Krazehcakes
IronSpike
Clover_IceQueen
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No one said I was pissed, and he is well aware of our existence. I wasn't the one who called Oni Press "snobbish" so you should quote the person who did and lecture him or her about it.
And you didn't disagree with them, either. And call me skeptical about Bryan, unless you consider an @ on Twitter or slipping him a freebie at a con "aware of your existence."
No they're pretty snobbish. Before Scott Pilgrim became a huge hit they were very open to mostly any comics sent their way and gave it a decent gander or two. My classmate (who's now working professionally for IMAGE's Skull Kickers) is a fantastic artist, far better than Bryan and 90% of the titles that Oni published but when he had his review they basically told him they wouldn't publish his work or hook him up with anything unless he drew a 16 page comic of THEIR story without any pay or compensation as a test.
The point of that is ridiculous when he brought his entire portfolio, a completed mini comic of his solid storytelling skills in his art and they turned their noses unless they made him draw for free.
And portfolio reviews a valid hook up but they're pretty much waiting for another comic bryan will cra out before even trying a new and more talented artist.
They're snobs because they didn't hand your friend a paying contract on the spot? You do realize that Oni is a pretty small company with not a lot of money to go around, right? And it's not like Bryan Lee O'Malley was handed a multi-book contract as soon as he talked to Oni, either. He started doing small things like lettering and toning, as well as test stories in the Oni anthology Hopeless Savages. Then, he got a contract for Lost At Sea, a one-shot graphic novel, which THEN led to him getting the opportunity to do Scott Pilgrim with them. He had to pay his dues, same as everyone else.
I'm sorry about your talented friend struggling with publishers, but that's the way of the industry, unfortunately. It certainly doesn't make Oni a bunch of snobs. (I've talked to several of them, and they're quite nice, actually.) If you want to REALLY get thrown for a loop, try approaching any of the major book publishers. Many of them won't even talk to you without an agent! You have to know the industry you're in, and accusing those who don't bend to your desires of being snobs is
definitely the wrong way to get ahead. The American comics industry is a small pond. Word gets around, good and bad.
To the OP, my advice is not to worry about getting a publisher yet. If you're getting rejected by everyone, take that as a sign and work on your skills independently for a few years. Put your work online where everyone can read it, build a fanbase, get feedback, grow as storytellers. When you've demonstrated that you can dedicate yourselves to a project and produce something people will read, publishers may actually approach YOU. In that case, you're in a much better position to get the sort of contract you want. And if they don't, you can always reapply with a stronger body of work or just stay independent. Going indie is a large investment, but the rewards are great.
When you do decide to apply to more publishers, I
also advise that you check the submission guidelines of those you want to talk to, and follow them to the letter. Here's a tip: if a publisher doesn't accept unsolicited submissions, make an inquiry to their editorial staff and see if they'd like to see something from you. If they say "yes," then any submission you send them will be solicited, and likely to actually be read.
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