I had striven for many years to get my comic 'The Dragon Fists of Smorty Smythe' published by established companies without success. Then my best friend tells me of this particualr anecdote.

I won't name names, but my best friends brother-in-law has a brother who is a terrific cartoonist. He was approached by Marvel Comics to work for them. They even offered to fly him out to New York and get him settled in.

He turned them down saying; "If they want me, they can come to ME."

Naturally you don't make ultimatums to the big guys when you're a nobody, even if you've got talent. Naturally he didn't get the job.

Wanta know WHY he turned them down?

He preferred his easy life of welfare checks and POT smoking.

My (OUR) tax dollers keep types like that in weed money while we work to make ends meet.

Furthermore THIS particular individual does so by turning down a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity I would've given my left nut to have.

Whenever he has come over to my friends parents place or whenever I've met up with him at his brothers place, its all I can do to keep from KILLING him with my bare hands!!

I hear ya, but ultimately it's his loss. If it makes you feel any better, it might come back to bite him in the ass later in life as a regret he can't do anything about. Some people just prefer to piss away their lives.

Oh, I've dealt with these kind of people before, but unfortunately, I can't say anything more about it because it's far from G-rated...oh, screw it.

FUCK THESE PEOPLE!

If you need more evidence pot makes you stupid...

Or that stupidity makes you smoke pot?

Anyways, I'd say it's a good thing he turned it down...that means that someone equally as talented, but more deserving, can get that job.

Heeeeey guys, don't be so hard on him. The man's enjoying his life the way he wants to. You don't need money or success to enjoy life if you actually do already. In fact it doesn't usually help at all in that regard.

And maybe meemjar's best friend doesn't really like his brother-in-law that much so made the story a little more biased against him.

This.

Though it's pretty messed up that he's living off of welfare when he has the capabilities to get a job. Some people actually need that money and they can't manage to pay the bills even with a job... I guess he's one in a thousand, though. Who needs 'em.

you're making too much sense ozone. > : (

If I had the same opportunity, I'd hesitate.

And probably turn it down depending on the terms. I don't want to move to New York.

Yeah by not working and leaching off other peoples hard earned money so he can get stoned. So this:

I don't know how aussie welfare is, but with how it is here he doesn't deserve sympathy.

I can't feel anything towards those type of people other than disappointment. I mean leeching off others is one of the greatest sins to me.

Is it as bad as the story suggests though? Remember, this IS the brother-in-law of a freind.
People aren't always that nice about "lazy, good for nothing" brother-in-laws. -Who aren't always lazy and or good for nothing.

Besides, I don't think your welfare system is indefinite is it?

Lastly- The story strikes me as being exaggerated for effect: He was SUCH a lazy loser that he turned down this amazing gift-from-god-opportunity that any other comic artist would have killed for...

Maybe in reality he's not that much of a loser and the Marvel opportunity was something a little more mundane and a lot less impressive than we've been led to believe?

Hold it Ozoneocean,

NO! NOT my best friends Brother-in-law. I'm talking about the Brother-in-laws OWN brother. And I'm not exaggerating. Everybody hates the BUM!

And by contrast heres ANOTHER similar story.

A guy who was excellent with CGI was approached by PIXAR, the company that gave us TOY STORY and all the rest to work for them.

He turned them down because he already had a career...as an underwater welder.
One of the most hazardous and high paying jobs in the world.

So at least you can respect THIS guy and his choice.

If its I high paying job than maybe that's why he kept doing it. Animators have a notoriously shite pay and very few available jobs most of the time. (Trust me, I've been looking into it and to think I still want to get into that industry.)

Anyway, about the other guy, I don't really give a crap off him leaching off welfare, but I facepalmed when you said he turned down marvel.

second cousin twice removed... Ugh, family relationships are torturous.

Mainly I like to go against the flow, especially when it all seems so one way.

Here's what you do:

First you find a fake mustache. The more handle-barred, the better. Then you call up Marvel doing the best impression of this guy's voice as you can (be sure to wear the mustache, it'll be integral to the following steps).

Then, once you've convinced them to meet you, you fly to New York, and begin stalking the executives you spoke to. At least one of them will have a lonely, neglected wife, whom you must then seduce as Chavez the amorous gardener (this way require a few hours in the tanning bed, taking the care to photograph your coupling.

Go to the meeting, and once the executive realizes that you are not the man he contacted, give him the envelope with the photos. He will be so stricken with jealousy and impotent rage that he'll let you sign any contract you want. After signing, you pull off the mustache, smash open a plate-glass window with something heavy (office chairs are a good bet), and leap from the building, gliding into the night.


Y'know, if that's your thing.

People find ways to keep it going ad infinitum. For some it's their one calling in life.

Truth be told though. If this friend's brother-in-law's brother thing is someone who isn't very motivated by nature, he's better off not working for Marvel regardless of how talented a cartoonist he is. I mean, the monthly grind has broken many a talented artist there. It's best for all parties if he backs down if he's not in it 110%.

i say the guy made a good choice. he would have had to move, make a great deal of change to his life in very little time, and not be assured of a long-term position that pays well enough to live off of. marvel might not have given him enough work to live off of, and then where would he be?

lots of artists and writers in the comic industry seem to work from home. so it's possible he was doing that to see how serious they were.


(also, i'm kinda curious as to what kind of "established companies" you've submitted your work to.)

Entry jobs in comics pay a mule's wage, your friend is better off on welfare and dime bags. Or at least thats what I'm assuming his posistion was. youre kinda vague as to what exactly he would be doing.

THINK GREEN BRO

EDIT: besides if every day is 4/20 for him, I doubt he would have moved fast enough to produce what is asked. Most artists get fired for being slow and inconsistent.

=

I've said it before, I'll say it again...you guys don't know this guy. I DO!!

And he is currently living in a dive with a Crack Whore because his brother finally threw him out cause he became fed up with the parasite.