Good riddance to 2008. I'm not even going to give it a goodbye hug, just a swift kick in the ass on its way to the slush pile.
2008 was probably my most frustrating year professionally of any of the 16 years I've now spent working in the comic book field. It was a year full of behind-the scenes soap opera and politics and battles that I fought--most of which I lost. Many were the times I questioned why I even continue to work in comics, a field where hard work and merit seem to count for nothing most of the time, and the best answer I could come up with is: I'm too stubborn to quit. I'm a cockroach, I've worked too hard and too long at this to tuck my head and call it a day.
As various projects I've been working on were killed or delayed indefinitely, it became hard not to feel like I've had some kind of dark cloud over my head. And just as I thought I had escaped to a fresh start in 2009, 2008 kicked me in the balls one last time. Jamal knows what I'm talking about.
So bring it on, 2009. Hit me with your best shot. I'm refocused, I'm standing tall, I'm smiling, and I'm not going anywhere. This is the year of THE MIGHTY. This is the year JOKER: YEAR ONE will (finally) arrive. NEVERMORE starts in March. There are more projects shaping up on the horizon and, while I've learned the hard way not all of them will see the light of day, that doesn't mean I won't stop fighting.
Dirty this time.
By the way, my new year's resolution is to make ONE MILLION DOLLARS in 09. If anyone has any tips how to go about it, by all means share.
Happy New Year!
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5 comments:
A million bucks, huh? You just need to make twice as much money every two weeks. The first two weeks you can make one whole penny, as long as you make two pennies in the next two weeks. By the end of February you're at about $3, and you'll actually only be at $10K by the end of week 40.
To make that money, I would focus on asset accumulation, but only assets that return a regular cash flow. Given your talents, you might consider developing and selling stock art. If you're ambitious, I think that we'll be seeing a real market for vehicles provided at as service, like a cell phone contract. People buy a contract (3 year) to pay a fixed monthly rate for use of a vehicle, gas, insurance, maintenance, etc. They have a monthly mileage cap and if they go over they have an overage fee, and they are responsible for all damage outside of maintenance. This is already happening as a model for electric cars as they develop. But, given the local economy, I suspect that there will be people who will be having trouble buying new cars and would look at this as a nice solution. Like a Zip car, but no one drives it but you, and you don't have to reserve it. Rob might be able to help you secure the venture capital.
The best thing that you can do though, is to sell yourself. (Not prostitution and not to Satan, although both probably would pay pretty well...) You are a published comic industry insider. Do seminars for aspiring artists, create a subscription section to your blog, sell signed framed copies of your original art. Realize that you are uniquely qualified to provide some of these services, and help others to believe that as well. That will create the premium price tag.
Anyway, take all this with a grain of salt... I haven't made my first million yet. If I can help you out let me know, Brother.
If I had a million dollars...that's rather catchy..as I was saying, if I had a million dollars I would most certainly aid you in your quest. For it would be well worth the friendship and mentoring you've given me over the years, which I have found to be priceless.
Gerb's idea of selling yourself is good, though I'm not sure I'd rule out prostitution or Satan, both of which are legal in Vegas.
And Rhode Island apparently.
You're a real live here Keith!
Randy
A million dollars?
How much would your own printing press cost?
Anyway, it sucks that 2008 has so harsh!
But, with The Mighty and Joker: Year One finally coming, I sincerely hope that 2009 will be greater for you!
I hear ya about being too stubborn to quit but I often find myself in conversations with other pros about the fact that it often seems like good and prompt work often goes unrewarded or forgotten. Not to say that is always the case, but too often it seems to be. Sounds like things are shaping up for you, hope 2009 kicks ass! See you at the nyc con!
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