Mike Dawson
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A Year of Making Comics - Update #14
🕑 Added 2023-05-12 15:58:17 +0000 UTC
A short black and white comic I finished up this week. I feel like this one is publication worthy, but I'm not sure where to send it. I decided to try The New Yorkers "Daily Shouts" feature, even though everything I have ever sent them with the exception of the one piece I sent them first, they have rejected.
The one strip of mine they ran happened to be a comic that didn't feature the little "Mike" cartoon avatar, I wonder if they maybe would prefer something less specific to me. They don't give a lot of constructive feedback. I have been thinking that a little bit in general lately, even though I very much like using this one character to talk about all the things I'm interested in talking about, perhaps I should attempt to make a comic or two that's a little more "universal". That's the funny thing about writing though, it all seems like it should be easy, like, I often feel like I could make a piece that was popular, but every time I sit down to draw, it's very challenging not to just fall into what I know and what feels comfortable.
If I can "be real" for a moment, with the implosion of a lot of online publishing outlets, and the ongoing WGA strike (which I 100% support), it's starting to feel a little more dire out there. Like, I've had some luck getting stuff published, but it feels like I can never get any momentum going, or any sure thing in place. It's just an endless hustle, and my impression is there's more people looking to place their work in less places for less money. Can't say it's feeling great at the moment!
I listened to this podcast which features an old friendly acquaintance of mine from my New York days, Adam Conover, talking about the Writer's Strike. It was very illuminating (though, unfortunately has a tiny bit too much "the hosts interrupting with mugging funny-guy schtick over all the actually-interesting things the guest is trying to say" for my liking), and gave me a better sense of what the WGA is fighting for, and why it's important. Everything he was describing in terms of what the studios are perfectly fine letting happen to the TV and screen-writers, is already pretty much exactly what it's like "working" in comics already. Gigs do happen, but that's all they are, "gigs", and once they're done you need to find another, and it's a tough way to live. I felt a little optimism towards the end, as Adam was predicting television returning to some sort of an advertiser supported models in the near future. I am with Adam, it can't happen soon enough. Let's get advertisers back on platforms and away from depending on subscriptions so they can start paying people again! I never thought I'd hear myself saying such a thing...
