Thoughts on #ComicsBrokeMe
Happy New Comic Day!
A Lovecraft-themed podcast with the clever name "H.P. Lovecast" has taken a deep dive into DREAMQUEST, and it's an excellent (and somewhat spoiler-y!) listen:
Seriously, SPOILER ALERT ON, but if you've already plunged into your KS rewards, we thought you might want to sit down with your favorite beverage (perhaps a Large Lovecraft Latte from I Dream of Coffee?) and give it a listen.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO H.P. LOVECAST
And if you haven’t snagged a copy of the book yet, we still have some available in our second-chance store:
#ComicsBrokeMe
The hashtag ComicsBrokeMe started trending on Twitter after the death of artist Ian McGinty this weekend. I didn’t know him personally, but condolences to all who did.
The online speculation is that work stress contributed to his early passing. And that unleashed a series of stories calling out the terrible working conditions in comics.
While my knowledge of the industry is admittedly limited, it seems to me the stories shared under the hashtag can be broken down into three categories:
The Outright Predatory
The Unfortunate Realities
Things We Can Control
Category 1, The Outright Predatory, is best summed up by the story of the publisher who kept 100% of a $90,000 option on a property.
I’m thankful to say I avoided a close call with this publisher twice last year, shortly before they went into bankruptcy. At the time, I was bummed to come so close to signing a contract with one of my favorite publishers only to have it fall apart at the last minute.
In retrospect, it seems like a blessing in disguise.
Category 2, The Unfortunate Realities, can be boiled down to this: there’s really not a lot of money in comics. The customer base is small and getting smaller. And publishers, both indie and the big guns, are trying to do what they can with the resources they have.
Until that changes, page rates, unfortunately, aren’t going anywhere.
So, take a page from this tweeter and start spreading the love of comics.
Category 3, Things We Can Control, is a touchier subject. Because if you’re in comics, you love comics, right? But the reality is that you can make a lot more money elsewhere. So if you can work in another field, like advertising or storyboarding, I would recommend going there before comics.
But if you love comics and just can’t help yourself from making them, never ever sacrifice your mental or physical health for your work. I made this decision a long time ago regarding my acting career, and it cost me some opportunities for sure, but holy cow did it improve my well-being.
This thread from Jim Zub is a good one on the subject.
And while Kickstarter is not a cure-all (I’m constantly trying to explain to people that the money I raise on the platform isn’t pure profit) it is a great weapon in the creator’s arsenal.
Speaking of…
Kickstarter Round-Up
I don’t currently have a live campaign, but I am lettering a couple of books currently on the platform. Both are excellent.
LOST BOY #1-2: Origin of Peter Pan
Once upon a bedtime, a father immersed his daughter in the enchanting world of J.M. Barrie's Peter and Wendy. During their shared adventure, a simple yet profound question arose from the daughter's innocent curiosity: "Daddy, how did Peter Pan become Peter Pan?" Intrigued by this inquiry, the father saw it as an untold story that needed to be brought to life.
Thus, LOST BOY was born, a prequel celebrating the origins of the timeless character we all know and love. A labor of love between father and daughter, their imaginative journey has crafted a unique interpretation of Peter Pan. The daughter's distinct and youthful perspective has infused the tale with a new sense of magic, offering a fresh spin on a beloved classic that has captivated readers for over a century.
Written by Don Handfield and his daughter “Bunnie”, with art by Diana Naneva and letters by a Lost Boy (me).
CLICK HERE TO BACK LOST BOY 1-2
Pneumatic Cases Vol. 1: A Steampunk Murder Mystery
Lord and Lady Ravenscroft are two brilliant scientists and inventors whose Bohemian lifestyle and inventive ways are in direct contrast to the staid and proper ways of Victorian Era London.
Served faithfully by their steam-driven metallic Majordomo, Pneuman, and armed with a variety of elaborate self-created inventions, the Ravenscroft’s pursue the one vocation that brings excitement into their world… solving murders!
Pneumatic Cases, Volume 1 takes the Ravenscrofts on a trek across Europe to solve an interconnected series of murders and attacks that brings them right back to London to wrap it all up.
This trade paperback collects issues 1-4 of the series by writer/creator John Wilson and artist Rowel Roque. It will also feature a never before seen brand-new 16 page story and a new cover by artist Marco Defillo (Curiouser: We’re All Mad Here).
CLICK HERE TO BACK PNEUMATIC CASES, VOLUME 1
R.I.P. John Romita
And finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the passing of comics legend John Romita. He had the unenviable task of following Steve Ditko on The Amazing Spider-Man and yet became to many the definitive Spidey artist.
That’s all for now.
Sorry for all the doom and gloom this go-round.
We didn’t even get to the other big story of the week, which is the latest super-hero slugfest to hit the silver screen.
So quick question before I go:
Do you plan on seeing The Flash in theaters?
Until next time,
Clay
Thoughts on #ComicsBrokeMe
As much as there is a love for the medium, creators need to start amending the contracts they sign, not just taking any deal that gets them published. There need to be legal backstops from any bullsht of a publisher walking away with option money or any other such nonsense.
This industry doesn't exist without creators. We are 10+ years into film adaptations making over $1B, and creators TO THIS DAY don't have clauses about adaptations.
I've said this before - anybody signing a deal with ANY publisher should include the following:
1) a guaranteed payout if their work is optioned or adapted - you might need to figure out an appropriate number per project, or set a flat rate per company, completely up to you.
2) a guaranteed speaking/performing cameo appearance in any adaptation of your work, whether animated, audio, film, tv, streaming, gaming, whatever - this ensures you get royalties after the fact for further success of the adaptation
3) script/design credits on the adaptation, depending on the work done - this is to expand the name awareness and ensure that nobody's confused. if you wrote a story that got turned into a movie, the credits in the movie should say "Based on a story by (YOU)"
It's cute to see people "advocating" for "fair treatment" of xyz creator, but in today's day and age, the contract being signed is a choice. Especially since a good artist and a good writer can make money through crowdfunding. DTC is an exceptional business model. Since Avengers crossed $1B - which is to most people an incomprehensibly large amount of money - every creator should have been signing contracts with adaptation clauses.
People have argued with me about this about how that's not practical, but they forget that the corporations stay in business because of the workers, not the CEOs. Creators should be dictating their pay rates, not some jerk in an office trying to squeeze out maximum profit for a bunch of rich investors. I bet you that pay structures would get reconsidered quick if everyone started doing this. Watch a Scott Snyder or a Tom King walk away from a project for lack of these clauses, and then every writer DC calls afterwards does the same. You think they just cancel Detective Comics? Shelve Action Comics? Nah. That's the kind of shit that starts negotiations.
Good advice. Now only if I could take it.