Interview: Chris Staros
For this week’s CBM I also interviewed Chris Staros from Top Shelf Comix. Chris had some great things to say about the submissions process at Top Shelf, so here is the interview in its entirety:
RYAN MCLELLAND: When it comes to submissions, what are you looking for?
CHRIS STAROS: Primarily graphic novel and comic book concepts that are artistically unique, with a story rich in subtext and heart. And even though we tend to publish things that are often cartoon-y in nature, we're a very inclusive publisher -- one that embraces all forms of comics. Our goal has always been to be one of the forces that helps unify the camps and re-introduce comics as a literary art form to the world at large. So if it's an amazing submission, we're gonna take notice.
RM: What is Top Shelf's favorite genre and what do you NOT want to publish (other then superhero which I know you rarely publish)?
CS: We're basically a genre-less publisher, focusing more on a diverse mix of material that one might more readily find in media like literature or film. It's not that we won't do genre books, as we have, but we tend to shy away from them unless they are really unique in some way.
RM: At Top Shelf how many titles do you produce a year, and how likely is Top Shelf to produce a new comic series instead of an original graphic novel?
CS: In 2004, we published 30 items: 16 graphic novels, 8 comic books, 3 magazine issues, 1 prose novel, 1 book of illustrated poetry, and 1 music CD. It was an extremely busy year for Top Shelf, and Brett and I desperately need a rest!
As for doing a comic book series rather than a graphic novel, we typically prefer for a story to begin and end within a single bound volume, so that's one reason why we lean towards graphic novels and stand-alone comics. But, for 2005, we have a huge exception to that rule with a daring -- for us, mind you! -- full-color, five-issue, mainstream miniseries by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele, entitled The Surrogates. It's a real winner and I can't wait to see the industry's reaction to it. So, never say never I guess.
RM: What advice would you have for readers/creators who are looking to get their comics published? Do you like artists who are already established and have tried self-publishing or does it not matter -- meaning if the stuff is GREAT then you'll take a look?
CS: Publishers are looking to discover new talent, for sure, but they often look for people who've already proven themselves in some way. In other words, if a cartoonist is already out there promoting their minicomics or self-published books on the convention circuit, then there's a much better chance that they'll get noticed and picked up by a publisher.
We get an average of 500-700 blind submissions a year, and more often than not, they tend to be the very early works of the submitters. And since you really don't evolve as a cartoonist until you let something go and start to work on the next story, it tends to be that the cartoonists that are on the circuit, putting out minicomics and constantly refining their craft, are the ones more likely to quickly get to a level that would interest a publisher.
If you're a cartoonist, start small and get your stuff out there in any way that you can. In a year you'll be embarrassed about what you put out before, and that means you're on the right track. The key is to have the confidence to get your work out there, and the humility to know the next thing you'll do will be a lot better.
RYAN MCLELLAND: When it comes to submissions, what are you looking for?
CHRIS STAROS: Primarily graphic novel and comic book concepts that are artistically unique, with a story rich in subtext and heart. And even though we tend to publish things that are often cartoon-y in nature, we're a very inclusive publisher -- one that embraces all forms of comics. Our goal has always been to be one of the forces that helps unify the camps and re-introduce comics as a literary art form to the world at large. So if it's an amazing submission, we're gonna take notice.
RM: What is Top Shelf's favorite genre and what do you NOT want to publish (other then superhero which I know you rarely publish)?
CS: We're basically a genre-less publisher, focusing more on a diverse mix of material that one might more readily find in media like literature or film. It's not that we won't do genre books, as we have, but we tend to shy away from them unless they are really unique in some way.
RM: At Top Shelf how many titles do you produce a year, and how likely is Top Shelf to produce a new comic series instead of an original graphic novel?
CS: In 2004, we published 30 items: 16 graphic novels, 8 comic books, 3 magazine issues, 1 prose novel, 1 book of illustrated poetry, and 1 music CD. It was an extremely busy year for Top Shelf, and Brett and I desperately need a rest!
As for doing a comic book series rather than a graphic novel, we typically prefer for a story to begin and end within a single bound volume, so that's one reason why we lean towards graphic novels and stand-alone comics. But, for 2005, we have a huge exception to that rule with a daring -- for us, mind you! -- full-color, five-issue, mainstream miniseries by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele, entitled The Surrogates. It's a real winner and I can't wait to see the industry's reaction to it. So, never say never I guess.
RM: What advice would you have for readers/creators who are looking to get their comics published? Do you like artists who are already established and have tried self-publishing or does it not matter -- meaning if the stuff is GREAT then you'll take a look?
CS: Publishers are looking to discover new talent, for sure, but they often look for people who've already proven themselves in some way. In other words, if a cartoonist is already out there promoting their minicomics or self-published books on the convention circuit, then there's a much better chance that they'll get noticed and picked up by a publisher.
We get an average of 500-700 blind submissions a year, and more often than not, they tend to be the very early works of the submitters. And since you really don't evolve as a cartoonist until you let something go and start to work on the next story, it tends to be that the cartoonists that are on the circuit, putting out minicomics and constantly refining their craft, are the ones more likely to quickly get to a level that would interest a publisher.
If you're a cartoonist, start small and get your stuff out there in any way that you can. In a year you'll be embarrassed about what you put out before, and that means you're on the right track. The key is to have the confidence to get your work out there, and the humility to know the next thing you'll do will be a lot better.
posted by Ryan McLelland at 6:51 AM
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