Squid Works comics: Reaching out to Colorado

by Steve Parkes

Frustration with limited marketing and distribution opportunities led a group of Colorado-based comics creators to form Squid Works, a cooperative of independent comics creators. Or, more accurately, to reform the group. As Squid Works current organiser Stan Yan explained to Independent Propaganda, “Squid Works started as ACME Comics in the mid-1980’s with founders T. Motley and Dennis Pimple at the helm. After some differences between membership about the mission of the group and the unfair distribution of labor upon Dennis, he kicked us all out of his house (where we were having our meetings) and the remainder of the group set off on its own to ponder its existence. After deciding the true mission of our group was to further each of our self-published projects and deciding that the only name from our brainstorm session that we didn’t hate was “Squid Works”, our group was reborn in 1996.”

Through its catalog, website, and flyers, Squid Works aims to help promote and distribute independent, self-published comic work from its creators to independent-friendly stores. Squid Works also functions as an online hub for the various cartoonists, artists and writers. There is no specific genre, or house-style to the collective; the unifying theme is the aim of improving distribution and exposure for its members (limited to locals of Colorado).

After the initial reboot in 1996, things drifted a little for the Works, said Yan. Being the only member of the group with business experience, he volunteered to “take the bull by the horns and take over our quarterly catalog and website. I now am the new Dennis Pimple, although I don’t have our monthly meetings at my house.”

In fact they now have their meetings at the Enchanted Grounds located at 8800 S. Colorado Blvd., Highlands Ranch, 80126, on the second Sunday of each month.

“One of our goals with the Squids is to basically create a community amongst the creators. So far we’ve been really successful, growing large enough to have to change venues twice in the last few years to accommodate the size of our meetings”.

Yan said there are positive aspects to the Colorado comics scene, but also continuing frustrations: “There’s definitely a lot of talent here…We’ve been more and more successful at organizing events amongst the creators including the Denver 24-Hour Comics Challenges. As far as retail is concerned, it’s a struggle, as most of the retailers are geographically far apart and the Diamond monopoly hasn’t helped them to stay in business or expand. Thus, it’s hard to convince them or to logistically do events or signings at most of them. There are a couple exceptions to the rule, but it’s not a business for folks that want an easy road to riches, so it’s not easy to self-promote as creators.”

Yan said the Squid network hasn’t made a big difference to the distribution of his work yet, although they have got some books into Diamond. “What it HAS done is give our group, and hopefully in turn our individual members, some name recognition. Hopefully, this will eventually turn into additional opportunity with publishers and orders from fans and retailers.”

 Anyone interested in finding out more about Squid Works can visit their website. Colorado-based comics creators interested in making a submission should view their Submissions guidelines.