Texas Comics Sketch Out Future For Rising Artists

SAM SAVELL

THE SIGNAL

The heroes of comiCulture saved the day by joining forces to share their experiences of working in the comic book industry.

Professional comic book artists and writers, vendors and attendees filled the floor of Atrium I in the Bayou Building Sept. 20-21 for the inaugural comiCulture symposium.

James O’Barr, creator of “The Crow,” was on hand to help kick off the festivities Friday night with a screening of his movie followed by a question-and-answer session with moviegoers.

O’Barr is still shocked to this day by the cult following and success of “The Crow.”

“I haven’t changed, I’m still the same person [as when I wrote ‘The Crow’],” O’Barr stated. “The idea that 100 million people have seen the movie, and there’s a million copies of the book sold in 14 languages, I try not to think about that and just do what I do.”

O’Barr joined other writers and artists for the two headlining panel discussions on writing and art in the field of comic books and sequential art.

Each guest came from a different creative background, including Web artists, screenplay writers, self-publishers and artists from major publishers.

“Comic Narration: Industry Secrets of Great Storytelling” began Saturday’s activities. The panel outlined topics such as the nuances of adapting a story from comics to film, finding artists who will work with writers and where to find inspiration for developing a thorough story.

The panelists shared with the audience their insight into how to pitch a story idea from the writer to the artist and how to communicate with artists to fully realize a writer’s story, as well as how to market their ideas to the public.

“Drawn to Graphics: Comic Illustration as a Way of Life,” spoke about the difficulties of breaking into the comic industry as an artist, the skills and tools needed to do so, and where to start as an artist who wants to get into comic illustration.

“You have to know the rules before you can break them,” said Terry Parr, owner of Shonuff! Studios, a comic studio based in Dallas.

Parr, joined by fellow artists, explained to attendees the importance of choosing the correct working environment, the right tools, an artist’s personal style and the building blocks to great art in learning composition, perspective and anatomy.

Terry Wagner, owner of Mental Diversions Studios and event coordinator for comiCulture, moderated both panels, which held audiences of 60-80 people.

“I tried to model the panels the way I thought would be beneficial for the university,” Wagner said. “I wanted to show what it would take to be an artist or a writer in the comic book industry and the pitfalls and some of the benefits of it too.”

Outside of the panels, attendees could check out vendor tables, which featured the professional guests’ works. Bedrock City, a local comic book store, was present selling comics, toys and clothing. The professional artists and writers were also standing by their respective tables ready to do a one-on-one critique with attendees hopeful to rise to a professional level.

Plans for comiCulture have been outlined for the next two years to present bigger guests, both locally and internationally, and increase interactivity with attendees by Wagner and Sandria Hu, the woman behind the idea of comiCulture.

“I’d like to have more of a hands-on, actual drawing, comic book workshop,” stated Hu, professor of art.

Stuart Larson, professor of graphic design and a volunteer who helped bring comiCulture together, is excited and hopeful for the prospect of another year.

“I’m pushing very heavily to have a second [comiCulture],” Larson said. “I think it’s the kind of event where every year can build momentum in the Gulf Coast region and people know they can rely on it every year.”

The Art of Sequential Storytelling and the UHCL Student Illustration Exhibitions are currently on display in the Bayou Building as part of comiCulture through Oct. 17.

For additional information on being a part of next year’s comiCulture, contact Jeff Bowen, coordinator of audience development for UHCL’s Art Gallery, at Bowen@uhcl.edu.