I am very proud of my time with the Grand Comics Database (GCD). I wanted to learn more about how non-profit organizations run large software projects. I am so honored that the GCD gave me that opportunity and experience.
The GCD is a nonprofit, internet-based organization of international volunteers dedicated to building an open database covering all printed comics throughout the world.
Anybody can contribute metadata about comics (called “indexing”), making it the world’s largest and most comprehensive online comics database for comic readers, collectors, scholars, and professionals.
The GCD is a non-profit that requires a charter and a nine-person Board of Directors (elected by the membership). Each board member must have indexed a certain amount of comics, and I remember spending a few months ensuring that I met those qualifications.
I served on the Board of Directors from 2011 to 2013 and again between 2015 and 2017. I was the Chairman of the Board between 2015 and 2017.
I had so many ideas, but I quickly learned the limitations of an all-volunteer organization of passionate hobbyists. How do you create a positive user experience with a budget? Who is the actual customer base? How do you navigate conflicting ideas of the mission statement? It was much more of a struggle that I fully appreciated, but I found the members some of the most dedicated I’ve ever worked with. They rock despite our differences of opinion.
In 2014, I volunteered to organize a GCD presence at a few comic conventions. It was so much fun! In addition to learning the ropes of organizing a convention presence (booth design, advertising/promoting, and panel presentation), I found a voice to pitch an idea to strangers (an entirely new skill for me). I also met fascinating people from within the GCD, comics fans, and even a few professionals (like the legendary Roy Thomas). I would not change this experience for the world; it provided me with the foundational skills and knowledge I use today at work and as an author.
In 2016, I represented the GCD at the International Comics Arts Forum (ICAF), an academic conference dedicated to promoting the scholarly study and appreciation of comic art. I enjoyed the presentations and learned much more about comics from a different perspective.
The GCD was my first foray outside my comfort zone and the world I grew up in. I am grateful for the GCD members’ time, patience, and tutelage. They will always have a special place in my heart.