From Fans to Famous
Every profession culls talents from it’s fan base, but there is something about comics that makes them more accessible than others.
To say that a lot of comic professionals come from the fan base seems redundant. Are there many careers out there that people pursue because they hated it? Logic would dictate that people try to go into a career that they enjoy or were fans of in their youth. Comics are no different, but they are more accessible than a lot of other paths. What kid do you know that doesn’t like to color or draw? The raw tools required to create a comic are simply a pencil and paper and some imagination, things most kids have in excess.
It is easy to see the draw of a comic career on its fans. The sequential and ongoing nature of comics adds an extra layer of appeal. Taking control of properties and characters that we have grown up knowing offers a unique opportunity not many other jobs can match. Comic properties have a longevity and legendary quality about them that is distinctly their own. This quality may cause a higher amount of the professionals to be drawn from the pool of fans.
People’s natural talents often dictate their career paths. Exceptional skills in mathematics or science naturally lead into a career in those fields. Comic books offer a wide variety of jobs related to them, so if you are not naturally talented as an artists or writer, there are still many places you can find work. Because of the transparency of the comic industry it feels like more fans become professionals when compared to others.
The multitude of annual conventions offers an unparalleled opportunity for fans to talk with current creators, share their work, and even get portfolio reviews direct from publishers. Comic cons are truly an open forum and melting pot for networking and ideas. This ease of access and open view into the inner workings of comics is one of the stronger influences that converts and drives fans to desire work in the industry. Comics offer a level of fame within the fan base that allows for big name professionals to be recognized and respected and yet still remain mostly anonymous to the outside world.
Does this mean the comic industry is inbred?
Pop will eat itself. Drawing inspiration from within can inevitably cause the collapse of the very thing that inspired. So far with comics this has not happened, but is it inevitable? If the next generation of creators draws their only source of inspiration from comics it could, but thankfully its impossible to be that isolated from other media in this modern world. The danger is still present when the other major influence is films and television. The pool of ideas can quickly run dry if the ideas are recycled from such a narrow source.
It could be argued that most of todays storys follow long established literary archetypes and that nothing is truly new or unique. The idea of a hero and the tales of adventures surrounding them lay at the root of storytelling. Do todays super heroes simply put a costume and a cape on these long standing tales? Thankfully the answer is no. Each new creator that takes on a comic brings their own unique spin to the characters, keeping them fresh and alive.
Wonder Woman will always be Wonder Woman, no matter if she is written by an established novelist or a first time fan. The sequential nature of comics allows the storys not only be fluid and evolve, but to take into account fans reactions to them. While it is true that a lot of comic professionals come from comic fans it has by no means caused a decay in the stories and characters. If anything the fans turned professionals bring with them a reverence for the characters that might not be present otherwise.
Comics will, hopefully, never end and eventually the creative teams on them will be replaced, and there will be fans ready and willing to take over like a row of sharks teeth. A never ending supply of sharpened ideas waiting to take their place at the fore front. So keep reading, keep drawing and keep writing, and that next replacement tooth could be you.