Indie Comics are a Joint Effort

Creating indie comics has never been easy.

 

Well, at least when it comes to creating something memorable. Critically acclaimed manga often has a team behind it, led by some grizzled mangaka with decades of experience, well-honed talent and an ocean of hard life lessons that have set them on a course of perfection and binge drinking.

So odds are, you’re like me and don’t have that luxury (Well, the drinking part comes easy). You’re just some average joe in their room armed with a laptop, a crappy drawing tablet and a copy of Gimp. But even the best manga artists of all time had to start with the basics. Apparently, Reiji Matsumoto spent countless nights drawing on a shoestring budget, surrounded by empty ramen cups and soiled boxer shorts.

Yeah, I don’t get that last part either, but apparently it’s a thing.

One thing I’ve learned in indie comics is that no one succeeds alone. You need other people in your project, and for many artists, the outside influence can be nerve wracking. But for a successful indie comic, you have to have support! Maybe someone online is able to help out with line art or coloring. Maybe you have an editor who can help make sense of your overly complicated plot and it’s many, many loose threads.

You have to try to succeed. Don’t be afraid to share your creative process and embrace the criticism. Don’t be afraid to take that first, trembling step outside your comfort zone and create something memorable. It’s what drives Downhome Little Planet and the people behind it’s ever growing antics. With the right people, fresh ideas and insight will come flowing in and, when handled right, that translates to a great story.

By the way, check out Midnightxcross for some great insights into making indie manga!