The Dull Boy Times

All work. No play. Dull boy. Ryan Ferrier is a comic book writer, menswear enthusiast, and still uses the oxford comma.

To Do Deux

Back in November I wrote a to do list one night while I felt impatient and unsatisfied with my budding comics career. It was a workaholic’s version of a tantrum, really; an introverted want-to-be-writer stomping his feet for attention while archiving his own delusions of grandeur. Looking back on it, I was overzealous, certainly, but as I sit here exhausted - I slept a mere few hours last night, working on comic-related crisis - and while my savings flow out of me like video game coins en route to artists and printers, I’m actually kind of surprised.

Granted, my “deadlines” - namely the Vancouver and Calgary conventions in April - are still a couple of months away, things are on track. If all goes well, and the handful of artists I’m working with pull through, I’ll be in good shape to realize some of my goals. In other words, someone should call my third grade teacher and tell her she was full of hog shit. Who’s applying themselves now, you bastardess?

Let’s compare the old list to the one that’s (most likely) being crossed off now… also known as the hey everyone, give me attention look what I’m doing list.

  • Print one issue of Terminals for sale. Check. I’ll have three issues for sale.
  • If Brothers James isn’t picked up by a publisher, self-publish the first issue. Check. That’ll be out in April too, under my independent imprint, Challenger Comics.
  • A preview for my graphic novel Companion. Kinda. While the preview won’t be done for April (most likely anyways), I do have an artist attached, and we’re starting to create the pitch at the end of February.
  • Untitled Assassin One-Shot comic. Nope. The script is done but it’s on hold for now.

So two for four isn’t too bad. But let’s add a couple more projects that are or have been happening.

  • Tiger Lawyer. The first of hopefully more comics featuring serialized stories of a tiger lawyer, with art from several creators. Issue #1 will be out in April, again under my indie imprint, Challenger.
  • Children of Russia, a 12-page horror comic written by me with art from Hugo Petrus, will be out in a big ol’ anthology sometime this year.
  • Lettered/designed a couple of pitches for my fellow creator Curt Pires, for his books Electric Love and Trauma.
  • I wrote a one-shot for [someone], under a pseudonym. It’s a great script, admittedly, but won’t see the light of day, nor will I probably go into details other than it is called The Hound of Bordeaux.

So that’s all kind of keeping me busy, not to mention the four or five other projects in early development stages. There are many ups and many downs, week in and week out, but it’s finally starting to feel good to actually work hard. Really hard.

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if I totally sucked at all this stuff though?

Oh no… what if I totally suck?

My parting words:

Work your fingers to the bone. Make comics. Do them yourself if you have to. Own your creations. Own your ideas. Work your fingers to the bone. Pay your artists.  Go broke. Do everything yourself. Promote yourself. Never answer to anyone. Work your fingers to the bone.

  1. rferrier posted this