Re: Let's be totally honest here, shall we?
Dec 07, 2003 8:51 am

I actually voted on this before I saw the photos. Then I saw the replica photos and other responses and realized you are talking about sculptures.

He's not the first president to use it. Remember this famous speech: "Four score and seven mother f**king years ago, out forefathers bought forth on this continent a brand new f**king nation..."

Me signing Flaxen reminded you of it? Me signing Flaxen reminded me of some things too, but I won't talk about that.
DM

Bendis won't let me give anything away, but I will say it is a GREAT BIG BLAST to be working with him on this project.

An exciting experiment to be involved with. I'm very excited to see how Dave Finch brings it to life.

I'm 30.
I've been working professionally since I was 18. I met Bendis in 1993 when I was 20. That's when I wrote and drew the first KABUKI volume- KABUKI: Circle of Blood. And several other jobs with Brian back then.

In case anyone cares and doesn't know, I have six Kabuki volumes collected in Hardcover and paperback volumes, and have completed three Daredevil stories that will all be available in Hardcover and Paperback (the by next year). I'm working on the seventh Kabuki volume right now. KABUKI: The Alchemy. The first issue ships in January.

Thanks,
DM

Do I win something?
DM

Flaxen was definitly more than a job. And a GREAT experience on several levels. Most of which I won't go into. She is a lovely and sophisticated lady. And it was fun to work with Brian.

I was actually referring to several other early jobs we did in 93.
I don't think I was involved with Flaxen until 94/95.

Brian and I met at the Chicago Convention. We were both doing creator owned comics thru Caliber and other publishers. At one point we were both signing at the Caliber table at the same time and introduced ourselves and showed each other our work and immediatly became friends and hung out together for the entire rest of the show. And at the show, he told me he was up for some pencilling gigs, and wanted me as his inker. So we began working that way as well and we were on the phone every week from then on. And we began critiquing each other's personal work as we developed it. This was hugely helpful and we each sort of shaped and informed the other in our early formative years. Brian's advice and POV opened up whole new worlds to me at that time, that enriched my approach to my storytelling. And I'd like to think I was as helpful to him in that regard.

I did a couple creator owned series before Kabuki. But I decided to not mention or keep in print any of my work before Kabuki.
I did many hundreds of published pages of work before Kabuki. I was at the show promoting this books and handing our or selling my homemade Kabuki ashcan comics [Circle of Blood #2 & #4].

As far as breaking in, at 18 I just accepted any job no matter how small or lowpaying (or nonpaying) as long as it was published. Then I used those published books as examples to get other work. I'd set up at cons with all my motley crew of published things and present my work.
But that work for hire was all really just for practice and and fun and learning the business and the craft and the experience of the publishing. I really wanted to do my own book which turned out to be Kabuki. I was able to practice my skills and learn the nature of the business side and contracts and stuff by working these smaller gigs, or any gig I could find, cover artists, pencilling, inking, whatever.
And when I felt I was ready, I would do my own thing. But I wanted to get my work to a readable and less embarassing place first.
My theory (and Brian's) is that you need to do about three hundred pages of work just to get the crap out of your system. Stuff you think is your serious work, you are really trying your best, and you think it is your best, and you really put in the time and effort to improve on every page and panel, but it really serves to get your influences out of your system and to develope your own POV. Then after doing that for about 300 pages of varieous books, and developing your arsenal of skills and experiences, and problem solving abilities, you can be a bit more objective with your work, and move on into your own sense of what you want out of your work.

So when I felt like I learned enough to be able to begin my own larger project, I just did Kabuki and made homemade comics. And sold them. And used it to present to my publisher, retailers, distributors and readers. That is when I made my first significant mark, (or break) in the consciousness of most readers.

But before that I did a lot of long hard work to develop. My first job paid ten dollars a page as a penciler. And it took me twelve hours for each page. And I drew seven issues of that title. Six were published. I painted the covers too. I was paid thirty dollars for each of the painted covers.

To make ends meet, I also worked many other non comics jobs. I worked for a printer, and then hooked the printer up with the comic I was drawing. So besides being paid to draw it, I also was paid minimum wage to print it and trim it, and staple it. I learned a lot about the nature of printing.

But it was just practice that I needed. Like going to college that I didn't have to pay for. But it even paid me. And the excitement and experience of the published work was priceless. I started college at 17 knowing that I would be doing comics. My freshman year, I turned 18 and got that first paying ($10 a page) job right around my 18th birthday. And that job was just due to having a large body of work and constantly showing and giving copies to everyone even remotely interested or involved in the business. It comes down to nobody is going to offer you work if they don't see it, or more importantly, if you don't do it. But if you are constantly showing large bodies of work they start to take you seriously and know you can meet the deadline.

As far as Kabuki, I just did it first. And figured out how to publish it after.

Is that what you asked?

Best,
DM

Rick Mays and I are currently working on a game for John Woo and Electronic Arts.

That's all I can say right now.

I use it for mouthwash. I gives you fresh clean breath.

I go every year. Andy Lee will be there too. It is a great con. Not as small as cozy as Mid Ohio, but definitly as friendly. The people who run it are great. You should go.

Hey JJ,
Thanks for the great post response to my work. I appreciate the feedback.

I'm looking forward to you other posters to let me know what you think of the Kabuki books when you get to reading them.

Best,
David

First, I just want to say that your post in response to Circle of Blood shows that you are smart and that you have good taste

Thanks for taking the initiative to read my work. Let me know what you think of the other books. I like to think that it improves as it goes.
Best,
David

Hyde,
If you show up at a con I'm at and remind me of that, I'll give you a replacement copy.

In the meantime, it is still fun to read, even if the pages get out of order
It's like the remix.
DM

By the way, thanks for introducing it to other readers.

After I give you the replacement copy, you can pass on your remix copy to a friend again.

DM

Hi Mark,
Thanks for reading my work.

If your store has Skin Deep and Metamorphosis, you can go right to them. Your can read the other stuff too of course, but if it's not there, don't wait on it to read Skin and Meta, just go right to them, and the other stuff will still makes sense when you read them retroactively.

But the Skin Deep and Metamorphosis story is my favorite.
If I had to pick one it would be Meta, but they were originally mean to be all one story. I did the the issues of Skin Deep back when Brian and I were published thru Caliber. Then when I had to leave that publisher, I began the Metamorphosis series at Image, but it is really an extension of the same big story.

My masterpiece so far, if I have one. I'd have to say Meta is the best representation of my work in comics.

I'm hoping to improve on it in ALCHEMY, but let me know what you think of Skin and Meta when you get the chance. I think you will see a big improvement and evolution from the work in Circle of Blood.

Best,
David