AMBER LOVE 05-MAR-2013 Just like last year, there’s a call out for everyone to come up with an original character and hashtag with #CreatorOwnedDay. Stephen Downey gives the brief details about what to do to participate.
In a nutshell, come up with an original character, make a sketch and post it using the hashtag. If you co-own it and everyone involves is okay with releasing the character, post that! If you suck at drawing, do it anyway! What about cosplay? Have you ever designed your own character and dressed up as it? I have. It was one of the first things I ever made.
Do you need some inspiration? Check out the following:
* Jamal Igle’s MOLLY DANGER
* Peter David’s FALLEN ANGEL drawn by J.K. Woodward
* Steve Bryant’s ATHENA VOLTAIRE
* Shawn Aldridge and Geoffo’s VIC BOONE
* Mark Stegbauer’s DR. GOYLE
* My own character Vivian in HOLYOAK drawn by Shawn Harbin
By sharing the tweets and links, you introduce new people to the fandom of independent comics. This supports the creators, the existing fans, and of course the publishers that are willing to take the risks in bringing the titles to market.
Some of the most supportive publishers that I’m familiar with personally or that people recommended:
* 215ink
* IDW (offers some non-franchise titles)
* Titan Books (just announced they’ll have a creator owned imprint soon)
* Archaia
As for comic shops that excel in carrying independent titles, there aren’t too many that I’m aware of that go out of their way to carry and promote creator owned books:
* Copacetic Comics in Pittsburgh, PA
* Phantom of the Attic, Pittsburgh
* Isotope in San Francisco, CA
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.