Help Wanted In Comic Books

By Buddy Scalera

F/T or P/T

Position: Comic Convention Planner/Promoter


The Comic Book Community is looking for a high-quality comic book planner/promoter to organize top-notch conventions all over the country.

Salary:
Nearly unlimited. Salary is based on the success of the convention. Candidate should bring own rake and wheelbarrow to collect money.

Location:
No need to relocate, but travel is required. Promoter must be willing to scout out new locations around the country. (Many areas of USA have not tapped full potential of paying customers.)

First convention:
Promoter will need to tap into the incredible potential of the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut market, which is woefully underrepresented in conventions. No large-scale convention exists yet. Hundreds of top-name pros live in the area. Promoter merely has to call them and ask them nicely, and many pros will attend.

Appearance:
Must have a keen sense of customer service and professional responsibility. Must be willing to dress and conduct as a professional. Dressing in sloppy black t-shirts may make you appear to be a schlub in eyes of professionals, customers, and the mainstream media.

Ideal candidate:
The person hired as "Convention Planner/Promoter" must be able to coordinate professional comic book creators, mainstream celebrities, and convention staff. Must be able to think and act strategically to put on convention programming and special events that are of interest to paying customers.

Convention Planner/Promoter" will also be proficient in the following:
  • Public relations and marketing (Mainstream media loves covering events like these.)
  • Online promotions (People depend on the website for directions and updated guest lists.)
  • Customer service (Fans, publishers, and guests expect conventions to be run with the efficient and cheerful professionalism of Disney World.)
Candidate must be a take-charge individual who can harness the incredible potential of current conventions. All too often, conventions are under promoted, and the community is barely aware of the event. (Shows like the San Diego Comicon and Wizard World Chicago are community events, drawing 70,000+ paying customers.)

Publishers and mainstream entertainment companies will gladly give their money to exhibit at a well-attended, well-run comic book event.

Conventions are popping up all over the country and may be the new way the people buy comic books. Rather than weekly purchases, "regular" people will buy collected trade paperbacks, graphic novels, and complete runs of comic books. Once a year, people will look forward to these conventions the way they look forward to new CDs by their favorite rock bands.

Only serious applicants with good, creative ideas need apply. Applicant must display ability to "unite" rather than divide. Conventions do not need to "compete" with each other. Rather, conventions should be viewed as an opportunity to bring comic books to the people, as people have stopped coming to comic books.

Send cover letter, resume, and samples of your brilliance. The comic book community needs you now more than ever.

The Comic Book Community is an equal opportunity employer.


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Buddy Scalera is a professional comic book writer and publisher. Not surprisingly, he also works in Marketing and Promotions. He would very much appreciate your support in making his Visual Reference for Comic Artists: Vol. 3 a big success. Check out his website and spread the word to your artist friends. http://www.buddyscalera.com. He thanks you.