Graphic Novel contract info for creators?

Atomic Bear · Feb 17, 2007

I am looking for information on what is to be expected, contract wise, with graphic novel work for someone who will do both the art and writing.

How much of an advance should the artist get for (both) writing/illustration a new work?

How long should the company hold the publishing rights (3 books in a series?)?

Do supplies work in separately are should they be included in the advance?

Should the publisher also be allowed to create derivative works like creating cards and toys?

PeeDee · Feb 17, 2007

It depends entirely on the publisher you're talking about (which one?)

If it's DC or Marvel, for example, then you get the fun world of creator-owned licenses and company owned. For example, Neil Gaiman's Sandman doesn't belong to him, it belongs to DC. They could revive the series if they wanted.

I wouldn't be a stickler over merchandising.

Beyond that...it depends on publisher, on book, and on your own history as a comic book artist/writer.

TsukiRyoko · Feb 17, 2007

It depends on the publisher you're choosing. If they have a website, it should offer some info or a contact screen name/phone number or something.

PeeDee · Feb 17, 2007

TsukiRyoko said:
It depends on the publisher you're choosing. If they have a website, it should offer some info or a contact screen name/phone number or something.

But even the info you can get off web-sites will only tell you the basic details for when you're first getting into the contract. They won't discuss the long term details.

(such as: after six years, do the characters revert to creator? Do you get a percentage of the merchandising, or does the publisher take all? Can they bring other artists and writers in to keep the story going if they want? Are you going to be considered for graphic novel collection? Do they want your series, or do they want your writing instead and you will be put on another active comic?)

TsukiRyoko · Feb 17, 2007

PeeDee said:
But even the info you can get off web-sites will only tell you the basic details for when you're first getting into the contract. They won't discuss the long term details.

(such as: after six years, do the characters revert to creator? Do you get a percentage of the merchandising, or does the publisher take all? Can they bring other artists and writers in to keep the story going if they want? Are you going to be considered for graphic novel collection? Do they want your series, or do they want your writing instead and you will be put on another active comic?)

Eee, true. Any website will only provide the most general info. Even if they did have someone you could personally contact, they still wouldn't dig much deeper into details.

PeeDee · Feb 17, 2007

And that's another thing we need to know before we can make useful guesses. Are we talking comic books (issues) or graphic novels (book-like)? There's a big difference.

As it is, either way, a comic book publisher is not nearly the same as dealing with a book publisher.

ALLWritety · Feb 23, 2007

Newbie- Whats the difference?

HI
Sorry for asking such a green newbie Q but what is the difference between comic books and graphic novels???

I thought that comics were for kids and graphic novels were for adults. Is there any thing more?

I have other Q's as I am looking to write some comics/graphic novels over the summer. I will check to see if they have already been dealt with before I post.
But thats all for now!

CHeers
kev

Atomic Bear · Feb 23, 2007

The diffrence between a graphic novel and comic book is in the format it is created and/or published in and not the subject matter. In modern graphic storytelling There are literary comics, erotica, fantasy,superheroes, urban fantasy, autobiography, new-agey, etc.

-- A comic book or pamphlit is usually about 24 to 36 pages and is part of a serialized series or stand alone short story.

-- The graphic novel is a comic book written/created in a longer format and is published as one book.

-- The term 'graphic novel' sometimes is also applied to Trade Paperbacks which are a collection of the single comic books that have been combined into one publication. Most story arch from DC and Marvel comics are written over 6 issues so they can re-printed as a trade paperback. You also find collections of manga printed this way a lot of the time. Libraries will usually have Trades in the graphic novel section as well.

The stores that are contained within can be written for anyone: Kids, Adults, Seniors, etc. To see a good example of a cross section of work for different ages, I like Fantagraphics. They have a lot of work that are aimed at adults only. But they have kids titles too.

Examples: http://www.fantagraphics.com/cart/

PeeDee · Feb 23, 2007

A fun story. Neil Gaiman, at a part, told a man that he wrote comic books for a living. He started to talk about his comic book, and after awhile, the man recognized that he was talking about Sandman.

"My dear boy!" The man said, "You don't write comics, you write graphic novels!"

Atomic Bear nailed the differences pretty clearly. Basically, it's the difference between a 'hooker' and a 'lady of the evening.'

Atomic Bear · Feb 23, 2007

PeeDee said:
Atomic Bear nailed the differences pretty clearly. Basically, it's the difference between a 'hooker' and a 'lady of the evening.'

Ha, funny.

And observation: a lot of graphic novels seem to be written/drawn by the same person or by a team of two. This is much more in line with the creation of an all text novel. I think this is one reasons why a lot of adult readers are enjoying some of the new independent graphic novels.

Some Collected work, for instance Jeff Smith's 'Bone' is better (in my opinion) as a collected work then as separate issues. This might be because one person writes and draws it, and is all their vision. Another favorite of mine, 'Castle Waiting', is an excellent read as a collected work.

PeeDee · Feb 23, 2007

I'm not sure the stories collected in graphic novels are any more inclined toward adults or toward kids. I mean some are, I don't think there's a kid alive who would pick up Alan Moore's From Hell and go "Wow, this is fun to read!"

Tallymark · Feb 23, 2007

Think of it this way: a comic book is like a tv series, while a graphic novel is like a movie. But, nowadays, lots of your favorite tv series are available on dvd boxset, so you can sit down and run through the whole thing at once, as if it were a really long movie.

The difference is, with comics, both the books and the serial-compilations are often lumped together under the term 'graphic novel' once they've been put in book format. Like how you stick all your dvds on one shelf, whether it's a movie or a box set.

yay for lame metaphors.

veinglory · Mar 15, 2007

Graphic novels have more pages. They can be just as silly and kid-oriented. I think the term is often also applied to collected comics--once it required perfect binding rather than staples it is g n. (Speaking as the girl who shelved these things in store that was purely how we made the distinction).

Stacia Kane · Mar 15, 2007

PeeDee said:
It depends entirely on the publisher you're talking about (which one?)

If it's DC or Marvel, for example, then you get the fun world of creator-owned licenses and company owned. For example, Neil Gaiman's Sandman doesn't belong to him, it belongs to DC. They could revive the series if they wanted.

Weelll...He does have a handshake agreement from DC that they won't though, not without his approval...so if they ever want to work with Gaiman again they won't.

But you are right, work for the Big Guys is work-for-hire. Alan Moore doesn't have the rights to any of the Watchmen stuff.

Graphic Novel contract info for creators?

Atomic Bear

the Bruin of Tomorrow™

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

TsukiRyoko

Forced into cell phone life

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

TsukiRyoko

Forced into cell phone life

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

ALLWritety

One Step closer, I hope!

Atomic Bear

the Bruin of Tomorrow™

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Atomic Bear

the Bruin of Tomorrow™

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Tallymark

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Stacia Kane

Girl Detective