Biblical superheroes: artist joins Christian media firm to launch a line of faith-based comic books.Count on two things that will make Michael Davis Michael Davis or Mike Davis may refer to:
"I always wanted to create a black Disney," says Davis, 42, a producer who resides in Woodland Hills, California. Searching for a partner to help realize his dream, Davis found the right ally with Urban Ministries Inc. (www.urbanministries.com), a media publisher of spiritually-based content targeting the African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. Christian market. Davis met Carl Jeffrey Wright, UMI's president and chief executive officer, at the National Association of Television Program Executives conference in 1999. Five years later they reconnected, and Davis handed Wright a business plan that introduced UMI UMI University Microfilms International UMI United States Minor Outlying Islands (ISO Country code) UMI University of Miami UMI Universal Management Infrastructure (IBM) to New Hope City, a fictional metropolis populated with heroes, villains, and everyday souls to be saved. Davis introduced storybook sto·ry·book n. A book containing a collection of stories, usually for children. adj. Occurring in or resembling the style or content of a storybook: storybook characters; a storybook romance. characters such as Code, a cool man of mystery in a black trench coat and hat who helps the needy; Joe, an 11-year-old destined des·tine tr.v. des·tined, des·tin·ing, des·tines 1. To determine beforehand; preordain: a foolish scheme destined to fail; a film destined to become a classic. 2. for heroic greatness; and Genesis 5, a band of teenage angels who battle dark forces while attending high school. UMI loved the vision. "We know this sight-and-sound generation [of young people] is always looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. more, and given the heightened interest in graphic novels, it was something we wanted to approach," says Wright. The Guardian Line series (www.theguardianline.com), distributed by Diamond Comic Distributors and UMI, launched in December 2006 to rave reviews. It was no surprise to Wright, who says churches are hungry for a unique way to spread the teachings of the Bible. The comic books are sold directly to churches, consumers, comic book stores, and Christian retail outlets. Are you a graphic artist who is ready to craft a business for yourself? For an aspiring comic creator or graphic novelist, what Davis accomplished won't be so easy, he says. It takes seed money--usually around $6,000 to $8,000 to publish a "decent" 32-page book; the ability to attract experienced writers and artists, who can charge up to $500 a page; and a lot of networking. Davis suggests attending conventions such as those held by Comic-Con International (www.comic-con.org), a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. for the comics industry and lovers of the art form, and talking to retailers to find out what sells and what doesn't. Finally, be willing to consult, and then work your way in. RESOURCES TO DRAW FROM Software: Comic Book Creator Price: $29.99 Company: Planetwide Media www.myplanetwide.com This PC-based self-publishing layout program will empower any budding comic book enthusiast to create his or her own original comic. Users are able to turn digital photos or video-game screenshots into comic-style layouts. When finished, you can print it out or save it as a PDF (Portable Document Format) The de facto standard for document publishing from Adobe. On the Web, there are countless brochures, data sheets, white papers and technical manuals in the PDF format. or bitmap file. Book: How to Self-Publish Your Own Comic Book: The Complete Resource Guide to the Business, Production, Distribution, Marketing and Promotion of Comic Books Price: $19.95 Author: Tony C. Caputo Tony C. Caputo (b. December 23, 1957) is a US visual artist and entrepreneur. He has a twenty five-year visual storytelling history, from writing to illustrating to directing, and a 20 year history as a serial entrepreneur. Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications |
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