How Much Does A Comic Book Artist Make?
Comic book artists are the people behind our loved and idolized superheroes and villains. Because of the fame and publicity these characters gain some of us might be intrigued on how much does a comic book artist make? Are they paid off well and enough?
Comic book artists are usually paid either by page or by article (comic book issue), depending on the type of job. However, their average salary would depend on a lot of factors such as: the publisher, number of years of experience, reputation and connections. Royalties are often offered to artists by independent comic publishing companies based on the number of sales. Magazines and advertising agencies are the usual source of best and high paying projects.
The average annual salary could range from $20,000 to $40,000. Benefits and deductions would depend on your publisher, company and terms of employment. Freelance artists are paid on a per-page basis, which usually starts at $100 per page. As an artist, if you can carry out multiple tasks in a faster pace, this would be an advantage for you.
To give you a better overview, here is a list of rates offered by different types of publishers:
- Mainstream Comics
- Pencil art - $100 to $250 per page
- Painted art - $300 to $400 per page
- Ink art - $75 to 200 per page
- Independent Comics (Royalty per sales)
- 8% for 5,000 units sold
- 10% for above 5,000 units sold
- For a 24-page comic book, $3 for 10,000 units sold
- Self-Publishers
- $2,000 for 1,000 units sold
Now that you are already aware on how much a comic book artist makes you can make a better informed decision on your future career. Always remember that creativity, diligence and patience work together for a person to succeed in this career. Publishing companies consider money in comic books as an investment. That is why, getting the best comic book artist is their priority. Years of experience would be your best asset. The more you know, the better your opportunities will be.
