Published by Andrews and McMeel out of Kansas City, Nordling, a cartoonist, has compiled a comprehensive look at the world of cartooning as a profession with details described by the greats: Charles Schulz, Bill Watterson, Cathy Guisewite, Lynn Johnston…the list goes on and on, including staff of the comics publishing houses.
The great thing about the book, besides the quotes about how to best handle your property, is the collection of appendixes in which you get Syndicate Guidelines and Format Guides for color indication and Sunday strips.
With a discussion about the cartoonists’ role in the syndicate world, whether an independent representative or the newspaper, you learn more about what your position is in the field of cartooning and why the syndicate is your friend, submitting your strips to the newspapers around the world.
You learn about the creative freedom you may, or may not, have with your feature strip, including everything from the process, submission, development, and contract with the syndicate.
To quote the book, “Talent is what you can use, abuse or overcome.” I learned through this in depth look at the world of comic strips the ‘behind the scenes’ that you always wonder about but never knew to ask: Do I need an attorney when I get the contract? Do I own my characters, or the syndicate; what allows me more money? Can I do other features and sell them to the papers through a separate syndicate?
For hardly any money spent, you will finally get the education you need for selling your comic strip. Now, I need to get busy working on my submission package.
You can buy Your Career in the Comics here. ISBN# 0-8362-0748-3 $9.95
Follow Us!