These are scans from my file of early rejection letters from the early 1980s. As a young cartoonist from suburban Detroit, I was a million miles from the professional comic book business, although I got encouragement from local pros (another post coming soon). I mailed photocopies of samples to New York and elsewhere hoping somehow to break into the business.
A few of the letters I received back (Mad, Epic Illustrated) are pro forma form letters, although at least they were signed by hand; some of the others are actually composed and thoughtful, despite rejecting my submission.
In retrospect, it seems miraculously to me that I got this many encouraging letters, although I often took them as discouraging. I don’t know how I would go about breaking into the business now.
Most of the letters pertain to Megaton Man #1, although I submitted other material for earlier ones. A few I actually received back after Megaton Man #1 had already found a publisher.
Kitchen was then located in downtown Princeton, Wisconsin. I submitted a story entitled “Gross’ry Store,” a nihilistic attempt at an underground. Belatedly responding to an article by Dave Schreiner on the company that appeared in Jim Steranko’s Comixscene #2, I drew the story—which does not survive—on posterboard at least in part in ballpoint pen, since that’s how Dave described Denis starting out.
This guideline was sent back along with my submission. Note that superhero comics are “taboo.”
John Workman was the art director for Heavy Metal and National Lampoon. I submitted a story called “Tank,” featuring a lost Patton tank from an unknown war driven by early incarnations of Frank and Diggs from Border Worlds who encounter a naked woman who appeared much like Jenny from the later series. It was elaborately stippled on hot-press illustration board and is now lost.
I submitted a random selection of photocopies to Marvel, including samples influenced by Moebius, and somehow received a personal reply from the late Jim Shooter. At the time, I took it as a personal rejection, but now try getting feedback from the EIC of Marvel. Pretty incredible.
I redrew “Tank” (the second version is now gone as well) and still got a rejection from John Workman. Johns work appears in the forthcoming Megaton Man: Multimensions anthology.
The first of three rejection letters from editor Dean Mullaney at Eclipse. “8 1/2” x 11” was a Felliniesque story featuring Megaton Man that will appear in the forthcoming The Complete Megaton Man Universe, Volume I: The 1980s from Fantagraphics.
The second rejection letter from editor Dean Mullaney at Eclipse. I believe I sent in early pages of Megaton Man #1 at this point.
Third letter from Dean Mullaney. He sent a Don Macgregor script about a female assassin character from Sabre that I thought was terribly overwritten and senseless, and I had the temerity to write back to Dean and tell him so. I asked impertinently if they had any material more in line with the stated aspirations of Eclipse Magazine. He never wrote back. I met Cat Yronwode and Dean after Megaton Man #1 and we got along quite well; Dean never mentioned our exchange.
The first rejection letter from Gary Groth, based on early pages of Megaton Man #1.
Maybe I though I could knock Valentino out of the running if I showed Dave Sim a real superhero parody. Oh, well! Had to try.
A relatively upbeat rejection letter from David Scroggy at Pacific Comics, based on the complete Megaton Man #1.
The second letter from Gary Groth based on the submission of the complete Megaton Man #1.
An encouraging letter from Richard Bruning after Megaton Man #1 was already announced for Kitchen Sink Press.
A form letter from the late Archie Goodwin long after Megaton Man #1 had been accepted fro publication by Kitchen Sink Press. I continued getting such letters for a while.
A nice letter from the heir to John Workman’s position at Heavy Metal.
An undated letter from Joe Staton, creator of E-Man and acting art director of First Comics, after Megaton Man #1 had already been picked up.
