Why should you do this? A few reasons...

I've been reading, reviewing and even at times publishing small press comics for getting on fifteen years and to be honest I don't think there is a definitive answer to this question. Why should you go to all the hassle of publishing your own comic when chances are you'll sell under a hundred and probably end up out of pocket with a stack gathering dust under your bed?

There are probably as many answers as they are small press publishers, and there are a hell of a lot of publishers out there. As such I don't pretend to know the right answers but hopefully my opinions will be of some use, even if you chose to ignore everything I say. That's what nice about the small press. Everybody's doing it wrong for all the right reasons.

Let's get the big ones out of the way first.

You want to be rich and famous

If this is your motivation then you're probably doing your first comic. You think it's going to sell thousands and make you the next Jeff Smith or Dave Sim. Unless you're really on to something and you're damn good at publicising yourself, you will probably fail in this dream. That's not to say you can't publish a comic and make a living, but being rich and famous should not be your primary goal. Your primary goal should be doing good comics.

You want to be a professional one day

You have dreams of working for a proper publisher earning a decent wage drawing comics. Your comic is like a CV to you. It complements your portfolio and gives you a training ground to perfect your style. This is a well trodden path and many have made it, but be aware that many haven't. There is a world of difference between working for 2000AD or DC and the small press. That's not to say self publishing is inferior in any way - it's just the outlook is different and you could find yourself getting seriously pissed off with self publishing. That said, you could land a gig at DC and decide you preferred the freedom of self publishing. It's been known to happen.

You have plans to set up a line of comics based around a "shared universe" with crossovers coming out monthly. And people will get paid.

How much money do you have? How much talent do you have? If it's loads then consider taking a journalism course, getting a few years publishing experience under your belt, and going for a job at Marvel. That said, if you set your sights low this can be a lot of fun. I've seen quite a few superhero anthologies that work on the Stan Lee formula done purely for the love of it and they do seem quite resilient.

That's the money side. Now for the art

You can't stop drawing

This is a common reason for self publishing. Every spare minute you're drawing something. You've got sketchbooks full of strips and no-ones looking at them. You find yourself drawing on your jeans with a biro. You're an addict and you need a release. If you think you're stuff is up to it then put together a few mini-comics, print off 20 or so, and see how they go. If people like them then print off some more. Before you know it you'll be a publishing house.

Your art is not "commercial"

You're doing good comics but there's no way you're going to get picked up by 2000AD because it's not their style. But you're stuff is good. To be frank, you're a perfect candidate for a small press comic. Put together nice A5 booklets with attractive covers and sell them in enlightened comic shops and galleries. Hey, suddenly you're commercial!

For you, Art is a higher calling

Money isn't important to you. Producing your Art is. While you love the medium you're not that comfortable with the industrialised aspect of it. You just want to do comics to the best of your abilities. Welcome home. The small press scene tends to thrive on this attitude because there's no arguing with it.

You're interested in pushing the envelope

Again, small press comics are perfect for this and speaking as a reader those comics that come out of the small press are often the most experimental and innovative ones on the market.

That's the high-falutin stuff out of the way. Onto more prosaic reasons.

You love comics and want to do your own

A fine a reason as any for self publishing. Unfortunately this reason tends to account for the majority of bad small press comics, but as long as you're happy with that then go for it. That said, you could well be onto something and given time produce great work. Every first issue of a fanzine or small press comic tends to be a bit rubbish. The beauty of it is the only way is up.

You like the community aspect of the scene

Again, on its own can produce comics for the sake of doing comics, but the scene can be very supportive and help you develop your skills over time. It can also lead to solid friendships with like minded people. The community aspect one of the main reasons people stick with doing small press comics and should never be undervalued, but remember it is not an industry and no-one is in charge. The scene doesn't owe you anything - you have to bring something to it. Also, please remember that the concept of a "scene" is very loose indeed. It could be a bunch of mates who trade comics, a mailing list or an organised event like Caption. It's what you make it. Which is why it's a good thing.

I could go on, I'm sure. Again, none of these reasons are right and I'm not claiming any authority on my comments about them. In fact challenge me on any of the above and I'll probably back down. At the end of the day, just do your comic and see what happens. Just remember that you have your own reasons for doing it and the results will be unique. So get on with it.

Originally written for Engine Comic's guide to self publishing, Summer 2002