Everyone has a #ComicsBrokeMe story
Preorder my new graphic novel BEYONDTOPIA: Legends Vol. 1! New LXP Podcast!
It’s been a heavy week already.
My new graphic novel Beyondtopia: Legends Vol. 1 is currently available for preorder at your local comic shop, Bookshop, a digital retailer like Amazon, and from my official webshop. Big thanks to the folks at FairSquare Comics for making Bryan Valenza’s dream come true. I’d like to give a shout-out to Bryan. He’s like my brother from another mother, and I am very proud of our collection of work.
There’s a new episode of the Latinx Press Podcast out this week. This episode’s special guest is my longtime Twitter homie: Sierra Barnes. She’s promoting the new recollection (by Dark Horse) of her webcomic: Hans Vogel is Dead. I did something different with this episode. The video is public for everyone to watch. I’ll make it up to the monthly subscribers and founding members soon, but I figured y'all should have a taste of what’s out there. If Spotify isn’t your jam, fear not, because it’s available wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
There is no easy way to start the next portion of today’s Substack. So, let’s jump right in, shall we?
Last week the unfortunate passing of Ian McGinity sparked a number of comic book creatives to share their trauma and war stories in this exploitive business under the hashtag: #ComicsBrokeMe. One of the many heartbreaking aspects of this is Ian’s last tweet, and the replies from his friends make it a tougher pill to swallow.
I encourage you to read as many entries as your stomach can take. The stories come from artists and writers as high as you can go on the comics food chain to folks just starting out. Like any creative endeavor you embark on, there isn’t a single recipe for success. The comic book industry is a dog-eat-dog world. But comics are a special kind of dog breed. One minute you’re climbing the ladder to mediocre heights for less than starvation wages, the next you’re falling into “the other place” not knowing how the hell you got there. Thankfully, I was broken way before comics could do a serious number on me. But it’s still a daily struggle to stay in this business.
Like anything on Twitter, the conversation quickly changed to business practices and the feel-good QRT thread “What makes comics in one image.” It’s like clockwork. By the time this gets published, there will be the “writer vs artist” or “writer vs retailer” debates. Not everyone is in the fold or reads the various comic news sites covering the day-to-day events. Nonetheless, lecturing people on their poor “business decisions” or not being equipt with the “knowledge” to navigate your way through comics is, in my opinion, not the best take at this time.
Look around you. No creative workplace is safe. The WGA has been on strike for over a month. The impending SAG strike is hanging over us as the June gloom. Southern California hotel workers voted in favor of a strike if major hotel chains don’t increase wages because living and working in Los Angeles isn’t an option any longer. It’s not a matter of being “self-educated” enough or making “the right decisions” because nowhere is safe.
I don’t have the answers. That’s why I’m writing my comics memoir here on Substack. Hopefully, my past experiences and nuggets of wisdom might guide you at whatever part of this journey you find yourself.
We are all victims of the immoral, uber-capitalist economic system that continues to drive working-class people to take whatever jobs they can find. Even if that job costs you more than it pays out.
What should we do?
Is it time for pencils down?
Do we hold the mega-rich CEOs and bootlickers that built their wealth on the backs of creatives accountable?
If you ask me, it’s time to hit them where it hurts: their greedy pockets.
Do you know what I’m talkin’ about? I think you do.
P.S. RIP John Romita Sr. I’ll have more on to say about this next week. But my condolences to his peers, friends, and family.