Sequential art department hosts leading editors and artists at Editors’ Day
By Gray Chapman
On May 15 and 16, sequential art students from both SCAD-Atlanta and SCAD-Savannah had the
opportunity to meet some of the nation’s leading sequential artists and comics editors. Editors’ Day,
an annual event organized by the sequential art department, includes panel discussions and professional portfolio reviews. According to press materials, the event took place at SCAD-Savannah, in both the SCAD Student Center and Norris Hall.
Sequential art students interested in the comic, graphic novel and manga industries had the chance
to network with some of these industries’ top leaders. Students had the opportunity to meet with industry professionals and learn more about sequential art careers in a panel discussion.
According to the press materials, some of these guests included Bob Schreck, editor for DC Comics’ “Vertigo” line; Axel Alonso, group editor for Marvel Comics; Chris Staros, editor-in-chief and publisher of Top Shelf Comics; Tricia Narwani, Random House manga editor; James Lucas Jones, editor-in-chief of ONI Press; Jeff Mason, editor and publisher of Alternative Comics; Dan Vado from Slave Labor Graphics Comics; Chris Warner, editor of Dark Horse Comics; and SCAD alumnus Mike O’Sullivan (M.F.A., sequential art, 2004), editor of Devil’s Due Publishing Co.
SCAD-Atlanta sequential art professor Shawn Crystal emphasized the professional opportunities that Editors’ Day would present to attending students. “Oni press will be here recruiting students as color artists for some upcoming books they will be doing. This will be paid freelance work, which will give the students the opportunity to work as a professional while in school, or right as they finish,” said Crystal.
Students also had the chance to meet one-on-one with professionals for portfolio reviews. Crystal said that the reviews would be helpful not only for refining a portfolio, but also for networking purposes. “Oni will also be conducting portfolio reviews, which helps the student understand what they need to work on, as well as establish an ongoing relationship with an editor,” said Crystal. The fact that students would be able to meet one-on-one with a prominent editor, he said, would be helpful in establishing a connection with someone in the industry. “They can keep an open dialogue going with the editor, and continually send recent work for review, until one day they hopefully get published,” he also said.
According to the online press release, students who attend Editors’ Day are often successful in forming
relationships with leaders in the sequential art industry; they also stand a chance to receive job offers. “Each year, the professional portfolio reviews result in job opportunities for many sequential art students, launching them into careers in the comic, graphic novel and manga industries.”
The Editors’ Day informational panel took place yesterday, May 15, at the SCAD Student Center at
120 Montgomery St. in Savannah. The one-on-one portfolio reviews took place on Friday, May 17, in Norris Hall at 548 E. Broughton St. in Savannah.
For more information, visit the SCAD sequential art department on the Web at www.scad.edu/sequential-art.