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6.22.2005

The Small Presser, No. 2: "Hook Up"

No matter what level of comics you aspire to, networking is important. You'll pick up great nuggets of information and incorporate them into your comic-making process. And you'll make some great friends along the way. When I started making minis in 2002, I joined two small-press comics groups: the Small Press Syndicate and the United Fanzine Organization. Through these two groups, I hooked up with a lot of energetic, innovative and inspiring small pressers. For example, the former chairman of the SPS, Daniel Nauenburg, has a great tutorial on producing a do-it-yourself mini comic. He also provides step-by-step guidance on making your own homemade paperback book using a ruler, razor and a glue gun (for instructions, click on "How Tos" from this link). The SPS also publishes a periodic newsletter, the Rap Sheet, where all its members (membership is open to all; annual dues are $17) can contribute cartoons, columns, plug their new books, whatever. It's kind of a free-for-all, but I really do enjoy getting the newsletter in the mail.

The UFO is more structured. You have to get voted in ($20 annual dues), and then each book your produce--a minimum of 20 pages a year--is voted on, so it definitely tends to have a rather clique-like feel. But the current members are pretty laid back and produce some really great small-press work. The UFO also has a periodic newsletter, Tetragrammaton Fragments, but the contributions are mainly critiques of members' books. This was initially how I got constructive feedback on my work. And a number of the members have moved on to higher grounds: Frank Miller was once a member; current member James West recently had the wonderful Pan-Gea comic published by Ape Entertainment (which was founded by three former UFO members); two former member who recently left just had a comic published by Slave Labor; and two members (myself included, ahem!) were named finalists for the Day Prize over the past two years.

Another plus with the UFO is we also don't hesitate to promote each other's books. At the annual SPACE show in Columbus, Ohio, we get a row of tables as a group, as the UFO, which really makes us stand out. (Blue table clothes, stand-up cut-out logo, raffle for free books and art, you name it). And my favorite part is just meeting up with the guys I've been corresponding with all year for dinner after the show.

I also recently helped create a local comic-creators collaborative here in D.C. called the D.C. Conspiracy. Although the SPS and UFO are great, there's nothing like actually meeting up with comic-creating colleagues face-to-face to talk comics, look at art, and just down a few beers. The group took a road trip to the Frank Frazetta Museum this past weekend where we had the pleasure of chatting with Mrs. Frazetta. She asked what the DCC was, and after we told her, she responded: "Frank and the guys also used to have rap sessions like that during the day, and then they'd go home and work all night." The about sums up my thoughts: the DCC lets me rap with other like-minded (and different-minded) creators, which inspires me to do the best damn work I can when I get home.

On that note, make sure to come and see us this Sunday, June 26, at Dr. Dremo's at 5:30 p.m. Bring your beer clogs and pencils.

Dembicki at 7:33 PM  |  link to this     

2 Comments

I think your column and my column are going to be variations on the same theme.

Should be interesting. Mine this week talks about how important networking is as well.

Jason at 6/23/2005 9:21 AM   

It really is the cornerstone to any degree of success.

Dembicki at 6/23/2005 5:25 PM   

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