We asked comic creators at Boston Comic Con for their tips on dealing with negative feedback, whether it’s criticism from professional reviewers, messages from disappointed fans, or random haters who may not even be your audience. It may be tempting to read what folks have to say about your art, but most of the industry professionals that we interviewed offered the same advice: don’t.
In this video, you’ll hear from Laura Martin (colorist of A-Force), Michael Cho (illustrator of Shoplifter), Joelle Jones (illustrator of Lady Killer), Babs Tarr (illustrator of Batgirl), Ming Doyle (illustrator of Constantine: The Hellblazer), Adam Jack (illustrator of Skin the Kat), and Erica Henderson (illustrator of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl).
Here’s the transcript for “How Do You Deal with Negative Reviews?”
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Laura Martin: I avoid it as much as possible.
Michael Cho: I don’t read ’em.
Joelle Jones: I have a drink.
Babs Tarr: I just try not to pay attention to it.
Ming Doyle: Well, sometimes I get really sad, and I tweet about it like a big sad-sack.
Joelle Jones: I try to avoid it as much as I can. Occasionally, people find me anyway.
Adam Jack: You read everything with a grain of salt. I mean, some people will have valid criticisms …
Michael Cho: The only review that I actually ever take seriously is one from my peers.
Babs Tarr: Of course if it’s valid, or whatever, we listen. And we correct it.
Laura Martin: Even if they’re good reviews, I appreciate them, but I have too much going on. I’ve got to get back to work.
Ming Doyle: Sometimes I’ve read stuff in there that has actually influenced me to change my own craft.
Erica Henderson: I’m not going to worry about people who don’t like it, because enough people like it that it’s not hurting me.
Ming Doyle: What bothers me the most sometimes is when people tweet directly at you with your name in the mention, and they’re like, “@MingDoyle is the worst at writing and art that I’ve ever heard of!” That’s just unnecessarily rude.
Adam Jack: You know, sometimes you just have to let it roll off your back.
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