Top 5 Dream Jobs - #4

#4 - Comic Book Publisher

This is both selfish and creative. It would give me an outlet to put out my own work and other work I feel needs more attention. In my dream scenario I would be a successful publisher and success can be defined both creatively and financially, and I would need both. Financial success generally means that my books would be getting into the hands of the most amount of people, and that would be the goal. I have self published 2 books so far, both with just a small handful of a print run. In 2007 I published the SketchJam sketchbook along with 4 other artists and it was a mixed experience. I did not anticipate all the costs involved in dealing with artists from other countries, or all the headaches involved with wrangling and designing a book featuring 5 different artists. Early this year I self-published an issue of a book called HOLLOW, this time I did it solo and was much happier with the results. In January 2009 I will putting out a new Hurricane Kids book as well, with a new story by Grant Alter, art by me, with hopes of drumming up interest in that property again. I love the idea and creative control of it, I just hate the marketing end of it, trying to get people to pick it up and give it a chance. In my dream job as a publisher, some rich old man with nothing to do but throw money away will give me money to pay creators, a marketing department and offices. No need to half-ass it. There are plenty of publishers that make it, and many that don't, but it is an intriguing business and something I think about often.