As things stand, I've been thinking more and more about the "way things are" and the place of the kind of work I want to do has, as opposed to the new found thrill ride comics these days seem to be having.
It's a joke.
This turning of an infant medium of artistic expression, just getting it's legs under it, is, still at it's core controled by facile, semi-conscience people who don't dare look under the bed for fear their gut anxiety will be true: it's just a gutter medium, disposable and when it's been sucked dry like Madison avenue did with the peace movement back in the sixties. I mean clean cut all American youth on a mountain side telling the world peace and harmony was nothing more than sharing a coke....so by all means, buy one, *snicker*. I cringe and back away from "weekend hippies" and "what kind of man reads playboy", and now, mass market cool, ipods and cell phones and on and on. Oh, yeah.....and comics.
Iswear, I can almost smell the money from here. But, you can be sure that the people who make comics for a living are so thrilled sunglasses and smelling salts are todays fashion exessory. Unless you look under the bed. Brrrrrr*
Somebody else is really in the drivers seat. Somebody else has the really BIG checkbook . You sign that paper to get paid, and you never, never had a hand in it BY LAW. But that's ok because here comes respect at last.
That a quarter will get you a phone call.
Check this out......Gil Scott Heron......from 1981.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Watch this then get back to me.
Granted, I'm or was, part of the same game........But I really tried to do my best with what I had to work with. Alas, the depth of expression and control ( it's all about control.)I need as an artist and now writer of comics and stories is now my sole reason for doing what I do. I'm a hopeless optimist. I honestly still believe work that can change lives and hearts can be made. Not work for hire or the various disguises it comes under these days, like "creator owned" or something similar.
You can bet your last voucher they are always going to make more off of you than you make off of them. Period.
A five hundred dollar an hour "escort" as opposed to a thirty dollar suck and fuck in an alley.
You still gotta wipe off and pay the pimp.
"Wait", I hear you say...."didn't you say a post or so ago that you were doing a big Sandman piece for a gallery show?"
Yeah, you did. And I am. Why? Because once, Neil, and I with Todd and Danny made something beautiful, and I believe, lasting, regardless. Because Neil is my friend.....I don't mean, "Friend" as in "Friendly". I have lots of those......I'm talking about the kind you can count on one hand and still have fingers left over. I owe him. Happily so. And because, at the end of the day, The piece I make for this show will be mine. All of it. If I sell it, or if I don't is my decision.
Same with Puma.....Stephen and I own it. All of it. Somebody wants it, they pay, a lot, forever.
That'll be the day.
I love you all.
Salaam and wishes of peace.
M.Z.
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