Second Set

Anyone in my line of work knows that you can really benefit if only you had a second set of eyes.  Yes, everyone in cartooning needs a second set.  Since I can’t seem to grow them (although I’m considering implants) I often ask someone around me to take a glance at my work to see how I did.  Typos?  Mistakes?  Rubbish?  A second set of eyes really helps.  And somehow that 2nd set can notice the mistakes I’m oblivious to when creating my work.

But….there’s no one around to read at the moment.  “Eh, whatever.  My work is fine.” I’ll foolishly think.  (Which I do constantly with these blogs.  Hence all the typing errors.)

So, I let it go.  I do my work.  File it in the ‘complete’ folder on my computer and call it a day.

Okay, I need to learn not to do this.

Being overconfident in my work is damaging.  I have already talked about how my typos are notorious to slip through the gate sometimes.  However, recently I had – not a typo – but a caption on a cartoon that made absolutely no sense.  So what?  Well, this mistake went into my ‘submission’ pile to – oh – about 15 different potential clients.

It wasn’t an email submission.  It was a hard copy.  Not as easy to forget about on the receiving side.

Plus, it was my first contact with these new people.

Here’s the low-down:  I drew a cartoon (which comes out tomorrow, by the way, so you’re getting a huge sneak peak just for being a reader here, you lucky dog).  I liked my cartoon a lot.  But, when I did it, I muffed-up the caption.  Here’s what the cartoon looks like to the potential clients that received it.

Anyone spot the flaw?

After these were mailed out, my 2nd set of eyes – my wife – saw an extra copy of this comic laying in a pile.

“Isn’t it supposed to read ‘Boy, you gained some weight’?”

CRINGE

Yes.  Yes, it was.

This is the correct version.

The above version is being published tomorrow.  Correctly.

As for the editors and clients that saw the wrong version?  Well, we’re all familiar with ‘first impressions’.  Hard to coin myself as a professional when I let the wrong comic get to them on my first attempt at a sale.  I’m wondering if they’re scratching their heads thinking that maybe there’s a deep joke to it and it’s actually hilarious.  Yea, that’s probably not the case.  Those were mailed about three weeks ago.  I don’t expect to hear back from them too quickly, but after that blunder, I’m guessing I won’t hear back at all.

So, will they give me a second chance?  Will they even notice?  We’ll see.  I’m guessing I blew it.  (Sigh)

On to new clients and I’ll try an attempt at cleaning up my mistake in the near future with them (when hopefully this particular comic will be out of their minds).

That second set of eyes – use em’.  I’ll let you know when I have my implants.

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Check out the correct version of this Break of Day cartoon HERE tomorrow!  And, the new Break of Day SHOP is now up at GoComics!  Check it out HERE.