Image Expo Wrap Up
(or A Comics Show in Bulleted Lists)
I split time between the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and the Cartoon Art Museum yesterday to check in on what’s new with Big 4 comics publisher, Image.
Publisher Eric Stephenson kicked off the event with some rather impressive figures:
• Despite the ubiquitous doomsayers in publishing, Image posted its 5th straight year of unprecedented growth
• Revenues increased by over 20%
• Number of units increased by over 40%
• Their overall market share increased as well
• They had 6 of the year’s 10 bestselling trade paperbacks
• They had the #1 bestselling comic of the year for the second year running
• They added over 50 projects and 2 dozen new creators for 2014
Eric then went though a list of prominent offerings for the new year. I’ll touch on a few:
• Among other projects, Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) will be working on Outcast with illustrator Paul Azaceta (issue #1 releases in June).
• A former Kirkman project, Tech Jacket, is being revived with Joe Keatinge as creator. Tech Jacket Digital will be a primarily digital comic sold first through Image’s own DRM-free store and then on other outlets like Google Play, iBookstore, Comixology, and Amazon.
• Joshua Williamson and illustrator Mike Henderson team up for perhaps the comic I’m most anticipating, Nailbiter, out in May.
• Rick Remender has a new “aquatic sci-fi/fantasy,” Low, forthcoming in July.
• Among other projects, Matt Fraction will release ODY-C, a psychedelic, gender-swapping, set-in-space retelling of Homer’s classic.
• Kelly Sue DeConnick is creating the campy, exploitation-steeped Bitch Planet with Valentine De Landro.
• Chris Burnham and Grant Morrison have a new, super-secret horror project called Nameless (that really is the name).
• Bill Willingham’s new project is Restoration.
• Scott Snyder’s Wytches is another one that looks amazing.
• And in a big move, Ed Brubaker signs a 5-year deal to create for Image, beginning with Fade Out.
I took in the panels and discussions. In his talk, Robert Kirkman listed the projects on his Skybound imprint, epically slammed Marvel, and shared a publishing philosophy that is essentially the reason why we started our digital publishing arm last May.
I live tweeted discussions with the various creators and illustrators. Here are a few highlights from the illustrators:
• “It took me 8 years out of art school to get good enough.” – Nick Dragotta
• On being asked to draw the impossible: “I think those make for the coolest panels if you can sell that impossible shit. Like if I can put that hairbrush in like she just used it, I’ve just sold that action.” – Chris Burnham
• On the give-and-take relationship of an author/illustrator team: “I think the purest form of comic is from one person, but when you’re working with another person, there has to be some bend in there…it’s a merging.” – Nick Dragotta
And from the creators:
• “[The reader] is your collaborator.” – Bill Willingham
• They agreed that the reading experience is, as Tolkien put it, less of a suspension of disbelief and more of a creation of a secondary belief.
• “I will cannibalize any tragedy. Anything bad that happens to me, I say ‘It’s ok. I can use this.” – Matt Fraction
• On publishing today: “There are still gatekeepers, but the gates have been broken down long ago. If you want to do comics, do them.” – Bill Willingham
• On research: “You have to know at least more than your reader.” – Bill Willingham
• “Know when research becomes procrastination.” – Scott Snyder
• And in one of my favorite moments of the convention, Kelly Sue Deconnick answered how men could effectively write female characters: “Pretend they’re people.” She went on to explain what she calls the Sexy Lamp Test: “If you can take the female character out of your story and replace her with a sexy lamp and there’s no change, then fuck you.”
There were also signings throughout the day and a mixer afterward. Between the media, retailers, and general attendees packing the hall, the event appeared to be sold out (and selling a LOT of comics).
All in all, it was a very long but satisfying and inspiring day as well as a chance to hang out with some very talented folks. I highly recommend this if you’re in the SF Bay Area and a big fan of comics.
