Jan 25
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LIVING LEGENDS

The #1 reason I opened an office in Manila, Philippines 11 years ago was my long-time appreciation of the great Filipino artists whose work I grew up with in the ’70s.  Nestor Redondo (with whom I worked on a story).  Alex Nino (who drew some books for me!).  Alfredo Alcala.  Rudy Nebres (one of my wife’s friends!).  Rico Rival.  E.R. Cruz.  Ernie Chua.  The list goes on and on.  They brought with them a classic style from their country, refined and perfected for the American market.  It was some of the most magnificent work, inked with such imagination and flourish, it couldn’t be mistaken as coming from anyplace else.

Flash forward a couple of decades, and Whilce Portacio broke in as, I think, the first of a new generation of Pinoy talent, followed by Leinil Francis Yu and Jay Anacleto.  But then things seemed to stall.

So along came the year 2000.  After seven years representing primarily artists in the USA and Brazil, I opened an office in Manila — one which has bounced among four different locations but is now settled comfortably in Cubao, ably run by Michelle and by Weng.  I gave the business a lot of time and attention, fitting for one of the most talented artistic countries in the world, and one with a rich comic book culture of its own.

With great pleasure and pride, I’ve been able to teach and guide a whole new generation of Filipino talents into the American marketplace.  And not just guys this time — but gals as well.  Not just pencillers and inkers but colorists and painters and designers.   Jinky Coronado, Michael Bartolo, Rainier Beredo, Bong Dazo, Tina Francisco, Jeffrey Huet, Jonathan Lau, Katrina Mae Hao, Carlo Pagulayan, Jay David Ramos, Stephen Segovia, Anthony Tan (both of them!), Harvey Tolibao, and Wilson Tortosa are just a few of the dozens of artists Glass House has brought into the mainstream American comic book market.

They bring with them new styles, new approaches, and only a hint of their rich, classic stylistic traditions.  In that way, I think we’ve missed something that I don’t want to leave behind.  You can only imagine my joy when classic DC and Warren artist Jun Lofamia joined us last year, as full of flourish and imagination as ever.

Then, thanks to the ever-amazing Grace Dimaranan, I got to meet two more — Rico Rival and Ernie Patricio.  They’d been following Glass House’s talents and training and professional practice from afar — and decided maybe they could be available again to the American market.  So this weekend, at the Seminar, Rico tells me he’ll be bringing along Abe Ocampo, Nar Castillo, Danny Acuna, Yong Montano, and Ding Abubot.  I can’t wait to meet them.  Even if they ultimately decide not to rejoin the American comic book talent pool, the joy I’m feeling at the prospect of meeting all that legendary talent just makes the fan in me overflow.

And if they DO decide to grace American comic books with their amazing abilities once again?  We can only be more diverse, and the better for it.

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Jan 23
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BECAUSE COMMON SENSE ISN'T COMMON?

Three thoughts today:

*  I am warmed by how many good submissions I’ve received from artists looking for a free ticket to our Creating Comics Seminar next weekend.  I’m not looking for/expecting professional polish but, rather, raw talent that can then be taught to do it well and right.  Being shy and “holding back” a submission for fear of “rejection” never makes sense to me.  At most, a “rejection” means someone is rejecting scans of lines on pieces of paper, NOT a particular human being.  A lot of good, undiscovered talent is out there.  I’m happy they’re stepping forward!

*  I am chilled by how few artists seem able to identify their own names on the files they submit.  If they don’t care to tell an editor or agent who did the work, why should the editor or agent care more than they do?  Still, I DO care.  So…

*  If you are submitting samples to qualify for a FREE ticket to our Creating Comics Seminar and have NOT heard a response, it is probably because you DID NOT IDENTIFY yourself on each of the files you sent for consideration.  I received dozens of submissions, yet many of them were tagged as 1.jpg or submission.jpg or seminar.jpg.  Ask yourself:  If we receive and download dozens of portfolios — literally hundreds of images — to review that evening, and your NAME is nowhere on any of the images, how do we know it is yours?  I advise you to LABEL them sensibly — CalanogSample1of8.jpg is far easier to identify the artist than art1.jpg.  Some submitters also did not correctly identify their submission in the subject of their Email as MANILA SEMINAR and — and, because I receive over 300 Emails a day, their submissions may not even be identified as such and looked at until after the event. 

This is basic, common sense stuff, people.  If you emailed samples to David@glasshousegraphics.com and did NOT receive a response, please RE-SEND THEM today, properly labeled. 

The Seminar team is extending the submission deadline until noon on Tuesday, January 26th, so that artists have a chance to resubmit.

Make me proud!

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Jan 19
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WHAT DOES AN AGENT DO?

“So what does an agent do?” another inquiring mind wanted to know on the phone today.  “Don’t you just hand out jobs?  I mean, I can show my stuff to Marvel and DC myself.”

I dealt with this subject a year ago; now, with a new Creating Comics Seminar around the corner, it bears repeating:

What does an agent do?, indeed.  To begin with, it varies from talent to talent — and from agency to agency.  (That’s right, Glass House Graphics is not the only comics agency out there.  And while we DO represent 117 talents, as I see on my roster today, comics are only part of what we do.  Animation, design, photography, sculpture, copywriting, and so on fills up the other half of our business.)

Unlike most other agencies, Glass House Graphics does a LOT of training.  At one location in Brazil, we have an honest-to-goodness art school.  At another Brazil location, we teach all-day-Saturday comics art classes at an art school.  So it should come as no surprise that other agents there like to try to poach our people, because it’s a lot easier than training artists themselves. 

Heck, here at our Manila, Philippines location, we do continuous training right in our offices, all week long, every week, in addition to our periodic Saturday seminars with guest speakers.  We’ve even been asked to design a practical comics art curriculum here for a major University.  And I spend countless hours working online, through Emails and IMs and videoconferences, training artists in India, Indonesia, and Europe.

Plus, of course, I fly throughout the USA, Brazil, the Philippines, Canada, etc., to teach seminars about creating comics at art schools, colleges, and conventions.  We also teach online seminars, where a small group of artists all sign on at once, and everybody gets to view art or color creation right there on their computers, in live interactive presentations that connect our artists in the U.S., Brazil, England, the Philippines, Chile, Australia, Indonesia, and India.

What’s more, we do all we can, to help artists through personal situations.  We’ve found that some need a place to live and work.  Some lost their homes in the typhoons late last year, and we opened our offices to whichever artists could make it here, offering shelter and food.  Some come to professional comics never having earned a decent living before, and we coach them about budgeting their incomes as freelancers.  Many don’t have their own computers; some have never used a computer or a scanner.  We provide ‘em and teach them how to use them.  Some don’t even have legal ID’s or bank accounts, so we help them with those, as well.  Heck, I bought a cell phone for one the other day so he could reach us each day with his reports.

It doesn’t end there.  One client is so very late paying, we’ve had to advance over $14,000.00 to artists so they could pay bills.

Much of this stuff, of course, happens even BEFORE we help artists plan and craft their portfolios — and that’s still a long way from our trying to land their first jobs for them.

So let’s say we’ve worked with an artist for days, weeks, months, whatever it takes to turn an “almost ready” artist into a saleable, professional artist.  They came with a desire and an ability to draw.  We’ve taught storytelling, style, professional attitude, market realities, dependability.  Then what?

THEN we start agenting:  Chasing after jobs, analyzing markets, mailing packages, schmoozing publishers, publicity, website creation, convention/hotel/airfare arrangements, original art sales, money collections, international brokering, translations, reviewing layouts and art, negotiating contracts, and everything else a professional agent does to earn a commission.

“I can do all that,” an artist says.  Yes, you can.  Can you AFFORD to do all that? 

How much of your time will be taken up with making all those calls and sending all those Emails looking for jobs, and making those art photocopies and cover letters and preparing envelopes and running to the post office to send dozens of packages every few weeks to every editor or publisher who writes checks?  How much time and expense will you spend flying to New York to visit Marvel and DC and Harris?  And what about New Jersey, Georgia, California, and Oregon, all of which have important publishers? 

How much time/effort/money will be spent hitting Comic-Con (in San Diego) and New York Comic Con and Wizard World Chicago Con and others, to stand in line and show work and schmooze?  How much of your time will you eat up listing and selling your original art on various websites and schlepping it to Conventions?  And if you’re manning your table at the Con to sell your art, how can you be over there in the portfolio line trying to show an editor you’re better than the 300 other hopefuls also armed with portfolios and a dream?



Where do you find the time to study all the comics out there, to understand publisher needs and determine which ones you’ll draw samples for, to prove you’ll fit there best?  Who exactly do you chat with to learn which publishers pay very late — or don’t pay at all?

Have you made the time building relationships with so many editors that some will tell you what’s really going on with their publishing plans and invite you to editorial summits and business planning meetings, so that you’re involved with strategizing certain projects from the ground up?

When do you find time to build and maintain a webpage to promote your work, correspond with fans, and arrange private commissions?  When might you find time to write and send out publicity releases about yourself, once you start getting work, so readers and editors can learn more about you? 

Do you really have years of contract experience to know how to handle that 20-page contract they’ve sent you, knowing what could and should be removed, what terms you can ask for given your value to that publisher, and so forth?  If not, how much time will it take you to research contract law — or hire an attorney to review it for you?

And once you’ve carved out time to do all this, plus pester the slower publishers for your money, and deal with translations and/or banking fees and complications if you’re internationally based…

…when will you have time left actually to DRAW the books you’re hired to draw?  And still have time left for your families?

What’s more, if the comic book market dries up, with no work coming in, will you have the strength left to do most of the above, all over again, for the commercial art markets?

And if your scanner goes down, or your internet’s out, or your computer’s hard drive gets fried, what then?  Or what if you’ve fallen behind on your job through whatever personal problems, family emergencies, or whatever? — wouldn’t it be good to have someone looking out for you, who can get you assistance so that you meet your deadlines with high quality despite all odds?  Or what if you and the editor just don’t see eye-to-eye and there’s a lot of friction?…who is watching your back to step in and smooth things over?

A GOOD AGENT DOES ALL THAT — leaving comics artists free to do what they set out to do in the first place:  BE COMICS ARTISTS.

“What DOESN’T a good agent do?” — That might’ve made a shorter blog entry.

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Jan 18
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SEMINAR SCENARIO 2010

Hello, everyone!  I’m writing this from my Glass House Graphics/Studio Sakka Graphics offices in Manila, Philippines.  As I look around, I see Anthony Tan frantically drawing and coloring “sketch cards” for Rittenhouse Archives.  Tina Francisco is belting out beautiful storyboards for an animated feature.  Jinky Coronado is drawing a project called Dangerous Secrets. Mel Joy San Juan is developing a new art style for an upcoming book.  J.M. Aledeguar is creating tones for Wolverine Manga for Del Rey.  Noel Rodriguez is penciling a three-page sample for a series he’s hoping to get.  Our new co-manager Weng is toning a rush-job project for St. Martins Press.  Legendary Filipino artist Jun Lofamia was here an hour ago, dropping off inks for a special project.   And long-time GHG Asia manager Michelle Principe` is doubtlessly calling me names in Tagalog as I shamelessly commandeer her iMac to write this.

As I post this first blog for the year, I’m preparing the CREATING COMICS, MANGA & GRAPHIC NOVELS SEMINAR 2010, which will be held Saturday and Sunday, January 30 and 31, at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila, Philippines.  (For tickets or other info, please contact Maryel Roman at 0917 894 7575 or Email her konseptoevents@gmail.com.)

I’m getting quite a few Emails and phone calls here to the Manila GHG office, asking about what the Seminar will cover.  Answer:  A little bit of everything, but it’s NOT a “how to draw” Seminar.  It’s not designed for kids just learning.  It’s for professional artists and professional-level artists (cartoonists, animators, painters, local comics artists) who want to expand their talents, with or without Glass House Graphics’s actual guidance as an agency.  The important thing is bringing more great talent to the comic book field.

I’m working on the presentation right now, actually.  Aside from a few tidbits about the history of comics that brought us to this point, I’ll be talking a LOT about these two subjects:  STORYTELLING and COMMUNICATION.  You can’t be a professional comics artist without these two things at the forefront.  Pretty pictures and appealing styles all by themselves won’t get most people very far.  It’s all about telling the story in pictures clearly, emotionally, dynamically.  The communication is necessary if you expect to keep working and get paid.  Simple as that.  

I’ll also be showing-and-telling about sellable styles, about writing, character design, penciling, inking, lettering, coloring, painting, and the latest good things about such programs as Google Sketchup and Manga Studio.  Of course, I’ll delve a whole bunch into working with editors, preparing a professional portfolio, tools and tips and tricks, and a whole lot more.  And yes, we’ll even have some sketch sessions, including a cosplay model or two.

My special guest artists will include BONG (Deadpool) DAZO, WILSON (Wolverine Manga) TORTOSA, JINKY (Avalon High) CORONADO, and ANTHONY (Bratz) TAN, along with tonal artist J.M. ALDEGUAR, Marvel colorists JAY DAVID RAMOS and RUBEN DE VELA, inker DAN BORGONOS, digital artist JEZREEL ROJALES, and others!  (A one-man show, I’m not.)

If everything works out with the respective Consulates, my manager from India (Santosh Rath), and artists from my office in Indonesia will be flying in for the event, as well. 

Our guest artists will give autographs.  We’ll cater lunch and snacks both days for everybody attending.  We’ll be reviewing portfolios both days, too.

One of the sidebar questions we’re receiving involves our Agency.  “What does an Agent do?” is the prevailing question.  And a fair one, too.  Let’s tackle that one in my next posting.

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Nov 29
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OUR MAN IN MANILA!

GHG Head Honcho DAVID CAMPITI is now in the Philippines, working from our offices there in Cubao, metro Manila.  He’ll be running a new training session for fresh art talents all through December, January, and early February.  He’s also writing a new project while there, soon to be announced.  If you want to reach him there, dial 011-632-913—4619 or use his usual IM and Skype contacts.  (Keep in mind the 13-hour-later time difference from the U.S., East Coast.)

If you’re a Manila-based artist and would like to meet Dave and/or have your art portfolio reviewed one-on-one, here’s your chance!  Contact Glass House at the number above, or drop an Email to Dave to set up a date and time.

Keep in mind, David’s teaching his big Creating comics Seminar on January 30th and 31st.  (See news posting below.)  Any internationally-based artists planning to fly in to be a part of the Seminar, please contact Dave ASAP at David@glasshousegraphics.com.

Remember:  Dave is awarding up to 25 free tickets to his Seminar to the artists whose portfolios he likes best!

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Nov 21
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COMIC BOOK SEMINAR 2010!

Sorry I’ve not been posting lately.  After my trip to three major cities in Brazil to meet artists and to teach, I came back to a mountain of work.  I’ve been trying to catch up ever since.  I’ve been hoping to post a bunch of anecdotes and photos about the trip, but this has been my first break since I got back, to post anything.  My apologies.

I do have some major news for all artists in and around the Philippines:

My ULTIMATE SEMINAR FOR CREATING COMIC BOOKS, MANGA & GRAPHIC NOVELS will be held January 30 and 31, 2010 at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila, Philippines.  For tickets or other info, please contact Maryel Roman at 0917 894 7575 or Email her konceptoevents@gmail.com.  I’ll be awarding up to 25 FREE TICKETS (including a free lunch, drinks, and snacks!)  to artists submitting top-notch sample portfolios.  Send ‘em my way to David@glasshousegraphics.com. 

Need sample test plots and scripts to draw?  You’ll find ‘em up on my website, in the SHOW US YOUR PORTFOLIO section.

It should be a good one.  I’m already getting Emails and IMs and calls from artists in India and Malaysia and Japan, who are planning to fly over to attend.

Here’s a quickie poster someone threw together to get the announcement out there…

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Oct 08
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TEACHING THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL

Time to head salsa the border.  Today I’m on a plane, en route to Brazil!   I’ll arrive tomorrow and will be hobnobbing with Brazil’s finest artists for two weeks!

* First stop: Belo Horizonte, where I’m a guest at the biggest Convention in the country, followed by me teaching a two-day Ultimate Seminar for Creating Comic Books & Graphic Novels.  It will be held at Fundação Inima de Paula, Rua da Bahia, 1201 - Centro, CEP 30160-011 Belo Horizonte, MG. Telefones: (31) 3213-4320 / (31) 3222.97.98.  Ale Starling, point man for GHG Brazil/BigJack Studios, is the man to talk to for your admission tickets.  Seating is limited, and new artists submitting great, fresh portfolios will get free admission.  Star artists Will Conrad and Cliff Richards will be among those teaching.   Even if you can’t attend the Seminar, I’ll be reviewing portfolios both before and after the Seminar each day, as well as at the Con, so catch me somewhere!  Don’t worry if you can’t speak English…I can’t speak Portuguese; Leonardo Mlk (my manager there) will be traveling with me and translating the whole time.  

* Second stop:  October 13th and 14th, it’ll be two days in Fortaleza meeting with artists. Fortaleza is also home to superstar artist Al Rio.  We did the comic book series EXPOSURE together over a decade ago at Image, and we’ve not had time to be face-to-face since then, so this should be a real treat.  That area is also home to a lot of great GHG artists I’ll be meeting for the first time.

* Third stop:  Sao Paulo, where my main office is located. Many more artists to see there October 15th through 18th!  I predict great dinners with artists while at all three locales.

If you’re an artist wanting to attend my Seminar there, or want to meet with me to show your portfolio, discuss a career, or just say, “Hi,” please let us know!

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Oct 07
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HOW TO MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION IN 35 SECONDS

It’s Saturday at Pittsburgh ComiCon, and something has gone wrong.  Since we’d worked with Stan Lee on Who Wants To Be a Superhero? (art for the show and the resulting comic book, both seasons) and for others comics projects for his POW! Entertainment, Stan said that I should ask the Con to schedule my few minutes with him since he was booked wall-to-wall.  The scheduled Friday night meet-up I’d arranged with Renee for some reason didn’t happen.  And now, on Saturday afternoon, it looks as though Stan will finish his meet-and-greets upstairs in the Green Room, wrap his autograph session, and be whisked away two hours later for the airport without me saying so much as “Hello.”

Then:  From our Glass House Graphics booth on the convention floor, my wife sees the Green Room door open at the top of the stairs, and she nudges me in its direction.  “Go there!” she says. I obey, and she follows with Jasmine in tow and my camera-bearing friend Paul Brittain right behind.

Down comes a couple of security, then Stan, then Renee.  As Stan hit the bottom stairs, I step out, extending my hand.  “Stan!  David Campiti, Glass House Graphics!”

In true Stan fashion, his face lights up while shaking my hand firmly.  “Dave!  Glad you made it!  I was hoping to see you!”  

The security guard steps in to push me away.  “Ya gotta go, keep moving.”

Stan says, “Wait — Dave’s a friend!”  The guard glares at me, looks at Stan, back at me, then waves, “C’mon, then.”

Stan puts his arm around my shoulder as we walk — briskly — toward his signing area in the next room.  “Sorry it’s so crazy.  How ya been?” he asks.  

“We’re doing well.  Glad you could spare me a moment, Stan,” I reply.  “My artist Fabio Laguna and I did this up to give you, a nod to Disney buying Marvel.”  It was a 13” x 19” color print, a cartoon depicting Walt Disney wearing a Thor costume and Stan wearing a Mickey Mouse hat and costume, with a Disney logo emblazoned atop Marvel’s own logo.  “This is CUTE!” he says, “Can I have this?”

“Of course!” I say.  “There’s two of them.  One signed by Fabio and me, and one normal.  Hey, can we get a picture?”

“SURE!” Stan says.  As we stop in our tracks so Paul can take a shot, Stan turns to my wife.  “Jinky!  How ya doin?” he asks, shaking her hand.  Then he bends down to my daughter.  “Jasmine!  Nice to meet you?  Are you four now?”

He poses for the pic, then the guard pulls him away.  “Thanks to much for this!  Sorry we don’t have more time!”  He waves, then he’s off to sign another 400 autographs before racing to the airport.


Y’know, I deal with a lot of professionals in this business, but Stan Lee is the one who can still bring out the fan in me — and is one of the reasons I work in the comicbook business.

Think about it:  Despite a hectic schedule, Stan “The Man” Lee not only made me feel welcome, he had even recalled my wife’s name, my daughter’s name, and how old she is.  (This from the guy people say has no memory.)

I realize now, when I’m flustered or crazy busy and someone is seeking my attention, this gives me something to aspire to.  

Thanks, Stan.

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Sep 18
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HOW TO MAKE A BAD IMPRESSION IN 35 SECONDS

…So we’d just set up our booth display for Pittsburgh ComiCon 2009, and this fellow walks up, portfolio in hand.  He studies our booth for a moment, its banner modestly proclaiming us to be “The World’s Premier Agency for Creative Properties & Graphics Talent.”

“Uhh…what are ‘Properties of Creative’?” he asks me.

“Creative Properties,” I reply.  “Characters and concepts that can be trademarked and marketed.  Like Banzai Girl.  Shrek.  Spider-Man and Superman.”

He pauses, then says, “Man, I didn’t think you’d actually give me a stupid answer to my stupid question.”  Then he walks off.

Was there a point?

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Sep 08
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PITTSBURGH COMICON '09

Pittsburgh ComiCon hits the new Monroeville Exposition Center this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, September 11th, 12th, and 13th, and I’ll be there with several Glass House talents. 

David Lawrence, co-author/editor of the MERRCY THOMPSON graphic novel will be there, along with novelist Paul S. Brittain and Jinky Coronado (of BANZAI GIRLS and AVALON HIGH fame).

Yup, we’ll have a GHG booth there and will be reviewing portfolios and giving info about upcoming projects and advice on ways to become a professional part of the whole comic’s world. Be sure and stop to chat. 

Pittsburgh ComiCon is kinda cozy and always well-run, and its size and attendance gives us plenty of time to talk to each and every person who comes by without feeling rushed. I like that, so we keep returning to it year after year. Check out details at www.pittsburghcomicon.com

Oh, and some guy named Stan Lee is gonna be there on Saturday. Ya might wanna check him out, too!

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