This seems to be an extremely frequently asked question. I've answered it so many times, I've saved my answer and just copy and pasted it every time I am asked. This question, along with "how did you get into this field?" are hands-down the two questions I am tired of answering! Not in a bad way, just in a repetitive way. So I am now c/p'ing the lastest answer I gave on the Shadowline message boards, for exactly what it is I do:

What I do is different for each book depending on what they need. There are some who barely need a thing from me, and some who need step-by-step help. It really does depend on the level of experience.

For instance, when Jim was writing and drawing ShadowHawk, all I did was check the spelling in his dialogue.

For Bomb Queen, I keep Jimmie updated on deadlines, correct any dialogue errors I see, and generally just "be there" for him if he needs any help with anything (like if he feels he might have pushed the boundaries of decency too far!). Recently I put a colorist on his book to help him out and free him up. He's real busy, so I just worked out the deal with the colorist and set it all up for him. He usually sends me the entire issue to look over when he's done with it. I check it over for errors, and then approve it.

Sam Noir, I ask for a page breakdown for every issue. I go through and make sure the pacing is good, that there isn't 19 pages of fighting and 3 pages of actual story, etc. I keep them on a weekly deadline, and require 5 completed pages a week. I scour the pages for errors, and then approve them, every Friday. I answer any and all concerns they may have about anything. Because Manny and Eric tend to get nervous. ;)

Emissary has a weekly deadline as well. Juan is required to turn over 5 penciled pages per week (which apparently he feels is optional -ahem!). First he sends me layouts, and I approve those. Then he sends me the finished penciled pages, and I go over those as well. After they get approved, the colorist goes to work. He also turns over 5 pages a week, and I approve them. While that is going on, I am also going over the script with the writer, editing it, making sure all is well. The writer turns over 7 pages a week. Once done, the letterer goes to work. I approve every page.

And on other books, I have do heavier script editing, switching scenes around, tweaking dialogue and making sure transitions are smooth. I also help out the writers with their text solicits for Previews. I brainstorm with the team to come up with good covers. I make up a pagination guide for the letterer to follow, which is the entire issue laid out, so he knows what ads go in the back, and where everything is supposed to be. That also gets sent to Image so they know where things are supposed to be as well.

I also schedule the books. I work with Joe Keatinge at Image and we figure out the best week for the titles to come out, so they don't all come out on one week, so we can spotlight the first issues, and so we don't have more than 5 titles per month. I keep the creative teams updated on their sales numbers, and also go over any interviews that they have, so we can make sure enough info is doled out, but not too much, and to make sure they don't ramble on. If their sales are slumping, I work with them to figure out a way to get them higher. Jim and I try and work out good press releases, but we really suck at those, so we usually get some help. :P (Charles Brownstein, you are a God with PR's)

I approve all the books at the printer as well. That means a page-by-page approval at the printer's website.

Plus, I receive the submissions, go through them and discuss them with Jim. If one of them looks good, but needs a little help, I go over it with the person submitting....I think a few peeps on the Shadowline message board can back me up on that, like Grant Alter, Hobbes, Mike McDermott, and whoever else I've been e-mailing back and forth with.

And besides all that, I have to make sure I write my editorial column that goes in the back in every book, and kick some ass hard when the teams fall behind schedule. I let Image know when the books are ready to go, if they'll be late, and if so, how late.

I think that's it. If someone else can remember something else I do for them, feel free to chime in.

And besides doing all this for Shadowline, I freelance independently as well. Usually just script/dialogue editing.

And I try to make every person I work with feel like THEY are the most important one! Whether or not I succeed is up for debate. :D