SEEKING INVESTOR FOR CONTROVERSIAL COMIC BOOK

[valuecomics]

If you are an artist or someone looking for work and the thread title provokes curiosity please read no further. There is nothing really to see here in that case.


If you are someone who has a few thousand dollars to spare and is willing to invest in talent please continue to read.

Now that I have your attention here's what I need from you:

$80 x 22 for interior pages
$100 x 2 for covers

This will be required to get the work done on a single issue of this book.

Before you go ahead and ask me to offer a business strategy and synopsis etc. I appeal to your basic instincts.

If you felt compelled to read this thread then you have the wherewithal to offer your support.

This (2008) page is from this first issue of the book (will be updated):

http://oi67.tinypic.com/2d17kfc.jpg

The story is a breakthrough fiction best described as the first of it's kind. It is basically what happens if all the resources available to the largest publishers are applied in the one way thus far they've all managed to avoid. This is why I am confident of success and why you should invest what amounts to a small sum in order to facilitate this work.

Once the work is complete we will be in a position to shop it around for publishing and/or for crowdfunding further issues.

A bit about me:

For the past two years I have been freelancing full time doing odd comic book related art jobs in order to get by. The story we will be creating has been sitting on the shelf for a very long time and the techniques I will use to bring it to life have yet to be realized.

I require your help in allowing me the freedom away from having to make ends meet while I undertake this task.

In return I offer you a 60% equity stake in the proceeds of the issue you fund. You need to do nothing more than pay me to work essentially for you, and the returns on this one issue alone will easily cover your costs. Of that I am absolutely sure.

I will be working at the rate of a page per week so we could discuss arrangements to facilitate that.

If you are sincerely interested I will ask you to fund the first two pages of the comic via Paypal as an act of good faith, and then we will take care of paperwork and continue.

Please contact me by email ONLY:

athernandez707@gmail.com

Thanks

EDIT: And (from a strictly objective POV) should you have any doubt that this project will garner attention (which translates ultimately into sales), please consider the reactions below.

[Godman]

If you really think you're that good and your story is one of a kid, try submitting it to a publishing company, get others to invest in it.
If it doesn't work, its not good enough.

[valuecomics]

Could you stop spamming my threads please?

Have some dignity.

Perhaps you failed to notice my request.

I would like NO COMMENTS here. If you have something to say use the email address provided.

[Godman]

You are spamming the forum with your narcissism, combining it all together doesn't make it 'different' its just a compilation of everything that has already been done.

If you're unhappy, leave. I'll do what I want, this is a public forum.

[Eagle-NO-Earth]

Um...Seriously? You want someone to invest 2 grand into your comic idea and that doesn't cover actually producing it, but simply to pay you to write and draw it? Another few thousand for printing after that, or is this magnum opus so good that publishers are going to be in a bidding war to get it?

Have you got a resume showing past success ("Most Successful Comic All Time") in your past projects?

Eagle
(And this isn't spamming, it's a legit question)

[valuecomics]

Um...Seriously? You want someone to invest 2 grand into your comic idea and that doesn't cover actually producing it, but simply to pay you to write and draw it? Another few thousand for printing after that, or is this magnum opus so good that publishers are going to be in a bidding war to get it?

Have you got a resume showing past success ("Most Successful Comic All Time") in your past projects?

Eagle
(And this isn't spamming, it's a legit question)

If you read the post this is a request to cover me while the book gets produced. Once it's done it will be shopped around. It's nothing more complicated than this.

And thanks for your question.

I would have preferred if you followed the instructions and emailed me instead, but at least your contribution to this is without unnecessary histrionics.

I'm amazed at how with clockwork timing there is always a joker in the pack who will shamelessly attempt to derail these posts.

It's as if they feel threatened by it.

[Godman]

I'm not derailing, just giving you the response your post deserves. Try changing the manner of asking, maybe it'll get better.

[Eagle-NO-Earth]

If you read the post this is a request to cover me while the book gets produced. Once it's done it will be shopped around. It's nothing more complicated than this.

And thanks for your question.

I would have preferred if you followed the instructions and emailed me instead, but at least your contribution to this is without unnecessary histrionics.

I'm amazed at how with clockwork timing there is always a joker in the pack who will shamelessly attempt to derail these posts.

It's as if they feel threatened by it.

First off, I asked three questions. You answered one of them.

You want someone to pay you to write and draw a comic. I got that.

You do not have a publisher for it, so it's going to be shopped around, so the person who pays you doesn't have to pony up any additional money, but also has no assurance of return on investment. I got that.

What makes you worth 2 grand in up front money with no assurance of a return? Do you have successful comics under your belt? What is the idea? Have you got a pitch for the comic itself?

I am not asking idly. NO-Earth Comics is an indie publisher. We don't operate off the business model of a traditional publisher, but we're always looking for new people and new ideas.

So I decided to see if there was actually any bait on this hook, or if you were just dangling the hook in the water to see if anything bit.

And you posted this on a public forum. That means that you have no control over whether or not people want to discuss your offer in public.

Eagle
(I don't follow instructions well when they serve no purpose)

[ld-airgrafix]

I will be honest, looking at that cover art, you should not charge for art. You simply arent $80 a page good enough. Color will not make bad drawing look better.
Besides, why do you need money to draw your own book?????

[valuecomics]

First off, I asked three questions. You answered one of them.

You want someone to pay you to write and draw a comic. I got that.

You do not have a publisher for it, so it's going to be shopped around, so the person who pays you doesn't have to pony up any additional money, but also has no assurance of return on investment. I got that.

What makes you worth 2 grand in up front money with no assurance of a return? Do you have successful comics under your belt? What is the idea? Have you got a pitch for the comic itself?

I am not asking idly. NO-Earth Comics is an indie publisher. We don't operate off the business model of a traditional publisher, but we're always looking for new people and new ideas.

So I decided to see if there was actually any bait on this hook, or if you were just dangling the hook in the water to see if anything bit.

And you posted this on a public forum. That means that you have no control over whether or not people want to discuss your offer in public.

Eagle
(I don't follow instructions well when they serve no purpose)

Oh so you think having a cringe-worthy hissy fit in what is supposed to be a straightforward notice is wise, when you could follow instructions for the sake of being professional and discreet?

If you were a truly interested smart professional you would have done the most logical and simple thing. You would have sent an email as requested.

Then all of your questions would have been answered.

I'm hoping this uncouth display of contempt isn't the way NO-Earth comics usually treats potential contributors.

It's quite obvious (stated) that I have no intention of discussing this here.

The point of this is to see whether or not any instinctual interest can be garnered, and while it is posted in a public forum, and that leaves it vulnerable to persons who delight in or just can't help messing things up, an email response indicates genuine interest.

I have had at least one, thus far.

But anyway, thank you for your response.

[valuecomics]

I will be honest, looking at that cover art, you should not charge for art. You simply arent $80 a page good enough. Color will not make bad drawing look better.
Besides, why do you need money to draw your own book?????

Actually, I charge that amount consistently for pages of art, and there are many people who think it was money well spent. In any event I have progressed tremendously in the eight years since that cover image was done, and if you read the notice properly you will appreciate the cover will be updated.

The point of posting is to find someone who does find it impressive.

So please (DEAR READER), if you read this exchange and disagree with comments like the one I am responding to, AND, you would be willing to facilitate the production of this comic, or you are at least interested in finding out more, contact me here:

athernandez707@gmail.com

[Eagle-NO-Earth]

Are you serious? "Cringe-worthy hissy fit?" "Uncouth display of contempt?" Feel free to point out what you think I said that was less than professional.

NO-Earth treats potential contributors with the utmost respect. I have treated you with respect, simply due to the fact that I treat everyone that way. I am truly an "interested smart professional", and no, the "logical and simple thing" was not to send you an e-mail after the way you had already treated people in this forum.

Instead I asked, and asked a second time, and now will ask a third time, what do you have to show that you are worth the expenses you are requesting? A portfolio? A list of publishing credits? Character sketches? A script?

I have the ability to get comics published. I have the ability to get them into limited stores (getting them into nationwide stores will be impossible for you due to the production schedule and print runs that Diamond requires). The cover you have there did not excite me, but I figured I would listen to your pitch. NO-Earth is expanding every month, we're always looking for unique stories, and you think you have one, so it's in my best interest to listen. We're a CO-OP but if someone brought me something that fantastic, I would be a fool not to invest in it (though not at the terms you outlined.) So again, what's your track record, what's the pitch, and what makes you worth professional rates? Those are logical and simple questions.

Eagle
(Feel free to ignore this post. I think you have answered one of my most pressing unasked questions)

[Eagle-NO-Earth]

Serendipity is an amusing thing. I was reading through Reddit's Comic Collabs subreddit, a place where I post and read a lot, and came across a post that looked familiar. The response you got there was to be downvoted, but the most important thing was that you had linked an image to that one, which led me to your [url=http://athernandez_comics3.portfoliolounge.com/]Portfolio Site.[/url]

Frankly, your art skills, while worth money, are not outstanding. I saw no professional sequential art in your portfolio, so there is nothing to show that you can deliver what you are promising, and to top it off, if I am going to give an artist 2 grand, one page a week is unacceptable. 22 pages at professional rates should be delivered in no more than 45 days. A deal with any publisher that hopes to get the comic on Diamond's distribution list will wind up needing 22 pages every month.

By the way, the response you got over there is probably why you asked for no discussion on this one. This is a small community. You have to be polite to everyone, since you never know when someone will be working over you or under you. You also have to be open, especially when dealing on situations with significant money involved.

Good luck with your endeavour.

Eagle
(See? That was respectful too!)

[valuecomics]

Are you serious? "Cringe-worthy hissy fit?" "Uncouth display of contempt?" Feel free to point out what you think I said that was less than professional.

NO-Earth treats potential contributors with the utmost respect. I have treated you with respect, simply due to the fact that I treat everyone that way. I am truly an "interested smart professional", and no, the "logical and simple thing" was not to send you an e-mail after the way you had already treated people in this forum.

Instead I asked, and asked a second time, and now will ask a third time, what do you have to show that you are worth the expenses you are requesting? A portfolio? A list of publishing credits? Character sketches? A script?

I have the ability to get comics published. I have the ability to get them into limited stores (getting them into nationwide stores will be impossible for you due to the production schedule and print runs that Diamond requires). The cover you have there did not excite me, but I figured I would listen to your pitch. NO-Earth is expanding every month, we're always looking for unique stories, and you think you have one, so it's in my best interest to listen. We're a CO-OP but if someone brought me something that fantastic, I would be a fool not to invest in it (though not at the terms you outlined.) So again, what's your track record, what's the pitch, and what makes you worth professional rates? Those are logical and simple questions.

Eagle
(Feel free to ignore this post. I think you have answered one of my most pressing unasked questions)

The issue is the fact that you posted here when I made a point of asking for responses sent to my email address.

Again, if you are interested contact me there and we can discuss all of this.

Thanks

[valuecomics]

Serendipity is an amusing thing. I was reading through Reddit's Comic Collabs subreddit, a place where I post and read a lot, and came across a post that looked familiar. The response you got there was to be downvoted, but the most important thing was that you had linked an image to that one, which led me to your [url=http://athernandez_comics3.portfoliolounge.com/]Portfolio Site.[/url]

Frankly, your art skills, while worth money, are not outstanding. I saw no professional sequential art in your portfolio, so there is nothing to show that you can deliver what you are promising, and to top it off, if I am going to give an artist 2 grand, one page a week is unacceptable. 22 pages at professional rates should be delivered in no more than 45 days. A deal with any publisher that hopes to get the comic on Diamond's distribution list will wind up needing 22 pages every month.

By the way, the response you got over there is probably why you asked for no discussion on this one. This is a small community. You have to be polite to everyone, since you never know when someone will be working over you or under you. You also have to be open, especially when dealing on situations with significant money involved.

Good luck with your endeavour.

Eagle
(See? That was respectful too!)

I find it odd that you should go to so much trouble to find evidence of my work online, when you could have done what the original post asked and contacted me by email. It kind of undermines the integrity of your comments with regards to motive.

BTW the post on reddit you referred to was deleted, so unless you were the person who derailed it in the first place, I'm not sure how you would know about it. The moderator there asked me to post threads without the option for responses, in order to avoid stalkers and these illogical folks who seem to have a crab mentality in wanting nothing to succeed.

You seem to require a niceness in my responses when you can't even take the first nicety in following a basic (and necessary) requirement; instead of contacting me to ask for references and portfolios, you attempt to diminish what you could find with your own efforts.

The fact remains that I have a project which (if funded) will be very successful for many reasons, and also because of some of the advice I've gleaned over the decades. The point of this particular work is to break with some of the rules and offer something that sells because it's different.

In response to your mis-comprehension: I'll create a page per week on the first issue alone. This will not be working at industry pace with a team. I will do all of the work myself: hence the one page per week schedule. Later on with better funding there'll be other artists.

Further: there are very successful books published frequently with far less impressive art than you will find in my selective portfolios. I believe the standard I put out will be comparable to some of the best books on the market, and yet this will sell mainly because of its narrative content.

I am sure there are people who will follow what you and others have said, and make a mental note of how my simple appeals result in such contrived responses.

That comprehension may be the key to finally getting this off the ground.

[Eagle-NO-Earth]

As I said, it was no effort and no trouble. I am a frequent contributor to that subreddit with a triple digit karma, and tripped across it the same way I found it on this forum. NO-Earth is built on collaborations so I keep up with all forums where such collabs happen.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ComicBookCollabs

You can either go to that link, and it's number 41 on the list this morning, or here's the direct link. Nothing's deleted.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ComicBookColla ... nd_i_dont/

Eagle
(Once again, good luck)

[ld-airgrafix]

Im going to give you couple of tips.
Under no circumstances should you present artwork that doesnt represent your best work.
You want our money, therefore you should be chasing us, we shouldnt have to contact you to see your work, once again if you have gotten so much better, why show a potential investor an inferior piece. A link to your more recent and best artwork should be readily available for a quick view.

Also why do you need money upfront to do your own comic? If im going to give you money it will be to do my book.

[valuecomics]

As I said, it was no effort and no trouble. I am a frequent contributor to that subreddit with a triple digit karma, and tripped across it the same way I found it on this forum. NO-Earth is built on collaborations so I keep up with all forums where such collabs happen.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ComicBookCollabs

You can either go to that link, and it's number 41 on the list this morning, or here's the direct link. Nothing's deleted.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ComicBookColla ... nd_i_dont/

Eagle
(Once again, good luck)

Since you are being so magnanimous and kind, I will reserve a mental note to return the favor you are doing for me so effortlessly here. I will endeavor to send you a copy once the first issue is complete.

[valuecomics]

Im going to give you couple of tips.
Under no circumstances should you present artwork that doesnt represent your best work.
You want our money, therefore you should be chasing us, we shouldnt have to contact you to see your work, once again if you have gotten so much better, why show a potential investor an inferior piece. A link to your more recent and best artwork should be readily available for a quick view.

Also why do you need money upfront to do your own comic? If im going to give you money it will be to do my book.

Here's what I fail to grasp. Why is it so difficult for you to send an email to the address given?

You will not lose any money doing that, and guess what, you will prove that you can follow simple instructions, and also, you can ask whatever questions you like.

If you are not interested then you know... don't respond. No one is twisting your arm.

Isn't that at least better than posting what are basically negative comments in this thread?

[ld-airgrafix]

What you fail to grasp is people are trying to help you. All this replies and not once did you put up a link of your artwork, you keep on referring people to your email instead of a link to your page containing sketches, rough pages, finished pages, etc. of your idea.
Be honest here, do you even have this idea in form of a script yet?
Another tip for you, parents and relatives do not make good critiques.

[valuecomics]

What you fail to grasp is people are trying to help you. All this replies and not once did you put up a link of your artwork, you keep on referring people to your email instead of a link to your page containing sketches, rough pages, finished pages, etc. of your idea.
Be honest here, do you even have this idea in form of a script yet?
Another tip for you, parents and relatives do not make good critiques.

If you want to create a thread for newcomers still wet behind the ears on "how to start your own comic book and promote your unique ideas" by all means go ahead.

This is a request (from an experienced artist) for basic funding. If the image attached gets any interest in this regard I will know the investor is on the same wavelength. That's the whole point of the request in its present form.

If you are interested please drop me a line on:

athernandez707@gmail.com

[Eagle-NO-Earth]

You know, I kinda thought I had dropped out of this thread, but I do feel the need to post this at this point. You were just rude to yet another person with legit questions.

EDIT: The last sentence of the previous paragraph was written before Valuecomics edited his post to remove the less than polite comments.

First off, you have given no indication that you actually have any professional publishing credits to your name, so talking about being an experienced artist is somewhat dubious. This is in spite of repeated requests for samples of your current work, which for some reason you don't want to provide.

Second, as I said before, this is a small community. Probably no more than a thousand of us scattered around the various forums. A number of them are professional freelancers making a living doing this, and it's fairly easy to deduce that you are not in that number. Your attitude is doing you far more harm than good.

Third, and here we come to the crux of the problem, you are asking for someone to pay you to do something that you should be willing to do for yourself. Your offer is akin to me asking someone to pay me to dig a pool in my own backyard in return for them getting to swim in it. This is not the way things are done in the comics community.
I was willing to work off the assumption that you had something long enough to listen and evaluate, but you treated me as badly as you have everyone else.

Fourth, as I have said in this forum and in other places, no one is going to steal an idea, and if they do, they can't execute it with the same style and panache that the originator can. For that matter, there are no original ideas, only original ways of approaching them. No industry professional worries about ideas being stolen. They worry about being accused of stealing ideas. NO-Earth has a whole list of ideas that we want writers for, that's how common ideas are.

EDIT: The preceeding paragraph was written before Valuecomics edited his post to remove the line about giving away ideas for free. However, I am letting it stand.

Last, when you are asking for other people's money, do not act as if you are doing them a favour, and set a bunch of secretive rules. It makes them wonder if everything is on the up and up. This is a public forum, and deals get made in public here all the time, and with the occasional exception, everyone answers questions about the arrangement in public. If you have a good deal, being willing to answer the questions might entice a lurker that was sitting on the fence.

By the way, a page a week is what most webcomic artists turn out in their spare time while holding down a full time job. If you believe in this project, simply do it, and own the whole thing yourself. I have problems with a person sitting on the most successful comic of all time, and willing to give up 60% of it for 2 grand. That means by your estimation, the IP is only worth $3300.

Eagle
(So how about being open and forthcoming?)

[valuecomics]

You know, I kinda thought I had dropped out of this thread, but I do feel the need to post this at this point. You were just rude to yet another person with legit questions.

EDIT: The last sentence of the previous paragraph was written before Valuecomics edited his post to remove the less than polite comments.

First off, you have given no indication that you actually have any professional publishing credits to your name, so talking about being an experienced artist is somewhat dubious. This is in spite of repeated requests for samples of your current work, which for some reason you don't want to provide.

Second, as I said before, this is a small community. Probably no more than a thousand of us scattered around the various forums. A number of them are professional freelancers making a living doing this, and it's fairly easy to deduce that you are not in that number. Your attitude is doing you far more harm than good.

Third, and here we come to the crux of the problem, you are asking for someone to pay you to do something that you should be willing to do for yourself. Your offer is akin to me asking someone to pay me to dig a pool in my own backyard in return for them getting to swim in it. This is not the way things are done in the comics community.
I was willing to work off the assumption that you had something long enough to listen and evaluate, but you treated me as badly as you have everyone else.

Fourth, as I have said in this forum and in other places, no one is going to steal an idea, and if they do, they can't execute it with the same style and panache that the originator can. For that matter, there are no original ideas, only original ways of approaching them. No industry professional worries about ideas being stolen. They worry about being accused of stealing ideas. NO-Earth has a whole list of ideas that we want writers for, that's how common ideas are.

EDIT: The preceeding paragraph was written before Valuecomics edited his post to remove the line about giving away ideas for free. However, I am letting it stand.

Last, when you are asking for other people's money, do not act as if you are doing them a favour, and set a bunch of secretive rules. It makes them wonder if everything is on the up and up. This is a public forum, and deals get made in public here all the time, and with the occasional exception, everyone answers questions about the arrangement in public. If you have a good deal, being willing to answer the questions might entice a lurker that was sitting on the fence.

By the way, a page a week is what most webcomic artists turn out in their spare time while holding down a full time job. If you believe in this project, simply do it, and own the whole thing yourself. I have problems with a person sitting on the most successful comic of all time, and willing to give up 60% of it for 2 grand. That means by your estimation, the IP is only worth $3300.

Eagle
(So how about being open and forthcoming?)

Your opinions are duly noted.

If after all your machinations you actually realize that deep down you are in fact interested in funding this please let me know.

You can find my email address in above posts.

Thanks.

[Godman]

Only the stupid and desperate will fund you with this kind of attitude.

Other than that. If youre here, requesting something.
If youre the one asking, having basic demands make no sense.

Like contact. We're not desperate to help you so we wont bother contacting you that way if we dont know what exactly we're getting into. Besides. We dont wish to waste our time.

Either you lay out all the details here, or keep waiting for some imaginary rich guy to fund you.

If your comic doesnt work out, remember youre the one holding it back.
You cant blame the world.
Only the delusional can.