nikki Cook (Memoir).

Paul has previous experience as a journalist, and one of his articles inspired the death row story in Clockwork entitled X-Row, illustrated by Aaron Houston.

Paul also 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 on his exciting opportunity with IDW!



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

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Workshop Guest Paul Cornell on the Unique Aspects of DC's Knight & Squire

Writer Paul Cornell joined the Comics Experience Creators Workshop Book Club recently, to discuss Knight & Squire, a DC Comics mini-series he produced along with artist Jimmy Broxton.

Knight & Squire is a unique story, in tone, structure and intent. During the session, Cornell discussed some of the elements that set it apart from other books, and made it a joy to work on.

Many of them, he noted, sprang from the characters' (and creators') British roots.

Blank Canvas

Knight & Squire takes place in the United Kingdom, an ocean away from most DC stories. Because of this, Cornell was able to create many new characters, and build the world in a way that wouldn't be possible with many properties.

In part because of that, he said, it often felt like a more personal, creator-owned work, despite being firmly rooted in DC continuity.

"I realized that here we had a bit of the (DC Universe) that was kind of empty, that I could fill in in every direction," Cornell said. "It was a feeling of, 'Hey!' Like the dog being let out in the field."

He noted that writer Grant Morrison had established the mood of DC Britain, and some reference points, but that he and artist Jimmy Broxton could "just fill in huge waves of color and detail."

By the end of issue 1, Cornell and Broxton had already created around 50 new characters, a figure that would double by the end of the mini. In some cases, Cornell said, Broxton would simply draw a character in, and then tell Cornell what he or she is named.

Non-Violent Means

Unlike many Big Two comics, most issues of Knight & Squire would end with the heroes devising a non-violent solution. Even when violence was involved, it was also in conjunction with a non-violent tactic, or a strategy that curtailed the violence and felled the villain with minimal bloodshed.

"It's an aspect of Britishness that I wanted to define," Cornell said.

One of the stories main villains is Jarvis Poker the British Joker a rapscallion and troublemaker, but one who is clearly not violent or dangerous. On the other hand, several other villains could be quite dangerous, and quick to violence. Cornell said the diversity was intentional.

"Jarvis exists in a world that goes from cover versions like him, who are basically harmless, all the way up to very dangerous villains," Cornell said. "And I wanted to feature all of them.

"But I like moderation. One of the things I wanted to say was, this is a world where that very difficult concept of moderation applies. I think that's part of what the Knight stands for. That's kind of how his character has always been played. He stands for moderation and for not necessarily finding violent solutions to everything."

Shifting Mood

Finally, the mood in Knight & Squire shifts dramatically, from lighthearted early issues to an emotionally heavy finale. Cornell said this reflected part of British culture, in which comedy and drama are bundled up together, and where even the most awful tragedies will sometimes have elements of comedy.

He said this dichotomy was part of the "theme and substance" of Knight & Squire.

Cornell said that at times, Knight & Squire's stories -- which range from time-traveling British monarchs to an out-of-control suit of armor to a deadly-serious murderous rampage -- don't feel like the same world.

"I think that's okay," Cornell noted. The world, he said, is determined by how the characters are feeling at the time.

"But I wouldn't necessarily recommend that to new writers," he added. "Shifting the mood in the story is hard to achieve. It's probably a good idea to know how your world feels emotionally, as well as how it feels in the details."

These were just a few of the many topics Cornell discussed, including:
* How to break in to comics
* How Knight & Squire came about
* Breaking the rules of comics storytelling
* Crafting a one-shot comic
* The importance of good page turns
* Character design
* Making historical characters relatable to modern audience
* Creating the unique dialogue in Knight & Squire, including slang, dialects, and even iambic pentameter
* Writing team books
* Time management
* The differences between writing for television, comics and prose
Cornell also gave advice on responding to criticism, and working with editors.

"Your job is to seek out harsh criticism of your work and change because of it," Cornell said. "Boxers do not learn how to box by avoiding being punched in the face."

He said creators should work on "not just your technique, but your reactions."

He also urged creators to trust their editors, and said that distrust of the system is a sign of a "newbie."

"Above all," he said, "be amenable to notes."

For those interested in seeing more of Cornell's work, he is currently writing Demon Knights for DC Comics, and Saucer Country for Vertigo. In this creator-owned work, Paul and artist Ryan Kelly tell the story of a U.S. presidential candidate who may or may not have been abducted by aliens.

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

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Alex Wilson & Silvio dB's "The Time of Reflection" Wins 2012 Eagle Award!

As reported by The Beat, the story "The Time of Reflection," has won the 2012 MCM Expo Award For New Visionaries! (You may have heard this referred to as "The Huntsman's Challenge" or the "Eagle Awards New Talent Competition" as well.)

Writer Alex Wilson (a Comics Experience alum and Creators Workshop member) and artist Silvio dB had their story selected as one of two finalists by judges Steve White, Tony Lee, and Mark Buckingham, and then were selected as the overall winner via a vote.

You can read the full winning story on Alex's website right here:

The Time of Reflection (full story)

The winning story was included in the MCM London Comic Con show program, printed in conjunction with Snow White And The Huntsman from Universal Pictures.

The competition required a dark fantasy story (complete with five pages of color art!) with only a month from announcement to deadline. Two other Creators Workshop members, Paul Allor and Amy Chu, also were named to the judges' shortlist!

Alex Wilson writes fiction and comics in Carrboro, NC. His work has appeared/will appear in Asimov's Science Fiction, The Rambler, LCRW, Weird Tales, The Florida Review, Futurismic, ChiZine, Pif, and Dragon. Locus Magazine has called him a "promising new writer," and Publishers Weekly also has nice things to say.

Currently, Alex is shopping both a humor novelette and a full color crime graphic novel to publishers and agents. He runs the audiobook project/podcast Telltale Weekly and publishes the minicomic/zine Inconsequential Art. He is a Clarion grad, WotF finalist (prose), and, now, also the writer of an Eagle Award winning comic!

Congratulations to Alex and Silvio!


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

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Drew Gaska on Licensing Properties You Love

Many writers dream of working on their favorite properties. But recent Comics Experience Creators Workshop guest Drew Gaska made it happen, by single-handedly securing licenses to the Planet of the Apes and Space: 1999 franchises.

In a candid and in-depth discussion with workshop members, Gaska discussed the trials, tribulations and triumphs involved in securing licenses and creating new content. Among the topics discussed were:
* What brought Gaska to comics and writing
* How to target and pitch for a license
* Information on how typical deals are structured
* The economics of licensing and co-publishing deals
* How to work with a license holder
* Gaska's creator-owned properties, including Critical Millennium
And many more. Throughout his discussion, Gaska made it clear that working in licensed properties is not a way to get rich.

"If you think, 'I'm gonna get a license to become rich,' then...no," he said. "If you want to be super rich, then don't go into comics. Seriously. You can become successful in comics. You can become a Bendis in comics and be awesome-successful. But you have to love what you're doing here, or it's not worth it."

Instead, he said, his driving force in obtaining licenses is "to give back to the properties that I loved as a kid; that I still love. I wanted to be part of those mythos, because I thought they were amazing stuff, and I thought I had good stories to tell."

Gaska also offered practical advice on obtaining a license, including how to figure out which company you should approach.

"I picked up anything I had from, say, Space 1999, and looked at it," he said. "And somewhere on the packaging it would say, Property of such and such company."

Gaska added that when deciding which license to pursue, you should consider both your love of the property, and the likelihood that the license is available.

"What license do you love that has not gotten very much love in a long time?" he said. "Go after it, and you might get lucky, like I did."

Drew's novel, Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes, and his science fiction graphic novel epic, Critical Millennium, are both published by Archaia Entertainment, and have both been released to critical acclaim.

In addition, Gaska is currently writing and directing a Space: 1999 revival graphic novel and digital media series, as well as working on other comic and science fiction novel projects. Look for SPACE: 1999 Book 1 – Aftershock and Awe, available Fall of 2012.

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

iFanboy's "Making Comics" Podcast with Andy Schmidt, Episode #23 posted!

Episode #23 of the iFanboy's Making Comics with Andy Schmidt 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 former Marvel and IDW Editor (and Comics Experience founder) Andy Schmidt discuss the topic of "Making Digital Comics."

As explained over on iFanboy:
"Josh and Andy touch on the basic idea of creators using digital to break in to the industry, but it depends a lot on what your goals are as a creator.... If you’ve been wondering where to start with making your comics available digitally, this is where you can start."
Check out this new episode, plus all of the previous ones on iTunes, or follow the links right here:

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

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

GUEST BLOG: Workshop Member Christopher Beckett on the "Reading Watchmen" Project

In this Guest Blog, Creators Workshop member Christopher Beckett discusses his recently launched Reading Watchmen project; a comprehensive, annotated examination of Moore and Gibbons' Watchmen.

I didn't know what to expect when I joined the Comics Experience Creators Workshop almost a year ago.

What I found was a community of like-minded people willing to offer suggestions and serious critiques of everyone's work in an effort to help us all grow as creators. With every personal interaction and every discussion thread, I learn something new and now find myself thinking more critically about my own writing.

This evolving critical viewpoint has not only helped me grow as a writer, but it also spurred my return to a project started back in early 2009 -- Reading Watchmen, a comprehensive, fully-annotated, examination of Watchmen.

I've been a fan of Alan Moore since first reading "The Anatomy Lesson" in an early collection of Saga of the Swamp Thing. So, of course, I am a fan of his seminal graphic novel with Dave Gibbons, Watchmen. From the outset, these two exceptional artists wanted to utilize the comics medium, and specifically the superhero genre, to create something that would transcend the ghetto into which laypeople at the time liked to consign this storytelling medium we love.

They intended to craft a graphic "novel," in the truest sense of the word, while exploiting storytelling qualities unique to the medium, as a refutation of the tired argument that comics were little more than movies on paper.

With an almost unprecedented attention to detail and a rarely incorporated literary approach, Moore & Gibbons achieved this. They created a book that has been part of college syllabi for most of its publishing life and, arguably, provided the comics medium with its Citizen Kane.

Despite its near-universal acclaim, I feel like many newer readers of Watchmen fail to properly understand and appreciate its significance. Being far removed from the Cold War reality that hangs like a pall over the narrative, and realizing that much of what was groundbreaking in Watchmen -- the heroes' psychological issues and the more realistic approach to their stories -- has been replicated in scores of comics over the past quarter century, I can understand some of this attitude.

But the heart of Watchmen is not this "realistic" approach to the superhero, but the literary layers upon which Moore & Gibbons built their story. It is rare that subsequent readings of a comic provide any new insights into the narrative. And yet, every time I read Watchmen -- every single time -- I discover something new.

My goal with Reading Watchmen is to offer readers a look "below the surface" at the myriad layers hidden within this landmark graphic novel. Each month of 2012 will be given over to a single chapter, allowing me the time and the space to properly "discuss" this dense book. I've learned a lot in my time as a Comics Experience workshop member, and that knowledge is something I've been applying to Reading Watchmen.

I hope you'll take the opportunity to check the site out and re-discover this classic with me.

-- Christopher M. Beckett


Check out the Reading Watchmen project right here.



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

Monday, May 21, 2012

UPCOMING GUESTS: Lucasfilms' Pablo Hidalgo Joins Creators Workshop LIVE 5/22/12!

Tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 22, 2012, our next live, online Creators Workshop special guest will be Lucasfilms' Pablo Hidalgo!

An expert on a variety of genre obsessions, from classic animation to shape-shifting robots, Pablo Hidalgo started writing about fantastic subject matters professionally in 1995 as a freelance author for roleplaying games.

In 2000, he changed careers from a visual effects concept artist and digital compositor in Canada to a full-time Star Wars authority at Lucasfilm Ltd., working with their marketing department.

Pablo is the co-author of both The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia and the Transformers Vault: The Complete Transformers Universe. He was also instrumental in the creation of StarWars.com as the main source of information for fans.

Join us May 22nd for a discussion of managing continuity, as well as all things related to the great properties Pablo has worked with!

There's still time to join us at the Creators Workshop!


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

Thursday, May 17, 2012

iFanboy's "Making Comics" Podcast with Andy Schmidt, Episode #22 posted!

Episode #22 of the iFanboy's Making Comics with Andy Schmidt 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 former Marvel and IDW Editor (and Comics Experience founder) Andy Schmidt discuss a listener question on how to "Be the Letterer."

As explained over on iFanboy:
"...we talk about the best way to make the jump to the majors and the challenges therein. Plus, we talk about what it takes to be a letterer in general."
Check out this new episode, plus all of the previous ones on iTunes, or follow the links right here:

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

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

COMMUNITY NEWS: CE Alum Joe Sergi Edits and Contributes to Iconic II Anthology!

The recently released ComicBook Artists' Guild (CAG) anthology, Iconic II was edited by CE alum and Workshop member Joe Sergi. Joe also contributed two stories to the anthology.

The Iconic anthology series takes well-known public domain characters, and twists and turns them in new and interesting ways. For example, Joe's story contribution, Cinderfella, is a gender-bending take on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. Joe's other story in the anthology is called The Impossible Dream, based on the Don Quixote character.

The Iconic II anthology is a 192-page, 6x9 inch paperback, available for $9.99 right here. The book also includes a Foreword by Comics Experience founder Andy Schmidt.

Joe is a graduate of several Comics Experience classes, including both the inaugural online Introduction to Comic Book Writing course in 2009, as well as the very first Editing and Project Management course last year.

Joe writes both prose (Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy) and comics (Great Zombies in History, Armed & Fabulous, and the forthcoming Aliens Among Us from Elevator Pitch Press).

Joe was also selected as a semi-finalist in the Who Wants To Create A Superheroine contest sponsored by the Shadowline Imprint of Image Comics, and received the 2010 Haller Award for Best Writer from the ComicBook Artist' Guild at the 2010 New York ComicCon.

You can follow all of Joe's work at his Cup of Geek website.

Congrats on the release of Iconic II, Joe!



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

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

CE Staffer Paul Allor Talks Comic Writing on "Vodka O'Clock" Podcast, Ep. 1210!

Episode 1210 of the Vodka O'Clock podcast, hosted by CE alum and Workshop member Elizabeth Amber-Love, recently featured CE Book Club Manger and alum Paul Allor discussing his projects, comic book writing, and Comics Experience!

It's a fascinating interview for anyone interested in making comics, and covers a wide range of topics.

For example, at one point, Paul discusses a death row inmate whose story he covered as a journalist and the incredible impact of that article on the people in that inmate’s life.

As Amber explained in the accompanying article on her website:
"This story later inspired one of Paul’s comics in 'Clockwork.' The story 'X-Row' was illustrated by Aaron Houston.

It’s one of the stories that shows how Paul tried to think outside the box and in comics that means outside the panel. He wrote panels that are not linear in a form typically structured around sequence.
"
Paul's artist-collaborators have included people such as JM Ken Niimura (I Kill Giants), Brett Weldele (The Surrogates), and Matthew Wilson (Wonder Woman), and he talks openly about his experience producing Clockwork and reaching out to industry editors.

In addition to his writing, and the release of his anthology, Clockwork, Paul also discusses his recent work as an Editor on upcoming or released projects such as Girls' Night Out, Gutter Magic, Deluge, and Rex, Zombie Killer.

Check out the full interview here!


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


Monday, May 14, 2012

Andy Schmidt & Chee Join Creators Workshop Live TOMORROW NIGHT, 5/15

Tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 9pm Eastern Time, writer (and Comics Experience founder) Andy Schmidt and artist Chee will be joining us for an online Creators Workshop Book Club discussion of their creator-owned book 5 Days to Die published by IDW!

5 Days to Die follows Ray Crisara, a tough cop who has to make an impossible decision with just five days to live.

Upon surviving a terrible car accident, Ray is left a widower and his daughter is in critical condition. Believing this was a planned hit by the city’s drug lord he’s been pursuing, he must decide to track the killer or stay with his little girl. With a brain injury that leaves Ray less than a week to live, how will he decide to spend his last days on Earth?

Christos N. Gage said about the book, "this is the stuff crime noir fans love!" And New York Times best-selling author David Morrell called the book "hard-hitting, suspenseful, and innovative."

A trailer for the book can be viewed right here.

Join us at the Creators Workshop to take part in this great discussion!


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

iFanboy's "Making Comics" Podcast with Andy Schmidt, Episode #21 posted!

Episode #21 of the iFanboy's Making Comics with Andy Schmidt 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 former Marvel and IDW Editor (and Comics Experience founder) Andy Schmidt discuss a listener question on trying to make the transition "From Editor to Writer."

As explained over on iFanboy:
"What’s appropriate in terms of working for one publisher, and then freelancing for another?"
Check out this new episode, plus all of the previous ones on iTunes, or follow the links right here:

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

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

UPCOMING GUESTS: Andy Schmidt & Chee on "5 Days to Die"! Plus, Lucasfilms' Pablo Hidalgo!

On Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 9pm Eastern Time, writer (and Comics Experience founder) Andy Schmidt and artist Chee will be joining us for an online Creators Workshop Book Club discussion of their creator-owned book 5 Days to Die published by IDW!

5 Days to Die follows Ray Crisara, a tough cop who has to make an impossible decision with just five days to live.

Upon surviving a terrible car accident, Ray is left a widower and his daughter is in critical condition. Believing this was a planned hit by the city’s drug lord he’s been pursuing, he must decide to track the killer or stay with his little girl. With a brain injury that leaves Ray less than a week to live, how will he decide to spend his last days on Earth?

Christos N. Gage said about the book, "this is the stuff crime noir fans love!" And New York Times best-selling author David Morrell called the book "hard-hitting, suspenseful, and innovative."

A trailer for the book can be viewed right here.

Make sure to join us for this Book Club session with Andy and Chee that our members have been requesting for a long time!

Then, just one week later on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, our next live, online Creators Workshop special guest will be Lucasfilms' Pablo Hidalgo!

An expert on a variety of genre obsessions, from classic animation to shape-shifting robots, Pablo Hidalgo started writing about fantastic subject matters professionally in 1995 as a freelance author for roleplaying games.

In 2000, he changed careers from a visual effects concept artist and digital compositor in Canada to a full-time Star Wars authority at Lucasfilm Ltd., working with their marketing department.

Pablo is the co-author of both The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia and the Transformers Vault: The Complete Transformers Universe. He was also instrumental in the creation of StarWars.com as the main source of information for fans.

Join us May 22nd for a discussion of managing continuity, as well as all things related to the great properties Pablo has worked with!

Join us at the Creators Workshop to take part in these great discussions!


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

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

"Night of 1,000 Wolves" Hits Comic Shops May 9th!

IDW's Night of 1,000 Wolves hits comic shops this week, May 9, 2012!

With art by the Eisner-nominated Dave Wachter and story by writer Bobby Curnow, Wolves is a classic horror tale, set in the Dark Ages, about a family with dark secrets who find themselves under siege by hordes of wolves.

You can check out a multi-page preview of Night of 1,000 Wolves on Comic Book Resources:

Preview of Night of 1,000 Wolves on CBR

Bobby Curnow is both a Comics Experience alum and a member of the Creators Workshop, where he offers members pro critiques on their work.

Bobby is also an editor at IDW where he began by editing titles like Robert Bloch's That Hellbound Train and John Layman and Alberto Ponticelli's Godzilla: Gangsters and Goliaths before moving on to his current position working on both the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Godzilla franchises.

On the writing front, Bobby recently wrote Godzilla Legends #5 as well as the Battle Beasts Ashcan released at C2E2.

Wolves was "workshopped" in the Comics Experience Creators Workshop, and it, along with the recent Rex, Zombie Killer #1 (released last week), are the first scripts workshopped in our community to hit comic shops across the country via Diamond Distributors.

The Creators Workshop is an online community where aspiring and professional creators can critique each other's work, offering feedback and serving as a sounding board for creators seeking to hone their skills.

Congrats on the release of your miniseries, Bobby!


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

Monday, May 7, 2012

iFanboy's "Making Comics" Podcast with Andy Schmidt, Episode #20 posted + Free Workhop Offer!

Episode #20 of the iFanboy's Making Comics with Andy Schmidt podcast has been released!

And, once again, don't miss Andy's announcement about how you can gain entry to a FREE live, online Workshop on Breaking In! The session is almost full. Check out the episode for details...

In this episode, iFanboy host Josh Flanagan and former Marvel and IDW Editor (and Comics Experience founder) Andy Schmidt discuss "Page Turns."

As explained over on iFanboy:
"If you’re making comics and you’re not familiar with the page turn, then you don’t know the whole story. "
Check out this new episode, plus all of the previous ones on iTunes, or follow the links right here:

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

Thursday, May 3, 2012

CE Staffer Rob Anderson Talks Comics Experience with Decapitated Dan

Comics Experience General Manager and writer Rob Anderson recently appeared on the Discussions with Decapitated Dan podcast, Episode #90, and discussed Comics Experience, in addition to his recently released comic book, Rex, Zombie Killer.

During the show, Rob discusses how he got involved in creating comics, joined Comics Experience as a student, and eventually became part of the staff. He also gives an overview of the history of Comics Experience, talks about Andy Schmidt's background in the industry, and the Comics Experience curriculum.

Plus, if you've ever wanted to know more about the Creators Workshop community -- how it works, the professionals involved -- Rob gives a run-down of that as well.

The interview begins with Rob talking about his new comic book, Rex, Zombie Killer. Published by Big Dog Ink, the comic hit shops yesterday, May 2, 2012.

In addition to Rob, the creative team includes artist DaFu Yu (CE alum), colorist Kevin Volo (CE alum), letterer/designer ET Dollman (CE Workshop member) and editor Paul Allor (CE staffer and alum).

Although Comics Experience members' books appear in comic shops on a regular basis, Rex, ZK marks the first time that a creative team on a book solicited in Diamond Previews (and available to comic shops) is made up entirely of Comics Experience Workshop members, alumni and staff.

Listen to the podcast interview with Rob right here.

Discussions with Decapitated Dan is a weekly podcast where host Dan Royer interviews horror comic creators, publishers and fans. His recent guests have included creators such as Terry Moore (Rachel Rising), Kurtis Wiebe (Green Wake), and Creators Workshop member Brandon Seifert (Witch Doctor).

Dan's podcast is available on iTunes, and is also syndicated through other comics news sites such as Comic Related, Comic Attack, Chicago Comic Vault, Drive Thru Comics, and more.

Dan is also the founder of the Chicago-area DanCon convention, as well as the founder of the Ghastly Awards, which recognizes outstanding achievements in Horror Comics over a range of 15 different categories. Ghastly Awards nominees are chosen by other horror comic book professionals and winners are chosen by a panel of judges.

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