For Jon Bogdanove, drawing Superman: Man of Steel comics is not too different
from being a kid running around his neighborhood with a scarlet bath towel
for a cape.
"The core essence is the same," says Bogdanove. "I read the story and let
my imagination play with it. People who end up drawing or writing comic books
for a living are really just doing it as an extension of the kind of games
they used to play as a kid."
While it may sound like child's play, the work Bogdanove and other comic
illustrators do is anything but. It's not uncommon to put in a 16-hour day
drawing one page of a comic book.
Sound outrageous? It's all part of the job of drawing a popular comic book
with almost six decades under its belt -- and doing justice to characters
that have become a part of our collective culture.
"I'm pretty keenly aware of being a [part] of something larger than myself.
I try very hard to make sure that Superman and Lois and the other characters
look, behave and gesture in ways that really seem in character," says Bogdanove.
Using your imagination to work within established characters is one of
the challenges of illustrating for a large publishing company like DC Comics
-- the company produces Superman, Batman, The Green Lantern and Mad Magazine,
to name just a few. Illustrators (called pencilers) work with a team of writers,
inkers, letterers and editors to ensure the comics turn out looking good and
true to their long-established character traits.
But challenges and long hours aren't limited to comic illustrators in established
companies. Independents, like Jenny Frank, say they face a challenge at the
other end of the imagination spectrum.
"Sometimes working with new ideas can be a bit scary, because you could
go so many different ways with the types of characters you use. It's like
having to create a whole new person," says Frank.
As a self-publishing comic illustrator, Frank faces much more
than creative difficulties. She also has to contend with the day-to-day challenges
of running a business.
Fortunately, all of this is a labor of love. In spite of its additional
challenges, Frank wouldn't give up independent comic production for the world.
"I like working on my own -- being in charge from start to finish. It's a
great feeling looking at a comic book in a shop and knowing you've been responsible
for it from beginning to end," says Frank.
For Bogdanove, much of his satisfaction comes from knowing he plays a part
in maintaining a character who represents a positive vision of humanity. While
Bogdanove realizes Superman passes out of style in cynical times, he believes
his character has endured throughout the years because of his goodness.
"Superman is a being of vast power, but he doesn't engage in anger and
vengeance. He channels his power through kindness and compassion. In a world
where there is an awful lot of domestic violence, where war is kind of a way
of being, where there's crime and street gangs, the example of somebody who
chooses to restrain their power and use it for good is pretty valuable."
Experienced comics illustrators say this is a tough business to get into.
If you want to succeed, it's going to take a lot of hard work.
"Ever since the late '80s, there's been this rush of talented people who
are just determined to become comic book artists. The talents that succeed
in the business are the persistent ones," says Florida comic illustrator Steve
Ventimiglia.
"You're not going to get any jobs if you spend your working days sitting
at home....It takes a lot of effort and time to break in, but once you do,
you most likely won't regret it," Ventimiglia adds.
But there's a high burnout factor in the industry, says Mike Cherkas, especially
for independents. The cyclical nature of the work means you might work 12-hour
days for several weeks, followed by periods of no work at all. It can be stressful.
So much so, that some artists decide to look for something more lucrative
and steady.
"Many artists who broke into comic books have left the field and found
work doing storyboards for animation studios or ad agencies or become editorial
and advertising illustrators," notes Cherkas.