Friday, May 27, 2005

The Door's Wide Open

I was on stage at the Reubens a couple hours ago with Lalo giving a talk about "edgy" minority cartoonists. It really drove home the need for such a panel when I looked out at the audience (of about 100) and noticed they were ALL white. But the thing is, I know syndicate execs and sales people, and I know a few editors -- and they're just as eager as I am to see more minorities on the comics pages. So if you're a woman or a member of any minority, now's your chance. The door is wide open for you. The climate is nothing at all like it was when I was trying to break in 6 years ago...


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't beleive it man. That room was all white for a reason.

As long as you have the next boondocks or angry comic you've got a shot.

Darrin Bell said...

Damn, I was being sarcastic. I guess it didn't come across. Sometimes I play it too straight. The climate is exactly like it was years ago.

There are a few more women and minorities in the business these days, but the door isn't wide open yet. We're still crawling in through the doggie door. It's not because women and minorities aren't trying, it's because they're not getting chosen in large enough numbers to notice.

Darrin Bell said...

Thanks, Commish! Never take "no" for an answer with newspapers. If you keep bugging them to add the strips you want, odds are they eventually will (even if they tell you "no" at first). Thanks for trying, and for reading Candorville!
-DB

Anonymous said...

CO does not want Candorville because they know its done by a black man, period. I like Candorville and B'docks alot. I just think the comics pages are
"what they are". If you want to do cool stuff and reach the people these days you have to go the motion graphics (Flash, digital video, DVD) route. You can be in the papers and give them the watered down stuff. You can then do the stuff you raelly want to do via motion graphics. Kinda like the way people in comedy do club standup so they can tell the "dirty jokes/offbeat humor" while saving the "tame" stuff for TV.

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