TALENT SEARCH

So right now it's past midnight on the 4th of July….which means that there are only 17 more days until San Diego (16 if you could that I'm actually into the 5th though I don't count that transition until I have slept yet…a carry over from my days in low end retail…but that has nothing to do with anything here and now….)

So as I get closer to the show I am starting to think through the strategy I am going to employ during my all day portfolio review. I've been getting a lot of the press releases from other companies and they are all on the band wagon about calling it a TALENT SEARCH….but I have to ask those questions…how hard are they searching for the talent?

I mean many of the companies are saying they are looking for talent so here is a 5 page script and I want everyone to do this 5 page script….that's great for the pencilers…but what about the inkers…what about the colorist…what about the guys (and gals) who start it all off… the writers?

I guess it pisses me off that companies are all about calling their portfolio review sessions, talent searches even though I've been using that term for years now. Committed Comics was the first (and only to this point that I am aware of!) company to have an all day review/talent search (and now we've been doing it for over 3 years!). Yeah some other companies have been in the portfolio review section for most of the day but majority of the times they rotate out editors every once in awhile.

Not only did I do it from open to close of the show but I was also the only editor to look at all the portfolios and do the hiring based on what I saw and communicating with the people. I tried to let some of my other editors and talents do the reviews…which lead to the unforgettable "You made him cry!" situation. So ever since then I've been the only person doing the reviews.

I am also annoyed at the other companies because they say talent search, talent search and yet how many of them have whipped out a contract on the spot and said…sign this and you have a job. As far as I know Committed Comics has done that and one other company; Top Cow with Michael Turner (and a blind man could have seen Turner's talent!). I've hired so many people on the spot (and especially at San Diego Comic Con!) who have gone off to do amazing things in the comic book industry….Camilla D'Errico, Dustin Weaver, A. David Lewis and I even signed Filip Sablik (now publisher of that other company…Top Cow) at one of the cons.

Over all it just frustrates me because for years I have been saying there is so much untapped talent in the fan base and all I kept hearing from people was how I was the only company who was actually even paying any attention to these people and now that the bigger companies have figured it out they are going to swoop in and make a mess of things…they always do! Sigh…well hopefully I'll find some excellent talent and get some signatures on some contracts this year at SDCC and we can put out some kick ass products with some great creators!

So if you are going to be coming to the portfolio review make sure you check out my other article about prepping for the CC-SDCC-Talent Search 2009!