I saw Nancy Reagan trending and was worried she was alive again.
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Taylor Esposito, Ghost Glyph Studios,letterer@TaylorEspo
Owner / instructor/Tripwire & 2022 Best Letterer/Official Twitter--clients: DC/DarkHorse/+ --opinions mine unless stated
🇦🇷 Taylor Esposito, Ghost Glyph Studios,letterer’s Tweets
School, libraries and post offices do not “lose money”. They are not businesses, they are social services. The only loss of money that happens there is when corrupt people are put in charge and mishandle the money that is meant to be there.
This makes them sounds like underdogs, which is not the case. Nor that they would lose them, just that they would have to pay the creator's estate to use them. A bit misleading.
Reviewers: we sounds like broken records, but if you don't name the letterer as part of the creative team, you haven't listed the full team. If you don't have the letterer, you can't read the book: that's not a comic. And if you say we just place text, you don't understand comics
I mean, if you're gonna do it, this is how it should look, or rather closer to how it should, other letterers might make some different choices:
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Listen to Harley: somethin' BIG is comin'.
Look, these rates should be the minimum today. Making a living on anything less, for lettering, for example, is just not possible anymore. Per a CA article from 2015, those adjust for inflation would be
Artists: $1080
Writers: $360
Letterers: $144
Colorists: $252
I’m so tired of seeing people say they aren’t talented enough to make it in comics, except maybe as a letterer, implying it’s an easy job and an easy way to break in. It’s not and it’s insulting.
Cons really need to have more colorists and letterers as guests. What’s up with that, all cons everywhere?
There. Needs. To. Be. Space. In. Panels. For. Lettering. Read. The. Script. Pencil. In. The. Dialogue.
Hints on where to put tails on a string of balloons. It should be on the first or last balloon, never a middle one, like below:
Been seeing a lot of negativity, so I wanted to do something positive. Let’s use #comichelpinghand to highlight good folks in the industry and how they’ve help you out. Name two folks and what they did for you. Then those folks name another two and what they’ve done. Makes sense?
I will never shit on people enjoying what they enjoy, but learn something about comics before you shit on Kirby.
The best thing you can do for any creator/freelancer you like is to promote them. It costs you nothing and helps get them more visibility.
Which design is better, Kirby or Byrne? As sacrilegious as it is, I think I prefer the Byrne's designs better.
What people think freelancers are doing before you call them:
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They don't want schools open because they care about your kids. They want schools open because they consider it free day care and then parents will not have an excuse to keep kids home and not go to work. They don't care about your children. They barely care about their own.
Well, it's announced! I'm lettering a book again! And it's the Harley cartoon tie-in comics with my friend ! I'm so excited to be working on this project!
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Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy will "Eat, Bang, and Kill" their way into new comic title this fall @mizteefranklin @max_sarin gamesradar.com/harley-quinn-a
It's #LettererAppreciationDay, a little shout out to some of the best colleagues and mentors out there.
Age 60: Kills Superman
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Jeff Bezos:
Age 57: flying to space w/ brother
Age 49: buys Washington Post
Age 39: survives helicopter crash
Age 36: starts space company
Age 35: becomes billionaire
Age 33: becomes millionaire
Age 30: starts Amazon
Age 22: starts work on Wall St
Age 16: summer job at McDonalds
They recently found the arrest warrant for her. They should arrest her.
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White woman, 88, who triggered the lynching of Emmett Till, is seen for the first time in 20 YEARS.
Carolyn Bryant Donham is now spending her final days in apparent tranquility - despite her role in 14-year-old Emmett Till's lynching in 1955. Special place in hell waiting for her
I still can’t believe I’ve won, not one, but two different best letterer awards. I know I’ve said they aren’t important, that the work is what matters, but being honored like this really makes a person feel good. Thank you to everyone who votes and supported me. It’s appreciated.
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So it’s official, I’ll be teaching in the fall.
I’m so tired of seeing bad lettering on otherwise good comics. Folks, stop skimping out on lettering. Don’t hire your buddy who thinks they know what they are doing. Get a professional. There are a lot of them out there.
Hills I will die on: only one space after a period. If you put two spaces in, you’re either old, wrong, or both.
When we want a critique, we ask for it, and usually from professionals, mentors or colleagues. The average person isn’t really qualified to do it, or knows how to separate fact from opinion.
It’s totally normal to just dress up in the house and go nowhere. But you gotta hand it to me, it looks good.
DON'T REWRITE FULL SCRIPTS AFTER A LETTERER STARTS A BOOK! (All caps for emphasis.)
Reviewers: please at least list colorists/letterers as part of the creative team. Even if you don't mention contributions, being named helps
Please retire "Biff Bam Pow" and "Holy___, Batman" in news pieces involving comics. It's cringey and shows you know nothing of comics in the last 50 years.
If you don’t think lettering contributes to storytelling beyond putting the words down on the page, frankly, you’re an idiot. The tones, inflections, pauses you are picking up on, that’s because of the letterer.
So, since it came out today, announcement time! The cats out of the bag. and I, through are now the Production Editors for ! It's been hard to keep this a secret, since it's pretty cool news.
Lettering is not a stepping stone into comics; it is comics. Anyone who sees it that way has no respect for what we do. And most who I’ve seen use it that way since I started have since disappeared.
Wait! Wait. just called me one of the best letterers of my generation? Excuse me while my brain melts down.
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FRIENDO just got a shout-out from Warren Ellis himself, so you know I’m not lying when I tell every stranger I meet to read this comic.
Also, props to @TaylorEspo, letterer in Friendo, for being “one of the best letterers of his generation.”
This is what I picture when I think Batman.
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Jose Luis Garcia Lopez. Praise be his name. He may not have drawn Batman too often in actual comics, but his Batman graced tons of DC tie-in products over the last 40 years. #BatmanDay #Batman80
For my birthday, I want everyone to know that they are word balloons, not bubbles and actually remember it. And if you insist on bubbles, punch yourself in the face. That’ll learn ya that it’s balloons.
Freelancers and creatives: you aren’t bothering people when you are asking for your money. It’s your money. Don’t let it get in your head that you are inconveniencing anyone. You are the one being inconvenienced. Never forget that.
Why I’m burned out on logos. Don’t ask, I’m not doing them.
So it’s official, I’ll be teaching in the fall.
Not to be that guy, but guys, I'm literally the only other person on the team & mentioned in the press release, is it that hard to name me anywhere in the article at least once/tag me in it. This is why people only know 3 letterers. Every single cover artist is mentioned, too.
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#GreenHornet Returns in New Series From @DynamiteComics @scottlobdell @AnthonyMMarques buff.ly/33xqq2o
Hey // editors, any time you want me on a book, just let me know. I’m sure readers would like to see me on some of your fine titles.
I'm truly astonished how many artists do not understand the concept of copy safe, trim, bleed, etc. I see so many pages that will get cut wrong because these things were not taking into account.
I’d watch the ever-loving hell out of this! t.co/URQ2jxxfhh
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New Ghost Glyph merch is finally here! Debuting at @EastCoastConNJ: Ghost Glyph pins! Choose from Glyphy, two different SFX, or a word balloon. Can be purchased individually ($10 each) or as a set ($35) at table 711.
Wanna see a magic trick? Tell people your rates and watch them disappear.
Way too many people are patting themselves on the back for #homeschooling a couple of kids (also their own) for one day. Try 30 kids that aren’t yours and who’s parents think you don’t know shit even though they have actual degrees in education. For 180 days...
Writers, this is why you need to be clear with breaks in your script. Don’t word dump all the character’s lines. Give the words the attention they deserve.
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Writers and letterers, two separate ideas should be broken into two balloons, particularly when there's a direct address. #lettering #comics
You don’t waste people’s time like this. I’d never work for an employer that did this. If they don’t respect you time before they hire you, they won’t while you’re working there.
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What I gather from this is Republicans and neo Nazis are one and the same. What could be the other reason for voting no?
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We just voted to combat neo nazis in our military and every single republican voted no.
Merry Christmas! Here’s my dog murdering the Grinch.
How about free?
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Let’s cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month so every family can afford it.
In 2020, no more bad lettering. That means hiring the people who make it a craft, not your friend who has some fonts and a computer. If you’re not sure, ask someone you know does it right. I know many of us recommend good ones if we aren’t available.
Artists, you are not exempt from this. Printing is a highly specific process. Printers need pages set up exactly. Close enough is not good enough. And Nate was kind enough to convert it to mm for non US creators.
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Let’s do this again, because I’m frustrated. Standard US Comic book dimensions at print size.
List of Hispanic/Latin creators who aren’t trash, unlike certain abusers who popped up again, please send names and I’ll add below:
Does anyone care that I'm lettering this? I know Tee does, because she's the best, but anyone else?
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Harley Quinn issue 1 cover by @max_sarin
Words by ya girl Tee Franklin
Art @max_sarin
Letters @TaylorEspo
Colors: @marissadraws
Editor: @katiekubert
September 14th!
#EatBangKillTour
I got asked yesterday by a student if I ever read the issue where Damian was killed. I said “son, I lettered that issue.” #BatmanDay
Don’t make the lettering an afterthought. Plan for it in layouts. Pencil it in on your boards. Edit it before it’s finished and sent off to be lettered (if it will be). And, unless you are doing it all yourself, DO NOT USE THE LETTERED PROOF AS A FIRST DRAFT OF THE SCRIPT. twitter.com/byelacey/statu
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Worst sitcom ever, give your answer. I'll start: Friends.
Everything I've read about this book and Thomas Woodruff, I think that the #EisnerAwards should rescind the nomination for this book and it's pretentious, horrible author. What is this nomination saying about this kind of behavior regarding sequential storytelling.
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Thomas Woodruff sneered at, neglected, and often outright abused the students in the SVA Cartooning department he chaired. Then he figured out he could make a "visual opera" about a "feral child" (brown, of course) and charge $75, and he's nominated for four Eisners.
Welcome to Comics where everything is made up and the deadlines don't matter!
Just to give you an idea of why scheduling and communication are vital to everyone who works in comics, I was asked to do about 100 pages over a holiday weekend for various books, to make sure that no deadlines were missed. #LettererAppreciationDay
Letterer, not letterist. There is no such thing as a letterist.
Gatekeeping is stupid. More fans means more work. More works means more money. More money means creators can survive. Everyone like stuff!
Neal Adams knows my work. Whoa!
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Replying to @andykhouri and @cheryllynneaton
While criticizing someone's work is certainly questionable, there is something to be said for an appreciation of excellent lettering in our industry. So let us put aside the original lettering and admire the quality of @TaylorEspo's version. We can all aspire to excellence.
I had to see this, so now you all have to join me in this nightmare.
Show of hands, who wants to skip the cons, and just hang out drinking and doing puzzles?
As a big time Batman fan, I’d do anything to work on Detective 1000. I know it’s a long shot, but I figure putting it out into the universe couldn’t hurt.
#protip: always put away 30% of every check you get for taxes and pay your quarterlies. It makes you life so much easier. Also, that 30% is why you should never ask a freelancer to go down on their rates.
Whoever is the editor in charge of #Batman89, please let me letter this? That movie is exactly why I got into comics. Putting it out into the universe. What do I have to lose?
Periodic reminder: Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it's bad. You are not always the target audience.
Comic folx, this is a terrible situation, but also an opportunity for us to make comics more relevant than they’ve ever been. Most forms of entertainment may be put on hold, but we can all produce still, & put it up digitally. Let’s make this a way to show everyone comics matter.
Every freelancer ever when they try to balance full time freelance with a day job.
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“I'll work from midnight to 8. Come home, sleep for five minutes, eat breakfast, sleep six more minutes, shower. Then I have ten minutes to bask in Lisa’s love, then I’m off to the power plant, fresh as a daisy!”
You know how "some rules are meant to be broken"? You know which one isn't? You don't put focal points, characters or word balloons in the center of a two page spread. It's a pretty basic one.
Via :
Harley Quinn issue 1 cover by
Words by ya girl
Art
Letters
Colors:
Editor:
September 14th!
#EatBangKillTour
🎵...these are a few of my favorite things...🎵
I’ll see myself out...
Things that radicalized me: company I worked at sending emails to the entire staff about record profits, while I worked in an understaffed department, with outdated equipment, as a temp and not being able to get a raise, or full time status (benefits).
Now would be a good time for publishers/creators who owe their freelancers past due checks to send them out to them when they need them the most. Just saying.
I regret to announce that I'm not cancelling any con appearance because I haven't been invited to any cons. Do letterers even get invited to cons? Does anyone even respect letterers?
Not that I do graphic design anymore, but can we stop asking graphic designers to do web and html. Those really are two different jobs with two different job descriptions. It’s kind of how lettering and production are two separate jobs.
I'm so sick of seeing "Lettering is pretty easy. Just get some fonts and be a good graphic designer." Honestly, it's insulting.
I seen some projects come across my timeline recently with truly horrendous lettering. Invest in professionals, folks. Just because it looks easy doesn't mean it is. There are many great colleagues who are looking for work. Spend to make money.
Try to do other jobs in comics at least once. Especially as a writer or artist, it's important for you to understand what colorists/letterers need to do to get the job done. It'll give you an appreciation for it, and how to not make their jobs more difficult. #newcreatoradvice
Learning lettering will also help you understand why some layout won’t work, and help plan out pages to not be a huge mess.
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Learning the more technical side of your creative medium will always help you out.
A lot of newer comics creators are skilled artists, but don't know how to use gutters or panel layout to their advantage as storytellers.
Learn the boring stuff to make your story more fun. ^^
Hire me more. Seriously. There are more than 3 letterers, some of us need more work, and some are overworked.
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Comics artists: What's one thing that editors could do to make your job easier, and in turn make better comics? RT this with your answer.
Too many comics are overwritten when it comes to dialogue and narration. Show, don’t tell.
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Quote this tweet with your most controversial comic book opinion.
Issue 3 just dropped digitally. And I’ll be working on issue 4 soon.
Comic convention: 7 cosplay panels, no panels on actually making comic books.
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Look, more bullshit gatekeeping. Numb nuts, I was 4 when the movie came out, and it lead me to the comics. Don’t be this douche, kids.
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Huh weird I got into comics from reading comics 
twitter.com/TaylorEspo/sta…
twitter.com/TaylorEspo/sta…DC editors, you miss me, I miss you. Let's doing something together. I guarantee people want it. Watch the folks sound off below, even.
First speaker on the right: ✔️
Panels too small for dialogue: ✔️
Speakers off panel while non-speaks in panel: ✔️
All the reasons your letterer isn't being paid enough.
Saturday is #lettererappreciationday! Don't forget to tell a letterer you care. Fun fact, for those who didn't know, the day was picked because it was Gaspar's birthday, and we thought it was a great way to celebrate one of the best to ever live and work. #lettering #makecomics
