For many years being a Pro in comic had meant you had broken into Comic and it usually meant you worked for the big two. But times are different due to print on demands services such as Ka-Blam.com and funding platforms such as KICKSTARTER and IndieGoGo. The world has changed. No longer does a creator need to Work for Marvel or DC to be making a living making Comics. In fact, the names of the bigger creators in comic know never broken into comics, they made comics and were asked to Join Marvel or DC after making a Name on their own.
So the age of Breaking into comics may have come to an end and in exchange, we have a system of showing me what you can do on your own before we let you play with Iconic characters. Now, this a GREAT thing for creators as now it is easier than ever to get into the Big two, but by no means simple. Now it’s less luck and more you proving what you can do on your own that gets you your big two break.
It is now a thing of a past to assume to be a pro you need to work for Marvel or DC, in fact, I can name 25 Creators who do not work for the top 2 and making comics full time of the top of my head. So the very idea of what a pro is now gone. In fact, when I asked my fellow Creators what a PRO was no one answered the same way. Yet still, the idea of working for the Big Two is often a finish line to this date.
I won’t lie, I cannot say that working for the big two isn’t something I want, but I am not sure that’s the finish line for me. Like many Creators who started out wanting to write the iconic characters, I fell in love with my own creations and want to see them grow to their greatest potential. So what will it take for me to be a pro then?
I think, no I know a Pro is not something I am worried about being called. I think a Pro is something thrown around to validate people who disagree with each other online. I have never seen a true pro call themselfs a Pro or said well I am right because I am a pro. My goal is to write stories that entertain comic book fans. My Goal is to be able to see talk about my books with excitement. My goal is to create.
I think the true Professionals in our industry do not boast about who they are but rather boast about what they create. The true Professionals of comics really are just the biggest fans of comics and know better than to call themselves Pro’s but instead call themselves Fans.