“Long is the way and hard, that out of hell leads up to light”
– Paradise Lost
Sure, the burning flames of Hades are no doubt uncomfortable — but ask any struggling artist and most of them will give you their own version: walking around the exhibitor hallways of Comic-Con for eternity, forever seeking acknowledgment in the unofficial 10th circle of Hell. Milton’s prose is equally applicable to the long, arduous task of making headway in art. Judging by the amount of fanboys and souls anxiously awaiting judgment at Comic-Con 2010, competition is fierce, and most people are looking for some way, any way in the door… really. A fair share of these guys would sell their respective souls to get noticed, maybe even force a loved one into slavery, if it meant selling a comic or drawing — even if it’s something buried in a Cracker Jack box or Bazooka Joe wrapper. Let’s face it: No matter who you are, you’d just as soon not be taking orders or slaving away in a cubicle somewhere. If you really want to make it as an independent artist, the bottom line is that you can’t afford to be messing around.
