SDCC 2014: Lessons From The Breaking Into Comics The Marvel Way Panel

Like this man might say, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news: there’s no easy way to start making comics from Marvel.

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In fact, one of the takeaways from this morning’s “Breaking Into Comics the Marvel Way” panel (as live-blogged by the folks at Marvel.com) was the idea that you may have to actually spend money to create comics long before you start making money. Still, it’s a necessary step that many have to take to get to one of the big publishers. As moderator and Marvel talent scout C.B. Cebulski said, “It’s easier than ever to break into comics. It’s harder than ever to get paid for it.”

Yet the panelists, including editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, Sam Humphries and Declan Shalvey, all made it to the top company in the business, one way or another. How did they do it?

They started small

Humphries claimed he was in the audience for the same panel, so he’s living proof that it can happen. He started out making his own comics first and mailed those to editors so he could get his name out there. Others on the panel echoed his thoughts about the importance of having actual comics to show to the bigger companies, not just portfolios or scripts.

They did their homework

Instead of just sending their previous work or pitches out randomly, the panelists had a game plan. Humphries specifically sent his work to Steve Wacker because he figured it would strike a chord with his personality. Cebulski added that it always pays to know which editors are working on which books.

They were professional and coachable

Shalvey said that Marvel staff are professionals who want to work with professional creators. Zub expanded upon this by saying one of the pitches he mailed to Marvel came back with feedback that he took in stride. Multiple panelists emphasized the importance of timeliness and keeping a good reputation once you’ve received some work.

They didn’t just do super heroes

Sure, that genre is Marvel’s bread and butter, and presumably yours if you want to work there someday. But the panelists didn’t limit themselves while they were establishing themselves with indie projects, tackling “sword and sorcery, sci-fi, ninja turtles and zombies.” Shalvey said it was important to create something that shows your individual passions, while Humphries suggested that early career diversity could help your eventual super hero gigs stand out that much more. That goes for what you read, too: Alonso said that reading a variety of genres is crucial.

So there you go: create your own stuff first, don’t limit yourself, be familiar with the people for whom you’d like to work, and accept feedback as a chance to improve. It’s still a hard road to the top, but at least you’re going to give yourself the best possible chance.