Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • The Lance Fensterman Interview PART ONE

      Brandon Thomas
      May 22, 2009
      Columns, The Park and Barb Show
    Recent
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 1

      Daniel Gehen
      October 30, 2020
    • Comictober 2020: DRACULA MOTHERF**KER

      Daniel Gehen
      October 27, 2020
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • DC Cancels Its Strategically Challenging Books

      Brandon Thomas
      September 15, 2015
      DC Comics, News
    Recent
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • Stan Lee

      nguyen ly
      November 7, 2020
    • Collecting Profile: Jack O’ Lantern

      nguyen ly
      October 31, 2020
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • Interview: Scott Allie Discusses the Strengths of Dark Horse

      Brandon Thomas
      August 3, 2015
      Dark Horse, Indie, Interviews
    Recent
    • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

      Daniel Gehen
      December 14, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • 4.5

      TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      October 29, 2020
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
    • Valiant
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 2.0

      Review: Roku #1 Fails to Deliver

      Brandon Thomas
      November 11, 2019
      Reviews, Valiant
    Recent
    • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

      Daniel Gehen
      December 14, 2020
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • 4.5

      TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      October 29, 2020
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Interview: Robert Venditti Opens the 'Book of Death'

      Brandon Thomas
      July 27, 2015
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

      Daniel Gehen
      June 8, 2020
    • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

      Mike Nickells
      March 4, 2020
    • Simon Roy

      Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

      Mike Nickells
      January 29, 2020
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • 97 Years Later: Celebrating the King of Comics on His Birthday

      Brandon Thomas
      August 28, 2014
      Classic Comics Cavalcade, Columns
    Recent
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

      Mark Stack
      January 2, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • Oh, Hell: a Graphic Novel

      Brandon Thomas
      May 12, 2014
      Kickstarter Spotlight, News
    Recent
    • 2020 Ringo Awards Winners Announced

      Daniel Gehen
      October 26, 2020
    • BAD IDEA Announces 2021 Publishing Slate

      Daniel Gehen
      September 29, 2020
    • A Full Replay of NCSFest 2020 is now Available

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2020
    • Press Release
    • Kickstarter Spotlight
  • Books
    Random
    • Review: 'Out of Nothing' is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Brandon Thomas
      July 23, 2018
      Books
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      CB Staff
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      CB Staff
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Collecting Profile: Batwoman
  • Collecting Profile: Daredevil
  • Collecting Profile: Floronic Man
  • Review of Cheetah in Wonder Woman 1984
  • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist
  • Collecting Profile: Transformers
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Columns
Ambidextrous

Is It In You?

Brandon Thomas
August 25, 2001
Ambidextrous

 

I once commented that Joe Casey, during his “Business of Writing Comics” panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, successfully lit a creative fire under my ass. Well, I’m pleased to announce that a similar event his occurred recently…except that this sensation is more akin to that of a Bunsen burner.

The setting is WizardWorld Chicago and due to prior commitments, I’m touring the convention floor solo without the best friend in tow. On top of that, I’m slightly over two hours late and this disaster is just another entry in what is quickly becoming a very strange weekend. After missing the “Connections” panel that served to pair writers with artists and vice versa (the one panel I was looking forward to the most by the by), I had to settle on a little something called “What Marvel Wants.”

Terrific…Joe Quesada is going to take the stage and tell everyone that we have the potential to make it, when odds and brutal statistics indicate that not only will no one in the room of hopefuls make it, but they’ll drive themselves crazy trying. Right?

Wrong.

Perhaps it’s testament to Joe’s ability as a spokesman and salesman, but something about this pep talk was a little different. He talked of the new wave at Marvel, dedicated to telling stories that a casual reader could follow and care about. He talked of refusing to be handicapped by years of baggage and continuity, and how that would serve to completely disconnect a new reader from the material. He talked of how the Chosen One, the person capable of taking things to the next level and providing the new voice that Marvel is looking for could be sitting in that very room. And I believed that shit.

What is it about a creator’s mentality that causes them to think that they have something that the people want? That they are in fact the Chosen One? And why is that the only mindset under which we can deliver the goods?

“You have to be prepared to drown your babies,” Quesada said at the panel. He’s referring to a creator’s inability to release his or her own ideas and concepts when presented with another alternative that may work just as well. But if you think your baby is too ugly to present at the river, you won’t even get the chance.

When you sit down to pen your own version of the Fantastic Four, or the new revamp for Young Justice, or the ultimate Batman and Robin story, it’s a testament to your work if you suspend your disbelief for enough hours to produce a story worthy of being pawned to retailers in Previews. If you can imagine your artistic collaborator toiling over your script and being as interested in the impending ending as your audience. If you imagine your editor receiving your plot via e-mail and thanking himself or herself that they ever took a chance on THIS unknown. If you imagine your name being synonymous with quality, the mutual respect of your peers, and hanging at a convention booth chatting with the people putting a check in your pocket on a monthly basis. To me there would be nothing more satisfying. Entertaining the masses. “Putting asses in the seats,” as Quesada put it.

Marvel’s announcement that “We’re not just superheroes anymore,” is even more stimulating to the mind of any hopeful. No longer is a writer handicapped by the singular choice of genre. Got a killer Western story? Bring it. What about comic satire? Bring it. A damn romance comic? Just bring it. The floodgates are officially open and for large moments at a time, you must forget the odds, throw caution to the wind and get noticed.

Whatever it takes to put you in the mindset to make things happen? Do it. Otherwise, you’ve lost before you’ve even begun. Game over. You lose because you were afraid to fail. I’m still keeping all of my rejection letters, written in form though they may be, to use as fuel. You think I’m going to let a form letter force me to turn back? HELL NO. Too much work to be done, too many stories to tell.

Is it in you? Let’s make it happen people…just don’t think you’re taking my spot. 😉

Peace,
Brandon Thomas

Next time: There is a force out there that exists strictly to derail and prevent everything we hope to create. They are growing in number and the internet has made them stronger and bolder in their pursuits. Next week…we take aim at the “haters” to turn the tables.

 

Share On:
Tweet
Script Formats … And Reader Feedback
All The Rage: And The Nominations Are…

About The Author

Brandon Thomas

Related Posts

  • Robin 167 – The Commentary

    Brandon Thomas
    October 30, 2007
  • Lee Ferguson Invented the Remix…and Other Observations (MM Secret History series)

    Brandon Thomas
    September 17, 2007

Support Us!

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Friends of the Site

  • SOLRAD
  • Your Chicken Enemy
  • Psycho Drive-In
  • Women Write About Comics
  • The Beat
  • Loser City
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders