Above: a rather tired old comics lag points at the non-regulation haircut of some ziney. Or, Terry Hooper (Black Tower Comics & Books) and Paul Ashley Brown (Browner Knowle) at the 2012 Cafe Kino zine event.
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It has to be said that nothing has really changed in comics. There are still large and crooked publishers who will squeeze every red penny from a creators work but will only pay a pittance for that work. We saw D. C. Thomsom and IPC/Fleetway licensing strips off around the world and the creators not getting anything.
Creators Rights should have sorted that out. Mention Creators Rights to some 'professionals' in the UK and you'll be the subject of abuse. Some still sqeal about work running out whilst shouting "Their the bosses. They mustn't be argued with!" Yeah, that'll do you a lot of good when the tiny amount of work available to you dries up.
Oh, then they'll feel sorry for themselves and expect sympathy.
Now, I wrote scripts for a number of companies in the 1980s, including Fleetway. I also wrote two best selling adult series/books for Eros Comix (or Fantagraphics if you prefer). One series was Two Hot Girls On A Hot Summers Night (2HG) with artist Art Wetherell. The other was part of that trilogy that it took almost a decade for Fantagraphics to say "okay" to -but would not pay a higher rate despite the money 2HGs made the company. They would not even say yes until the follow up, Maeve: One Girl Four Women was fully drawn as a graphic novel. Luckily, I had hooked up with David Gordon who did a superb job on the book. And the third part of the trilogy? Well, I gave up. Fantagraphics wanted to pay 1991 rates for Maeve and in the 21st century they still wanted to pay 1991 rates -but they wanted to see the 120+ paged book fully drawn before saying yes or no. My response to that was **** off.
If the publisher has absolutely no respect for the creators of a book that saw numerous mini series and trade paperback reprints that sold out then they deserve no respect --especially if they take the attitude "We make all the money -you get what you are given!"
It was only after the internet kicked in that we discovered the Fantagraphic sanctioned foreign editions -they only had -UNDER CONTRACT- English language, first print rights. Of course, they never told us they were reprinting and reprinting without a new contract negotiated.
At Fleetway/IPC I asked why as a writer did I have to present a second copy of scripts I'd written before I was paid? It seems it was a copy to go into the accounts book to PROVE a script had been written and so the writer had to be paid. But, this did not help me when the new Fleetway/Egmont ended up owing me over £5000 for work. For two years I chased, argued and threatened and the last response I got was that the editor who approved the scripts no longer worked for them so I had to "chase after him for payment" -I have that in writing. If I was an editor and left the company and was told that company told someone to chase after me for money the company had not been paid I know what I'd say.
At one UK Comic Art Convention in London I met up with two comic writers I knew. They were frustrated because work they had published had not been paid for -and the publisher was at UK and brushing them off. So, I cornered him and explained the writers were two friends of mine and I was not going to see them ripped off and unless they were paid by that afternoon I was going to use the convention to expose his dirty little deed.
Within two hours the writers were paid. "Thanks, Terry!" Well, actually, no "thank yous" at all and the two writers later messed me around so badly I regretted helping them.
Another artist I helped get work with Fleetway then DC -I still have his thank you letter- cold shouldered me at a Bristol Comic Expo. When someone mentioned to him later that I was puzzled by his attitude he responded: "I have absolutely no idea who he is. Never met him." Odd, since I published him both in my Previews new talent comic and interviewed him for Zine Zone!
But I have come to expect this and am never disappointed.
At the moment there are no real paying rates professional mainstream comic publishers in the UK.
So what do you do if you want to work in comics?
Avoid any publisher who looks at your work and says "Hey great. Fantastic. I can publish this but I'll need 45-50% of the print cost up front from you."
Publish yourself?
Why not? Print on demand means YOU are the boss of your own book/characters and you only have to order as many as you think you can sell.
But please do not think you are going to suddenly hit the money. I've been in this business over three decades and I'll tell you, even with best selling books, you are guaranteed a struggle and hungry days. You may never get thaty "big hit" you hoped for. You may need a part time job. If you are married or in a relationship then comics will test that to the full.
Don't think that getting an expensive table at a big con will get you the big break. Don't think that talking to professionals will help -I've seen them put down some great artists with fantastic portfolios (remember: you are their future competition). Go to smaller events. Talk to people. Get them interested. Build up regular followers, blog -get on Face Book.
You may be dumb enough to stick with it. Good luck to you.
I hope by 56 years of age you are a roaring success!
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