My Maker Mantras: ‘Be Grateful’

My Maker Mantras

Be Grateful

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

I was 17 years old when I left home for college in Southern California. That first year, after class, I would ride my bike around town to become familiar with where everything was. You can imagine my relief when I found a comic book store, in the heart of Fullerton’s quaint downtown. I LIVED at that shop, and I introduced myself to comics I’d never even heard of before. I bought my first Vertigo comics from that shop. My first black and white boom comics. I went there for my very first Free Comic Book Day. For all of those firsts, that comics shop felt like an old shoe, and it helped me feel at home in a new city. I’m still grateful for that.

A few years later, my friend Brent and I were self-publishing our own comics, and we tabled for the first time at the Mile High Comics in Garden Grove. DC Comics artist Min Ku was tabling there, as well, and I received my first ever original drawing from a working professional — upon my request, he drew Anarky leaping at Mr. Freeze, in his DC animated style. The piece hangs next to my drawing table to this day, because I remember Ku’s kindness and excitement for drawing DC characters he hadn’t ever drawn before. That moment may have set the standard for how I sketch for fans at cons today, and I’m grateful for his brief but meaningful impact.

A few years ago, tabling at a convention in Phoenix, a young man was strolling by my table when he looked at me, stopped, and hustled over. He was coming in hot! He asked if I’d remembered him, and I decided NOT to bluff and admitted I didn’t. He said I’d drawn a Silver Surfer for him some years back — and what he hadn’t told me then was that the sketch was a gift for his ailing father, who just loved that sentinel of the spaceways. He expressed appreciation for the sketch as it had made his dad smile during a difficult time — then he moved on, leaving me uncharacteristically speechless. He’d nearly walked past entirely, but I’m grateful he recognized me and told me that story.

Maybe you’re recognizing a theme in my braggadocious anecdotes. My association with comics — as a fan and as a creator — has given me a lot to be thankful for. From comics’ familiarity, to the kindness of creators I admire, to the opportunities I’ve had to entertain making them myself, it’s a gift that keeps on giving. 

If you’re a fan, know that comics are a gateway to community wherever you go. If you’re a creator, know that every story you tell offers someone an escape from reality, if only briefly, but that escape might be the smile they needed that day. I don’t care if it sounds cheesy. It’s TRUE. I take the responsibility of “cartoonist” very seriously, because I know what comics are capable of. I feel very fortunate to live in a time where what I want to read, and what I want to make, can be accessible to anyone. You really don’t HAVE to ride your bike around town to find comics anymore — but, believe me, it’s WORTH it.

So, today’s mantra is a celebration of this week’s Thanksgiving holiday — and, the more I think about it, the more I realize it might be the best solution for writer’s block. It’s what I tell myself every time I’m daunted by a story I want to make, or when my feet are aching from hours of standing at a comic con. It’s a mantra I try to live by all year ’round, not just the third Thursday in November, although that IS when I feel it most of all.

Be grateful.

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