phrases. - The Official GlobalComix Blog

Rarely do we get the opportunity to work with some of the people we've grown up with reading or following.

Today, however, is one of those times, and we are extremely excited to announce that we have partnered with Heavy Metal Entertainment to bring their comics and graphic novels to readers around the world. From Fishkill to Brooklyn Gladiator to Taarna, and all the things in between, you can read everything from Heavy Metal Magazine #261 and onwards right here on GlobalComix, with much more coming. 

Heavy Metal represents a fantastic cross section of Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy titles that drive unique and enticing narratives, plot twists, and imaginary...

Surviving Camino Del Diablo, Issue #5 of the Resilience: Creators Against COVID anthology is now available to read on GlobalComix. Surviving Camino Del Diablo is a short story about a young woman who immigrated to the US as a child and works within the complex immigration system to help others.

This issue was created by Henry Barajas (Helm Greycastle) with art/colors by Nicky Rodriguez (Pulse), letters by  Gabriela Downie (Harleen), and editing by Janelle Asselin (DC Entertainment, Disney, ComicsAlliance, Rosy Press).

All subscription proceeds from this comic will be donated to Palabras Bilingual Bookstore in Phoenix, AZ.

To go along...

Earlier this year, GlobalComix had a chance to sit down with Rylend Grant to discuss crowdfunding. Rylend invites you behind the curtains of his upcoming campaign for THE JUMP 1-2. He walks you through and show you how he built his campaign, and explain in depth why he made the variety of choices that went into it. He follows up the demo with an extended Q&A.

Marketing comics is not a one size fits all process. Because each comic tells a unique story, and that story has a unique audience, then the relationship between the publisher and the reader needs to be tailored to give the book the best chance of success in the marketplace. Unique stories require unique marketing.

This case study is designed to walk you through the marketing analysis and execution for a single comic. Hopefully, you can take some of the insights and ideas presented here and apply them to your own comic. As always, if you have questions, please leave a comment and let us know.

Welcome to Mina’s Marketing Analysis

Story Abstract
Because the story is the...

Amazing stories can come from anywhere. They aren’t confined to the writer’s rooms of Hollywood, the publishing houses of New York or the stages of London. Narrative art can thrive wherever the craft and the vision to create them can flourish.

This reality is even more true in comics, where writers, artists, and editors can collaborate from anywhere in the world to bring you stories from every walk of life.

Source Point Press is a prime example of unique and expansive storytelling. The publisher started in the heart of Michigan but their catalog of horror, science fiction and true crime has grown a worldwide audience of adults and children over the years. Their...

Comics aren’t just about superheroes. There are as many genres of sequential art as can be found in books, movies, or television. Comics also aren’t just about fictional characters. There is a strong tradition of biography, history, and journalism in the comics medium.

One of the more prominent publishers in non-fiction comics recently added their impressive catalog of titles to GlobalComix.

Tidal Wave Productions offers multimedia experience unparalleled in both the graphic fiction and nonfiction marketplace. Their titles include in-depth explorations of prominent figures across the political and entertainment spectrum, with features ranging from Betty White to Stormy...

One of the things that sets GlobalComix apart from the competition is our commitment to creator development. We strive to educate, inform and support comic book creators at every level through our educational blogs, webinars, and consultation sessions. We plan to continue this service to our community this spring with a special in-depth marketing analysis.

Last fall, we introduced the general concepts of digital comic book marketing theory with two comprehensive webinars (Click here to see the video). Now, we plan to apply those ideas to a specific comic and walk you through each step of the process.

This will help you apply sound marketing principles to your own comics and...



We’re excited to share an amazing new series that you’ll be able to access exclusively through GlobalComix or the publisher’s Patreon. The Jonesey and Dr. Long Adventures, published by Unlikely Heroes Studios, is written by John Pence (The Surgeon, Up from the Skies) and drawn by Maxim Mel (Do Well Camp with Max Bemis, Fractured Scary Tales).

The series is a loving send-up of, and homage to, the two-fisted, gin-soaked, nicotine-stained Sunday comics of the 20th Century with a pretty smooth 1:1 ratio of action and jokes. Comics fans and scholars will see nods to legends like Steve Canyon, The Phantom, or The Spirit, all built in a world of animal characters and...

Comics are art and all art is political. The most memorable comics embrace this reality. They use narrative sequential art to convey relevant stories that both speak to the social climate of the moment and serve as a beacon for the future.

A Wave Blue World (AWBW) has been a home for impactful comic book art for over fifteen years. From the New York Times featured books like American Terrorist and All We Ever Wanted to classics like From Hell’s Heart and Phantom of the Opera, AWBW has always focused on socially conscious storytelling and providing a platform for a multitude of creative voices.

GlobalComix is proud to add AWBW to its family of comic book publishers.

You...

Our recent comic book crowdfunding webinar offered a lot of information, insight, and inspiration. The only downside to the evening was the little time we had to cover all of the insightful questions you asked. I’ve collected ten of the most relevant questions here and answered them as a resource for you. We had 99% of attendees request a follow-up, so we will be announcing one shortly so be on the lookout. In the meantime, happy crowdfunding, and wishing you success. Thanks to all the participants who asked questions.

Before we get into it, next Tuesday, March 23rd @ 8pm, panelist Rylend Grant will be taking you behind the curtain of his newest campaign for THE JUMP 1-2. And...

This Thursday evening, GlobalComix is hosting a crowdfunding webinar with Kickstarter superstars Adam Lawson, Honor Vincent, Rylend Grant, and Oriana Leckert. You can use this link to register, but if you want to prep for the event, check out these four posts I put together over the past month.

Why Should You Consider Crowdfunding Your Comic?

What Are the Elements of a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign?

How Do You Prepare for a Crowdfunding Campaign?

How Do You Manage Your Comics Crowdfunding Campaign?

Our panel of experts will share their experiences, suggest best practices, and answer your questions. Until then, have fun with your comic.

Gamal

From the beginning, the goal of GlobalComix has been working to make amazing comics accessible to everyone, no matter where they’re made, what language they’re in, or how they’ve been formatted. As comics fans who have a deep appreciation for the craft, we understand that the business of making comics can sometimes feel like feast or famine and that other times it can feel like shooting in the dark.

That’s one of the many reasons we partner with publishers like AWA Studios. They have a creative business owned and operated by creators. Their goal is to build a network of graphic fiction that cooperates with each other to better service their readership, make a...

Last week, we talked about the elements of a campaign and how you can put your book in a position for a successful Kickstarter in preparation for our upcoming crowdfunding webinar. This week, we’re going to wrap up our discussion of comics crowdfunding by walking through the management of the campaign.

Your ultimate goal is to combine your talent and your story with your marketing and advertising to inspire your target market to support your campaign before the end date.
 

How Do You Create Engagement During the Campaign?

Just before the campaign begins and on the launch date, try to draw as much attention to the campaign as possible. Treat this like an event,...

Last week, we talked about the reasons you should consider a crowdfunding campaign for your comic. This week, I’d like to explore the elements of a campaign and how you can put your book in a position for a successful Kickstarter.

There are resources you’ll need to manage and decisions you’ll have to make before you start your crowdfunding campaign. This checklist will walk you through some of the major things to consider.

Talent Management: Determine who from your comic book team will be able to assist in the campaign. Figure out what their schedule is going to be during the time you plan to crowdfund, and how you are going to compensate them for their...

Last week, we talked about the reasons you should consider a crowdfunding campaign for your comic. This week, I’d like to explore the elements of a campaign and how you can put your book in a position for a successful Kickstarter.

What Can You Use to Reach Your Crowdfunding Goal?

There are five common components you’ll need to create a compelling campaign.

1. The story in your book: You need to be able to explain how your comic will benefit your readers. Take a good long look at your characters and your genre so you can give details on why this story is unique enough for them to support.
2. The story of your team: The narrative of how your book came to be is an...



Last month, we started talking about creating a budget for your comic book publishing (See How to Create a Budget for Your Comics). Now that we’ve taken a few weeks to look at the different financing options, I’d like to expand on that discussion a little bit here by highlighting the different types of things an aspiring comic book publisher needs to consider when allocating limited resources.

Publishing comics requires more than just paying for page rates and printing. There are at least seven different categories of expenses, each with smaller subcategories.

Initial Costs:  Getting your business off the ground

• Company registration
• Intellectual...

As part of the lead up to our free financing webinar on October 29th, I’d like to explore the fundamentals of creating business management as it pertains to your aspiring comic book company.
 

What is Business Management?

Management is the organization and coordination of business activities to achieve defined objectives. As an independent publisher, this means finding the best ways to use your time, energy, and resources to achieve the milestones and goals for your comic.

Now, as a creative individual, you might consider business management a subject to avoid. If your goal is to make comics, then dealing with budgets, contracts, and schedules might be the...



Last week, we started talking about finding outside investment for your comic (See How Can You Get Others to Invest in Your Comic?) I’m going to finish off the list of different types of outside investment this week, but keep in mind we’ll go more in-depth in on this list during our free comic book financing webinar on October 29th.

1. HELOC

• a. Description: A Home Equity Line of Credit Loans (HELOC) is a loan that provides a line of credit using your home as collateral . The amount of money available to you depends on the amount of equity you have in your home and your credit rating.
• b. Advantages:
  • i. HELOCs are similar to credit cards in that you only...

After you figure out how much you can invest in your comic (See my earlier posts on self-financing), you may find that you don’t have enough to fully fund your publishing based on your initial budget. That’s when it’s time to go out into the world and find more money.

Before we go into details about getting investors and the different types of investment, we should understand that in many cases, it is very difficult to convince anyone to invest money in an untested comic book idea. The three economic realities of comic publishing we discussed earlier reduce the risk tolerance of most potential investors to the point where your offer isn’t attractive to them....

Tony Stark money isn’t the same as Peter Parker money. Different people have access to different levels and sources of personal finances. Each circumstance has unique advantages, disadvantages, and factors to think about in relation to your comic. As you review these self-financing options, keeping mind that these are broad overviews of complex financial instruments and they shouldn’t be used without understanding the risks and rewards. (See What are the Risks and Rewards of Financing Your Own Comic?)

1. Savings

• a. Description: This is the money you already have in the bank. It could come from money you save over time, tax refunds, or selling Vibranium on the black...

So far this month, we’ve taken a look at the three economic realities of comic book publishing and the basics for creating a comic book budget. Now that you have an idea of how much money your comic needs before the idea can become a reality, the next logical question is “where will the money come from?”

In general, there are two sources of money: your money and someone else’s money. Let’s look at your potential as an investment source first, before we go reaching into someone else’s pocket.

What Are the Advantages of Investing Your Money to Make a Comic?

It is not unusual for an independent publisher to dip into their own pockets to publish...

Before you sell your house, beg your grandmother for money, or rob a bank to publish your comic, it helps to know how much money you need in the first place. It doesn’t make any sense to spend a lot of time stressing about cash when you don’t have a clear idea of the costs you’re trying to cover. Of course, prices change and unexpected expenses are more common than you think, but if you have a basic idea of your costs, it will help you focus your revenue collection efforts.

In general, there are seven types of costs you need to consider when you decide to publish your first comic:

1. Initial Costs: This is the money to get off the ground. It includes the costs...

Now that the summer is over, we’re going to shift gears away from marketing and discuss another facet of comic book publishing that doesn’t get much attention. We’re going to spend the next few weeks discussing how you can pay to get your comic out into the world. But any discussion about financing comic book publishing has to begin with a disclaimer:

What you are going to read in the next few weeks isn’t financial advice and or legal advice. These are concepts you can consider when deciding if and how to fund your project, but before you do anything concerning money, consult your financial advisor. You should also speak to anyone in your life who might be...

There are a lot of things you can do on social media to market your comic (See How Should You Market Your Book on Social Media?). There are also a few things you should not do if you want to give your book the best chance to succeed. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Every year, dozens of companies and brands stumble on social media in ways that damage their image. While no one is perfect, these six concepts can add to the previous list of tips to help keep you out of trouble.

1. Avoid Targeting the Non-Market: You have a specific story to tell to a specific group. Everyone outside that group isn’t ready for, or interested in, that message. While you need to reach out to...

Earlier this week, I started listing concepts that can help you market your comics using social media. (See How Should You Market Your Comics on Social Media?) This post continues that discussion, with more advanced techniques.

9. Consider the potential backlash your book/team/ marketing could create. In the current social environment, any story can be seen as offensive to one group or another. Because your story will inevitably stand for something, it is likely to stand against something else, and the people who support that “something else” can quickly undermine or overwhelm your marketing efforts. While you can't predict every possible attack on your book, think...