There are a lot of resources for comic book creators out there, if you know where to look. Take a look at some of the best general resources for the comic book creators. Here you will find websites with forums for creators of all kinds, websites geared towards helping you find creators and publishers to work with, as well as books that are geared with basic information towards creating comics.
This website has a lot of great free resources for comic book creators. The main one is their
Talent Search section. This is a great classifieds area where you can find people wanting to work on your project, or post your own resume for hire. The other main thing this site offers as resources is a
forum where you can talk with other creators about the craft of creating comic books.
Will Eisner is considered by many to be the "father" of the graphic novel. He was putting out remarkable and timeless graphic novels before many of us fans were even born. Be sure you check out his books about the craft of creating comics and be sure to study his own work, they are a lesson in and of themselves.
Scott McCloud broke the mold for information about comic books and the creation of comic books. He started a series of essays talking about comic books that were drawn as a comic book. They have since gone on to become a huge resource for comic book creators. He is a pioneer in the world of webcomics and his ideas and theories have caused quite a stir amongst creators. He is a well respected "idea man" for the comic book world, and most creators will tell you to look up his books when asked about getting into the comic book business.
This was a Free Comic Book Day book that has since gone on to be a free online comic book with lots of great basic info. From their site: "As the industry authority on comics history and creation, TwoMorrows has tapped the combined knowledge of its editors to assemble an all-new, all-ages 32-page comics primer!" You'll find a little bit for everyone in this comic book about creating comic books.
Although this website is primarily for information about a comic created by
J. Dee Dupuy, the artist and creator has assembled a great list of resources on almost every topic of comic book creation. It seems that in creating the comic, Dee had to learn a lot about the comic creation process and was kind enough to put up what she has found here. There's resources for pencillers, inkers, lettering, and more. Great resources here from someone who has already traveled the path of a creating comics.
Although it isn't updated all that much recently, this site can give some insight into the legal aspects of creating comic books and dealing with creators and publishers. There are resources about contracts, trademark, copyright, and other information that can open your eyes about the comic book business.
Unless you go exclusive with a publisher, and most new creators do not, you will enter into the world of the freelancer. This basically means that you will be working for yourself, selling your skills to the highest bidder. The upside of freelance work is the schedule. You will get to set your own hours and be your own boss. The downside is that work may be infrequent, so you don't turn stuff down, which can result in work overload. This article gives some great general tips for the freelancer and how they can be successful. A
companion article, spoofing this one, came out as well and is great for a laugh, or maybe a dose of reality.
Pretty much just what the title says, this is a website that is geared to classifieds about comic books. You can buy and sell your comic books, but the main reason for this site on the list is the ability to to post about and search for comic book jobs. You can find lots of people who are looking to hire, and if you need someone, just post away!
A newer site that offers resources for people looking for work in comic books as well as people looking to hire others. One thing I really like about the site is that you can easily tell what kind of jobs are open by just glancing at their "Jobs By Category" section in the top-left of the website. You will see all the different kinds of jobs with the number of how many open jobs each holds. Great way to quickly see if something new has come up. You can set up a profile for yourself, subscribe to their RSS feed, and check out their blog as well. It is shaping up rather nicely as a great resource for comic book creators.
This website is hosted by artist
Erick Cruz, a fledgling comic book creator. The website is in its infancy, but there are some tutorials here and there about many different aspects of the creating process. Given time, it could easily be a powerful tool for creators.
