We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sarah Landauer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome getting into the independent comics scene, mostly because I didn’t grow up reading comic books. Ask me about in-depth Marvel or DC lore outside of movies and I’m completely lost. I did casually read some manga here and there starting in middle school, but comics in general were largely outside of my particular brand of nerdiness.
I had a story I wanted to tell with GLITCH, and I had originally worked on it as a script for an animated short film. But once I teamed up with my friend and incredibly skilled artist, Alston Novak, I felt in my soul that comics was the right medium in which to bring it to life. But I felt like I was trespassing into others’ territory. It felt like I was doing something wrong—until I attended my first Los Angeles Comic Con and explored Artist Alley and Small Press. I met so many amazing and kind indie comic creators. They were welcoming and open to answering questions, and way more encouraging than I thought possible. The ladies of Hex Comix took me and Alston under their wing and taught us everything they’d learned about breaking into indie comics and actually creating comic books. And Charlie Stickney of WHITE ASH fame shared all of his knowledge and tips about funding our self publishing endeavors through Kickstarter.
From then on, I started to feel way more comfortable in this business. It started to feel like home. I realized that we’re all just doing what we love, telling stories that we love, and sharing them with anyone who will give us a chance. I kept on writing and creating because of my passion for storytelling, and that drowned out all the imposter syndrome that had held me back for so long. Now, meeting new creators and catching up with old friends at conventions is one of my favorite things about making comics. The camaraderie in this community makes it impossible to stay under imposter syndrome’s thumb, and I find myself striving for even greater heights.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a writer who has found my calling in independent comic books after a long journey of exploring prose, poetry, and screenwriting over my lifetime. There’s nothing quite like seeing my words brought to life by the hands of awesome artists, and that art then lighting up the eyes of excited readers at comic conventions. I started an independent comics label called Wasteland Comics alongside my friend and artistic partner, Alston Novak, back in 2018 in order to self publish our debut comic book series, the post-apocalyptic solarpunk adventure GLITCH. That story follows a teenage scavenger named Ari and her pet desert kit fox, Zephyr, as they survive The Wasteland centuries after a mysterious event wiped out nearly all life on the planet. We’re currently finishing up our third issue out of six and preparing to exhibit at Los Angeles Comic Con 2024 and launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund the printing of GLITCH #3.
As of now, GLITCH is the only story we’re working on at Wasteland Comics, but we plan to expand to new stories in the near future. Wasteland Comics as a label is focused on bringing hope and light to the post-apocalyptic genre. We plan to explore different genre combinations (like solarpunk and post-apocalypse with GLITCH) through these new stories while giving readers a bit of a respite from how bleak the real world can seem at times.
Creating comics and being part of the indie comics community has been more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. Despite my introverted nature, exhibiting at conventions always energizes me and reminds me how much I love what I do—even if it can be stressful and difficult at times.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
First, I think resilience is a key quality that’s helped me to thrive in independent comics, and it’s essential to have in any independent and/or artistic endeavor, whether as a hobby or career or something in between. It’s not easy to roll with the punches, and as supportive as the indie comics community is, there’s still a lot of stress and hardship that comes with the territory. Trying to manage finances, potentially balance comics with another job that actually pays the bills, keeping up with your own marketing… It’s a lot, and a lot can go wrong. All of the creators who are in this industry are the ones who had the resilience to push through the hard times and stick around instead of giving up. You have to remember why you’re doing this (and usually that reason can’t be for the money, unfortunately), and let your passion fuel your resilience to keep you afloat.
Second, I’d say adaptability has been vital to my journey so far. The independent comics scene is constantly changing. Crowdfunding sites and their trends change. Social media sites and their algorithms change. Readers and their preferences change. Sometimes even your creative team changes. If you’re not ready to adapt, it’s all too easy to fall behind and lose your way. I always like to have a plan for the future that’s just detailed enough for me to have a clear path forward while also having room to pivot in case any unforeseen hurdles pop up; you can’t get too attached to your plans and goals. My comic, GLITCH, used to be planned for 18+ issues, but due to changing circumstances we cut it down to six. And because I kept a lot of flexibility in my plans, I was able to adjust the story in order to still have a satisfying and complete ending ready for when we get there.
Lastly, networking has been extremely impactful as I’ve made my place in this industry. But to me, networking really just feels like making and supporting friends who are doing the same amazing and difficult things I’m trying to do. I’ve never befriended a fellow creator with the sole intent of using them as a connection in the industry; I think it’s pretty obvious (and off-putting) when people do that. I’m a genuine fan of these people and I love their work, so we end up naturally supporting each other when we need it. It took me a while to get comfortable talking to people so much since, again, I’m very introverted. But it helps that comic conventions are full of nerds just like me. When it comes to networking, just putting yourself out there and practicing is the best way to develop your skills. I would go to every Artist Alley and Small Press table that caught my eye and just strike up a conversation by complimenting their work or asking questions. Eventually, it starts to come naturally.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am looking for people to collaborate with! I mentioned before that I’m planning to expand Wasteland Comics’ offerings to more than just GLITCH. I have a few new stories I’m currently developing, and I’ll be looking for fantastic artists to help bring them to life. I’m even hoping to get some side comics set in GLITCH’s Wasteland made, which will be open to highlighting a variety of artists. GLITCH is known for its bright, dynamic art style, which is a core part of that comic’s identity and what I’d be looking for in any new artist I bring on for it. There’s also room for other styles in the new stories that are in development.
Artists are welcome to send their portfolios to me at [email protected] for consideration. Wasteland Comics doesn’t accept any artwork that’s created with the aid of AI image generation, though. We see art as a human endeavor, and we want the human spirit to come through in the comics we create.
In addition to that, if anyone is looking for a writer to contribute to a comic anthology or series, I’m also open to collaborating in that fashion. I can be reached at the same email listed above.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.WastelandComics.com
- Instagram: @wasteland_comics
- Facebook: Wasteland Comics
- Twitter: @srlandauer
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