Dennis O’Neil: What It Takes To Get Hired

Dennis O'Neil

Dennis O'Neil was born in 1939, the same year that Batman first appeared in Detective Comics. It was thus perhaps fated that he would be so closely associated with the character, writing and editing the Dark Knight for more than 30 years. He's been an editor at Marvel and DC Comics. In addition to Batman, he's worked on Spider-Man, Daredevil, Iron Man, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, the Question, The Shadow and more. O'Neil has won every major award in the industry. His prose novels have been New York Times bestsellers. Denny lives in Rockland County with his wife, Marifran.

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6 Responses

  1. Got any tips on how to get a foot in the door with a big company?

    • John Ostrander says:

      Get a job with a smaller company and do it real well. It may not pay well (if at all) but there’s a world of difference in how someone who has work published is viewed.

      • Thanks, John. I’ve been doing that for a few years now, and I love making comics (the newest book in my JACK HAMMER series is out from Action Lab Comics, publisher of the Eisner-nominated PRINCELESS, next month! *plug*).

        My editor at one of those smaller publishers actually introduced me to one of the senior editors at Marvel a couple years ago, but he seemed utterly uninterested in my existence, much less my work. It was disheartening.

  2. John Ostrander says:

    Good column as usual. One additional tip especially for those who haven’t actually cracked the market. I’ve heard many people who want to write/draw look at something that’s been published and snort, “I could do better than that with my eyes closed.” The person you’re snorting at GOT the job. You can’t just be as GOOD as those working; you have to be BETTER. The editor who hired the writer/artist now working KNOWS what they’re working with. YOU are an unknown commodity. Remember — you’re job is to make the editor’s job easier. That’s how you GET the job.

  3. facebook_alistair.robb1 says:

    Gissa job! Lol

  4. Mia says:

    Those actually sound like good traits to look for in an employee in all other areas, not just comic publishing.