!!HUGE announcement regarding MN comic-cons!!

!!HUGE announcement regarding MN comic-cons!!



Wednesday December 16th 2009, a HUGE announcement came to us from the Midwest Comic Book Association (MCBA) regarding their plans for Minnesota’s annual comic book conventions. ALL of us at Carbon Hallway Graphics and Production, along with our partners at A.N.A. Comics 100% support the MCBA. They represent the type of passion and dedication we love in this business and sincerely ask you to support them also. Especially in the face of this change, it gives us the opportunity to make this year the biggest convention season ever for the MCBA. We hope to see you there.


Below is the email we received from them. Please give it a read:


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MCBA SPRINGCON - COMIC BOOK CELEBRATION

May 15 & 16 – 2010
10AM-5PM - Both Days
MN State Fairgrounds
In The Grandstand
1265 Snelling Ave N
St. Paul MN 55108

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MCBA FALLCON - COMIC BOOK PARTY

October 16 – 2010
10AM-5PM
MN State Fairgrounds
Progress Center
1621 Randall Ave N
St. Paul MN 55108
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MNCBA@aol.com  Email if you have any questions
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Dear Friends,

We got really good news last week! As most of you know, a lot of the national comic book conventions have changed their event dates for 2010. It started when one of the largest conventions in the country suddenly moved their date to the late fall and quickly, in response, a good chunk of the other conventions followed suit in changing dates. As a result, the MCBA was put into the position of having to move our dates so we wouldn't have to compete for guest creators. Easier said than done!
Fortunately for all of us, our preferred venue, the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, came through with flying colors! They were able to make space for us in the new world comic book convention date order with a slight and very interesting twist!
The Midwest Comic Book Association is pleased to announce our 2010 event dates:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MCBA SPRINGCON COMIC BOOK CELEBRATION
May 15 & 16 2010 - 10AM to 5PM Both Days!
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
In the Grandstand
1265 Snelling Avenue North
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108
Something For Everyone
22ND ANNUAL TWO DAY EVENT!
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MCBA FALLCON - COMIC BOOK PARTY!
October 16, 2010 - 10AM to 5PM
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
Progress Center
1621 Randall Ave
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108
Something For Everyone
THE ONE DAY WONDER!
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So, in other words, the two day convention will now be held in the spring (SpringCon) and FallCon will be the new one day convention in the Fall!

We're really excited about the opportunities and challenges that our new journey presents to all of us and invite you and all members of our community to join us as we set sail into the great and exciting unknown!
Finally, a request. We need your help to get the word out to our community about our new dates and times. We humbly request that you provide any assistance you might be able to offer via your e-mails, secret messages, magic, websites, tweeting, blogs, internet, snail mails, telegraph, word of mouth, Pony Express, etc. Any effort you can extend would be noticed and gracefully accepted!
We appreciate your being a part of our community and THANK YOU for letting us be part of yours! Look for more info and data bits in the near future!
The MCBA Geek Squad (The Original Geek Squad)
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The MCBA
Founded in 1988 by Comic Book Fans and Creators, the Midwest Comic Book Association is a not-for-profit, non-aligned, diverse, all volunteer association. Dedicated to participating in and the promoting of the world of comic books. Providing access, service and developing the overall community of comic book creators of all types, publishers, retailers, media and fans.

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Thanks for reading this information. We plan to have members of our community at both of these events. Mark your calander and make a point to stop by and say hello. We’d love to meet you.

Sincerely your friends,

Carbon Hallway Graphics & Production

And

A.N.A. COMICS

I’m a Comic Book Illustrator: Which Publisher puts out books you love!

I’m a Comic Book Illustrator: Which Publisher puts out books you love!

(Welcome to my new ongoing article “I’m a Comic Book Illustrator”, where we will be covering what I have learned in my process to find my spot in the wild world of comic books. My name is Anthony Hary, I write, Illustrate, Edit, Color, and oversee production of comic books. Hopefully what I have learned can help you get a head-start on accomplishing your dreams!)




Which Publisher puts out books you love…


In our first article we started off by asking you to consider answering these questions:
1. What type of story do I love to read?
2. Which Publisher puts out the style of books I appreciate the most?
3. How would I classify my style: Realistic, Cartoony, noir, gritty... etc?
4. What are my strong suits: People, Buildings, Animals, or perhaps Monsters?
5. When I look at my art, what books currently on the selves does it most resemble?
6. Do I want to Tell stories or Create stories?




In today’s article we will be delving into the second of those: Which Publisher puts out the style of books I appreciate the most? Which really is much in the same vein as the first question, but we’re going to take a slightly different spin on it.

Considering who publishes books you love can at first glance seem like an exclusively fan based question. Yet it’s important to still ask yourself as a creator. In this case ‘Style’ isn’t just referring to visual style, but content. You do well to ask yourself what type of stories are you ok with being associated with. Even if you don’t draw the book, if there is a series that is heavily pushed by a company, would you want to be known as part of that stable. Perhaps even asked to work on that book at sometime. You gotta know, if you are working for a company, it’s your job, or your paycheck. Wouldn’t it be easier if you keep yourself out of a situation where you would have to choose between getting paid and your integrity?

It can be too easy to just take on a project for the sake of having a project with your name on it. Especially a paying project. It is a protection to your future to make sure a move like that is going to benefit you in more ways than just paying work.

Also you need to consider what you actually bring to the table. Can you do a monthly? Or rather can you fully illustrate 22 or more pages plus a cover within 28-30 days? Or do you take longer, or just not like the pressure that would go with the position? Perhaps you are a graphic novel illustrator rather than a comic book artist. You would want to work for or with a company that publishes in a way you can handled. Otherwise you get on a monthly book, blow your deadline, they call in someone to fill in and fix your error. You do that too much and editors stop calling.

These are personal questions you have to answer and they are important to your future if you plan to be a Comic Book Illustrator!!



Check back in next time for the answer to the question:

“How would I classify my style: Realistic, Cartoony, noir, gritty... etc? “




Thanks for reading!!



**also check out previous articles here:


I'm-comic-book-illustrator-choose-your-path

I'm-comic-book-illustrator-what-stories-do-you-love

!!Special Release announcement!!

Exclusively available @ AnthonyHary.com


Limited run of ONLY 200 copies, Get yours while they last!!

Anthony Hary 2009 Winter Sketchbook
All Orders come signed by the Artist!
Color Cover: Anthony Hary*(lines) & See Hang*(Colors)
Interior pages: black/white (grayscale)
52 pages

Price: $15.00 (plus tax&shipping)

The 2009 Winter Sketchbook is a real prize, collecting the some of the best of Anthony’s illustrations from the last 3 years into one book. Also included in the publication is an interview with the Artist himself. This comprehensive look showcases the growth and depth of Anthony Hary’s work as an artist. Beautifully presented in a perfect bound trade format, the Winter Sketchbook is printed with a laminated cardstock color cover, at 6.25”/ 10.5” in size.

All orders processed securely through PayPal.com. Allow 3-4 weeks for shipping.
With every book you purchase you are entered to receive a free Original Art Illustration from AnthonyHary.com.

Order your AnthonyHary.com Exclusive 2009 Winter Sketchbook TODAY!!

Follow Up Friday – I just want to draw!

Follow Up Friday – I just want to draw!
12.11.2009



ICBW Update…


Indy Comic Book Week. December 30th 2009 is slowly creeping up on us, have you contacted your local store to find out if they are participating?





Source Comics and Games, located in Falcon Heights, MN are planning a sweet event day to fully promote all the great independent creators we have locally. Their stated goal is to have all 120+ New Comic book slots on their shelves with copies if Indy books! Its going to be awesome!!

I plan to be at the store all day with copies of BRETHREN: Beginnings. I’ll also be doing sketches for just $5 all day. If you are going to be in the area and want to stop by, please do. It is always fun to talk to other fans of comics. You can also pre-order sketches if you would like. Simply click the button below:

We have issues - Update…


Currently I am DONE!! With the inks for the new cover to the trade paperback for Harijan, Nicholas Myers’ world setting mini-series, that will be released through A.N.A. Comics this winter. Savvy internet folks can find the three issue mini available online to read for free. (I’m not saying where. LoL.) If you have seen it you know the true level of imagination and creativity that went into that story. This collected edition will be no different. I am not going to spoil any surprises, but its chalk full of new material, and features. You’ll need to pick it up!



Special update from A.N.A. COMICS


A.N.A. Comics – 2010 Swimsuit Issue benefitting Breast Cancer Research Details.


Attention Artists!!

A.N.A. Comics is putting together a Swimsuit Issue to benefit Breast Cancer Research scheduled to print in October of 2010. If you would be interesting in donating your talents for the book please continue reading!


A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1
Printed in Full Color
Cover by a Superstar Artist TBA
32 pieces of Art
All Characters featured are owned by A.N.A. Comics



NOT AN ARTIST?? You can donate towards the publication of this book, anything over $10 also secures you a copy of the book for yourself!! Just click this button to make a donation of any amount you are comfortable will. Thank you!!

Artists interested in contributing read through the following requirements for being included:

1. Artist must submit sample of your art for approval to work on project, not all submissions will be approved. If brought on as a contributing Artist, your illustration is subject to editorial review and you will be asked to make adjustments if needed to ensure continuity for the book.

2. Artist is asked to send original art to A.N.A. Comics to be auctioned off to benefit the charity.

3. A.N.A. Comics will not be compensating for your work as this is a charity book, however will make sure every contributing artist will receive at least 5 complimentary copies of the book.

4. If an artist is only a Pencil illustrator, A.N.A. Comics will work with them to get work inked and colored for the book if they do not have a team in place.

5. Artist will be asked to sign an agreement with A.N.A. Comics regarding the project.

6. No cost for the project will be passed on to, nor will any money be asked from the artist to be included on this project.

7. All Characters pictured in the book are owned by A.N.A. Comics, due to liability issues and copyrights no other Characters will be used in the book.

If you are interested in contributing to the project email your samples to submissions[at]anacomics.com You will get a response back usually within 5 business days.


***UPDATED INFO***

Just to add. As already stated, Proceeds are going to charity. Its benifiting Breast Cancer Research. If you would like to donate the ORIGINAL art, we are also going to be doing an auction on all contributed original art, to have that donated to charity also, and you would be notified what your piece sold for incase you would want to use that info for tax purposes.

Otherwise if you wanted to keep the art, that is up to you. we would then need a high rez .TIF file to format for the book. The file would need to be 10/15 inches @ 300ppi. Also it would need to be of an A.N.A. Comics character. Either male or female, but in a swimsuit wearing scene. If you are interested please let me know and what type of character you would enjoy and we'll get refferences sent out to you.


The book is printing in coordination with Breast Cancer awareness month, October 2010. We'll need to have all art finished and ready to print by August 2010. The book will be full color. If you dont have the ability to color your piece, that is fine we can take care of that on our end.

I also need to know if you intend to donate your illustration to our auction. Once I know that I will send a creator agreement to you for the project. You will also recieve comp-copies (5 copies for sure, more depending on how many illustrations you have included in the book) of the book for your own about a month or so after it initially prints. These will be yours to do with what you will.

After the creator agreement is returned I will be emailing to you the characters to chose from. you can do any type of scene you want. Make it fun, make it scary, sexy, cool. doesn't matter. We do ask it stays PG13 or less, making it as all ages as we can. So no nudity or graphic scenes.



Thanks for your interest. Let me know if you have any other questions.

– Anthony Hary
Editor In Chief – A.N.A. Comics

How to Make Comics - sample article.

How to Make Comics!!
12.10.2009



There a so many ways to “make comics” or to “break in” to this business. Tim Seeley, I believe said recently that it’s easier to break in to comics, then it is to stay in. I think to a very real level this is true. Think about it, list the names of quote “professional” creators out there, then tell me, who is doing pencils or writing on Spidergirl right now? Do you even know how long they have been on the title? I’m sure there are a few Spidergirl fans out there that would know the answer, yet compared to who could name the creators on titles like New Avengers, Superman, Green Lantern, or even Spiderman, there would be no comparison. Yet even YOU can make a comic.

Now you have options, choices to pick through to determine what it is you want to do. You can mold yourself, and get yourself in to a publisher doing work for hire assignments where you all you have is the pay for your work and occasional royalties from larger sales numbers. You could also do creator owned, self published work, where you are paid nothing up front, yet should your book do well, the money, creative rights, and ownership ALL go to YOU and no one else. Between these two most common paths there seems to be one trend that stands out over the last 15 years in comics. It is the strength of the creative team.

You’ll hear Editors talk about the finer points of storytelling, strength of solid anatomy, or the value in having a depth of knowledge regarding specific characters or the historical continuity of a character. What I am talking to you about is being a student of the game, knowing the business side of things and using that to your advantage. It is not for everyone. And that is ok, some people should only write or draw, ink or color, allowing the editors of the business handle the pairing of groups together, hoping one day to find their Jeph Loeb to their Ed McGuiness. Yet for those out there who have a need to steer their careers a little more there is a simple truth that can be found from studying the history of successful creators in the last 10 to 15 years.

Some creator teams didn’t find themselves until they were at a publisher like Marvel or DC, yet once finding each other; they have made a point to keep working together. They found there band and its time to make music, as it were. A great and very recent example of this pattern can be found in the pairing of Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. Joining up on the Civil War Mega Event for Marvel, They followed that up with the HUGELY successful “Old Man Logan” centering around a now aged Wolverine, The pairing have found their stride and have become one of most successful creative team sales wise of the last decade. The Key to this is that THEY have seen it. So much so that the team of M&M are hitting the ground running with their own creator owned comic that is believed to start in March of 2010, printing through Marvels Icon imprint.

You also have guys like Brian M. Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming who made their mark with POWERS through Image comics, and have gone one to huge success as a pairing and found homes at Marvel, bringing POWERS with them. Each has gone on to do work with other creators however they never stopped working together as well.

This is the same with pairing of artist also. Teams like Michael Turner/Peter Steigerwald, Ed McGuiness/Dexter Vines, Jim Lee/ Scott Williams, and the lists go on with teams that have made a commitment to each other and through perseverance and TEAM WORK they have found success in the business. Moving from Independent/ Creator owned comics to work-for-hire at major publishers, and sometimes back again with continued success. WHY? Because they made a brand for themselves, and they stuck together in their work efforts. This gives Editors a package to look at. They have a book, and it needs and art team. They don’t have to find the next Quesada/Miki combo; they can just GO GET THEM, because they are a team...


This article was taken from A.N.A. Comics to read the full article please click the link.

This is NOT comic book related… Just Thoughts from My Head

Is it ok to be depressed?

What a way to start a post, huh? It’s a fair question. How many people suffer from depression?

In America there are 308,031,866 people in the country and statistics of American depression is 9 million people and rising. 340 million people in the world suffer from depression and rising. 1 in 4 women will suffer from depression, 1 in 10 men will suffer from depression (this statistic is not absolutely correct because more women are apt to see their doctor for depression than men do.) Depression strikes all races, rich and poor.

Where does that place you? Or me?

Too many times there is the reality that if someone asked “What’s wrong? You doing ok?” and if we replied that we were depressed the reaction we get to that is less then heartwarming. Often the natural question that follow is “WHY?” yet for those who deal with depression there isn’t always a reason why. Even when there is would that other person understand? Notice I didn’t qualify the person. Doesn’t matter if its Mom, Dad, Wife, Husband, Sister, Brother or any level of close friend. There is not guarantee if they would understand, and there is a good chance they are related in some way to our current emotional state. So how do they tell us without a personal and even defensive reaction?

We might say we would understand but our understanding is actually shown through our response, especially if we are related to the reason for the person’s emotional state. The worst thing you can do to a person who is dealing with depression is to try to tell them how to fix it, or tell them where they are wrong in their thinking. I am not saying you can’t try to correct or redirect their thinking, but don’t do it in a defensive or authoritative way. When a person is weighed down by depression, they are already their own oppressor and they need a help, a comfort, and a friend. They do NOT need a parent, a boss, or a therapist.

But is it okay to be depressed? I mean think of how we describe it, they SUFFER from depression. SUFFER they say, what about those who Persevere through depression, or triumph in the face of depression? Isn’t that a more appropriate through process for those living with this situation? But even the medical field that so many turn to for help, and medication are told they are suffering. How kind is it to take an already negative situation and put an even heavier level of negative thinking on to it? Why make a person feel even more like a victim? Why not empower them to push through it and become better then the situation that they’re in?

Many times depression is the result of chemical balances or imbalances in the brain. For which taking medication will work wonders for and help those individuals persevere through it. Still there are moments where life just sucks and in our selfish way of thinking we can become confined and abused by our own thoughts. Leaving us in a conundrum that’s only fruit to bear are the emotions that weave together and leave us wrapped in depression. Admittedly these emotions and perspectives can be quite irrational and skewed to favor or at least lean inconsiderately towards our selfish inclinations. Is it really that big of a deal if the ‘reason’ for their depression is irrational? NO! Think of how it makes you look. If they tell you they are depressed because THEY chose to do something, and then other things happened and they feel they were left out and wanted to be included, yet the whole time it was THEIR choice that put them where they are… hmmm. How do you respond? Do you say “well that was your choice and you did that to yourself?” Or perhaps you say “So you would have rather done that then coming to do this with me?” If you did say something along those lines, all you are really saying to the depressed person’s emotions would be “Your poor decisions outweigh your personal value to me.” Wouldn’t it be much more successful in your communication to first assure the depressed individual of their value to you, and after you help lift them up a bit, then you can reason with them on HOW they are thinking? Guess you’d have to try it to know for sure.

I’ve heard a lot of people say that their depression leaves them feeling like they are not good enough. Isn’t that the reality we have? Who of us are actually good enough? And who determines that? That type of thinking is solely based on the opinions of others. Are you good enough for me? How would you know for sure? You’d have to look at what level of my life I keep you in. Do I talk to you, spend time with you, invest my personal time in our relationship. Then you must be good enough.

Still we should have a fair level of personal pride and modesty. We are no better than anyone else nor can they play as being better than us. I say that in a general sense. We all make a plethora of mistakes and bad decisions. We all also have our own personal strengths. Recognize what they really are and know who YOU are. This could help with the need to be defined by those around you and your social status. As easy as that is to type out, it is not always easy to live by. If you see that they need a reminder, why not start with that rather than arguing against the source of their depression. Remind them of their value and that there is no need for another unfair comparison or criticism.

Is it ok to be depressed? No it’s not ok, and it’s even worse when those who are supposed to love you and care for you make you feel like there is something wrong with you for having those emotions. It is ok for you to acknowledge your depression and to triumph over it by surrounding yourself with love and respect that we all deserve but so scarcely find in this life. As hard as it can be to keep up with life and show our love to all those we care about, I urge you who have read this to try. Reach out beyond your personal comfort zones and make a sacrifice to be the one to initiate the spreading of love and support among those in your life.

In a time renowned for sayings and songs of thanksgiving and cheer, it is one of the most depressing times for many. Feelings of loneliness and inadequacy plague our society. Move beyond the Hallmark cards, trinkets and presents. Make a phone call, a surprise visit on your way home just to say hello, or even write a hand written letter. Give that personal touch. The strongest medicine to fight depression is to genuinely love those around you. Be a leader and do so expecting nothing back. That is my challenge to you.

If you read this whole post let me know and comment below. My thanks for your time, and I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to have at least one set of understanding eyes.



Smile and keep your head high.

-Anthony

Follow Up Friday – and then there were leftovers

Follow Up Friday – and then there were leftovers
11.27.2009


After what for most is a stomach filling, sleep inducing, food fest with family, friends, and football, I will try to keep this week’s update short and to the point... YEA RIGHT!



Save a breast for me…


This week was the huge announcement through A.N.A. Comics of our 2010 Swimsuit issue with profits from the book being donated to Breast Cancer research!
Here is part of what was said:

Attention Artists!!

A.N.A. Comics is putting together a Swimsuit Issue to benefit Breast Cancer Research scheduled to print in October of 2010. If you would be interesting in donating your talents for the book please continue reading!


A.N.A. Comics 2010 Swimsuit Special #1
Printed in Full Color
Cover by a Superstar Artist TBA
32 pieces of Art
All Characters featured are owned by A.N.A. Comics



Click THIS link for full detail.


Something fun with the Swimsuit issue is that it will not only feature characters exclusively from A.N.A. Comics but it will be illustrations of MEN and Women. We should almost call it out Summer Celebration issue. It will be so much more than 32 pages of the usual bikini clad babes we usually see. This book will shine with the imagination and fun that is A.N.A. Comics. Even better A.N.A. Comics is looking to share in this fun with other Indy artists out there, giving them deserved exposure for their work. The icing is that it all goes to benefit a great cause!



More than a Spring Chicken…




Also coming in 2010 from A.N.A. Comics is a fun Spring Anthology set to feature some of the rich talent we have in Indy Comics. Scheduled to print in Late March to April of 2010 is A.N.A. Comics Presents: We’re Indy! Currently we are looking over what we have and deciding if there is any more room for more stories. There is still room however for you if you wanted to purchase ad space for the book. $25 is all it costs for a full page Advertisement in the book. Email: business[at]anacomics.com if you are looking for details on ad space.


Come to the Intermission…


Or rather the incoming Commission… I have received a warm level of support from art collectors and fans out there in the last couple months, for that I thank you all. I am in the sea of commission orders currently filling my studio. Have a couple that are mailing out this weekend and a couple that left earlier this week. These are some awesome pieces that I have been challenged to illustrate. Everything from drawing a young fan as a character from Dollhouse, a faceoff between Optimus and Megatron, even have this super fun commission to illustrate a young sassy lady as Buffy while slaying some vampires. Plan to get all these done within the coming weeks, I actually HAVE to get them done or I will totally blow my deadlines on BRETHREN and Virtual Girl for next year.

Stay tuned Folks!!



The Countdown has Begun…





Don’t forget in just 5 weeks, December 30th will be here and you need to be at your local comic book store for Indy Comic book week! If your store doesn’t know about it, MAKE THEM KNOW and encourage them to support the independent side of Comic Books.

For those of us in Minnesota, take a little trip and come see Myself and a couple other fantastic Indy Creators, as we will be at the Source comics and games for their ICBW event.

Source Comics and Games, located in Falcon Heights, MN are planning a sweet event day to fully promote all the great independent creators we have locally. I will be at the store all day with copies of BRETHREN: Beginnings, along with a few other goodies that you will have to stop by to see.

I’ll also be doing sketches for just $5 all day. If you are going to be in the area and want to stop by, please do. It is always fun to talk to other fans of comics. You can also pre-order sketches if you would like. Simply click the button below:

Thanks for reading!
Catch you crazy cats next week.

Also be sure to check out my new article here on the blog: I’m a Comic Book Illustrator PART2

I’m a Comic Book Illustrator: What Stories You Love!

(Welcome to my new ongoing article “I’m a Comic Book Illustrator”, where we will be covering what I have learned in my process to find my spot in the wild world of comic books. My name is Anthony Hary, I write, Illustrate, Edit, Color, and oversee production of comic books. Hopefully what I have learned can help you get a head-start on accomplishing your dreams!)
If you missed the first article, click here.

What Stories You Love…


In our first article we started off by asking you to consider answering these questions:
1. What type of story do I love to read?
2. Which Publisher puts out the style of books I appreciate the most?
3. How would I classify my style: Realistic, Cartoony, noir, gritty... etc?
4. What are my strong suits: People, Buildings, Animals, or perhaps Monsters?
5. When I look at my art, what books currently on the selves does it most resemble?
6. Do I want to Tell stories or Create stories?



In today’s article we will start by delving into the first of those: What type of stories do I love to read? Which really could be referring to more than just what you read, but also what you watch, whether in books, novels, comics, movies, TV and theatre, it is important to know what it is that you like. Or even more, what you LOVE!

We certainly have no shortage of genres to choose from. By asking what stories you love to read, doesn’t necessarily equal which stories you should draw. Rather look at what has been done so well, and ask what made it work so well. Revered books like The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, Y the last man, Invincible, or even events such as Secret Invasion, House of M, Blackest Night, and HUSH… something made them work. The combination of the writer’s words and the artist lines played in so well that magic happened. The kind that sets stories like that apart from the hundreds that come out any given year.




Of the more recent books that all artists can learn from, its Blackest Night over at DC. If you are already reading the book you may get it, but just in case you aren’t please go grab your copy and look at the art. JUST the art! Now if you go back and look at other books Ivan Reis has done, you’ll notice a subtle but necessary adjustment made to his style. Not Necessary in the sense that it makes his art better, but that it becomes more effective for the story. His heightened use of blacks and shadowing bring out the eerie and scary mood to the book.




Study these books you love and see that even on some BATMAN books, the arts not always working. Why? Therein lies the first answer to the question, the mystery to how you become a successful comic book artist.

After looking into what works in those books, look at your art. Examine your strong points and form your samples around what stories your art are best suited for. That could be the hardest first step. You may die to draw Superman, but your style is strictly Archie Comics, or maybe it’s more 28 Days Later. That doesn’t mean you CAN’T draw Superman in that style. My point is the editor may not be able or willing to consider that direction on a brand new artist. You would need to adjust your approach.

To break in you’d have to either draw differently, or form samples for a story that more fits your style. At the end of the day this industry is still just a business. You can love it. And I am one of those guys, I just LOVE it. The whole set up of how comics tell stories. Still it’s a business and has to be treated with that level of respect. No one owes you anything, no matter how great your art or your story idea may be. Approaching a project, or an editor with an attitude like they should be thankful to hear from you, or like they should KNOW what you are talking to them regarding, its rude and unprofessional.






Currently I serve in the role of EIC for A.N.A. Comics, and I actually got the following email today:


To Whom it may Concern,

My name is Jonny Appleseed. I am a pencillist with the preference to ink my
own work. Please see my gallery of sequentials here:
http://Myworkat.deviantart.com/gallery

Thank you for your time,

Jonny Appleseed


Now I obviously changed the name and the link info, but I am sure you see the point. “To Whom it may Concern” is not a greeting. It shows NO personal effort to find out who you are emailing. Also what is this email telling me? They are a pencil artist who likes to ink their own work and they want me to look at their gallery on Deviantart.com, but for what? There is no effort or personality to this email. Will I look at their work? Probably I will look, but unless it is just mind-blowing and awesome I will likely not contact them.

How does this point relate to our starting topic? It is another side to the idea of presentation. This in actuality is the basic principle that we are talking about today. If you want to succeed in a visual market you have to present yourself properly. This leads us to our closely related topic for next time:

“Which Publisher puts out the style of books I appreciate the most?”

Check back next week as we delve further into this and start to pick our targets!

I’m a Comic Book Illustrator: Choose your goal!

(Welcome to my new ongoing article “I’m a Comic Book Illustrator”, where we will be covering what I have learned in my process to find my spot in the wild world of comic books. My name is Anthony Hary, I write, Illustrate, Edit, Color, and oversee production of comic books. Hopefully what I have learned can help you get a head-start on accomplishing your dreams!)



Choose your goal…


Many of us might read that heading and think that we know what our goal is. WE WANT TO DRAW COMICS!!! Now as true and accurate as that may be, the heading is alluding to a point of focus not always talked about in comics. Simple fact is, you have to Choose your goal!

What do I mean by that? Its more than whether you want to Write, Pencil, Ink, Letter, or Color comics. In fact it involves a bit more self evaluation then that. You need to not just know where you want to go, but also have a full recollection of the tools YOU have to get you there.

Being an Illustrator first, this article is going to primarily be geared towards other illustrators and the craft in question; however it is more than likely that the principles behind it would apply towards any part of the comic book/ creative industry process. Many times these topics are touched on in a general sense, which I could do in one article, yet I don’t see how that would actually be of service for anyone.

So I challenge you again, Choose your Goal! You can start your evaluation on this by answering these questions:

1. What type of story do I love to read?
2. Which Publisher puts out the style of books I appreciate the most?
3. How would I classify my style: Realistic, Cartoony, noir, gritty... etc?
4. What are my strong suits: People, Buildings, Animals, or perhaps Monsters?
5. When I look at my art, what books currently on the selves does it most resemble?
6. Do I want to Tell stories or Create stories?


There are many other questions a person could ask themselves. These first 6 will help you fine tune your focus. Take time and ask yourself those questions. Over the next few weeks we’ll be approaching each, one at a time.


Also know that if you are an artist looking for feedback, advice, or helpful critiques you can comment your questions on the blog here, or go to anacomics.com/forum and post your own art, and I will critique it for you.

What’s your goal?

Stick around as we go through steps to take to accomplish that goal, you don’t want to miss an update.

We’re just getting started!!!




- ANMPH