Marvel talent hunt

Well, there's a lot of talented artists here, and someone might want a chance to work at Marvel.

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At the Mondo Marvel panel today, C.B. Cebulski together with Marvel Comics announced the launch of ChesterQuest, possibly the largest worldwide comic book talent search ever undertaken. At least the largest one ever undertaken by one man.

Best known as Marvel's talent liaison and coordinator in the early to mid-2000s, Cebulski still serves as a consultant for Marvel on talent matters and was instrumental in lining up several Japanese manga and anime creators to work on the publisher's projects. Therefore, Cebulski is no stranger to the convention circuits. He's been hosting panel discussions at comic conventions nationwide and abroad, performing portfolio reviews and answering questions about the comic book industry.

NRAMA: From the description, ChesterQuest sounds something like Marvel Comics Idol. The one man must be you, touring 20 cities in 13 countries over 3 continents in 6 months to search for 12 artists? Are you nuts?

CBC: Funny, a few other people have called it that too. That's basically what it is. It's me going out on my own and looking for the next big comic talents this world has to offer. There's just so much talent that I run across almost every day that just blows me away, and most of it coming from outside the U.S. But so many of these artists get overlooked or passed by as there is no avenue for them to be published in the States. Opportunities are limited. I wanted to provide them with a way to get their work seen and get the artist and their art the exposure they deserve. Hopefully ChesterQuest will be a start in accomplishing this.

NRAMA: How did this project come about? You've been the Talent Search guy over at Marvel, so how do you and Marvel's Editorial Talent Coordinator Chris Allo and all who're at the Marvel collaborate on this?

CBC: This crazy concept popped out of my overworked brain. I have plans to attend all the summer shows here in the States and had also been invited to three European shows and two Asian ones. So I had the idea to try and connect the different stops under one banner and ChesterQuest was born. I then start talking to other cons and a few international comic shops that I knew and people jumped on board to help support me and the tour. Everyone likes to see their local boys and girls do good and this provides them a unique opportunity! Given my ties to Marvel, I brought this to them first when I had most of the plan in place. Upon hearing the idea [Marvel's Publisher] Dan Buckley, [Editor-in-Chief] Joe Quesada, Chris Allo and the gang all thought it was a great way to find new international artists in an original way and were happy to endorse the plan. And just to dispel the jokes, this is not some clever way for me to get Marvel to pay for a trip around the world to drink with artists. I'm springing for all this myself with the help of the cons and stores I will be visiting. Marvel is providing the use of their characters and scripts for try-outs, as well as guaranteed penciling job for the top 12 finalists. I'll still need folks to buy my beers though!

NRAMA: So, to get the record straight, this is not Young Guns Part III? Instead of promoting fairly familiar artists, you guys are actually going international to widen Marvel's in-house talent pool?

CBC: Yes, this for new talent that has never worked professionally in the American comic market or for Marvel before. All new names, all new faces, all new styles.

NRAMA: What projects will the 12 selected individuals be offered? High profile gigs, covers, or starting on projects like Marvel Comics Presents first?

CBC: This will be announced at a later date. There's a plan in place, but that plan could change depending on the level of talent we find. But 12 artists will definitely be given the chance to illustrate a Marvel comic book, not just covers. You'll be able to follow the whole process online at www.chesterquest.blogspot.com , and hopefully there will be a www.marvel.com component coming as well.

NRAMA: What sort of criteria do you look for? Do they have to have that Marvel style to be shortlisted?

CBC: Nope. It's going to be an open submission policy. People are free to submit whatever they want, whatever they feel showcases their strengths Of course, sequential comic art is what I'm going to be looking for first and foremost. If you want to draw Marvel characters, fine. Other companies characters, no problem. Your own characters, cool. I 'm just looking for whatever art you feel best represents your skills as an artist in telling a clear and easy-to follow story. All styles welcome. More on the submission process soon...

NRAMA: Can you tell us more about the countries that you'll be stopping by? Date, venue and what not?

CBC: So far, the list includes...

San Diego Comic Con, Wizard World Chicago, Fan Expo Toronto, Baltimore Comic Con, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Rome, Lucca Comic Festival Paris, Lisbon Forum Fantastico, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Dublin Comic Con, London Los Angeles Jules Verne Festival, Tokyo again, Angouleme Comic Festival, New York City

Dates and locations to be announced soon.

Also, if you are not located in one of these cities, there's already a P.O. Box set up for mail-in submissions that will be opening up soon. Guidelines and regulations forthcoming as well.

NRAMA: You'd collaborated with professionals, seasoned artists as well as up-and-coming ones. From Dave Finch, Kyle Baker, Bill Sienkiewicz, Mike Allred to João Lemos on Shiki, Sana Takeda on Drain, X-Men Fairy Tales, and Kei Kobayashi on Spider-Man Fairy Tales. Care to share with our readers about your experiences? In a nutshell, what's the most satisfying part of working with all of these people? When you receive the pages? When you discuss about the projects? What else?

CBC: It all depends upon the artists and the project. Some are collaborators, some are not. Some I talk to daily, others I have never spoken with. However, there's no feeling in the world like when a page comes in and you see one of your scripts brought to life. The most satisfying part of what I do is getting up and knowing that I work in comic books, no matter who I am working with at any given moment. continued...


NRAMA: Just to be clear, this is not your own effort to find potential talent for your own comic book and other projects? This ChesterQuest tour around the world is solely for discovering new talent, specifically 12 new artists, for the House of Ideas? What happens to the others who didn't make the cut but who might have the "right stuff" for your or other companies/publisher's upcoming projects/projects in development?

CBC: Yes, that's right. The deal I have with Marvel is basically comparable to what you would call a first look deal in Hollywood terms. I've set up my "shingle" at Marvel. They're my home... my family really, after all this time. I bring them talent and build projects that they have the first option on hiring and publishing. Marvel will review a project or an artist or a package I put together and decide if there's something that interests them. If they pass on what I've brought them, only then am I free to take that artist or idea elsewhere, like to Image for creator-owned work. But as you've seen with people like Sana and Joao, I also bring a lot of my friends to Marvel. It benefits both companies as well as the artists. So yes, ChesterQuest, while being independently run by me, is being used as a vehicle for finding Marvel new talent, 12 new pencilers or more. If some of the talent I discover doesn't suit Marvel's needs or won't work in the super hero genre, well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But for all intents and purposes, this is a Marvel sponsored talent search and everyone submitting to it should realize that going in.

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http://chesterquest.blogspot.com/

http://www.newsarama.com/Comic-Con_0.../Cebulski.html

*CoughDarkJediCough*

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*CoughDarkJediCough*

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Yep.

LOL!

I sent him the link to this thread

Oh wow...

I gotta read that CLOSE for dates and stuff!

Thanks for the reference.

Dates have yet to be announced.

However, Seoul is on the list. I guess I've got my work cut out for me.

Good luck to those attending.