The Top 5 Comic Creators That You Need To Follow

How many of these incredible people do you know? I’m going to share the top thought leaders and creators working in comics that offer great training to help with your comics career.

And by the end of the article, you will discover a few podcasts, youtube channels and training courses that should help you with your career whether you’re a writer or an Artist.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

Creator #1: Tyler James (Comixlaunch.com)

Tyler James is a comics creator, game designer, educator, and publisher residing in Newburyport, MA. He is the writer and co-creator of THE RED TEN, a superhero murder mystery, EPIC, a super teen action-comedy, and TEARS of the DRAGON, a sword and sorcery fantasy. Tyler is the publisher and co-creator of ComixTribe, which is both a new imprint of quality creator-owned titles and an online community where creators help creators make better comics.

Tyler is also the brains behind Comixlaunch which is a platform that helps aspiring creators take control of their careers and provides step by step guidance on how to grow an audience, keep that audience engaged and then launch your project to that audience and much much more as well.

Tyler provides a free webinar where you can learn more about comixlaunch (available through the comixlaunch website) along with other resources as well including a weekly podcast (i’ve personally been listening for over 2 years).

You can learn more about Tyler here

Creator #2: Dan Ekis (Dan Ekis.com)

I was first introduced to Dan’s work through the Comixlaunch Podcast, where he was discussing his process for audience growth.

Dan Ekis is an American comic artist and writer best known for creating the series Odyssey, Inc. and Soul of the World on Webtoons.

He frequently interviews other artists and creators on his YouTube Channel and has done interviews with artists such as Jason Brubaker, Rachel Smythe, Will Terry, Djamila Knopf, Sweeney Boo, and more.

On his social media and email newsletter, he provides tips for creators to gain confidence in their work and make a living off their art.

I find Dan’s YouTube channel (Dan Ekis) really useful and would recommend checking it out as there’s a ton of useful content that he has uploaded.

You can learn more about Dan here

Creator #3: Jason Brubaker (Coffee Table Comics)

I learnt about Jason through his excellent book Unnatural Talent which gives you the worts and all information needed to understand the comics industry as a self-publisher. His art and stories are phenomenal, I personally have learnt a lot from following Jason.

The journey from being a “no name” artist to finding your voice in the world of comics has always been a mystery—especially in the Internet age. While the publishing industry struggles to adapt to the rapidly changing digital world, independent artists now have the ability to build a successful and lucrative brand completely on their own with a little hard work and some Internet savvy.Now there’s nothing stopping you from getting your book in front of thousands or even millions of people. Suddenly you can’t blame anyone for not giving you a chance. You can only blame yourself for not trying. So roll up your sleeves, sharpen your pencils and fire up your Internet because we are about to make and sell comics!Jason Brubaker’s graphic novel reMIND raised over $125,000 in pre-order sales on Kickstarter, won the Xeric Award and made ALA’s Great GraphicNovels for Teens List. This book is a collection of his thoughts, strategies and practical lessons developed during his experience writing, drawing and self-publishing reMIND.
– Unnatural Talent

Jason also has a brilliant You Tube channel where he has some excerpts from Unnatural Talent, he also has a brilliant Pateron which is worth subscribing to.

You can learn more about Jason here

Creator #4: Jake Parker (Mr Jake Parker)

If you’ve ever participated in Inktober then you would have heard of Jake. Jake Parker created Inktober in 2009 as a challenge to improve his inking skills and develop positive drawing habits. It has since grown into a worldwide endeavour with thousands of artists taking on the challenge every year.

Jake is another creator that I would advise having a watch of his You Tube channel it’s full of really useful information that will educate and inspire you.

If you get the chance try and participate in Inktober this year as it really does help get you into a positive creating habit.

Jake is also I’m the co-founder of SVSLearn.com that teaches thousands of people how to become professional illustrators. This does come with a monthly price though a 30-day trial is available.

You can learn more about Jake here

Creator #5: Andy Schmidt (Comics Experience)

Andy Schmidt, former Senior Editor at IDW Publishing, former Editor at Marvel Comics, and writer of such comics as 5 Days to Die, X-Men: Divided We Stand, and G.I. Joe: Future Noir launched Comics Experience for people who want to make comics or work in the comics industry.

In 2007, Andy founded Comics Experience to pass his knowledge on to students. In 2008, Andy wrote an authoritative, Eagle Award-winning book about making comics: The Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels, published by Impact Books. His follow up book, The Comics Experience Guide to Writing Comics: Scripting Your Story Ideas from Start to Finish was published in 2018 to rave reviews.

Andy is also the producer of the Comics Experience Make Comics Podcast which is another great podcast well worth listening to.

You can learn more about Andy and Comics Experience here.

Conclusion

As you can see from these great creators, there is a wealth of information available on the internet in various places which can take you from a person with no experience with lots of talent right through to a published professional.

My personal preference is always on self publishing rather than working for a large studio as you then have a lot more creative control.

To learn more about the process I go through, and my journey in creating comics sign up for my newsletter using the below link. You’ll also receive a free 80-page graphic novel where I created all the art.