Hey everyone!
It would be foolish of me not to share my current Kickstarter project as I start this newsletter, so let’s get that out of the way!
If you could push a button and get lots of money, but someone would die, would you do it?
This is the foundation of an anthology with eleven stories by 30+ creators from the indie scene that explore the value of life, time, and money from multiple perspectives and genres.
We are at 46% of our goal with 110+ backers, so it’s the perfect time to join and become a part of this project!! Also, if you share it, you will make me happy.
Business, huh?
The reason I need to mention my campaign every chance I get. Get my name out there, fulfill the Kickstarter, self-publish books, and repeat until the higher-ups notice my talent and hire me. Repeat until they hire me for good. Until money stops being an issue and I have benefits and insurance. In other words, until I can live off it. That’s where art and business meet: the professional aspect. The aspect that says that you can’t eat scripts or art pages.
That’s why every writer needs to be a businessman, too. And an influencer. And a brand. Everything that gets you selling your books. Do I like it? Not so much. But that’s the deal if you want to become a comic book creator, and, to be fair, it’s easier to network and make connections when you are doing what you love. When you are passionate, it feels natural to sell your passion.
But let’s move into something else.
The Power of Art
Far far away from the business side of it, there is power in art, and that’s the impact you can have in other people’s lives - the power of sharing a story that ignites a change in someone else. Plus, it lets the creator put their soul on the page and share it. They share their beliefs, their style, their personality, and their experiences in creating something for someone else to explore and enjoy.
When done purely, art allows a connection between the creator and the consumer.
There are only a few comic books that have won the Pulitzer Prize. Everyone knows Maus, which I recommend infinitely, but today, I want to discuss a discovery I made at NYCC. A book called I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp, the recipient of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting.
A real-life story adapted by Fahmida Azim, Anthony Del Col, and Josh Adams shows Zumray Dawut, a mother of three who was arrested, interrogated, tortured, and sterilized simply for being a Muslim. With her husband’s aid, she will escape to America, not knowing that her troubles will chase her.
When Anthony told me about this book, I couldn’t believe what was happening, and as I went through the heartbreaking story, I understood why he told me to Spread the Word. It’s unbearable that there are people who live with fear because of their personal choices and that human rights are being blatantly ignored.
You can read this story online, and I encourage you to buy the print version, which comes out soon. I bought an advanced copy, and it comes with interviews, a teaching/discussion guide, and more extra features that add to understanding what’s happening and how to discuss it.
Books like this are the reasons I love comic books. We are immovable parts of a system that puts money on the focus, and some creators take the wave and create empty products, mistreat coworkers or employees, and lose their moral compass. They bring a toxic culture to a craft that moves from passion. And when books that tell a human story, seeking to change something, appear, it’s a breath of fresh air.
To clarify, all works don’t need to be real-life-based books but books that maintain the essence of creation. Books where the creators pour their souls into them, opening up and showing vulnerability, the core of their humanity. Those books can’t exist only for money.
I hope you take this recommendation, read this story, and spread the word because this is an ongoing problem that demands a change!!
Good luck with the campaign for Don’t Push the Red Button! I’m finally catching up on everything I’ve missed while on vacation and this book looks and sounds so thought-provoking and visually arresting. I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp sounds harrowing. Thank you for sharing!