Sharjah24: Breaking into <a href="https://comicvibe.com/comic-solicitations-marvel-january-2027/” title=”Comic Solicitations: Marvel – January 2027″>comics takes more than talent. Persistence, visibility, industry relationships and proof that audiences want the work can be just as important, creators and publishers told the Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference (SACC 2026).
The session, Independent Comics: From Regional Stories to Global Shelves, brought together Shannon Eric Denton, an American writer, artist and producer; Marko Matijašević, founder and creative director of Croatian publisher Pigment Collective and its Argent Comics imprint; and Mo Abedin, Editor-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi-based Sandstorm Comics, to share how rejection, persistence and personal connections shaped their paths into the industry.
Breaking into a crowded industry
Recalling his early career, Denton described how repeated rejection eventually led to his first professional opportunity.
“It wasn’t talent that got me my job. I kept sending artwork every week, and they kept telling me I wasn’t ready. But I kept working and improving. I wasn’t good yet, but I was getting better,” he said.
Denton also recounted driving across the United States to Orlando, where a chance visit to a comic shop led him to a convention. After paying five dollars to enter, he encountered Extreme Studios, secured a job and was asked to report to Los Angeles the following Monday.
His experience, he said, reinforced the importance of continuing to improve while staying visible to the industry.
Winning over established publishers
Matijašević described a similar lesson from the publishing side. He spent a decade developing a portfolio of specialised books before approaching major publishers such as DC Comics. Initial refusals eventually gave way to meetings after he offered physical samples of his company’s work.
“The first answer is always no. But you have to accept that failure is part of the process and keep trying. Eventually, we met, and they accepted. That’s when things started to change,” he recalled.
He also stressed the value of industry events in reaching international customers, particularly for collectable editions whose craftsmanship cannot be fully appreciated digitally.
Expanding the reach of UAE comics
“Doing is a lot better than thinking. You just have to do it,” Abedin told aspiring creators, adding: “You can be the most talented person, but you might not have had your break yet. The more you’re doing, being in places, attending and putting yourself out there, the more likely it is for people to discover who you are. And if you can back that up with talent, grit and persistence, that’s what’s really going to help you break into the industry.”
The importance of personal connections
Denton recalled meeting a creative professional from the Middle East in Los Angeles through their shared interest in comics.
“I think curiosity goes a long way with tenacity and consistency. I like to learn new things. I like to meet new people. You have to be open to the world. Opportunities are all around us, all the time. Sometimes you’re not paying attention and you walk right past them,” he said.
The speakers also discussed webcomics and free-to-read platforms as practical ways for independent creators to build audiences and demonstrate demand through readership and engagement data before approaching publishers.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, the fourth edition of SACC runs from October 22 to 25 at Aljada, Sharjah, featuring more than 150 activities and over 75 speakers from more than 30 countries.
- Sharjah
- Sharjah Book Authority
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