Among the subjects on which I promised to write , there is one that concerns aspiring cartoonists, and I'm putting off for over a month. The fact that I should apologize for this delay allows me to take the ball to make an apology (even more sorry) to the aspiring writers who have approached me because of those submitting them to give them a trial. Some of them, alas, expect from biblical times. So, wanting to talk about young and old who seek to enter between the artisans of the clouds (to steal a felicitous phrase of one that I've helped to make inroads, Mirko Perniola ) I will begin by those who aspire to write stories, referring to the near future, the continuation of the debate about who would draw the stories.
The category of aspiring screenwriters especially close to my heart because, about a quarter of a century ago, I was part of it too. It was in 1987 (then twenty-four years ago) that I presented to Sergio Bonelli my first subject for Zagor, and already I showed the photo immortal that exact moment there was the 'event. In my case, served two years (and three further shipments of proposals) before the publishing house to give me the OK on a story Decio that Canzio (which is my eternal gratitude) found to be promising enough to test myself.
were other times however, where the spaces for a young person with a minimum of talent he could find, somewhere, a hole to enter the environment. In those years I came to find me even to collaborate with Francesco Coniglio for the magazine " Monsters" (with a proposal to go to work by him in writing, in Rome) and Silver for " Cattivik " and "Lupo Alberto . Shortly after I received even a phone call from ' "Fearless " (which I did not even contact) with a request to write for them (I did one story , also designed by Robert Piere Zagoria). In short, there were so many publishers, many newspapers and even the public (at least compared to now).
times, unfortunately, have changed dramatically, obviously the worse. Today, I find myself I get almost every week of the subjects to be examined by people who nurture the dream of my own then. And I know it will be almost impossible for me sends its proposals to find work, especially if the ideas about Zagor. I try to give all the particulars, however, and if there are some authors that I recognize the talent they diverted to the editors of other newspapers that are in their strings. It 's the case, for example, horror writer Samuel Marolla , which I think Stephen King is the Italian author of a collection of short stories published by Mondadori, with the title " Malarazza ", which I have advocated putting the test by Boselli for Dampyr , and is now in its third story of Harlan Draka.
But let me explain, with suffering, because of those who submit to Zagor is forced to wait so long before an answer and why it is so difficult that the submitted projects arrive on newsstands. I'll start by saying that, as things stand today, I see before me a folder full of twenty-eight subjects of aspiring writers, all to read (many others I have escaped in recent months). In many cases, these texts long enough, about ten pages, but sometimes I had to also look at some of the dimensions of real novels (I remember a few months ago that they had folders of seventy). You can easily understand how to engage in the reading of a plot to try to understand well the course so you can then report to author an opinion based, not exactly relaxing. Serve as a minimum time, patience, concentration and also, last but not least , foresight. The difficulties in examining the subjects have been fully described by Sergio Bonelli himself in his " Postaaa! " Zagora, in the 'published in December 2006. As they often attach to my reply a copy of the page of that book, I read I can so that you can possibly comment together.
So Bonelli writes on page 4 of the register Zenith 548 " Dear friends, taking a look at the letters received in recent weeks, lying on my desk, I happened to see once again that, for uno strano caso della vita, man mano che i lettori di fumetti diminuiscono a vista d'occhio, aumentano viceversa gli aspiranti autori. Molti sono infatti quelli che scrivono proponendosi quali disegnatori o sceneggiatori per gli albi della nostra Casa editrice. Coloro che sottopongono alla mia attenzione i propri disegni sono, in genere, piuttosto bravi: alcuni, addirittura eccellenti. Del resto, viviamo nella società dell'immagine e dunque i giovani illustratori sono particolarmente stimolati a visualizzare graficamente ciò che intendono esprimere. Purtroppo, il mercato del fumetto consente sbocchi professionali soltanto per una piccolissima parte di quanti si propongono a me o ad altri editori. Tuttavia, valutare il talento di un giovane disegnatore è a task that a professional can do with a simple shot an eye you can see right away, beyond the adjustments that may suggest, if a board does or does not work. It is different case for the proponents of subjects and scripts. Examine a written text, sometimes many pages, requires time, if you really want (as we would like) to give every time a thoughtful and thorough review. And time is what is lacking in the editors committed to the strict timetable of deadlines imposed by the release dates of books on sale. For this, who sends her texts to our attention must arm themselves with holy patience those who come in large numbers to our attention are read during the rare free time granted by the editorial work, so the wait is rather long. Noting how many proposals we receive stories in Sometimes I think it would be appropriate to respond to all with a kind of 'circular' in which it warns, it is true that our staff is full. But soon after, I am convinced that if cars stop imponessimo a general examination of aspiring writers would not have the chance to discover the most talented authors as Paola Barbato, Pasquale Ruju or, to cite two zagoriani, Diego Cajelli and James Rauch . So, even with effort, we continue reading. However, even if we found well-constructed plot of a story (and usually is much less easy to find good than someone who writes good draw), and we could establish that it is not too closely inspired by movies or novels, the question remains about the author's also run a script: the writing of a good subject does not imply, unfortunately, also an automatic skill in the writer. The difficulty of 'translating into images' is indeed the rock on which were wrecked often quite famous novelists who wanted to engage in the business. On the pages of Zagor are alternating long, as you noted, many writers (a witness della nostra volontà di dare spazio a nuovi talenti), ma appunto questo avvicendamento dimostra che anche nello staff dello Spirito con la Scure i margini per nuovi inserimenti sono praticamente inesistenti. Non mi sento dunque di incoraggiare nessuno: viviamo in un periodo pieno di incertezza in cui perfino molti 'fumettari' professionisti stentano a trovare lavoro. Vero è che chi vuol scrivere fumetti non pensa a un 'mestiere' praticato tanto per sbarcare il lunario, ma è mosso dalla passione, e dunque dal cuore. E al cuore, come si sa, non si comanda".
Mi pare che Sergio abbia detto tutto e si sia, come al solito, spiegato molto bene. Mi preme, però, aggiungere le My "justification" of a personal nature, as I always feel guilty every time I have to repeat my apologies for the delays that sometimes force myself Who is sending me to the subjects, and unfortunately I find myself having to do it often. However, I always hope that my interlocutors are able to understand what the problem is and realizes that it is not entirely my fault. Perhaps, in any text would follow someone who would be responsible for aspiring screenwriters and filter out the most deserving. As I have explained, are only to take care of Zagor working part-time and having to send the job on time at newsstands twelve monthly issues, two half maxi (which are valid as three regular terms of mole), a special (which is worth two), a Zagorone (which is worth two and a half) and an almanac. In practice, it is as if it were Zagor fortnightly, monthly, and there are about two hundred boards to follow the phase of the subject than the finish around the balloon letters. Yes, because the reading of the texts of the aspirants must put in charge of the plot of the usual collaborators, with whom I discuss each step and ask what changes or rewriting: the twenty-eight subjects mentioned above, it must be added a dozen in stock of the authors of the staff.
Not to mention all the activity editorial related to proofreading, writing texts to accompany the books, promotion on the site Bonelli, contacts with the press and the Comicdom, preparation of conferences and exhibitions in Italy and abroad. It 'clear that when there is no time even to meet the delivery in print, you find it difficult to examine the texts by the authors on lying on my desk, taking into account the fact that every time I read a proposal then I would like to be exhaustive in answer, for those who have worked so hard to develop a project that deserves at least the claims are substantiated. Who receives my comments knows that texts are sometimes longer than the subject itself. It would be easy for me to break free subjects lying in a circular writing of refusal. Instead, I prefer to wait for the speakers, but properly evaluate the work of each. Beyond this, it is still very difficult for anyone to be able to write Zagor. First, the writers in activities are numerous. Right now I'm at work myself, Mauro Boselli, Luigi Mignacco, James Rauch, Ade Capone, Mirko Perniola Diego and Paolucci. Secondly, the Spirit with the Hatchet will start soon on a trip to South America that will keep him busy until 2014. Needless to say, the continuity of the transfer has already coordinated with each other and the four writers involved giochi sono fatti. Tutti i Maxi e gli extra serie sono già pronti o prenotati e ci sono storie bastanti a coprire altri due anni dopo il ritorno. E' difficile mettere al lavoro qualcuno su storie darkwoodiane, di cui non c'è comunque bisogno, sapendo che uscirebbero se va bene nel 2015.
Tuttavia, è logico che cercare delle buone storie è il compito principale di un editore, il quale viene premiato dai lettori solo se ne propone. Però, è anche vero che il giovane sceneggiatore dovrebbe proporre soggetti così geniali e così particolari da poter competere con le idee di quelli che già fanno parte dello staff: se la storia proposta raccontasse di una banda di trafficanti d'armi e di mercanti di whisky, credo che qualunque dei collaudati professionisti di cui disponiamo sarebbe in grado di imbastire una trama del genere. Al tempo stesso, però, se il giovane in questione eccedesse in originalità e proponesse un'avventura in cui lo Spirito con la Scure viaggia nel futuro e uccide Hitler, credo che il nostro editore avrebbe qualcosa da obiettare. Comunque la si metta, son cipolle (come avrebbe detto mio nonno). L'esempio di Hitler non è peregrino: uno dei problemi degli aspiranti sceneggiatori è la scarsa conoscenza dell'ortodossia zagoriana e persino dei classici di Nolitta & Ferri (di cui del resto non esistono edizioni disponibili, essendo da tempo esaurite tutte le ristampe). Non è passato molto tempo da quando ho letto un soggetto in cui si proponeva una storia con un archeologo folle che, con l'aiuto di pellerossa costretti a lavorare come schiavi controllati a vista da guerrieri sul dorso di dromedari, costruiva una piramide egizia in una zona desertica di Darkwood, e l'autore sembrava molto contento di aver avuto un'idea così originale. 
Un altro volenteroso ha proposto tempo fa una storia ambientata in giro per l'Europa ottocentesca, in ben sette albi (un vero record anche per una serie che di solito pubblica avventure abbastanza lunghe, come Zagor) raccontata in un numero spropositato di cartelle dattiloscritte. Ora, quando si confeziona un soggetto per una Casa editrice di fumetti you should try to be essential and string, so that whoever looks can understand now what is the proposal in its main lines. A person with the length of a real short story is just too ponderous. In addition, the first proposal for an aspiring author can never cover a story of even seven albums, which provides the bargain trip Zagor in Europe and the momentous return of characters such as Baron and Supermike Rakosi. This is because, though it may be good ideas, the aspiring author has yet to be tested and tested in its professionalism. You could not entrust the management of certain supernemici and the fate of the series for u n the long run to someone whose skills have been at least a little 'check. Having had an idea, even brilliant, does not mean that then the same person, never tested before, is also able to dramatize a story in a professional manner. It is never convincing enough to draw a person to ensure its ability to tell a story in the script and do it Zagor (a test, this, on which many famous names have fallen). 
What to do, therefore, the young authors? One could say that would be better if they try to write for TV, video games, the cartoon on the web. But if one has the sacred fire within, deve avere buon senso, molta pazienza, un minimo di intraprendenza telefonando ogni tanto per sollecitare le risposte che non arrivano ma non farsi illusioni, rendersi conto che uno su mille ce la fa, e perdonare i poveri curatori di testata che fanno attendere dei mesi prima di dare una risposta.
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