More On The Future

So late 2011 and onwards, you will see a lot more company-owned work from me. More than you might guess. That might seem odd coming from me - and it feels odd TO me - but it is all part of A Plan.

I took the slow, difficult way in comics, stubbornly choosing to try and build a sustainable career doing creator-owned work only. These days the trend seems to be to put out a well-received indie book, rapidly move to Marvel, or DC, and get on a big name title. I understand the appeal of that on several levels, but like I said, I was stubborn. I’ve also described myself in the past as “superhero illiterate”, and so that sort of work was never my #1 goal.

But I went fulltime in comics in 2003, by 2004-5 when I started writing DMZ, I was paying the bills off comics alone, and I felt by the time Northlanders launched in 2007 that I had that career I was aiming for. Now, with DMZ hitting 72 issues and North at 41 and counting, I feel like I proved it, I reached that goal. If only to myself, I proved that you can have a career doing creator-owned work. I have two kids, I bought a house, etc etc. And so now I feel freer to experiment and take on some company books and see what that’s all about and reap whatever benefits may come my way. Its certainly a very different sort of work. It exercises different creative muscles.

I’ll still do creator-owned work… I have two projects planned, one at least should be announced in the next couple months. Northlanders will keep running for while, but the company-owned work news will start dropping between now and the fall, so heads-up.

I will also say that I am no longer DC exclusive.