How do I contact people in 2000AD?

[JohnnyBoyB]

Hi there!

I'm considering sending some art submissions to 2000AD. I'd really like to work there as an Art Robot, lol. I have a couple of questions, though:

1 - Where do I send my work? Do I have to mail it the old-fashioned way, or do they take email submissions? If not, then where do I send the work to? And who do I mail it to? Tharg?
2 - Is any page format acceptable? I appreciate that 2000AD probably has their own page format, but for the purpose of submission reviewing, is it important?
3 - Finally, I have some pages prepared from a script that has nothing to do with 2000AD. Can I send them anyway, or should I try to illustrate one of the sample scripts?

Thanks in advance!

JBB

[uncle fester]

Hey JohnnyBoyB,

Here's a link that should point you in the right direction. And welcome to the board.

http://www.2000adonline.com/submissions

[JohnnyBoyB]

Thanks, Uncle Fester. I'd already seen it!

However, when they say:
"10.IF YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT SOMETHING, ASK THE EDITORIAL TEAM!"

How do I contact the editorial team? There's nothing in that page! Any help would be great.

Thanks again!

[Richmond Clements]

What do you need to know?
I'm sure there are folks here who could help you out...

[uncle fester]

I'd saay if you were intending to submit to 2000ad then it would be handy to use 2000ad characters. But if you're intending to sumbmit a Future Shock story, as described in the previous link, then pretty much anything goes.

This should iron out contact details, etc. http://2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,23121.0.html

As His Lordship says though, we're a helpful bunch if you let us know what you need to find out! Also, if you have a look on the Creative Common section of this forum there are piles of useful links and tips to help you on your way.

[Mike Gloady]

I seem to remember something about them not wanting your Batman or Captain America samples - primarily as they're not 2000ad characters, but also presumably because spandex isn't really something Twoth does, so an ability to do that sort of thing well isn't really that relevant.

[JohnnyBoyB]

Thanks for all the help, guys, and please let me know if I'm being a pain!

That link really helped, thanks!

I'd like to send some work to 2000 AD. It appears they take submissions through mail, nothing through email.

I was wondering if there's a way to get in contact with some of the submissions reviewers, through these forums, for example, and question these little things directly.

The reason I asked if it's necessary to send work with 2000AD characters is because I already have some pages done that I like and feel could make up a good submission. The page format thing is important to know as well, because I don't if they'll accept any format while reviewing.

I'd really like to work in 2000AD. If any of you can help me with this dream, I'd appreciate it!

[Jim_Campbell]

I was wondering if there's a way to get in contact with some of the submissions reviewers, through these forums, for example, and question these little things directly.

Basically, there's Matt Smith -- the editor, erm, Tharg's human assistant -- and that's it. So, yeah, it's snail mail, and into the slush pile to wait for your envelope to work its way to the top. There are plenty of people with prior experience of the submissions process, and even the odd pro* knocking about here, so if you have questions, either about technical stuff, or about submission strategy, here's the best place for 'em.

Cheers

Jim


*And, trust me, some of them are very odd.

[JohnnyBoyB]

Thanks, guys! You were great! I'll roam around the forums and I see what I can come up with!

[Mike Gloady]

The Creative Commmon is seemingly a wealth of helpful stuff.  Should be lots of food for thought there to prime and polish your subs.  Good luck.

[JohnnyBoyB]

I'll probably hit the creative common forum. I bet there'll be lots of people that have submitted work to 2000AD.

[Emperor]

The reason I asked if it's necessary to send work with 2000AD characters is because I already have some pages done that I like and feel could make up a good submission. The page format thing is important to know as well, because I don't if they'll accept any format while reviewing.

For your first encounter with Tharg it is well worth following the submissions guidelines which do say:

Rather than spending months working on fully-painted pages, you should send black and white layouts of comic strip work based on the characters of 2000 AD.

So sending a pin-up of Spider-Man is only going to be wasting everyone's time but I suppose if there is a lot of promise Tharg might write back saying "how about submitting a page of a Dredd story?" so why not skip that stage? Also bear in mind that he isn't just looking to see how good an artist you are but also how good you are at telling a sequential story.

I've said it before but look at what Kevlev is doing - he is working on sample Dredd scripts, showing them to Tharg, getting valuable feedback from him (and other denizens of this forum and visitors to his blog) and then taking that on board for the next round. It is always possible that you are a natural/The Next Big Thing and Tharg snatches your arm off but it is likely most people have to hone their craft. Quite a few people swing through expressing an interest in working for Tharg and are never heard from again so a bit of determination can't go amiss as it might take a bit of work to make it (if ever) - the important thing is to have a good time on the way.

Also we can give you better feedback if we can see some samples of your work If you have a blog/gallery that'd be a good start, enteing the monthly art competition is a good way of showing how good an artist you are (and it usually involves playing with the 2000AD toybox which is handy for wannabe bots) and the Creative Commons thread has a lot to offer - the doodle thread is a good place to post sketches and works in progress or if you want more feedback on something you are polishing up, then start a thread.

[Richmond Clements]

Might be worth taking your portfolio along to a convention- BICS is in a couple of weeks- and showing them to Matt there.

[pauljholden]

Hello!

If I were you, I'd take the time to do a sample dredd script, rather than just sending something you've already done - UNLESS the something you've already done has been published by a major publisher already and you just want to let 2000AD know that you exist.

If may take a few months before the Mighty Tharg gets to your submission in the pile (or a lot longer) so it's not going to speed up your chances a great deal if you take a couple of weeks to put together a brand new submission.

Don't forget, you're not just letting 2000AD know that a) you exist, b) you can draw but also that c) you can take on a professional attitude and draw what's asked of you - and the only way to prove that is to do a script that Matt has seen drawn by other people - ie, a sample script.

If you send him an AMAZING, drop dead awesome sample, the chances are he'll probably ask you to do a Dredd sample ANYWAY as a way to ensure that you can actually draw from other people's scripts.

As regards to size/format - first never send anything but photocopies, secondly, don't worry too much about size - as long as the samples fit onto an A4 page - this will never be published and, if Matt likes what he sees he will send you the full, proper specs (or, if you want, measure an issue of 2000AD and multiple all sizes by 40%)

Re: samples - make sure your contact details are on every page, number the pages and put the name of the story on each page (ie, "J.Smith (jsmith@jmsith.com) Sample Dredd Page 1 of 5")

Include a cover letter that should be no more than a page, introducing yourself, describing any published history you have and thanking them for their time in looking over the samples.

Include a stamped self addressed envelope (for feedback and the return of your artwork).

And, finally, don't hold your breath, 2000AD have a LOT of other things to do as well as look at samples. Get a portfolio together, send it to:

FutureQuake (no money, but they have a bunch of titles and can always use an artist and they're a good bunch of lads/lasses)
Insomnia (no money, but they're really pushing the books they do and they look pretty damn nice and are doing lots of original graphic novels)

And... there's probably a load more.


-pj

[Mike Gloady]

There you go.  From the horse's mouth.  All covered in horsey-dribble.