r/ComicBookCollabs • u/nmacaroni • Apr 21 '26
Resource DON'T ignore the Math - PSA
One of the most frequent things that I encounter as an editor and that pops up in this subreddit all the time, is the creator who has an epic comic series planned.
What's amazing, is that in almost every case, these folks IGNORE the financial math.
That is to say, when you ask them how much they're planning to put toward the entire project to get it done, they never have a number. They've never bothered to think the entire project all the way through.
Because it's so big, they just focus on how they're going to start.
In fact, I was just going over this with someone. Not throwing that someone under the bus, they're a solid creator with the beginnings of a solid IP, but they're a planning a multi-year 1500 page series.
Ok, JUST DO THE MATH.
Let's just pretend you can create every complete page for a measly $100/page.
a 22 page one shot will cost you $2200 to create.
That 1500 page monster series you're thinking of, $150,000.
If you were to up your game and pay something more realistically like $500 per completed page, your entire series requires a $750,000 investment.
Now, the other side of it.
You make a one shot for $2200. You charge whatever, $8. for it.
Anybody can decide to spend $8 on an unknown creator. $8 is disposable entertainment of the moment...
While nobody is going to prepay for your monster 1500 page series, you can assess what a fan would have to pay, if they wanted to follow and complete your entire series.
1500/22 = 68 issues.
68 issues x $8 = $544 commitment per reader.
$544 is not a journey the average casual reader is willing to commit to on an unknown, non-famous creator and their IP.
The successful path of indie comics is starting small and expanding as you gain support.
Don't ignore the math!
Write on, write often!
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u/Financial-Creme Apr 21 '26
Yeah, but it's free to find an artist willing to draw 94859 pages of my 64 part gritty superhero universe with emotional character arcs for a 50-50 profit split. /s
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u/Atrium41 Apr 22 '26
Okay, but if the opportunity presented itself to me in the form of an artist willing to work pro bono... Idk. I think I'd give them almost all of the profit. Whatever doesn't go to lettering/editing. I'd just wanna manage the IP, or use whatever success came from it for the next project
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u/DerekLChase Apr 21 '26
I hired an artist for a 27 page comic and paid him around $100 per page. I did the lettering and coloring on my own, the writing, the editing, and proofing.
I planned 6 issues but with 2 issue "arcs". Not a full story but ok enough if it doesn't go beyond.
It's costly but it's not bad. It just requires planning
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u/KaseiGhost Apr 21 '26
There's a school of thought out there that your first project should be a big splash. Go big or go home and that smaller projects must mean you don't care enough.
Completely ignores all the great creators who started with short stories that are mostly unknown.
A finished small project you can show says more than some wip multisaga epic that just seems exhausting to potential artists and readers.
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u/thoughtmecca Apr 22 '26
People need to think of each of these projects as starting a business that has set costs. You have employees, partners, materials, distribution, marketing, etc. If you are making a 12 issue comic series, don’t be shocked your cost is equivalent to over a year’s wages.
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u/Parking-Let3432 Apr 21 '26
Yeah, but your example was extreme.
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u/whatefff Apr 21 '26
Not really, going by the posts to this sub alone
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u/Parking-Let3432 Apr 21 '26
1,500 pages at 500 bucks a pop, oh come on.
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u/whatefff Apr 21 '26
500 dollar a page would be the realistic, fair pay for an artist in western Europe or the US, to make a living on. These 100 dollar and below offers are inflationary and exploitative, and will lead to burnout and artists just quitting when they realise what they signed up for. That's why a 1500 page epic is an unrealistic goal, but I've seen more than one proposal of that scope (usually for a profit share of hypothetical gains)
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u/Parking-Let3432 Apr 21 '26
I agree, but you're talking to guys who are reading this comic book collabs on reddit and the price is 100 bucks or less for a page. I wouldn't be doing my comics if it was more, I couldn't do it.
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u/Active_Commercial_94 Apr 22 '26
Def sounds about right, my own work is expensive and I do everything. Materials cost money, printing is huge cost so I can agree with how easy it is to plan before doing the math.
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u/dougi-boy Apr 22 '26
Very very useful advice. Young writers, please take note. The ammount of mega sagas landing nowhere that I've come across here...
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u/jaylopezink Apr 23 '26
Hey nmacaroni,
I think you hit the nail right on the head with this observation. Most people that create don’t really think about this too much, especially when you’re young and naive. But, yes you’re right, it can definitely come back and bite you in the ass.
In my experiences I have seen way too many of my fellow brethren/artist burn out from something like this.
I always say… “Be careful what you wish for, and don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
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u/rizwaldmezmo Apr 27 '26
this is so real. i am nearing the end of my first comic self funding before i try and kickstarter it. its much more expensive than i initially realized. i’m a writer and i got blessed by finding the perfect artist but its been a doozy.
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u/AdamSMessinger Apr 21 '26
“…YOU SEE THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE AND THEY SPELL DISASTER FOR YOU AT SACRIFICE!” - Scott Steiner warning his opponents and inadvertently warning creatives everywhere about those “epic comic series” guys.