Comics Work Does Not Mean You Have Guaranteed Financial Security

 I was asked why, if I have been in comics so long, I am not better off financially. The answer is easy; comics is far from the warm and friendly place people believe it is. Even artists I got work in comics for -Fleetway (2000 AD, Revolver etc) and even with DC- were very quick to back stab.

One well known artist I worked with and thought that I could trust actually stole a comic project and sold it to a publisher -and the publisher KNEW it was my creation. Once the internet came in I found out and got paid but such a small amount that the arguing was not worth it.

The same publisher -against the signed contract we had- went ahead and sold foreign rights to two series that were eventually published in Spanish and French -which is how I found out. The publisher claimed (because nothing was on paper) that he had literally given the work away. Again, the money I got would not have paid a week's rent.

I found out that a signed contract means nothing in comics. I did a lot of work for independent comics in the US including international promotion.One company I promoted heavily in Europe and one day a friend in Germany said that it was a shame I could not attend a convention with the company. I had no idea what he was talking about until he explained the company had been following up on all my efforts and attended a couple conventions at which even the organisers asked where I was. The company's response when I asked what was going on?  "Our company. None of your business" so I explained that in that case if they paid me for all the work I had done as promised I'd step back. The company's response was that I had no written contract so it was all "voluntary".

I put a couple projects together for Bastei Verlag in Germany but then silence. A little after that the same happened with Fleetway. The late Gil Page, Managing Editor of Fleetway told me what had happened in both cases: Egmont had purchased both companies and immediately ordered all projects in the works to be cancelled. Editors were told that they were not allowed to contact creators to let them know what was going on.

I was in touch with two Indian comic publishers and they wanted an Indian super hero comic and a one off at that of 48 pages to test the market.  In both cases I kept each up to date but then one told me (after I completed the project) "Oh we've lost interest" -end of story. The other project completed the company wanted me to do a colour version so that their colourist knew what was what. 52 pages went off (b&w and the colour copy) and after a month I contacted the publisher and.... "We don't want the project. That editor has left" and that was the big  "get lost".

Not a single kill fee for any of the projects.

I could go on and on but if you look at European (such as Lambiek), some American and Far East comic data bases you will find my biography. The UK -nothing. At one time I was listed on Wikipedia because of my Small Press publishing and promoting the medium as well as for my comics work. Then the entry vanished. The person who wrote both uploaded them again -removed. Apparently certain persons in British comics were behind that and although the person tried updating things again in 2024 -it was all deleted after two days.

A lot of people and companies outside the UK know me and use my knowledge (for free but I've stopped that now) but hiring me as a writer? Nah.

So now you know and let me tell you, despite millions of views over several blogs very few sales come from views.  So I sit here and wonder whatever happened to my pension plans!