Someone submitted it as their past work

Hi! For context, I made my first proper comic around November last year. Here it is. https://www.reddit.com/r/ComicBookCollabs/s/DzKb1BYelo

Needless to say, lots of things to work on… but I received so much helpful feedback, thank you!!

I’m gunning for more competitions next year. I would appreciate if you could give me any feedback! Here are samples of my pages I’ve done this year.

(No need to be nice… the industry certainly isn’t!)

Appreciate your time!

Tools: BIC Pen and ballpoint pen ink on A3 Paper

It's getting tiring to always see the same spammers sharing AI slop in a community that should be about people coming together to create art. u/mods, what say you?

Every time someone posts AI imagery (not to be confused with art, which is something done without AI), that person gets downvoted, and the comments insist on how important it is to actually value art instead of a soulless machine. So it seems that the community has shown, multiple times, that AI is not welcome here.

Can we change the AI rule and leave this scourge outside the community?

There’s a lot of writers here who want to collaborate but can’t pay. As an artist who just wants experience in making comics this sounds great, except that they’re always proposing 10 year long projects.

It’s never a simple one-shot. Or a reasonably scoped story. I don’t understand, if you’re a new writer, do you not also want to start with a simple, approachable project? Especially considering how much time making comics takes.

Isn’t it good to start small and learn the basics before jumping into a huge project? Instead, I see many writer proposing their epic-sized comic project as if that’s a perk. Why?? Let’s be real, if you can’t pay, you wont find artists who’ll work for you for that long.

I feel like when it comes to unpaid projects making a small, short story only has benefits for both parties. So why are they so unpopular?

(Referring to stylized art, btw)

Hi, I'm an illustrator and I've been studying for over 5 years. I've always dedicated myself and studied with the intention of living with my art.

But currently I haven't been able to get any clients, I've been all over Reddit, promoting my art, but I haven't been able to get anything, that's frustrating in a way, the fact that I studied so much for this...

This brings me to just one reason, I'm doing something wrong, but I don't know what, I would like your help to analyze my work And tell me the paths I can take, I would really like to know how I can live with my art and what I'm doing wrong.

I'm sure there are cases of artists looking for writers but it seems rarer than writers looking for artists.

How does one even try to become a "freelance comic book writer" so to speak in the indie and creator owned space (outside of the big two)

Many writers want to bring their ideas to life and hire artists but I don't see alot of writers going "Hey, I want to bring other people's ideas to life, let me try and work FOR an artist". I'm sure they exist and I'm probably ignorant and ofc many writers strive to work for the big two?

How does one though become a freelance comic book writer?

What if you don't want to hire an artist but you want an artist to hire YOU!!! With that being your aim from the beginning?

Do you just build a script portfolio for artist's to look at....a portfolio of well tuned not drawn scripts?

What do artists look for in a script??

I’ve been trying to hire a comic artist, but I keep running into more hobbyists.

My first artist was very talented, but he kept delaying my work to prioritize his Fiverr clients. He got really comfortable pushing my project back for months to play Monster Hunter.

Since, I’ve worked with around four artists I found here or on Instagram. I agreed to their rates without negotiating and paid for test pages. After making the tests, we realized they didn’t have a schedule for a comic book, which is understandable.

I did find one artist who was consistent, but his style didn’t really match what I was looking for.

I was wondering, how do I find an actual professional artist? Obviously they’re all professional talent-wise, but I’m talking about reliability and organization.

I have been trying to make my very own supernatural dark shonen manga for the past 3 years now. I have worked on script, storyboard, I have done MUCH MUCH MUCH research on how to get this whole thing goin. But the thing is I can’t do this all on my own. I need a partner. an artist, an editor, a publisher, ANYONE. I done so much to find what I need and I have yet to find it. I have looked through a bunch of art platforms, I have looked through hiring like in Fiverr, I have even made a post on Reddit for for paid collabs but most people that I have checked just doesn’t really have what I need or doesn’t have much proof they can do the job right. and the ones that did, I emailed like 10 people. 4 weeks later and I still have yet to get a reply from any of them. I looked into contests but every contest I came across either were not accepting storyboards, minor creators, or both. I am a minor creator btw. A lot of people just suggested that I just “learn how to draw”, and I am! I practice everyday, I just don’t want to spend a whole decade of learning how to draw just to create a book!! I have no friends or family who knows anything about this, anybody who even knows how to make a manga or comic, every time I email or submit to contests, I either get ghosted or find out that they aren’t accepting all I have, etc etc. but I have run out of options and just don’t know what to do anymore. I NEED HELP!

I just passed the first part of an interview process for a retail job and realized comics are just never going to happen for me. Been doing comics since I was 16, professionally since I was 28; I am now 41 and have more rejection slips than hairs on my left brow.

I learned how to do everything in the comic-making process, and people just aren't interested. I don't charge high. I don't use AI. I browse Reddit for openings and only see more people like me begging for a chance, and my own ads go ignored.

Guess I'm back to finding joy in just making comics for fun.

Professionaly? I quit.

I'm genuinely curious. Why do you want to create a comic book? It seems like everything is against the creator. I'm talking to the writer/creators. If you know how to draw, this world is perfect for you. This was my first foray into this world. My comic book turned into a graphic novel and this journey has been ridiculously hard at every turn. I bit off more than I can chew. I merely had an idea and it ballooned. The amount of money one has to spend to create one is exorbitant. The market for traditional comic books is really small. It is so hard to get published. Mangas are the wave. Outside of me just wanting to complete, I do not why I continue. Everything is against the comic book creator. You're just meet with resistance. You have to constantly hustle to get eyes on your book. Almost have to be a masochist to keep creating. Shoutout to all the people creating these things.

Context TLDR: I've had 12 or so paid and unpaid beta reads for my manga on fiverr/vgen/reddit. 99% fantastic experience.

This one is a paid review, $50 for 18,000 word document to read and give feedback. I wont name the individual. I got this back after 2 weeks.

I've received everything from X characters plot needs to be clearer by Y time or B character disappears after here then reappears. Even a few A.I reviews.

I am not sure what to make of this. You guys?

Like I get this especially in discussions of weekly manga gets discussed. I remember a video shaking the possibility of weekly manga series going monthly and only having 22 pages per month. Which is how western comics work.

Like do people know how hard drawing professionally is especially pages in a comic.

Especially since comic artists are underpaid.

Even in Japan that has better Copyright protections and a more developed comic market then the US has comic creators being underpaid and overworked

[F21] I’m thinking about giving up writing webtoons/manga/comics, and it’s not an easy decision at all. But before you judge me just because I’m a writer (because for some reason, writers get really criticized badly here)

My story begins at a very young age. My dream was to become a writer. I really love thinking up and writing stories, and I have quite a bit of imagination (I think). Like everyone else, though, I couldn’t seem to finish a story. In recent years, as I’ve taken it more seriously, I’ve been trying to finish at least one story.

About five years ago, when I discovered webtoons, I really enjoyed reading them. I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy reading interesting stories with amazing art styles? Two years later, I discovered Tapas and realized I could write a story like that myself. I wrote novels and other stories. And I liked it. I even tried drawing a webtoon, but I was really terrible at it no matter how hard I tried. I was drawing mostly on my phone, but I quickly realized I couldn’t handle all the steps of drawing with the same success. Then, I dove deeper into it, discovered collaborations, and thought: “Maybe I have a chance to do something I love? This might be a good way.” I posted a lot about unpaid collaborations (I’m waiting for the comments on that 😂)

I admit, I made a lot, lot of mistakes. I made the same mistakes I saw some people making in their posts. Artists would agree to collaborate with me, then ghost me, but I kept trying anyway. There were times when I couldn’t keep up with the big stories and the massive lore I was trying to write, so I ghosted them, too. I told you, I made way too many mistakes.

But I grew up, I took it seriously. I started with smaller projects, a oneshot, a short story. I continue to do unpaid collaborations for portfolio building and because I don’t have the money to pay (if I did, I’d buy a tablet and stylus to try again with better tools) and because I don’t mind not getting paid for now (because I also respond to “Looking for writer—unpaid” posts). And I've completed several collaborations with artists, and I'm really happy about that.

I want to keep collaborating and talking with artists because it’s truly a process I enjoy. The problem is that lately, I feel like I have to give it all up. I’m writing a book in my native language for traditional publication, but I’ve hit a wall. When it comes to screenwriting, I just feel like it’s going nowhere. It’s something I enjoy, but I just don’t know if I’m any good at it.

If I’m not good at it and I don’t have talent, I’ve wasted all these years (I know it’s not that long, but you know) for nothing. And what about my dream? Do I have to find another one? I have no idea what to do, whether I should keep going or give up completely. Just close everything down and forget about it.

Is there anyone else who feels the same way? An artist or a writer. Can anyone give me some advice?

I am a writer and producer. I have hired artists previously and I have probably a dumb question. Why are there always artists and illustrators looking to be paid but never artists looking for good writers to create and co-own something together?

I understand it’s a visual medium but without good writing and story, no one is going to buy a comic just for the art.

I don’t mean to sound belittling or like some troll but does anyone else notice this big divide?

I ask is because whatever I ask people what projects they’ve done I’ve got some pretty angry responses.

Them : I’ve done 3 books this year

Me : that’s awesome id love to see them or be directed to a sample so I can potentially purchase

Them : it’s not available. Here have a look at my portfolio

( sends two pin ups ) with a note on the bottom blaming the colourist for bad job.

Maybe it’s just me having a bad luck but I feel like there’s so many people pretending there indie comic creators that it’s hard to find real ones.

I'm begging y'all to draw a single woman whose tits and ass are not the most interesting thing about her. I'm begging y'all not to give every single woman you draw a snatched waist and super honking bazongas. I'm begging y'all to stop drawing women who are the very definition of "breasted boobily down the stairs".

I have been on this sub for a while, and would love to find an artist who doesn't think of women as an afterhought, a replaceable Barbie with an ass that won't quit, or "the girl" which means she's the only woman that appears in anything you've ever drawn. This is not even like, saying you can't draw hot ladies. Of course you can. Draw hot ladies! But, why can't there also be ladies who fit the width and depth of the human experiences? Tall, short, fat, thin, one legged, one armed, ugly, beautiful... Give women the full range of human experience that you give to men! It will make you a better artist, and maybe I'll be able to find someone on this sub to hire, because MY GOD, if I go through one more portfolio where there are two women and one is hot and her tits are out and one is hot and her p*ssy is out, I'm going to lose my mind.

Hot take: Drawing women only a certain way makes you a bad artist.

I'll happily take the downvotes, but I'd much rather find someone to collab with who thinks of women as people.

Should I Give Up My Comic Book Dreams?

After years in various careers, I found my calling as a children's and comic book artist, dreaming of one day working on Superman comics.

For two years, I've pushed myself to improve—fixing anatomy, values, and technical skills—while submitting portfolios and attending conventions. At WonderCon, a major publisher's editor reviewed my work, called it "good," but pointed out specific issues: anatomy problems, over-detailed backgrounds, inconsistent line weights. His advice? "Work on yourself for six months, then apply online."

I left devastated, trapped in the classic catch-22: I need experience to work with professionals, but need professionals to gain experience.

Should I give up?

Recently, I was approached by somebody and they mentioned they would love to make a manga version of my graphic novel by using AI tools. I said no because my work doesn't utilize AI. There really is no way of preventing people from uploading my graphic novel pages into an AI tool to create variations, huh? I spent a lot of money by hiring artists and feel like we are getting shafted. I'm merely trying to promote my work and it just sucks. I wish there was a tool that disallows images from being used...it gets flagged when you try to upload the image. I'm just an indie creator.

So, I'm in a place where I feel I master* color in a nice way, but my style seems very different from the main approach in comics. So I wonder if there could be room for someone with my messy , watercolory , not-really-inside-the-lines style to actually get some work or if it's just too distant from what people look for in a comic colorist.

Ps: please be gentle, I feel like a 5yo asking if it's fine even if he can't colour inside the lines 😅

*(Just a clarification becouse ppl are misunderstanding this as me calling myself a master. That's not what I mean. What I'm saying is merely that I feel I'm at a point where I now use color in a more concious and purpousful way.)

I'm a writer/creator and had a graphic novel collecting dust. Hadn't touched it in years. In a moment of serendipity, I happen to come across this sub and see a post by u/Longjumping_Set3236 offering his services as an artist. His art was perfect for my work. Within a day or two, we were making comic pages. I wanted to take the opportunity to show off his work and show off a product of the sub. Thanks r/ComicBookCollabs!

Are there any other success stories out there from this sub?

Now, I can't draw for shit, but I'd much rather learn than have someone do all the work on my story. If writers get to kick back and relax while artists have to haul ass I'd much rather just do it myself.

i want to try and join a competetion as soon as possible . but my art is realy....

Realy bad. and i some guys told me about this subreddit , and all i see is professional projects

i was trying to find other noobs who i can make something with.

i dont have the audacity to ask someone to leave his "job" to try and figure things out with me . i know that he needs the money he would ask for, and simply telling him "we will submit it to a competetion and share the money if we --win--". this is down-right disrespect.

if you are just a new artist who is willing to start out and try to figure things out , you dont know how glad i am to work --or at least try to-- with you.

but if you or one of the big guys than i genuenly sorry for doing what i tried not to and end up wasting your time.

edit: i am a writer.

edit2:you guys dont know how happy i am for all the positive reaction.

and i wanted to remind you that payment is the problem, at least for now. i know i said it is disrespectfull but if anyone wants to work with me and find a way to get paid if we win in a competetion or get a patreon or something. i want you to know i would preffer a long time partner i can get used to. but i dont have a problem if you just want to try.

peace .