In anything, the more you don't give, the more you have to imagine. Eaton says his biggest influences are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Zander Cannon's Chainsaw Vigilante and Bob Burden's Flaming Carrot Comics. Some of the stuff scares me. Biscontini takes superheroes less seriously but still can see the merit in classic figures such as Batman and Superman. I just like the idea, the kind of demented-superhero thing.
Animated idols are the way to go when trying to break into the comic world as an artist.
It's difficult to create a new character, let alone one that doesn't fit the superhero mold, Mulvihill says. The comic business is ruthless and really competitive, he adds. Some people will rip you apart and you have to take it with a grain of salt. And when employees at local comic book stores say the homemade comics don't sell as well as the slicker, more professional ones, amateur cartoonists know they're in for a lot of legwork. But Kris Boose, Comic Swap owner, has a word of advice for would-be comic artists.