The Fun Exception

Nerdvana presents Small Press Saturday – aka, Lessons Learned Self-Publishing Comics

Here’s a pro tip: if you’re intimidated by the hustle and bustle of comic con — if you’re overwhelmed by the sheer volume of vendors, cosplayers, and celebrities, there’s one place on the exhibit hall floor you’re sure to find some peace and quiet. If you don’t want to be bothered at a comic con, just sit behind a table in artist’s alley.

I’ve exhibited my comics in some capacity since 2001, and I’ve sat behind MANY tables over the years, sometimes with collaborators, but mostly alone. For many years, I’d ask over and over, in a variety of volumes, “Hey, would you like to check out my comics?” And, in a variety of ways, passers-by would find ways to dodge my question.

Don’t get me wrong — my comics sell, but every show, whether it’s five hours or five DAYS, has a lull. The dreaded ebb part of the “ebb and flow.” When the lulls are long, I start to feel rejection from the crowd and doubt in my abilities. Dark thoughts — until somebody stops, flips through one of my comics, and snaps me out of it.

I can’t quite remember when or where, but, at some point, I began dampening these thoughts by sketching between visitors to my table. Somebody must’ve noticed and asked if I could draw them something, which led to my sketching by request throughout the day, and using those requests as leads to pitch and sell my comic. Soon, it became my whole gimmick — “Free, Fast Superhero Sketches, Tips Appreciated But Not Necessary.” The lulls waned, and I found some light in the darkness.

I’m not going to lie: when somebody asks me to draw Batman for them, it’s a blast. It’s an HONOR. To connect with a stranger over a shared love for the characters we grew up with, and to recreate that character before their eyes, is the closest I’ve ever felt to being a magician, or a real life rock star.

I assume this is where the current trend of prints and sketch covers has come from. It’s easy to think, “If my sketches of Deadpool generate tips, why not have drawings of Deadpool ready to sell?” It’s the cartoonist equivalent to being in a cover band. “Sure, I could write my own music, but I KNOW everybody will sing along to ‘Don’t Stop Believin’!’” It’s instant satisfaction . . .

. . . but is it productive? Is it creativity? Is it REALLY a contribution to culture, to draw Superman over and over again? It’s certainly a celebration, and I do love that notion, but celebration is, by design, a looking back. Contrary to popular opinion, the art of comics isn’t drawing — it’s STORYTELLING. Stories move FORWARD, taking characters on a journey, through which we, the audience, might find some entertainment and relatability. They’re the real reason we love the characters we want to draw so much.

I double down on what I said in my last mantra: The world doesn’t need another drawing of Batman. I’ll take it a step further — the world may not need another Batman STORY, either. Characters like Batman are too burdened by almost a century’s history to offer anything relevant, anymore. Just look at what Batman, Spider-Man, and Spawn are up to, in their respective titles — they’re ALL stuck in a spiral of multidimensional versions of THEMSELVES. It’s literally the same old idea, simply eating itself.

The biggest movements in comics all began with an explosion of ORIGINAL characters and stories. From Superman and all of the pre- to mid-WWII superheroes at the beginning, to the renaissance of the Marvel Age. From the independent black-and-white explosion of the ‘80s, to the Image revolution of the ’90s — each era driven by a wave of new characters, all with their own stories to tell. Original, exciting stories have and always will save the comic book business.

As you may know, I’ve been practicing what I’m preaching here since 2010 with my own self-published superhero minicomics, Amazing Arizona Comics. Inspired in part by Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon and Paul Grist’s Jack Staff, I’ve created a rich roster of original superheroes. In my next mantra, I’ll share a secret for creating original characters of your own. Perhaps we can initiate the next big movement in comics together.

Yes, I have a lot of fun drawing Batman at comic con. I use it as a live, performative gimmick to attract attention to my work. It’s my Don’t Stop Believin’ moment, promptly followed by, “And don’t forget we recorded an ORIGINAL album . . .!” That’s how I get it all out of my system; it’s The Fun Exception. 

One Saturday at Phoenix Fan Fusion, I looked up from my sketchbook to see one of my own characters looking back, in the flesh. Unbeknownst to me, a brilliant young man was cosplaying as my original superhero Speed Cameron. He’d made the costume with his mom’s help, and it brought me to tears of joy.

That day, I learned the only thing more fun and fulfilling than bringing Deadpool to life for fellow fans is one of those fans doing the same for me, with a character I had created. The thought of  one of my OWN superheroes roaming alongside all of the Wonder Women, Mandalorians, and Doctors Who? It’s the most fun feeling of all.

Russ Kazmierczak Jr.

Russ Kazmierczak, Jr. is a Phoenix-based cartoonist and the creator of Amazing Arizona Comics, a mini-comic book that satirizes local news, history, and culture with superhero adventure. He was the Phoenix New Times’ 2018 Best Storyteller and one of The Copper Courier’s “9 People Who Are Making A Difference in Arizona” in 2023. Russ has taught comics classes at Bookman’s in Phoenix and Mesa, Phoenix Art Museum, Gilbert HD South, and other venues throughout the Valley. Follow his work and inquire about his classes on Instagram @amazingazcomics.