Comic Book Artist
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- since19790
i do it.
- omg0
Comic books are cool, but all I know are classic comic book characters from Marvel to DC and its a literally a billion dollar industry with cgi movies and cartoon network. With video games, comic cons, cosplays, toys ... It must be mind bending to try and create something new these days as a new independent artist. You probably have a better chance of getting out there these days compared to the pre-internet days.
- Definitely saturated, but books like Walking Dead made it out of the pile. Great stories always have a better chance - there are gems for sure.antimotion
- pinkfloyd0
Le's make a comic book together
- Sep2
The pay is shit. You become a comic artist because there's nothing in the world you would rather do with your life, nothing that gives you the same joy. If you're already crunching the numbers, it's probably not for you.
- showpony0
I have a couple of friends who work in comics. As others have stated, it's pretty brutal. And once you have a title going, it's just a beast to keep going. Yes, you can make a living doing it, but that's about it for most.
The few "big" paydays i've seen for them have come from them selling film rights. Though this sounds super cool (and is cool...), most of those deals are pretty small with larger potential payouts later should the film (assuming it ever gets made) actually turn a profit.
It's definitely a passion pursuit, so if you're into it, then go for it. Pay isn't the only metric for success, and my friends seem to really love what they do, despite the challenges.
- pinkfloyd0
I've been watching some vids on youtube, and the long hours are very discouraging along with the constant need to find steady work starting out. Maybe i'll just try to make one on the side as a independent and see what happens.
- pinkfloyd0
On the one hand you have the marvel and dc artists pulling in $700 a page (~180k per year) vs someone making $50 per page (~18k) per year. It's almost like the music industry where it's a hit or mass miss.
- 20020
Todd McFarlane
Net Worth: $300m
- OBBTKN0
Only know the European market, if you work for the us/uk market can make a "living", but if you create for the spanish, french or german market... you're going to be paid around 5k/10k Euros for a 100 pages long graphic nobel, drawing and scripting incuded. This can be a 1 or 2 year long work (exhausting work sometimes).
Artist alternate this activity with other works, teaching, illustration or other this kind.
- pinkfloyd0
I've always wanted to make comic books, but seems very laborous. Making 30 pages a month with multiple illustrations per page is a lot of constant work.
- 30 pages a month??? Depending on detail... Optimistically, hard to go up to 10 pages/moOBBTKN
- Or isn't it about 22 pages in America? I thought these issues comes out every monthpinkfloyd
- 81-24 is average in the US. Trending towards fewer pages.MrAbominable
- Page a day is good. Kirby could do 2 a day.MrAbominable
- pinkfloyd0
Other option is making a graphic novel that'd sell to Hollywood, or create some cool characters but these are a rare.
- MrAbominable0
^ this x 100
- MrAbominable1
Nobody really makes money in comic book art. If you're extraordinarily creative, you self-publish books and hope that you hit lightning and are able to license the rights to tv/movies and toys. (a la Kirkman with Walking Dead and maybe Ashley Wood will do with a bunch of his books that are supposed to be in production for films).
Not many comic book artists over 40yo. Mostly it's a get in; get beat up; get out game. the cream of the crop mostly just make a decent living.
- pinkfloyd0
bump