Comics School: Making Comics - Creative Careers Are a Marathon

This video is a bit different as I explain some of the unexpected twists and turns of my career that led me to where I am now. Every creative career follows its own strange path and substantial progress can take years.

Free How-To Articles on my main website:

The first part of the How To Pitch series of tutorial articles I put together:

An archive of over 250 scripts and pitches on my Patreon page, plus the chance to ask more questions that might show up here in a future video:

[darioscomicschool]

...Are a Martathon! Gonna soak this up, while Drawing!
Thank you for these Insides!

[UNCANNYGEORGE]

Great video! Always appreciate you breaking down your process and life circumstances. I also have a full time job and I take money from my paychecks to pay my team. It took me a little over a year to produce the first issue of the comic. I had thought all I needed was one issue done to get the book published. I was mistaken. Several publishers have expressed interest but asked that I come back when all five issues are done. Definitely stressful.

[jimjammer]

Loved this, was fascinating to hear a total career breakdown and all the work that went into these projects. What you said in the end about not comparing yourself to anyone else is something you hear a lot, but it definitely needs to be said a lot. It's a bad habit that I think almost every up and coming artist struggles with and it can be paralysing.

[lukew.henderson]

Firstly, just wanted to say I love your D&D books. Secondly, thanks for this video. I've started writing my own comic scripts and I'm struggling with how to afford self-publishing and how to go building my portfolio. This was very honest and eye opening.

[RyanPond]

Wow dude. This was an amazing lesson without being a straight up lecture. Awesome career and life lessons all throughout. Thanks for sharing! 🙌🍻🔥

[bitzbytes]

Thank you for answering my question. You have always been an inspiration to me and a role model for how one should try to get into the industry. I'm currently working on a book I plan to kickstart in the fall that I hope will lead to me building more momentum and funding to have the full four-issue arc I've written published. I face some challenges in terms of having three kids and a pretty tight budget but I could definitely be more disciplined when it comes to working on comics instead of enjoying my other hobbies like D&D. I think the biggest thing getting in my way is getting stuck in my feelings the way I was when I asked you that question on Youtube. Just this year I bought a website, started doing reviews for a different website, used my tax return to find the first issue of a new series, and I had already written more words this year than any other year before I lost track of it. On an objective level, I am building that momentum but I'm also extremely self-critical which leads to me wondering if I am the kind of person people would want to work with.
It does make me feel better to know you have your own failed projects because the version of you I've created in my head is this level 20 writing wizard that perfectly schedules every minute of their day and doesn't have time for stuff like stress or self-doubt. I know everything you said in your video is true because it's the same kind of advice I get from people in the Comics Experience forums but it's something I lose sight of when dealing with the day-to-day grind. Thanks again for taking the time to answer my question in such an in-depth way and being willing to be candid about your own progression.

[meanwhilestudios]

Independent, creator owner comics are how it’s done. I jumped into licensed work with Powerpuff Girls at the same time you took on Sam Jack and feel a kinship with you on that. :)

[pierredufour]

You mention your collaboration on Avengers No Surrender with Mark Waid and Al Ewing (I really liked that comics by the way). How is it to co-write a story ?