The question of what career path to pursue in comics has long been debated, and there's no shortage of horror stories of creators being screwed over by a heartless industry. As Jack Kirby once said, "comics will break your heart, kid." And as Alan Moore once replied, "no shit, Sherlock." Paraphrased. The point is, though a career in Big Two comics might offer creators an opportunity to tell stories of the characters they grew up loving, as well as a guaranteed paycheck, there are tradeoffs, and pursuing a path where one owns one's own creations certainly has its appeal as well.

Legendary comics creator Gerry Conway took to Twitter to share his take on the question, beginning with a story about his own career, not in comics, but in Hollywood.

For my comic creator followers: In the late 1980s, after a decade of pursuing a second, relatively successful career as a screenwriter with writing partner Roy Thomas, I had to reinvent myself as a solo act. I sought advice from professional colleagues. — Gerry Conway (@gerryconway) November 22, 2019

"Do you want to be independent, or do you want a career?" — Gerry Conway (@gerryconway) November 22, 2019

Coming from comics, where, at the time, there was no such thing as an "independent creator" in the late '80s, obviously I saw the value in a TV career. So that's the way I went, and it worked out great. — Gerry Conway (@gerryconway) November 22, 2019

But there's a "but." There's always a "but."

But if I were to face the same choice today, specifically in comics, between independence through ownership of my creations and pursuing a career as a Big Two hired gun… — Gerry Conway (@gerryconway) November 22, 2019

…but you shouldn't. — Gerry Conway (@gerryconway) November 22, 2019

Conway brings up another good point, though he phrases it a little more nicely than we might, blaming it on "changing tastes." But with so many comics legends today still capable of producing work, and still maintaining interest from dedicated fans, but hardly ever given work by companies like Marvel while younger creators are writing several books per month, it makes one wonder whether those changing tastes belong to the audience or to corporate bean-counters who don't want to pay for experience. But those are our own personal thoughts. Here's what Conway had to say:

Most of the fellow professionals I started out with in comics struggled in the later part of their careers as tastes changed. I hit a dead spot myself in the mid-80s (which ironically helped motivate my move into TV). — Gerry Conway (@gerryconway) November 22, 2019

So it's a case of do what I say, not what I did (or might still do, damnit). — Gerry Conway (@gerryconway) November 22, 2019

These days, in my view, independence has a much better retirement plan. — Gerry Conway (@gerryconway) November 22, 2019

Retirement plan, in comics, of course, is a relative term for an industry that doesn't offer much in the way of benefits.