It’s Thursday which brings us a new interview and our 14th “Women of BOOM!” feature, spotlighting the many kick-ass women that work at BOOM!, Archaia and KaBOOM! We’re focusing on everyone, editors, designers, writers, artists, you name it! We’re making sure to include the hard-working folks whose contributions are often overlooked in the process.
BOOM! (and KaBOOM! and Archaia) has given us unprecedented access and the chance to ask questions to their staff, and creative teams, to find out why the publisher is so successful in hiring women and their experiences in the comic industry as women.
Chondra Echert is an advertising copywriter turned comic writer. She started off helping on The Amory Wars and eventually writing Kill Audio and Key of Z! She’s also the Creative Co-Director of Evil Ink Comics.
Chondra and her husband, Claudio Sanchez, are launching a new series, Translucid, in April from BOOM!. The new series explores the thin line between heroes and villains, and the space between childhood hope and loss.
Graphic Policy: How did you get involved in the comic book industry?
Chondra Echert: About 6 years ago, I was working in advertising as a copywriter. My husband and I are very interested in the designer toy scene and we had begun creating a figure of our own as a little creative adventure. At the time, he was working on a creator-owned title The Amory Wars and I would help edit the series on the side with him when I had free time. I had begun to really fall in love with the medium by proxy, so as our vinyl toy Kill Audio came to life, we were already dreaming up a crazy tale of the same name that we thought would lend itself to a comic. The first issue of Kill Audio found a home in Image’s Pop Gun 2…and I was hooked. I quit my copywriting job a month later to make stories full time.
GP: Did you read comics growing up? Do you read them now?
CE: I was voracious growing up, but the only comics I was exposed to were the Archie digests that I’d sneak into the shopping cart at the grocery store. I lost touch with comics as a teen because there wasn’t anyone showing me that those weren’t the only options available–that I could find books that resonated with me outside of the capes and tights. I was never into superhero books. As an adult, I feel like I’m making up for lost time. Now, 80% of my reading material is graphic novels and comic books–but I still don’t read superheroes. I’m into a lot of Vertigo titles, indie stuff, creator-owned series and of course BOOM!/Archaia books!
GP: How did you come to work with BOOM!/Archaia?
CE: When we decided to stretch the one-off Kill Audio story into a series, we wanted to partner with a publisher who would be passionate about the project and offer a strong editorial team for future endeavors. From day one, after meeting with them, BOOM! felt like the right choice for us. They continue to be enthusiastic, hands-on and dedicated. I’ve never seen someone who adores comic books the way that Ross Richie does and as a result, BOOM!’s priorities have always been on protecting and guiding the medium, especially where creator-owned titles are concerned.
GP: How would you describe your job for people?
CE: My job is 15% daydreaming, 20% putting the mental deluge to paper, 60% making sense of it and 5% drinking coffee.
GP: For people who want to pursue a career in what you do, what advice would you give them?
CE: Work at it every day and always bring YOU to what you’re working on. Finding your style isn’t a result of copying someone else–it’s a result of inspiration. It comes from the heart.
GP: Did you have a mentor to help you break into the industry?
CE: My husband, Claudio has been my mentor in more ways than one. He’s been a comic fan since he was a child and has opened the door for me to fall in love with graphic storytelling through his own love for it. He has pushed me to be confident as a creator and writer by forcing me to be fearless.
GP: We notice that when it comes to women in the comic industry, BOOM!/Archaia has a lot of diversity present. Why do you think have they succeeded when so many other publishers struggle with this?
CE: I think BOOM/Archaia are not only afraid to think outside the box–they operate as if the box doesn’t exist at all. I have always felt respected and valued as a writer in our relationship there and am privileged to work with so many incredible women there. Their business model is built on the concept of inclusion and diversity in the creation process. It’s no surprise to me that this makes for better books, more innovative practices and a better work environment overall.
GP: We’ve heard horror stories concerning women in the industry, have you ever seen or been discriminated/harassed and if so, how did you handle it?
CE: The only discrimination I’ve really noticed takes place at comic conventions when I’m at the booth trying to sell books I’ve worked on or am in the middle of a signing. There’s always one or two people who assume I’m some kind of hired “booth girl.” The most shocking part of this is that those people aren’t exclusively men! I’ve heard so many stories about women being disrespected in comic shops or questioned as to the “authenticity” of their fandom. I can’t pinpoint a time that has ever happened to me or where I felt genuinely disrespected as a woman, but I hate that there are others who’ve been made to feel that way. To be honest, I’m pretty unaffected when it comes others’ perceptions of me. I was raised to believe that there were no limitations in my life and that is how I operate. I handle preconceived notions by working harder and surrounding myself with forward-thinking people who like what I do, rather than dwelling on the closed-minded jerks. They’re on their way to being extinct anyhow.
GP: What advice do you have for women looking to break into the comic book industry?
CE: Don’t ever let other people qualify whether you belong.
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