Help a wannabe Alan Moore?

December 7, 2006 9:13 AM

How can a writer find an artist for a comic book collaboration?

I'm a professional writer who's starting to have a little success with his fiction (short stories published, finishing a novel). I've had an idea for a story that really wants to be told in comic book form. I'm certainly not good enough to draw it myself -- so how can I find an artist to collaborate with?

Am I correct in thinking that it's sort of a seller's market? After all, the art must be more time-consuming, and plenty of artists write their own stuff. Also, I'm not looking to break into the field permanently, I just want to tell this story. However, I do like comics and have read several books on writing them and want whatever I do to be of a professional calibur -- so I don't want to just find some spaz to draw stick figures.

Should I just tell it in prose and be done with it?

posted by Bookhouse to media & arts (7 comments total)

Well I don't know if you can call it a seller's market, what with all the people who want good paying work as comic book artists. You could certainly visit Comic Con or even other Conventions and try there, and try google for comix oriented magazines and forums. In case that doesn't lead you to a friend of mine, I will. He's talented, dedicated and a relative newcomer. I bet there are more like him.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:23 AM on December 7, 2006

Check out The Engine, a comics related forum run by Warren Ellis, which has a section devoted to newcomers. This is from an onging thread title "Writers looking for Artists". You have to register to post to it and you must use your real name.

Creators have attempted to hook up here before. I'm going to try an experiment -- a single thread for WRITERS looking for ARTISTS, in the mode of the similar thread for artists.

WRITERS LOOKING FOR ARTISTS to partner with should answer the following questions, which I'd cut and paste if I were you:

NAME:

LOCATION:

PRIMARY LANGUAGE:

LINK TO a resume of published works or similar online repository - basically, what have you got online related to your writing that people can look at?

NAME of the idea and THE GENRE/S your idea/s can be said to reside within. Example: "My project GIZZARD SPERM is a horror/porn story set in the 19th century." That's as much detail as you get. I'm sorry. I shouldn't even really let you use project titles, but that just seemed too cruel.

DO NOT give any further details of your idea on The Engine. It creates an untenable legal environment for working writers. I warn you now, once -- if I or my Enforcers see any story details here, your listing will be deleted and we will for the first time use the Ban system to permanently remove you from the Engine.

THE FORM OF THE WORK: miniseries, Original Graphic Novel, multipart webcomic -- how long's the thing?

AVAILABLE: Have you written any of the script? Written a treatment? Is it an idea scribbled down hurriedly on the back of a tampon box? What have you got to show?

CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: ENGINEmail does not allow reply-to, so be certain you're including your own email address if you contact someone using the ENGINEmail system.

For God's sake, don't miss this bit -- remember, you're going to have to tell curious artists about your story idea, and you can't do that if they don't have your email address.

Okay, let's see how that works.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:30 AM on December 7, 2006

Deviant Art is a good resource for casual collaborations and lightweight custom jobs.
posted by cowbellemoo at 10:35 AM on December 7, 2006

I'm subscribed to a couple of yahoo groups designed to connect artists with writers, but I've got to say that the traffic is pretty meager and the quality not very high. If you strike out everywhere else and get desperate, though, email me (address in profile) and I'll give you the info.
posted by Clay201 at 10:58 AM on December 7, 2006

My dad's a comic book artist, and he has plenty of friends who are also comic book artists. You can drop him a line.
posted by dropkick at 12:44 PM on December 7, 2006

Some more helpful suggestions in an earlier askme.
posted by safetyfork at 2:00 PM on December 7, 2006

Just to chime in, my partner can do this kind of work. Her e-mail is danikaye AT earthlink DOT net.
posted by kamikazegopher at 8:45 PM on December 7, 2006