Seeking Comic Book Artists -- Pay, Publishing, Percentage of Profits


I currently write three online comics -- one regular strip and two graphic novels -- and I'm going to start up several more graphic novels in the coming months, with the goal of launching at least two more in the next five or six weeks. Like "Marry Me" and "Last Blood," these graphic novels are all based on my movie ideas and I hope the comics will help lead to Hollywood sales.

I'm looking for various artists who will receive the following if hired . . .

* At least $10 per page, more for covers.
* As many free copies as they'd reasonably want of the published comic books.
* A significant percentage of the profits from the comics (online and in print) and also a percentage of the profits from anything the project makes outside of the comics, like movies or TV shows.

I won't reveal much at all about the stories at this point, not even the titles in some cases, since not all of them are registered with the WGA yet and because it's nice to have certain comics be spoiler free for a while, but here's the rundown . . .

* LINE OF SUCCESSION
Political action thriller set in Washington, D.C. Needs pretty realistic art, gotta draw famous landmarks and a bunch of guys in nice suits.
* PRINCESS AMAZIA
In "+EV", my poker comic, Scarlett's favorite TV show is "Princess Amazia," which, among other things, is about a young princess from another world who gets abandoned on Earth. Here's Scarlett in a Princess Amazia Halloween costume and here's some of the Princess Amazia theme song. Cartoony art style. Need to draw a lot of middle school kids.
* DREAMLESS
A very unique World War II romance set in Japan and America. Realistic art. This one might end up being an illustrated novella instead of a graphic novel, and that decision will be partly based on what kind of artists I find.
* TITLE WITHHELD (just refer to it as CGI Aliens)
A cartoony comedy involving aliens (and humans) which I hope will be a CGI-animated film.
* SERIES FINALE
A real-time story set in the future involving a trip from the Earth to the Moon and back. Dramedy, various art styles are possible.
* TITLE WITHHELD (Crazy Romantic Comedy)
Crazy romantic comedy! Open to various styles for this one too. Manga might work.
* PAINTING THE BLACK
Sports drama (baseball). Realistic art. This was the first screenplay I ever completed in early 2000.
* TETANUS SHOT
A drama involving seeing someone's entire life in an interesting way. Realistic best for this probably.

These graphic novels will run between 80 and 120 pages or so and will be set up as Monday/Wednesday/Friday comics online. I already have the domains for some of these. They are listed above in order of which ones I want to do first, but if I find a perfect artist for one of the projects lower on the list, I might start those up right away. Also, if the comics are successful, most of them could easily have sequels and continue on indefinitely.

I would greatly prefer an artist who also letters and colors, but it's not 100 percent necessary. Those who can will certainly have an advantage, though.

PUBLISHING: All of these graphic novels will be published by Blatant Comics and distributed by Diamond. We'll also be printing books along the way at times, like the 32-page "Last Blood" Free Comic Book Day issue, which received over 15,000 orders and is at the printers right now. One of the books in the above list will almost certainly be a Free Comic Book Day book for 2008. Here's the "Last Blood" FCBD cover by artist Owen Gieni.

AUDIENCE: With major links from "+EV," "Marry Me," "Last Blood," and several other sites that I have an association with, each new graphic novel is practically guaranteed to have at least 2,000 readers or so from the start. "Marry Me" is only two months old and already has about 9,000 readers.

MY WRITING: The best example of my writing right now is "Marry Me," but feel free to check out "+EV" and "Last Blood" as well. My scripts are usually very detailed, but the level of detail depends on the artist I'm working with, among other things. Here's an example of what your first script will probably be like, since it's Page 1 of "Marry Me," although I already had a good deal of trust in this artist's choices from reading his other comics --

------------------------------
Page 1

Layout: Six panels, standard comic book page of three rows of two panels each, but feel free to play around with the size and shape of the panels however you'd like. And if you ever have any suggestions about the script, I'd like to hear them.

Panel 1: We see JANNY applying makeup to STASIA. Stasia sits in front of a mirror and Janny stands to her side. I suggest an angle from behind Stasia where we see her face reflected in the mirror. Your choice on what kind of makeup tools are being used here, but it should be some final touch up type stuff. If we see Janny's face, she should look a little excited. Stasia should look bored and maybe a little pouty, looking straight ahead at herself in the mirror. Stasia wears a white robe.

JANNY: WANNA HEAR SOMETHING INTERESTING?

STASIA: NO.

Panel 2: Closer shot of Stasia's face, with Janny's head also in the shot, probably seeing the side of Janny's face. Stasia's eyes are now looking up towards Janny. Stasia doesn't like where this conversation is going, wherever that is. Janny's still applying makeup.

JANNY: WELL, DID YOU SEE THAT "STATELY MANOR" WAS #1 THIS WEEKEND?

STASIA: SO?

Panel 3: Focus on Janny here, with Stasia down in the corner of the panel, looking grumpy. Janny should be holding up three fingers and looking happy (she's stopped applying makeup for the moment). Also, Janny's outfit (maternity clothes) should be distinctive in some clear way, because we're going to see it again later in the story and it should be recognizable as being the same one.

JANNY: SO THAT MEANS YOUR LAST THREE BOYFRIENDS ARE CURRENTLY STARRING IN THE #1 MOVIE IN THE COUNTRY, THE LEAD SINGER IN THE BAND WITH THE #1 ALBUM, AND LEADING THE NBA IN SCORING.

Panel 4: Close up of Stasia, looking frustrated.

STASIA: SO?

JANNY: JUST THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING.

Panel 5: Back to seeing them both. Stasia gives a derisive look and Janny looks a little confused.

STASIA: AND CHRISTIAN IS HARDLY STARRING IN "STATELY MANOR" -- HE PLAYS THE BUTLER.

JANNY: BUT THE BUTLER SAVES THE DAY, DOESN'T HE?

Panel 6: Stasia looks frustrated, not wanting to concede the point, and if we see Janny (your choice), she should be smirking.

STASIA: TECHNICALLY.
-----------------------

And here's what artist Remy "Eisu" Mokhtar came up with for the page.

I'll adapt to what's needed for each artist and I provide sketches when necessary to go along with the script. The artist (s) will also get character descriptions before we start the actual pages so we can finalize their looks, and that might be part of the auditioning process as well.

If you're interested in illustrating any of these graphic novels or if you have any questions, please reply here or e-mail me at bobbyc512@gmail.com. Let me know which project (s) you're most interested in and give me examples of your art (preferably links to existing sites instead of attachments, but anything's fine). If I think you might be a good fit for something but don't have enough clear examples of your art, I may give you a sample script to draw and/or request sketches of the main characters. Thanks for your time.
Comments73
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Jan-ilu's avatar
Im interested I send a messege on e-mail

check my gallery please
gzapata's avatar
This post is over 3 years old, not sure how these get brought back but unless the original poster returns to say he did it or is still looking,

THERE IS NO JOB

POST 3 YEARS OLD
DeeHopper's avatar
Hi. I think my art would most be suited to line of succession and dreamless. Check out my gallery here [link] and let me know
Optic-AL's avatar
Currently working on some online G.I.JOE books as well as other projects with Rising Sun Comics. Totally interested in taking things to the next level, please check my DA page, send me your thoughts.
gzapata's avatar
this post is over 3 years old
Optic-AL's avatar
Reeeeeaaaalllly, then I'm a smidge behind on this one. Sorry, thanks anyhoo.
hi. i am interested in your offer..please check my gallery..
Arman-Rillo-Sr's avatar
visit our Website for Sample Illustrations:

[link]
[link]
who pulled up this ad? I didn't think that job offers that have had no attention for two years would even still appear anywhere on here...
Kefka750's avatar
I am interested.
for this opportunity i would do it. its the exsposure not so much the pay check out my deviant art page brandonjkd and tell me what you think. i am really interested in working on one of your projects. thank you for your time
YummyKitty's avatar
Dude, this job offer is two and a half years old! Didn't you check the date?
actually no i did not sorry about that i dont get on here much i stay very busy saw the posting and just responded still trying to get to know all that deviant has to offer
klaatu81's avatar
Hiu, I´m insterested in this offer. take a look at my gallery, and, as I have a lot of different styles, you can choose which one you think suits better with each storyline.

Hope you like what you see!
It's actually not too late, by the way, so keep those submissions coming. I may also be able to pay a little more now, depending on the project and the artist, of course. I also am almost certainly going to need a new artist for "Last Blood" (lastblood.net) because the current artist doesn't have time to work on it so much anymore, although he may at least do the flashback sequences in the second graphic novel (20-30%), while a new artist does the rest (70-80%).
treybor's avatar
im interested.please check my gallery..
pixarjunkie's avatar
that would be so much fun! to draw for you, i mean. i just saw this notice today, so i don't know how late i am. if i'm too late then sorry! i just figured it wouldn't hurt to post here. check out my stuff please?
drunkenraster's avatar
Wow I wish I found out about this earlier. I just signed on to do a single issue comic book. It's my first time so I'm just doing it for percentage of profit if the book sells - it's for a movie promotion and I figured I'll do the work for free as long as they give me supplies - since it's my first time n' all. It's gonna take another week or so before I'm done with this job. But I keep hearing this percentage of profit thing.

My question: What's a good percentage of book sales for me if I do all the art and lettering for a b&w comic that's 20 pages long?
Kingnoodles's avatar
I'm very interested in this. I think your prices are reasonable enough. Please look at my gallery and drop me a note!
leash1994's avatar
Check out my gallery, preferably scraps, to see if you like my style.
aceoni's avatar
I am interested!
Count me in. I'm very interested in this.
Crayman's avatar
i`m interested in anything cartoony or any various styles on the matter , look at my gallery and send me a message or a note.