Bill Harvey "Dangerworld"
Heroic superhero comics in a style straight out of the 1960s-1970s, with a big dose of Jack Kirby, DANGERWORLD concerns itself with an apocalyptic world with humanity hanging in the balance. See two sample pages here (click to enlarge):
In my correspondence with Behold Comics, Bill Harvey gave something of an overview of how tough it is for an independent publisher in the world of Comic Book publishing:
"General thoughts regarding a second issue of DangerWorld.... I have it well on it's way, or had, I should say. But I found it difficult to get the first issue noticed. It took a while to get someone to offer to review it. Diamond Distributors wouldn't touch it, maybe because or the B&W interior. Maybe it didn't meet their standards, I'm not sure. I'd have been real welcome if an independent publisher had said let us carry the title and provide an inker and letterer, and maybe some of the writing. But that hasn't panned out.
I suppose I could DO more, like run some ads, attend conventions, keep trying for another distributor.... but months passed and issue one wasn't heralding much response.
I sort of switched over to a humor comic strip i do titled THE ODDs, samples at www.beholdcomics.com. And I've been getting results. Not big dollars, but things that would need to happen for me to get that BIG contract from a national syndicator are actually happening.
There's a paper called Smiles Humor magazine, a shopper type publication based in Florida that will be running eight ODDs monthly. So that's the kind of success track I need to gravitate towards.
Specifically, the second Dangerworld storyline picks up where issue one left off. It's an action packed fight scenes oriented plot. I add some insights into the main character, and stuff. One of the tough things to overcome is working solo. I need to do pencils and inks. Plus lettering. Now, IF DWorld 1 were getting noticed like THE ODDs is, and if I were receiving lots of mail trough the website.. .chances are I'd get a second DWorld back on track.
So if you're piped in with comic books people, or you know an independent publisher, or if you have ideas or suggestions, I'm open. Sometimes I ( humbly ) feel like a McCartney without a Lennon. Like I'm part of a success team that didn't form. I think my work is good, but maybe lacks some special ingredient. I purposely try for a look and feel of Marvel Comic in the 70's and 80's, no small order there. But that was the time when comics really shined. In a strickly business sense, maybe I should update the look. But I tell ya, those books Stan and Jack and Romita and Buscema, plus a few others, were putting out were par excellence. and worth emulating....or trying to.
Bill"
The website for Behold Comics is here.
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