BABE #369: DESIREE RODRIGUEZ - Editor, Lion Forge Comics
Desiree is a writer and editor currently wordsmithing and helping develop all aspects of comic books for Lion Forge Comics. Currently, her main focus is editing any Catalyst Prime books that make it to her desk, and scouting talent and consulting ideas on the direction of the Catalyst Prime imprint. She can also be found writing anthologies, working on webcomics or writing essays on media—all while advocating for and working towards more Latinx representation in the comics industry at-large.
The Basics:
Current city: Jacksonville, Florida
Very first job: Sales Associate, Michaels
Hustle: Editor, Lion Forge Comics; Writer
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
Carmen Yulín Cruz, who was the mayor of San Juan when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. There was a video of her wading through the floods after the hurricane to help people that I still find extremely striking. Her candor in the media afterwards was also really powerful.
How do you spend your free time?
Playing video games. I’m partial to RPGs and a huge fan of Nintendo games. Also watching old anime shows or cooking.
Current power anthem?
The “Birds of Prey” soundtrack, specifically “Smile,” by Mairsie Peters, “Joke’s On You,” by Charlotte Lawrence, and “Sway with Me,” by Saweetie & GALXARA.
What’s something you want to learn or master?
Sign language is a big learning goal for me.
What’s something most don’t know about you?
I was a member of my high school's color guard, but I hated it and quit. I tried a lot of different sports but nothing ever stuck for me. I’m not at all competitive enough for sports.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
My day-to-day is spent editing any Catalyst Prime books we have in the pipeline. Currently my main focus is Gail Simone’s “Seven Days” event. In editing a comic book, your hand is on every page. You’re helping the writer develop their script, you’re giving notes to the artist on their pages, you’re suggesting colors to the colorist, you’re checking grammar and font in the lettering. It’s a real collaborative, team effort. As an editor you’re not a dictator; you’re a guide, directing each part of the process down the line to help the team create the best product, to help them bring their vision to life. That’s the more creative part of the job; as an editor you’re also in charge of putting together the book, getting a printer-ready proof for production to send off to print. I know some issues by heart just because I’ve looked through the final copy up to 10 times making sure everything is correct, from the pages being in the right order, to the lettering or colored pages being the final versions. Then there’s also checking ads and contributing to metadata for marketing aspects of the titles. Editors wear a lot of hats, but I think the most important thing is being a strong team player. Respecting what the other departments bring to the book and working with them well. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes folks who help get a book on the shelves of your local comic shop. I also scout talent and consult ideas on the direction of the Catalyst Prime imprint specifically. I work closely with Gail Simone in the latter closely as well. When I’m not editing, I write for anthologies, work on webcomics or write essays on media.
Walk us through your typical day.
I work from home, which sounds awesome but can be a little depressing after a while. I work eight-hour days, but with little-to-no interaction with other people. You can imagine it gets a bit lonely. What I try to do is get up early enough for a walk or drink coffee outside. Then it’s time to work and the first thing I do is check my email. Going through my emails I prioritize what needs to be done first. I plan this according to my production calendar: What book is going to print the soonest? What are my upcoming deadlines? Those are the emails I address first. Then I look at any new materials that have come in—scripts, new pages, printer proofs—and go through those. Then I look through my to-do list at any follow-up emails I have to make to freelancers, Gail, or coworkers in other departments.
What brought you to Lion Forge?
I wrote an article, “Being Latinx in Comics,” for Nerds of Color which caught the eye of Joseph Illidge, who was the senior editor for Lion Forge’s Catalyst Prime universe at the time. We knew each other mainly through Twitter when he reached out and asked if I would be interested in being his assistant. Of course I said yes; I did two rounds of interviews and when I was accepted I started working part-time. After almost four years at the company I went from part-time to full-time editor and coordinator for the Catalyst Prime universe. I’ve helped win the company’s first Eisner award as a co-editor for “Puerto Rico Strong,” and I help coordinate and edit all the Catalyst Prime titles with Gail Simone. It’s been an interesting ride; I’ve learned a great deal in my time with Lion Forge. Working at Lion Forge helped develop a sense for story structure after reading so many comic scripts and taking notes from my fellow, far more experienced colleagues. That helped when I wrote my own stories in anthologies like in “Ricanstruction” for DC Comics, and in an upcoming anthology “Manana” for Power and Magic Press. I still have a lot to learn about publishing, but I’m really lucky to be able to continue to learn about the industry. It has a lot of ups and downs; it’s not without its faults, just like I’m not without my bad days, but at the end of it all I still love the art of creation.
As an editor, how do you approach critique in the pieces you edit?
You have to find a line and remember, you’re not a dictator. As an editor, your job isn’t to tell the writer and/or artist what to write or draw, it’s to help them create the best story they can, to aid them in bringing the story to life and to have that story be the best it can be. Your criticism should always be constructive, and constructive can mean different things for different people. You really have to learn who the person you’re working with is. You do have to take things like ego into account. Some people have no ego at all, which can be just as difficult as having a huge ego. You don’t want to be overly harsh with someone so much so that they’re completely demoralized. You never want to demoralize someone; that’s not your job. On the other end, you have to learn how to be honest with the talent, let them know what you think needs to be changed, and why you think it should be changed. Give reasons why this change will help their story. A big part of being an editor is learning how to communicate with other people in a constructive way. You have to be able to handle conflict, and know when and how to compromise.
What’s the story behind the “Puerto Rico Strong” comic?
A friend of mine, Marco Lopez, emailed me soon after Hurricane Maria had hit the island. He came to me with the desire to do something for the island. Since we’re both Puerto Rican ourselves and we both work in comics, we thought of doing an anthology about the island to raise money for the island. Originally it was going to be a Kickstarter, but after some discussion we decided to pitch it to Lion Forge as a potential project for the company to back. I suggested that we include themes of history to teach people about the island itself. I used to work in childcare, so I have a moderate teaching background. I had noticed a lot of people didn’t know anything about Puerto Rico, so with this anthology we had a chance to educate others as well as raise money for our island. It could be more than just a charity anthology, but also an educational resource for the future. We received huge support for that anthology; it’s probably the project I’m most proud to have my name on. The creators who told their stories put their hearts and souls into them, and my co-editors put in a ton of work to pull off an almost 200-page anthology in only a couple months.
What’s been your biggest career milestone to date?
Winning the Eisner for “Puerto Rico Strong,” hands down. I’m so glad I went; it was my first time in California, let alone at San Diego Comic-Con. I didn’t think we had a chance, to be honest, I thought Image had it in the bag. When they called for “Puerto Rico Strong” I remember turning to my boss and asking, “Do I go up there?” I was the only editor for the book in attendance that night, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the rest of my team. I was shaking like a rabbit on stage, and remember calling my Mami that night completely forgetting about the time difference between the West and East Coasts.
What is the Eisner Award?
My Ma asked me the same thing, too. I told her they’re a bit like the comic Oscars. They’re named in honor of Will Eisner, who was a pioneer writer and artist in the industry. They began in 1988 and have been an industry staple since. They’re an award for creative achievements in American comic books.
How has being a woman (and particularly a woman of color) affected your professional experience?
I’ve learned you have to be careful of what you say and how you say it online if you want to avoid harassment. In online spaces I rarely talk about my work just to avoid getting dogpiled. It’s happened before for years when I was actively writing and it’s just not worth the stress. Inside the industry you have to be careful of what you say, since it’s an insular industry. Networking is key and getting blacklisted is all too easy, especially if you’re a woman, doubly if you’re a woman of color. There’s a lot of horror stories I’ve been told by female collegues about sexual harassment or hostile work environments that you can’t openly talk about if you want to keep getting work. We can start [making progress] by uplifting women in positive ways. The #visiblewomen hashtag movement on Twitter is a good example. Also, showcasing empathy when people do come forward with stories of harassment or issues regarding race and gender in the industry. When people hear about racism or sexism, we tend to get defensive. Don’t. Listen, be empathetic, be willing to learn. Statistics have shown in publishing there’s a huge disparity not only on the page of who gets depicted but also behind the page on who gets to work in publishing. We can do better if the industry as a whole is willing.
Who are some women in your field that you look to for inspiration?
Off the top of my head, Regine Sawyer is a huge inspiration. She’s the founder of Women In Comics and a writer herself. She’s the real deal. She supports and uplifts women in the industry, she hosts panels and events, she publishes books and writes her own. She’s amazing. The ladies behind Latinx Geeks are also amazing. They’ve done some great things carving out a space for Latin geeks online. Gail Simone has been amazing to work with, and we’ve gotten close in the last year. She knows her stuff about the direct market, and she’s really supportive of others. I’ve learned a lot working with her the last year and a half. I always tell people to just look at who I follow on Twitter. There’s loads of amazing women in the industry, from cartoonists like Steenz and Wendy Xu, to marketing experts like Jazzlyn Stone. If you peek further than what’s on the shelves of comics you’ll find an entire new layer of the industry. There’s a lot of wonderful stories being told in graphic novel and webcomic format curated by really talented people.
Career and/or life advice for other babes?
Networking is really important, learning how to communicate with others, and building honest relationships. It’s a difficult industry to break into because it’s so small. I got really lucky, in a way. Don’t approach people with only the desire to get business or sell them something. Be open to criticism, and find a balance between pride and ego. For women, there are a lot of great groups online just for networking on things like Facebook and Discord. If you’re an artist, start an Instagram; it’s an easy and free online portfolio. If you’re a writer and/or artist, get on Twitter; it’s a strong platform for networking when you can’t attend cons. Learning how to present yourself on a website and how to pitch to editors and publishers is another big thing. There are lots of free options for websites, and freelance editors who will help consult.
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