How to Submit a Pitch to Image Comics

Today I am going to go over the submission requirements for Image Comics, the largest publisher of creator owned comic books, and the third largest publisher of comic books in the United States.

They are simple!
1. A cover letter
2. A story synopsis
3. Minimum 5 pages of sequential artwork that is inked and lettered

Having tried (and failed) at a few of these in the past, I wanted to go over the aspects of what I think it really takes to be up to the standard of Image, and how you can learn important steps along the way to develop your creative journey.

If you like this video please give it a thumb up, or leave a comment on what else I should cover in the future.

I am not a comics industry professional, and I certainly don't have all the answers, and my opinions are my own, so if there's something I got wrong here, or you disagree with, let me know and I can keep it in mind going forward.

Follow me on Instagram & Tiktok @Guyverxero117robbiepuzz

Thanks for watching!

[TJLounge]

Awesome video man! I've been studying like crazy the last few weeks on the process of comic writing and have been rereading my entire collection of comics in preparation for beginning my own. I've worked with artists in the past for games, done script writing for my videos, and have submitted short stories for publishing. This video was a treasure trove of knowledge and insight. Having some background in other creative fields helps understand for sure, but you broke down pitching comics in general fantastically. Apperciate you taking the time to make this and share your knowledge with us. A lot of points you made are now in my notes for reference. Good luck on your project man! Hope you find success in both the process of making it and releasing it into the world!!

[derrickthomas]

I am in the process of doing a submission to Image Comics and this video helped to alleviate a lot of my worries. Thank you so much!

[LearnComicsWithPancake]

I found this helpful and very inspiring to answer your last statement :D About the minimum requirement of pages - Meredith Finch has regularly said on David Finch's streams that Image required either all the art to be done, or *a lot* of the art to be done whenever she pitched to Image. So if you're going in with 6 pages, I think it best be the 6 most amazing pages. :) I've subbed to see more of your journey!

[ndrgerg]

Thank you so much for this insightful look at the industry! Getting published still seems far away for me, but it always helps to learn as much as I can going in.

[forkillerbscarface]

Comic book industry needs to start paying better. People need to be able to devote their entire time to this craft, not have to hold down 2nd and 3rd jobs.

[davecironelibrarykid]

Really enjoyed this candid commentary on the process. Glad you're continuing to pitch. 👏

[frankbfallon]

Thanks for this video! It was enlightening to have your take on what those submission guidelines mean. It’s been a while since I last read them myself. Since that point, I have two issues of my project completed (I’m making my books all alone), and what you said about putting in the 5 years to just get it done felt good to hear, and took some pressure off.

[PopArtMARQUIS]

Hi Robbie,
I am a comic book artist, I am the kind of artist your new, but committed writers will likely seek to encounter to hire for books at this level. Very good, but still unknown, hustling for his break. There are a few things in this video I, and the VAST majority of mid level working sequential artists find quite irksome. I want to offer some counterpoints and asides to help everyone communicate better. So much so, that I'm presently recording video for my channel to address it. Writes only talk to other writers, and artists only speak to other artists, so we all look like wild animals to each other. When really this is a collaborative medium, we must talk to each other.

6:28 - The idea that the writer is supposed to wear all the hats and be "the creative visionary" behind your work is a gigantic misconception. If you are telling stories to be a visionary, you aren't telling stories. You are selling yourself, and nobody wants that in comic books really. Comics are a conversation, you hand me a script you wrote thinking about your relationship with your father, I will read it and interpret it though the view of my relationship with my son, I pull different things forward, and push different things back from my reading. The colorist imparts mood and tone to the artwork based on how they process the emotion on page ( read the 80's original printing on The Killing Joke, then look at it's recolored reprints to see how drastically colors can effect the storytelling). If there is an inker, they will use different techniques to bolden or wither line art to speak to characters mind state or to emphasize drama. You are Hannibal in the A-Team, He may have been the fist to hatch a plan, but the rest of the team fleshes it out. Serve your story first. We are all gears in a clock, ticking together to form a story. And if we believe in that story, your artist will willingly help you to lift it to Image or the like. We can wear hats too, don't get it in your heads that we are your employees because you're paying us, we must all pay different costs in order to chase this dream, not all of it even monetary, but just as drastic. Work with us, and we will work with you!

10:36 - Artists need to spend a gigantic amount of time to produce artwork, it is already a considerable risk to produce high quality work for often free up front. Our bills don't go anywhere, and comics, no matter how much the writer is an invaluable part of the story telling process, is an inherently visual medium. Without us you have an outline for prose, a screen or stage play, but not a comic book. Writing also despite having a seemingly endless ceiling in terms of technical storytelling ability, also has the lowest possible floor. You could be Brandon Sanderson, but you are RIGHT next to Will from Nebraska in our inbox. Because the floor is so low, writers need to demonstrate an increased commitment to the pursuit of a comics creation. So more is demanded when sending in pitches. Can you work with editorial? Can you communicate with an artist effectively? Can you finish with consistent story quality? Everyone is an "idea guy" in comics, what ELSE can you do?

14:18 - He's mostly correct here, however. You can not tell a whole story in a panel. A panel is a beat, the page is a story. Synopsizing and building pitch decks is also a fantastic hat for you to share with your artist! We have a good ability to zoom out and give you the heart of something quickly. I find it funny that you said that you need to go back to "the drawing board" to develop this skill. once again, you are not my boss, we are collaborators.

15:00 - Do not under any circumstances do this AT ALL! I can not stress this enough. We are not gerbils running on wheels for your amusement, We have practiced our craft for just as long if not longer than you have yours by the time we ever even speak. Do NOT "test" or "challenge" us. We got enough of that in art school and getting savagely critiqued in order to get good enough for writers to want to hire us in the first place. Instead, talk to us, learn what we like to draw. Artists draw for fun by ourselves. I specialize in big ticket cape books, but I love drawing mecha and pulpy swords & sorcery! Learn what we like and work it into the story we're telling. Artists will see the effort, and appreciate it. If you give us a fun thing to draw, bespoke to our interests, and woven cleverly into the story being told, you will not have to convince us to go all out on detail. We will draw the ever-loving shit out of it for our own amusement, and your script's benefit. You are not pushing your limits doing this, you are being glib, and turning my workday from an 8 hour one to a 12-16 hour one SO you can be glib. Stop immediately. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Thank you.

23:33 - Jim Valentino rejected Kirkman's Walking Dead pitch because no one read zombie books at the time, so he lied to Jim and said there would be an alien invasion to get the book greenlit. It is never a formality to pitch books, they are film auditions for an actor. Take them deathly serious! Also, pitch at least 10 pages. The 5-6 page pitch requirement is a trap to see if you are willing to go above and beyond the bare minimum.

If you want to get a good artist to draw your book for you, hangout with us. I mean it, go look for us out drawing in the wild, hang out in discords, see if someone hangs around your LCS looking art "The Art of (name here)" books, and strike up a conversation. We are being "pitched" to constantly. Be a friend, and we will accommodate you as best we can during this whole rigorous process. We will not work for free without significant personal investment (There are only 2 people on earth that I am good enough friends with that I'd consider drawing a book on spec for), but we will share what things we can to collectively lift and elevate this story. Also don't befriend an artist JUST to butter them up to work with you. You will get artist friend zoned bad. I hope this helps in some way for everyone, if you want to see my work just search "popartmarquis", I'll answer any questions that come here as I can do so!

Everybody in the pool,
MARQUIS (pronounced mahr-KEESZ, soft z.)

[EuphyD]

Ive been trying on and off to get into the industry, life just keeps getting in the way, but your video has been very helpful! I feel for my situation id love opportunities to network with other people who have published or are just stsrting out as well. You learn from others experience with rejection and success as well and what they changed to get more success than rejections! Hoping to find that community in the future 🙏🏾

[ViveUltimate]

Awesome! Good luck on your journey brother

[comicjourney]

Helpful incite. Hope to see more of these type of video's from you more consistently and soon

[quickhallsshow]

Epic! I'm thinking of submitting my comic to them

[vintageeight]

I enjoyed this! I just published my book EDIE with Bloodmoon. A lot of what you said spoke to my experience.

[DesignNurd]

Thanks for the info. I’ve made several comics solo and self published, otherwise I’ve only been published in anthologies. My comic Hell Babes should be reprinted in an anthology by a major publisher in about a year… not sure if to pitch before I finished issue 2 or after 🤔

[coinopanimator]

Loving these videos. Very inspiring. Just at the start of my journey after Uni so videos like this are great for info and encouragement.

[mrdigit]

good job, ....and hang in there on your endeavor,

[nrgentertainmentartist]

Hey you're doing a great job with these videos, they are very informative and motivational! Keep'em coming! :)

[BonniePelton]

I’m glad you mentions BxW .. and IC being cream of the crop .. will defiantly start smaller

[inktologist]

Great video!exactly what I needed to hear to start my comic. You rock!

[Kobroyono]

I appreciate you taking time to explain in depth and in lemans terms so that I could understand the submission process. I was watching your video in my back yard. I stood up and said I’m going to change my life, I’m going to finish my comic, I’m going to submit it. But first I’m going to finish this video and do further research to really get it done. Then the brightest falling star I’ve ever seen dropped from the sky and I knew it was true!
Thank you!