The ISB Sells Out!

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I mentioned it before here at the ISB (and on this week’s Ajax, and on Twitter), but this is my last week working full-time at a comic book store, which I’ve been doing for holy crap six years. What I haven’t mentioned is why I quit, but in case anyone was worried, it’s good news:

I’m quitting to become a full-time writer.

The bulk of it, which I’m sure will come as no surprise, is going to be a full-time freelance job with ComicsAlliance as their Senior Writer, but there are a couple of other things that hopefully I’ll be able to mention soon.

So what’s this mean for you, the cretinous loyal reader? At this point, not much. From a content standpoint, I’ll actually be writing more than I do now and doing a bigger variety of things. I’m certainly not abandoning the ISB–believe me, try as I might to sell it, nobody wants to pay me to read Anita Blake or slap together a Wrestler Wisdom Friday–so there’ll always be stuff here, although the links to external content are going to be a more permanent fixture.

The biggest change for the ISB itself is probably going to be regarding The Week In Ink. It’s probably the longest-running feature I’ve got, but in both depth and frequency, it’s largely a product of me being at the store all the time. With the new schedule, I don’t know if I’ll be able to get my comics by Thursday night, let alone read ’em all and write Uranus jokes reviews. But I’ll see how it goes on that front. It might be just as simple as moving ’em to a different day.

I’ve got to say, I’m pretty excited about this. Even if it’s not going to make me rich, being able to make a living writing is something I’ve wanted since I was twelve years old. So please, join me in celebrating Quitsgiving this Saturday, and be on the lookout for more changes (good ones, I think) coming to the site soon.

116 thoughts on “The ISB Sells Out!”

  6. Best of luck, Chris! Now you can settle down to reading the complete Strangers in Paradise. (I kid!)

  7. Damn! Way to go, Chris! The ComicsAlliance articles have been funny as hell, so we all win from you getting to focus on those more. Good luck, fella!

  9. Chris, that’s fantastic news! I’m excited to continue to read all your great stuff on CA and here at the ISB

  11. Good on ya Chris! Making a full-time go of writing is a dream for a lot of us. You’ve done good work and exposed yourself to more terrible shit than any other 10 reviewers so it’s good to see you get some rewards. :)

  13. Fantastic news Chris. The fact that a guy can write about Batman beating up thugs with car batteries and spin that into getting paid gives me hope for our world. Go kick the internet in the face.

    By the way, please keep doing the comics reviews in some form, I love reading them and they’re usually spot-on in either criticism or praise.

  17. This means more tired arguments about the objectification of women in comics doesn’t it…

  18. Well done, Chris. You’re a very good writer and I’ve greatly enjoyed being entertained by you lo these many years. I’ll certainly keep following you wherever you go (I mean that in a non-stalker sense, of course).

  19. So you’re going to post even MORE external links to DIFFERENT free content on a DIFFERENT site?

    Ugh, man, you used to have integrity.

    (Seriously though, good on you! Congratulations!)

  24. Congratulations! Getting paid to do what you love is a beautiful thing.

    And I’d definitely like to see you keep up with the week in ink if you can, even if they have to become The Internet’s Least Timely Comics Reviews. They’re great fun to read.

  25. Congrats Chris! I look forward to being one of those jerks who says, “I liked his earlier stuff better before he sold out”.

    (Note: I will not actually do this)

  28. Congratulations Chris!

    Though I see that you’re following in the steps of your arch-nemesis Dave Campbell and selling out. Always one step behind, eh? And how dare you make money from doing something you enjoy!

    Kidding aside, please carry on doing The Week In Ink – even if it appears days later than usual. That feature’s one of my favourites!

  29. Though I must confess to a certain amount of envy, congrats for living the dream!

    And just to let you know, I don’t begrudge having to move my finger an extra few millimeters on my track pad, nor the negligible exertion of pressure on the button, to click the link to ComicsAlliance to read your material: you’re worth it.

  33. Congrats on the full-time freelance gig, that’s awesome! As someone who is also slowly working his way into full-time writing gigs, I’m glad you’ve been able to take the plunge. I hope you can keep up this week in ink, it’s seriously helped when it comes to what I pick up every week.

  35. First time I wrtie. Just to tell you that I’m a peruvian fan of your blog, and that I really admire you for this new phase. You’re livnig the dream, man!.

  36. I remember reading on Twitter that you’ve been training your replacement. Will he/she also start off on blogspot are are they planning on skipping that stage and starting a new website right away?

    Many congrats!

  37. But how can you leave the fast paced, high growth world of comics shops?

    Congratulations. Now write that novel you’ve got burbling inside you.

  38. Marvel and DC both should be paying you to continue doing The Week In Ink. I’ve certainly bought things I wouldn’t have unless you highlighted them in your reviews (of course, that’s also burned me a few times, but that’s my own fault for not having good enough taste).

    Conbatmanlations, Chris, you deserve it. Good luck and have all kinds of fun.

  41. Congrats

    I’d still enjoy a ‘this week in ink’ even its just more of a little round up of what you’ve read recently on an irregular basis. From where you’re going to, I reckon you’ll still be reading lots of comics :P

    Cheers for the shout on Remender’s Punisher, the first good use of the character in the main marvel universe I’ve ever seen. We all know Ennis was never writing in continuity, ever.

  42. Congratulations, Chris! As for The Week In Ink, I’d happily accept an every-other-Monday schedule if it means more free Sims content for me throughout the web.

  43. Congratulations, Chris! You totally deserve it. I look forward to reading the new material and the changes you’ll be making.

    -Citizen Scribbler

  44. Congatulations,Chris. I,as always, look forward to whatever you’ll be writing. Sorry,I got no jokes.

  46. I can only hope that mystery stuff happens to involve a red-headed young man. One who, despite all odds, seemingly has most of the female population crushing after him… that is when he’s not getting into wacky adventures!

  48. I’m happy for you Chris, first on being able to quit your job and second on moving up in the world. Congratulations and best of luck for whatever comes next!

  49. You don’t know me, but I’ve been reading your work for a while now, and I want you to know that I’m as happy for your promotion as any complete stranger can be. Congratulations!

  52. As a fellow comic shop employee, I salute your amazing transition and the fact that you’re living the dream is all too sweet. Never give up! Never surrender!

  53. What everyone else said. And since I’ve been wondering: would you prefer it if we commented on your CA articles at ComicsAlliance, rather than here?

  58. Mr. Sims, I have waited years to tell you this:

    This is just for “openers!!!”– And you’ve got the word of JACK KIRBY on that! You have just lit the fuse that will lead to a long-awaited “record-smashing” climax that will rocket every “ISB” reader into realms he’s never dreamed of!!!

    Stay with it! And we’ll watch a giant image grow—like the talents and terrors of our times!

    Congrats.

  59. Goddamit, there is justice in the universe after all! Who knew?

    (Though when the corresponding karmic downside kicks in, it will be a bitch. (E.g., Rob Liefeld is the subject of the new Ken Burns documentary, Comix.)

    But it is worth it. Best on all your endeavors, Chris.

  61. Chris, don’t you know that change is scary? I demand free content as I’ve been getting it for years! Damn your success, Sims!

    (But seriously, congrats!)

  63. I shan’t tell you how lucky you are because that devalues the effort you’ve put in that’s finally paying off – although I’ll admit I’m surprised that writing for the internet can actually pay real money.

    Well done, Chris!

  64. So the congratulations are in the sixties and still going strong. You deserve every one. I don’t think I like a single comic you like but I still come every day to see your reactions. Obviously, you are better than comics.

  65. I’m very, very happy for you. I hope that you a kick in the face of pure career satisfaction.

  66. Congrats, Mr. Sims. Now when I harass you, I will be harassing Chris Sims, Senior Writer of Comics Alliance, and not just Chris Sims, the ISB guy.

    I look forward to your increased output. And therefore MY increased output, what with all the harassing.

  67. Dude, congratulations!

    I, for one, am very happy with the Comics Alliance content, and look forward to bigger and better things from the isb and CA.

  68. Also: I just read a Marvel Two-In-One with Dr. Strange and The Thing where a dude tells his wife he’s gonna quit his office job and become a writer, so I found your announcement amusing on another level. :)

  69. Congratulations! I hope you can still write the Week in Ink even if it is totally late, otherwise I won’t know what comics to buy. You could just do bullet points, like ‘buy this one’. That would be ok.

  71. “…the links to external content are going to be a more permanent fixture.”

    BRING ON THE HATERS!

    Seriously though, congratulations. Enjoy the professional creative life.

  73. Congrats and good luck!

    I keep trying to find someone to pay me NOT to write, but so far no takers. This not writing for free is getting old…

  77. This is excellent news! I look forward to you writing for Monday Night Raw in the coming weeks.

    (Everyone’s made the more obvious jokes, so I had to go off the board.)

  79. Congrats, Chris.

    I will say that the most useful part of comic book blogs are reviews. An abbreviated or late ‘week in ink’, or even a monthly ‘these comics are awesome…these not so much’ feature would be nice if you could find the time.

  80. I thought you had haters, Sims! Not a single complaint in 97 comments! It’s as if people like you! What if these are all haters in disguise who truly wish you ill will!?

    Well as a true fan I say congrats! Throw a car battery at the Internet for the rest of us!

  81. And since I’ve been wondering: would you prefer it if we commented on your CA articles at ComicsAlliance, rather than here?

    It doesn’t particularly matter to me personally–I read all the comments on my stuff regardless of where they show up so that I get the full force of All My Haters–but I get the feeling that my new paymasters like the idea of discussion occurring on CA. Really though, feel free to keep commenting wherever, although if you’ve got a Digg account or something and you see the little icon on a post that you like, do me a solid and click it.

  82. Our little man is all grown up and headed into the scary world on his own…

    Seriously though, As someone who has been reading the ISB since it was ISB classic (first one i read was “You just rented a jet ski to the Punisher. Kiss that baby goodbye!”) I could not be happier for you. Best of luck in the new endeavor.

  83. This is the best possible post for me to come out of lurking and finally leave a comment on the ISB.

    Congratulations!

    Your blog and your podcast are awesome. Since I’ve yet to sprain or break my pointer finger following links to your other writing, I’ll continue to enjoy all of it immensely. :D

  84. Yet more congratulations! Count me as another reader hoping for continued ‘The Week in Ink” as not only do I enjoy the reviews, they sometimes alert me to important face-kicking action that I’d have otherwise missed.

  86. Congrats, like Conan the Cimmerian, you are Conquering the Comics blogosphere.

    Can we at least get the Month in Ink?

    And use more alliteration, dammit.

  87. Or at very least, *your* dream.

    Take that football and run with it, man!

    besides, I’m sure the comic shop will always be there as a backup…or at least *a* comic shop will be…

  90. Chris, you’re following the dream that eluded Cobra Commander, Dr. Doom, Galactus and even Thanos: writing for a living. Remember the phrase “kill fee” and to always use your powers for evil.

  93. Will we still get some of your Tarot recaps? Cause if not, then I suggest you quit your job and go back to writing this awesome blog of yours!

    But, seriously, congratulations! You’re the reason why I’m a die-hard Iron Fist fan. Can’t wait to read your new stuff.

  94. A much-deserved congratulations to you, Chris. I can’t think of a more talented, deserving blogger to get paid to write his thoughts on all things awesome, geeky and/or terrible (plus exciting mystery projects!).

  95. Fantastic!
    Good luck, Chris! Looking forward to more C.Sims brand content!

    As I’m moving on to a new job, I will certainly celebrate the pagan festival of Resignalia.

  96. Looks like Mama Sims and I have some company in your fan club. You deserve this, Chris, and it’s about time it happened. Hmm…wonder if I can predict the weather, too?

  98. Best of luck Chris, it’s entirely awesome that you get to do what you want full-time!

    I’m a little jealous, in fact. Bravo!

  103. I’ve been reading your blog since I started reading it. We haven’t always agreed on stuff (I forgive you for being wrong*), but I’ve always found your posts to at least be interesting and amusing. I wish you success and will still follow the ISB for as long as the RSS feed updates.

    Taking a fun side deal and turning it into a paid career is inspirational in my own pursuits, by the way. Hope you’ll still do the Action Age stuff as well.

    (*I shouldn’t have to SAY I’m kidding about this point, but this being the internet, I kind of do. Besides, didn’t some of you ASK for haters?)

  104. congratulations, man. It’s great to see people can make a living out of things like this, after doing it for the sheer love of it for a couple of years. Maybe one day you’ll make enough to move to One Batman Close

  106. Congratulations Chris on the new job! Have loved what you do here on the ISB and will be looking forward to where your way with words takes you next!

  108. WHEW! When I heard “Week in Ink” was shrinking and you were leaving the shop, I assumed you’d been Conaned and couldn’t afford a jillion comics anymore. Nightmare fuel for sure!
    But what about the alt-text? Why can’t Comics Alliance give you alt-text?!

  109. Congratulations! But will you still be willing to keep giving Tarot your money each month if you’re not getting that fat comic retailer discount?

  110. I have been reading you daily since ISB classic and have greatly enjoyed your writing. I very infrequently comment, but I had to add my congratulations. Well done, and I’ll continue to look forward to your articles on CA, as well.

  112. Well done sir.As a lurker in good standing, I look forward to lurking on a new site for your content.

  114. Congrats! Does this make you the Yahtzee of comics, or will he be known as the Chris Sims of video games eventually? Only time will tell and once again, two thumbs up!