Comments on: Advice for Dealing With Artists http://www.mikeoliveri.com/2009/03/11/advice-for-dealing-with-artists/ Diary of a Supervillain Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:17:02 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Mike http://www.mikeoliveri.com/2009/03/11/advice-for-dealing-with-artists/comment-page-1/#comment-123523 Mike Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:27:24 +0000 http://www.mikeoliveri.com/?p=3648#comment-123523 The answers to those questions vary wildly, unfortunately. Some artists are willing to take a back-end deal (ie, only take a cut of the profits) or a lower page rate if they're confident the book will sell well or make money on licensing (think movie options). It all comes down to what the artist is willing to do the work for. Some of the guys who are thirsty to break in will take a lower rate because they've still got a day job to support them. The guys doing it full time will often hold out for a bigger job, because if they're contracted to work for you for $20 a page and then someone comes along with the $150 they need, well, they risk breaking your contract. Quantities vary by publisher. A couple thousand copies is successful for some of them. Trick now is Diamond requires so many sales dollars before they'll pick up a book and distribute it to stores. I want to say that number is $2500 now. So if you don't sell $2500 worth of books to stores through Diamond, Diamond doesn't order any and you're out those sales. There are books that have been dropped as a result of this policy. See the "Less Views" segment in <a href="http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=20139" rel="nofollow">this LitG column</a> to see how many books are dying because of the policy. The answers to those questions vary wildly, unfortunately. Some artists are willing to take a back-end deal (ie, only take a cut of the profits) or a lower page rate if they’re confident the book will sell well or make money on licensing (think movie options). It all comes down to what the artist is willing to do the work for. Some of the guys who are thirsty to break in will take a lower rate because they’ve still got a day job to support them. The guys doing it full time will often hold out for a bigger job, because if they’re contracted to work for you for $20 a page and then someone comes along with the $150 they need, well, they risk breaking your contract.

Quantities vary by publisher. A couple thousand copies is successful for some of them. Trick now is Diamond requires so many sales dollars before they’ll pick up a book and distribute it to stores. I want to say that number is $2500 now. So if you don’t sell $2500 worth of books to stores through Diamond, Diamond doesn’t order any and you’re out those sales. There are books that have been dropped as a result of this policy. See the “Less Views” segment in this LitG column to see how many books are dying because of the policy.

]]> By: Harvey http://www.mikeoliveri.com/2009/03/11/advice-for-dealing-with-artists/comment-page-1/#comment-123522 Harvey Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:15:56 +0000 http://www.mikeoliveri.com/?p=3648#comment-123522 These answers to these questions may be a bit too private for a public blog, but I'm going to ask anyways... What are the page rates for small press comics? And for that matter, how many copies can a small press comic expect to sell? Life always get's interesting when "I have a family and I need to pay the bills" meets "Do what you love" These answers to these questions may be a bit too private for a public blog, but I’m going to ask anyways…

What are the page rates for small press comics?

And for that matter, how many copies can a small press comic expect to sell?

Life always get’s interesting when “I have a family and I need to pay the bills” meets “Do what you love”

]]>