Sean Taylor, a writer whose work I thoroughly enjoy, posted a couple of questions aimed at comic book and “pulp” writers…I’m guessing he means “new pulp” writers, but I’m not going THERE again! His questions caught my interest because, as a bit of an arrogant bastard, the answers seemed to be pretty obvious to me. They also seemed to mirror what is going on in the comic book industry in terms of shrinking marketplace and trying to expand audience, but that’s another post.

Let’s take a look at what Sean posted over on Facebook (you can see Sean’s post yourself over at his FB profile):

1. Considering the similarities between pulp characters and mainstream comic book characters, you’d think comics featuring pulp heroes would perform better in the marketplace. What do you think is holding them back?

2. What could be done to improve the showing of pulp heroes in the mainstream comic book world, to win over both the retailers and the fans who don’t know much (or anything) about The Spider or Doc Savage and their compatriots?

The blatantly obvious answer here is, of course, “Fix your branding.” Right now, the impression that “pulp” gives is a retro one, and not “cool” retro. When I think of pulp as it is currently portrayed, I think of the 1930s, I think of old-fashioned artwork and I think of a market full of “homages.” I was going to say “knock-offs,” but that has negative connotations I didn’t want.

Those are my thoughts as a consumer of the material – as a creative-type, I’d add in the term “formulaic” to the mix. If we’re talking comics, I might also add un-innovative (is that even a word?).

Are all of those impressions completely fair or accurately reflective of what is actually going on with pulp these days? Probably not. But they seem to be generally accepted by those on the outside looking in. We see cover art that looks like it came right out of the 40s, we see air pirates, warriors fighting on Mars and we see a hundred different variations on the Shadow, Green Hornet or Doc Savage, and not much more.

We’re seeing stuff that looks the same as it did for our parents or grandparents, and it wasn’t even new or cutting edge to them, either!

The problem the questions are missing, though, is an even bigger obstacle to expansion of the niche market that is “pulp.”

The biggest obstacle to the expansion and wider acceptance of “pulp” work is, of course, the people within that little corner of genre fiction. They’ve taken what used to be a market that appealed to the widest possible audience and brought it down into something that is now only opened to the smallest sliver of readers. Unfortunately – and I say “unfortunately” only in regards to the questions of “why isn’t pulp more widely accepted” and “how can it be fixed” – this is completely by choice – the choice of those who currently make and publish the material.

The current “makers of pulp” not only don’t want a wider audience, but they are pretty active in making sure anyone from the mainstream that accidentally wanders in is aware they aren’t welcome. If you think I’m wrong, try joining a discussion on one of the pulp forums. They are some of the most unwelcoming places I’ve seen outside of Bleeding Cool! If you’re not over the age of 40, haven’t read pulp for at least 3 decades and don’t have an impressive mustache, then don’t bother trying to join in on the conversations there!

Now, this isn’t to say that the pulp makers don’t want more sales – they do. They want more sales, but they really only want sales from people like them. If you’re not one of the “chosen few” or the “right kind of people,” then you’re better off reading something else.

When you add this unwelcoming, sometimes even hostile, core fanbase to material improperly branded for more mainstream acceptance, what you wind up with is a very small, very hardcore niche product.

If you want to increase your audience, you have to deliver product that appeals to them – you can’t just continue along the same rapidly vanishing path and just hope buyers are going to change.

Here are my suggestions:

Update your cover design. People really do judge books by their covers. If you want to get a modern audience’s attention, you have to give them something that looks modern. You may think having a cover that feels like a “real pulp” magazine is cool, or you might really want to an homage to a famous comic book cover, but that won’t sell your book beyond the audience you already have. The fastest way to cause the mainstream audience to “switch the channel” is to show them something that reminds them of their youth or, even worse, of something they think their parents would have liked.

Yes, there is still a market for “old stuff,” as current pulp makers fully realize, it’s just not a wide audience and it isn’t one likely to grow from where it is right now.

And that’s what we’re talking about here – growing the current market for pulp.

Take a look at the current marketplace (even more important, take a look at what the marketplace is going to be like when your next product is due out) and see what is bringing the mainstream audience in. Package your product (comic, novel, audio drama, whatever) in a way that will appeal to those people in a similar fashion – action/adventure pulps could take aim at fans of John Woo films or the latest “Mission Impossible” movie or the next James Bond. Spy thrillers can latch on to what is being done on shows like “Burn Notice.” Take a look at upcoming big-budget video game releases in your space.

Package your product in a way that will appeal to those audiences. Your interior prose content can remain exactly the same as it is now, you just want to brand your material so that it grabs the attention of someone whose interest is already piqued by another product. This is called “sniping,” and every company trying to sell a product does it. There are groups of consumers out there with a specific interest who are actively looking to spend money, and you need to do whatever it takes to get their attention.

Unfortunately, the current branding and packaging techniques being utilized by the pulp makers will not do that. I’m not saying that is necessarily a bad thing – if you enjoy your the size of your current market and are not looking to expand, then you’re golden. No changes required. However, if you want to grow your sales and your audience base, then changes need to be made, and that change has very little to do with the content found between the covers.

The product isn’t the issue – the creators themselves are doing a great job. The issue is how it’s being presented and how it is being “sold” to the public.

Fix that and fix your attitude when it comes to new people wanting to join your fandom. Do those two things and you’ll have a product, and a readership, that is much more likely to enjoy more mainstream success.

-Mat Nastos, Super Genius
www.MatNastos.net

PS. In terms of pulp comics, I’d also try to get some more modern, more dynamic artists. To my eyes, pulp comics look the same as they did in the 80s when AC Comics was going strong, and they look the same as stuff being done in the 60s. There has been no real innovation in the comics in decades…but, I’ll save that rant for another day.

Marketing for the Mainstream – the Problems with Pulp is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

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Well, so much for me going a bit less complicated on the next few covers. My original intent had been to draw just the Thing on the front of this FF #1 blank sketch variant cover. But, my love of old Fantastic Four stories (both by Lee/Kirby and, even more, by John Byrne) got in the way and I wound up going just a bit crazier than I had intended. Doh!

Ah, well. It was an absolute blast to do!

-Mat Nastos, Super Genius
www.MatNastos.net

FF #1 Sketch Cover with the Thing by Mat Nastos is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

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I didn’t follow the original Glory series from Extreme/Maximum/Awesome/Arcade back in the 90s, but I do really like the design for the relaunch. I’m not sure I completely understand the thinking behind it, but I do think it looks pretty cool.

Between this sketch cover and the Cybrid one from last week, I do have to say that I very much enjoy playing around with the Extreme characters. They’re a lot of fun to work with and the designs were generally really well thought out. For me, Glory is now less Wonder Woman and more Big Barda, which is just fine by me!

This cover is available for $50 + $10 shipping if anyone is interested.

-Mat Nastos, Super Genius
www.MatNastos.net

Infinite #1 Sketch Cover with Glory by Mat Nastos is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

I am re-opening my commission list for a limited time, and will also be taking a pick-up list for the Image Comic Expo in February. All commission prices include shipping & handling.

EBAY: Check out my ebay auctions at: http://myworld.ebay.com/elfinartist/

2.5×3.5 SketchCard
B&W: $20 for 1 character, additional characters are $5 each. Cards are inked with india ink.
Color: $30 for 1 character, additional characters $10 each. Cards drawn in ink and colored with markers.

Sketch Covers:
B&W with 1 figure (inked): $45. Includes comic and shipping – ask about what blank covers I have available. I can do more complicated sketch covers or even comic cover recreations.

6×6 Art Board:
Inked B&W Character Bust/Torso shots. $20.

9×12 Art Board
Pencil: First figure $30, additional figures $10 each. Backgrounds $10
Ink: First figure $50, additional figures $15 each. Backgrounds $15.

11×17 Art Board
Pencil: First figure $50, additional figures $20 each. Backgrounds $20.
Ink: First figure $75, additional figures $25 each. Backgrounds $25.

11×17 Illustration Quality and Cover Recreations
Ink Only: $150+. This is for high, print/”cover” quality illustrations or cover art recreations. Exact pricing depends on complexity of image. Contact me with what you’ve got in mind.

Payment can be made by cash, money order or Paypal (to elvenartist (at) gmail.com). All commissions must be paid for upfront before work is started. Feel free to contact me with any questions before ordering a piece of original artwork.

Now open for commissions is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

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I was going to make a joke about showing off my Man-Thing, but I already did that on Twitter…and Facebook…and GooglePlus…and DeviantArt. I think I need to write some new material for myself.

-Mat Nastos, Super Genius
www.MatNastos.net

Defenders #1 Sketch Cover with Man-Thing is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

I had an amazing time at the aptly named Amazing Arizona Comic Con this past month. Over the weekend I did in excess of 350 free Phineas & Ferb sketches for kids, along with a bunch of sketch commissions, some comic signing and a whole lot of fun.

To follow up the fun, I’m going to be in artist alley at the Image Expo up in Oakland Februrary 24-26, 2012. I’ll be there hanging out, doing some sketching and trying to see how much trouble I can get in to. As always, I’ll be giving away free sketches to anyone who comes up to me with a dirty limerick. I will also do free sketches to anyone who can show proof they’ve messed with either Karl Altstaetter or Joshua Fialkov at the convention (having KA sign Brian Bendis books is one way and trying to get Fialkov to sign copies of John Byrne’s NextMen is another, but I’m open to anything!).

At the show I’ll have copies of some of my Elfquest work, Elfsong sketchbooks, Cadre trade paperbacks, sketch covers and whatever else I can think of to show off.

If you’re at Image Expo, make sure to stop by and say hi!

-Mat N.

Going to Image Expo: February 24-26 2012! is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

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And now for something completely different.

One of the bummers about being addicted to drawing on blank sketch covers is that what is available is predominantly for Marvel Comics titles. And, while I love Marvel, I do like to doodle things beyond what is in their content library. Luckily for me, Image released a blank sketch variant for the Robert Kirkman-Rob Liefeld series, The Infinite, and I used that opportunity to draw a 90s era Liefeld character named Cybrid.

I’ve got a strange love-affair with the Cybrid character, in spite of the fact he only appeared in a handful of books about 15 years ago – for most of you, it will take longer to read this post than it would to read every comic Cybrid popped up in. You see, about a year ago, I was looking for a cool character to develop a bit as an over-the-top action series, sort of a “Spartacus” comic. Something in sane, high octane and a John Woo/Joe Carnahan film brought to the comic page.

When I came back across Cybrid during my research, I knew he was the character to do it with. I put together what I think was a pretty darn crazy Cybrid series pitch and sent it off to the man, the myth, the Liefeld, who liked it enough to give me the nod to take things to the next step. Suckily (that’s a word, right?), I had some pretty major stuff pop up after the San Diego Con last year and I had to drop out of the project, something I’m still pretty bummed about to this day.

Now that I’m back on track, I used the aforementioned Infinite sketch cover blank to finally get a chance to scratch a bit of my Cybrid itch. I love his design and think he would have been an absolute blast to get to play around with.

What do you think?

-Mat Nastos, Super Genius
www.MatNastos.net

Infinite #1: Cybrid Sketch Cover Final is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

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I’ve got a stack of 4 or 5 unfinished sketch covers on my desk right now. What I like to do is doodle a bunch of things up and then sit down to ink them all at once.

This latest piece is something a little different in that it features a non-Marvel character and, even more shocking, a character not from the 70s or 80s. Cybrid was a character published by Maximum Press back in the mid/late 1990s and was a creation of Rob Liefeld. He didn’t have many appearances and is a bit obscure, but I’ve always loved the character’s design.

Although I’m mostly happy with how the rough has turned out, I am a bit hesitant to ink it because the paper stock on the Infinite sketch cover I chose to draw it on is incredibly slick and I’m not sure what the best method is going to be. Normally. I’m a brush and ink guy but I may have to resort to Microns and markers for it instead, which bums me out a bit. It’s not that I have anything against Microns (or Pitt pens or any of the other tech-pen markers), it’s that I haven’t used them much on larger pieces and don’t have the technique down to get the types of lines I like.

I’ll post the final piece once I get it done later on this week.

-Mat Nastos, Super Genius
www.MatNastos.net

Work-In-Progress Sketch Cover – Cybrid is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

In terms of comics, I am very much a fan of the 70s and 80s. I started collected in the late 70s and continued to collect and read comics hard core until I transitioned to a pro in the mid-90s, so that time period is very much ingrained into every fiber of my being.

As a kid and collector during that time, the Uncanny X-men written by Chris Claremont and drawn by a cadre of incredibly talented artists (John Byrne, Dave Cockrum, Paul Smith, Art Adams, Alan Davis…the list goes on and on) was at the top of my list. This sketch cover, doodled on a blank sketch variant cover for the new Uncanny X-men #1, focuses on Rogue and a batch of characters related to her — X-men specific for the most part, but you’ll also find Ms Marvel and Dazzler, two earlier members of Rogue’s…uh…rogues gallery. I do have to admit that I was about half a second from drawing Rom on here, but Athena stopped me. She just doesn’t have the spaceknight love that I have.

Oh, and this sketch cover is currently available for anyone interested. It’s $50+$5 shipping.

If you like the piece, or even if you don’t, leave a comment and let me know what you think. I also wanted to mention that I am open for commissions right now. I can do sketch covers (email me for a list of what I’ve got), illustration, cover recreations and just about anything else.

Back to work for me. Thanks for dropping by!

-Mat Nastos, Super Genius
www.MatNastos.net

Rogue Sketch Cover Original Art is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website

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I think it might be time for someone to set up a sketch cover intervention of some sort for me. Power Man and Iron Fist were a stable in my comic buying for the late 70s and into the mid 80s – up until Marvel killed off Iron Fist and cancelled the series! Two great characters and a series that was a lot of fun. It’s a shame neither one has been overly exciting for almost 30 years now. I know I can’t stand the new gold & white costume they’ve got Iron Fist in these days and Matt Fraction’s writing on the new Defenders comic sucks balls.

This will probably be the last finished sketch cover piece I put up until after the Amazing Arizona Comic Con this week. The family and I are heading out to Phoenix for the convention on Wednesday and I’m not sure I’ll be able to get another piece done. However, here’s a sneak peek at what I’m working on next!

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-Mat Nastos, Super Genius
www.MatNastos.net

Defenders Issue #1 Sketch Cover with Iron Fist is a post from: The Official Mat Nastos Website