Cleveland resident Sequoia Bostick enjoyed comics as a girl, particularly the world of Japanese manga, although she took the occasional dive into Batman as well. Bostick’s joy for the medium led her to explore library shelves and trade with friends in her native Tennessee, ensuring she never missed a new adventure.
While attending the Cleveland Institute of Art in the early 2010s, Bostick fell in love with the local arts scene, later harnessing the region’s creative energy for Vagabond Comics, an anthology of short, narrative tales she helps illustrate. Founded in 2015 alongside fellow CIA alum Amalia DeGirolamo, Vagabond bills itself as “a periodic collection of comics for the modern misanthrope.”
Vagabond has released 13 issues, collaborating with 40 nationwide artists. Subtitled “Tales From Around the Trashcan Fire,” the books are available through outlets such as the indie-friendly online store Storenvy.
Issues can also be found at Northeast Ohio comics purveyors like Carol & John’s Comic Shop, while Bostick and co-founder DeGirolamo curate Scene Magazine’s annual comics issue, providing an additional platform to spotlight Vagabond and attract new readers.
While major publishers such as DC, Marvel and Image Comics may rule the shelves, Cleveland’s independent creators sometimes struggle to secure visibility, or lack the resources for large-scale marketing campaigns. Understanding these barriers, Bostick leads Genghis Con Cleveland, a small press and indie comic convention scheduled annually on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
This year's show attracted 1,200 attendees to Cleveland’s Pivot Center for Art, Dance and Expression, featuring 70-plus exhibitors and workshops on drawing and layout. Bostick's mission is to challenge the status quo, showcasing the creativity and innovation of indie comics and igniting a new audience of readers.
“My goal has been to bring in more of the younger generation into comics, because just enjoying comics at a young age is good for you,” said Bostick, 32, by day the community engagement manager at Cleveland printmaking studio Zygote Press. “If you’re an individual who’s interested in comics, you’ll have a good time here. Or if you’re a family who’s looking for something to do with their kids, you can come to this show and see the art, do the workshops, or participate in the DIY spaces."
The cost of doing business
Cleveland’s independent scene has a robust history, with names like Gary Dumm – who illustrated local legend Harvey Pekar’s stories – and “My Friend Dahmer” creator John “Derf” Backderf making international headlines. John Dudas, owner of Carol & John’s Comic Shop in Lorain, points to Strongsville-based Ryan Drost as another up-and-comer thanks to his crowdfunded “Stealth Hammer” series, a sci-fi supernatural adventure about a woman exploring her inherited powers.
Although spandex-wearing heroes rule the shelves at Dudas’ shop, he is eager to make space for self-published artists as well. A “local creators” shelf is reserved for DIY storytellers, while small-press artists get run on a “new release” table alongside the big brands. Dudas displays these works with an understanding that they won’t be a money-making endeavor, he said.
“I try my best to support the scene - I’m even happy to take a financial loss on a book,” Dudas said. “Some books may not sell, but that’s not something I keep track of, or worry about.”
In addition, Dudas is discerning in his curation – that means no art books and the owner getting a 60% cut of sales.
“People will come to us with a book that cost $10 to make, and they’re selling it for $12, which is not something we can work with,” Dudas said. “The business itself is an art, because it’s a big marketplace. There’s always a challenge in getting yourself noticed, or even getting a product made in the first place.”
The costs of printing, distribution and marketing can be prohibitive for independent creators, especially those just starting out, added Dudas. Should an artist overcome that hurdle, Genghis Con or other industry get-togethers like Fan Expo Cleveland are prime resources for networking and information.
“I see a lot of people at events talking about where they got something printed, and they may be paying half as much for printing as someone else,” Dudas said. “So, you should be networking with the community as much as possible.”
Visibility, even more than simple economics, is the coin of the realm for Bostick and her peers, she said. Genghis Con costs about $3,000-$5,000 to organize, with tote bags bringing in a few hundred dollars alongside any book sales.
“The economic impact for us is always word of mouth, or people excited to meet an artist in person,” said Bostic. “We’re also the last comics show of the year, so there’s a certain amount of hype around that.”
Find your lane
Keith Harris started FutureGen Comics as an independent development company with its own original character – the muscle bound inner-city hero Big Bruh - along with commission-based services for creation of personalized comic characters. Want to give your kid a book that features them as the high-flying hero? Just click the “I want a comic” tab on Harris’ website.
Not an artist himself, Harris built a small team of writers, colorists and illustrators to bring Big Bruh to life. With the first issue released, Harris and his team are working on the second, due out next August. Even as sales for Big Bruh #1 remain strong, custom character commissions, including work for the LeBron James Family Foundation, contribute significantly to company profits.
There is also the matter of marketing: Harris, a former engineer with no marketing experience, quickly learned that fans are interested in character creation almost as much as the finished books themselves.
“We do 30- or 40-second clips of a character that’s developed, where you’ll see the artists finishing the work, doing some coloring, or creating a costume,” said Harris. “For an independent comics developer, it’s all about finding and working your lane.”
Customers can buy physical or PDF copies of “Big Bruh” – FutureGen gets the word out over social media as well as comics conventions such as Akron Comicon and Fan Expo Cleveland.
“We love those events,” Harris said. “We haven’t found value in a booth yet, but it’s in our best interest to meet other writers and illustrators. (When) we meet people, we learn. If your goal is to create stories, you don’t need much other than imagination and money. If you want revenue from your comics, then networking is crucial.”
Creators cultivating an online following have a better chance of getting noticed, considering publishers are always scouring webcomics for talent, said Dudas, the West Side comics store owner. Webcomics, a series of strips published exclusively online, help create an active community of support, he noted.
“Purchasing agents see people generating their own buzz,” Dudas said. “These artists can have this little microcosm of success in the bigger market.”
Even uploading sketches to a personal website is enough to attract and retain an audience, noted Cleveland illustrator and convention director Bostick. She also offers one piece of advice for any budding dream maker:
“I tell kids to get reading,” said Bostick. “There’s so much out there for you to enjoy.”
