Comic Industry Editorial & Writing Standards Deteriorating
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LET’S GET DANGEROUS: INTERVIEW WITH AARON SPARROW
http://comicartcommunity.com/comicart...
Aaron Sparrow, the writer for Joe Books’ Darkwing Duck series, corresponded with Comic Art Community about his career, his love of Darkwing, the return of the character at Boom! Studios and now Joe Books, and the future of the title.
10 Points On The Craft Of Comic Book Editing
https://www.forcesofgeek.com/2016/12/...
Comic book editing is a very particular skill distinct from editing books, magazines, and other media. It is, to, my mind, a noble trade; one that is traditionally (key word: “traditionally”) taught from generation to generation. There is no handbook I could provide that would definitively teach one how to be a comic book editor; it is something that needs to be observed, then attempted oneself and practiced.
10 Points On The Craft Of Comic Book Editing
December 19, 2016 by Val D'Orazio
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Comic book editing is a very particular skill distinct from editing books, magazines, and other media. It is, to, my mind, a noble trade; one that is traditionally (key word: “traditionally”) taught from generation to generation. There is no handbook I could provide that would definitively teach one how to be a comic book editor; it is something that needs to be observed, then attempted oneself and practiced.
Good editing is key to the success of a comic book. KEY. The editor not only edits content: he or she advocates for the project with upper management, interfaces with the talent in a way that brings out the best work, and even helps shape how the comic is marketed and presented to stores. A project without a strong or consistent editor(s) is like an orphaned baby left in the wilderness. If you are a comic book creator and your new project has either been abandoned by your editor (due to a change in job position, etc.) or has passed through several editors already in a “hot potato” type situation…the baby is not going to survive. And even if it does survive to see print, it might not thrive.
When a creator specifically requests that no edits be made to his or her work—and the person in question has the fame to back up that request—you, as editor, are kind of screwed. But more than that—he book is screwed. Indeed, there are bad editors (usually frustrated writers) who are more concerned with “leaving their mark” on a piece than providing constructive criticism.
A creator has reason to fear these editors. But there is no creator who couldn’t benefit from another pair of eyes looking over his or her work, if those eyes are indeed competent and empathetic.
The comic book industry is swiftly changing; consequently, you need to cultivate the ability to swiftly change and adapt as well. Many years ago, the structure and day-to-day operations of comic book editorial departments were far more static, more “secure.” Yes, you had your periodic purges of staff, but an editor also had the ability to stick around for 10, 15 years or more, working his or her (but mostly his) way from bright-eyed assistant to seasoned full editor. There was a certain continuity: an apprentice/mentor relationship.
But continuing developments in both the economy and technology have caused a radical interruption in this sort of glacial progression. The trend is for less autonomy of big comic publishing houses and more integration with the parent company. The particular culture of the comic book publisher—both at-times charming and annoyingly insular—gets slowly replaced by the standard operating procedure of the corporation.
#comicindustry #standards #comicbooks
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