Rant #6: I'Ve Got No Support Team...

   ... And it's all my fault. We're not a big company. Matter-o-fact, we're just a small,
dedicated group of guys who are trying to pay our dues and maybe even make a little
money while doing it. But we're trying to accomplish a lot of stuff in the next couple of years,
and the weight is starting to leave an imprint on my shoulders.

  We've got no problem on the creative end of things. That's where we're the most
motivated. Makes sense. The creative stuff is the fun stuff, man! Putting pencil to paper or
ourselves in front of a camera is a rush, 'cause we never know for sure what's gonna come
out until it's there and staring us in the face. No, the business stuff is what's getting to me. I
can handle a lot of regular stuff, like making sure we have supplies and coming up with
schedules, but there's an aspect that is seeming very tough for me: promoting. I want to
promote the site. I want people flooding through the gates and entering our little corner of
the world. I just can't seem to find the time to get online and push the product.

  I've got enough to do already, so it's a bit of a crunch for me. Gilbert is busy not only
drawing Super, but directing Tales From the Android's Dungeon. Heck, all of our guys got
plenty of work around here to do on top of just living. Family, jobs, girlfriends, all the bullshit.

  But I've got an idea... You. Yeah, you who's reading this. I'm just asking two simple things
right now. First, if you like what we're doing around here, tell someone. Be it a fellow comic
geek or an entire message board, let 'em know that Aberrant is alright by you. Second, if
you are or if you know any aspiring creators, holla at us. We're always looking for people,
and I plan on launching an online anthology book here in the next few months. What better
way for other poor, busy, yet aspiring creators to get their work out there? What better way
of catching a big company's eye than having a chunk of content online every month? I
dunno, sounds like an alright idea to me...
Rant #7: I hate being a heart-breaker...

   Really, I mean that. Nothing twists the knife in me like having to tell someone "No." But
that's just what I had to do this week, as I sent out a pile of rejection letters to colorists who
wanted to work on Super. It felt bad. I didn't want to do it.

  Maybe it wouldn't have felt so wrong if everyone who sent work in was terrible. But most
were good. Damn good! Just makes me wish we had more work to hand out... But hey,
that's the way it is.

  I've talked to big time professionals and read their thoughts on the matter. They all have
this incredible thick skin when it comes to this stuff. Just watch Erik Larsen as he's reviewing
submissions at a convention, and at first glance, he'll seem like an asshole. Kids walk up,
bright eyed and bushy tailed clutching their harrowing tale of a man with the powers of a
ferret and Larsen will tear them down... And kick their man with the ferret powers in the
balls! Is he an asshole? Naw, man. He's the guy who's basically in charge of one of the
biggest comic companies around: Image. If he spends even thirty minutes talking to you
about why your book sucks so bad, he'll never get to the other thousand people he has to
reject in the course of a day. And he most certainly will not get around to the kid who has
something Image might actually want. It's not being an asshole, it's having thick skin. Don't
you think it was hard for him to turn down people early on? When he had them staring
him right in the face, that glimmer of hope in their eye? I'll bet it was. And hell, maybe we
need some of that treatment. I did, and sometimes, I still do. You know why? 'Cause even
when you don't get specific, detailed reasons why you're not acceptible, it might light that
much-needed fire under your ass that causes you to say "I'll show him!" and work that much
harder.

  I'm not there yet. I can't brush someone off that fast. Even when I know that's what's best
for all parties. Breaking up is hard to do, and I long for the days of thicker skin.