Creator Talk is the beginning of a series of blog posts, articles, and other missives direct from creators we work with at Avatar. Here is our second post from writer/artist Mike Wolfer, the creator of Widow, Warren Ellis’ collaborator on the William Gravel saga in Strange Kiss (Stranger Kisses, Strange Killings), and artist on the upcoming Garth Ennis Western title Streets of Glory. Mike’s talking about his history as a creator (and publisher) in the beginning of his Comic Talk series, and in the second part of this Avatar Press exclusive, he depicts his first steps into the world of self-publishing. (Read Part 1)
HOW AVATAR PRESS SAVED MY LIFE, Part 2: The Execution
By Mike Wolfer
It was in January, 1987 that I received the advance sales figures for my first self-published effort, DAIKAZU #1. After months of preparation, setting up Ground Zero Comics, lining-up distributors and generally working myself to death, I had hoped that I would sell enough books to at least cover my start-up and advertising expenses and hopefully pay for the printing of that first issue.
I was shocked that, when tallying the orders from my various distributors, my sales reached nearly 4,000.
I did the math, over and over. I was still shocked by the profit that I would be making. And I began to realize that perhaps my aspiration of one day working for Marvel Comics might not be as fulfilling as I had originally envisioned. At least, it couldn’t be as profitable as self-publishing. All I had to do now was get the thing printed, shipped and onto the store shelves. Continue reading