4 Week Digital Course | Instructor: Andy Schmidt

Comic Book Editing & Project Management

$495.00

In this four-week intensive class, you’ll learn how to assemble a creative team, manage a budget and timetable, bring the best out of your writers and artists, problem solve, and make a professional-level project!

This course takes a conversational approach that allows for individualization for every student. Instructor Andy Schmidt will relate a career’s worth of editorial experience in a way that is useful, organized, concise, and fun!

You will learn directly from Andy Schmidt whose editorial experience has included X-Men, Avengers, Fantastic Four, G.I. Joe, Transformers, Captain America, Annihilation. He’s edited for Marvel Comics, IDW Publishing, and corporate and individual clients. He’s managed major projects at the head of companies as well as projects for individuals like you. In his time editing, Andy has learned that no two projects are the same, so being flexible is important–you’ll get tips that work for major corporate clients and small indie publishers and creator-owned projects.

Andy’s goal with every project: bring out the best in every creator, bring the project in on time and on budget. And in this course, he’ll share that experience and enthusiasm with every student!

Please note that the course lectures are pre-recorded, but you will have access to a dedicated message board for questions and comments and work and your instructor will review the message boards throughout each week. You’ll still get that personal touch!

If you want to help build great comics with real sales potential, this course is invaluable!

  • You will learn how to build a professional project from start to finish!
  • You will learn how to get the best work from your creative partners and how to get it on time!
  • You’ll get Andy’s wealth of experience and training.
  • Ideal for anyone wanting to work with creative people in any field–especially comics.
  • You also get exclusive access to a dedicated class member-only online forum.
  • You’ll have access to recordings of any class in the series for the duration of the class and a few weeks after its conclusion–so you never have to miss a class!
Andy Schmidt

Andy Schmidt, former Senior Editor at IDW Publishing, former Editor at Marvel Comics, and writer of such comics as 5 Days to DieX-Men: Divided We Stand, and G.I. Joe: Future Noir launched Comics Experience for people who want to make comics or work in the comics industry.

During his nearly six years at Marvel Comics, Andy edited such popular comic books as X-MenX-FactorAliasSecret WarCaptain America: The ChosenIron Man / Captain America: Casualties of WarAvengers Classic, and the Annihilation saga. As an assistant and associate editor, Andy worked on nearly every major character in the Marvel canon—from Spider-Man to the Avengers and Fantastic Four.

In 2007, Andy founded Comics Experience to pass his knowledge on to students. In 2008, Andy wrote an authoritative, Eagle Award-winning book about making comics: The Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels, published by Impact Books. His follow up book, The Comics Experience Guide to Writing Comics: Scripting Your Story Ideas from Start to Finish was published in 2018 to rave reviews.

In 2010, Andy created the Creators Workshop as part of Comics Experience, where students can learn and grow together as a community of creators. Having left corporate life in 2013, Andy began consulting and writing in the entertainment industry on properties such as Spider-ManThe AvengersGuardians of the GalaxyStar Wars, and Transformers as we all as consulting with film and television studios.

In 2021, Andy launched www.CEXpublishing.com a new comics publisher focused on publishing creator-owned comics by new and upcoming creators with favorable and ethical deals for creators. CEX Publishing is currently distributed globally by Diamond Comics Distributors and books are available digitally and from the website. CEX’s first title (created by Comics Experience alumni) hit comic shops on August 25, 2021. A full slate of titles is constantly growing!

In 2021, Andy wrote the six-issue Crime Syndicate mini-series that re-invented DC Comics’ legendary silver-villains as well as co-wrote both Generations Shattered and Generations Forged, a DC Comics event that spun out of Death Metal.

Andy is the producer of the Franchise Fan Guys podcast. You can follow Comics Experience on Twitter at @ComicExperience and you can follow Andy on Twitter at @39aAndy.

This intensive course focuses on the role of the editor in comic book creation. Editors initiate projects, get handed projects by management, or get pitched them by creators. There’s any number of ways a project can land in an editor’s lap—but no matter what the circumstances, the editor’s role is to make sure the final product is as good as it possibly can be.

What’s the focus of the course?

The course has a number of parts, including working with creative people and freelancers, managing your career and your manager’s expectations, budgeting a project, building an appropriate timeline, troubleshooting, and of course, evaluating the work of others and figuring out how to assemble a creative team that becomes far greater than the sum of its parts! These are invaluable lessons for anyone who will ever work on any collaborative creative endeavor!

How was the course created?

It all started when Comics Experience founder Andy Schmidt began receiving requests about doing a class like this. Over time, and with careful consideration, he assembled and taught a curriculum based on his own experience.

If you’ve taken this course before, try it again for an updated curriculum!

What else do I learn?

Andy’s course also covers many important industry topics for editors, like assembling the right team to tell each story, developing creator relationships, adapting to the needs of each project, working with publishers vs. self-publishing, and more.

There is no better way to learn comic editing or how to make comics than Comics Experience’s Editing and Project Management.

What else will we be doing?

Evaluating a lot of writing, a lot of art, coloring, and even lettering. In order to be a good editor, you’ve got to have a rock-solid grasp on how the component arts come together and function properly.

What do I do after the class?

Once the course is over, you’ll have been taught how to approach comic book editing—not just a set of steps for one specific story. It’s important that the editor be able to repeat the process once out of the classroom!

You’ll be able to confidently approach a story idea or a pitch you’ve received and guide it through a project process that will enable you to bring out only the best from your creative team and eventually, publish one fantastic project.

Do I need to be a computer wiz for the class?

Nope. Not one bit. You need to have high-speed Internet access. We recommend that you have headphones with a microphone to plug into your computer, but that’s by no means necessary. Ultimately, you don’t have to speak if you don’t want to, though we like hearing your voice!

It’s simple. Once you’re in your first class, we’re sure you’ll get comfortable very quickly.

What computer programs do I need for this course?

None! Just the Internet access and you’re good to go!

What if I miss a class?

These classes are pre-recorded, released once a week and available to view via streaming link for the duration of the course. And on top of that, you’ll have exclusive access to the Comics Experience forum set up just for the class. You’ll be able to interact with the rest of your class all course long at any time! The last class will be a live Q & A session with Andy Schmidt, recorded and added to the classroom forum for review.

If I don’t live in the United States, can I still take the course?

You bet. We’ve had students jump in from Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. Not Antarctica yet, but give us time! Some of these students have not been able to attend live sessions, but they’ve viewed the recordings and interacted with their classmates online!

Learning about comic storytelling is great, but do we get any practical industry advice?

You’ll get a LOT of practical industry advice. Networking is one of our main topics in all of our introductory courses. It’s, simply put, essential for anyone who wants a career in comics. We discuss relationship building and ways to get your foot in the door and where to go to meet the right people and so on.

If I don’t want a career in comics, and just like making comics or even just want to learn more about the art form I love, is this class right for me?

Sure it is! How better to expand your knowledge and understanding of comics than by engaging with creators? And that’s what most of our students are—they’re creators. It’s a great place to learn just for fun if you wish too. We’d love to have you!

How do I sign up?

Simply add the course to your shopping cart and check out. We will send you a confirmation email typically within 48 hours! If you’ve got any questions you can contact us at info@ComicsExperience.com to follow up. Our email confirmation contains information and instructions, giving you everything you need to get started with the course.

Do I need to be a computer wiz for the class?

Nope. Not one bit. You need to have high-speed Internet access.
To participate in the Live Q&A, we recommend that you have headphones with a microphone to plug into your computer, but that’s by no means necessary. Ultimately, you don’t have to speak if you don’t want to, though we like hearing your voice!

What computer programs do I need for this course?

None! Just the Internet access and you’re good to go!

To participate in our live online sessions you will need:

What if I need to cancel my enrollment?

Unfortunately, Comics Experience cannot provide a full refund for course enrollment once the course is purchased.

  • From the time of purchase until twenty-one (21) days before the class start date, 50% of the course fee can be refunded.
  • Between twenty (20) and seven (7) days prior to the class start date, 25% of the course fee can be refunded.
  • Six (6) days or fewer before the course start date, no refund will be issued.
  • We appreciate your understanding and compliance to help us keep costs down and to continue offering high quality courses.