Comic Opportunities
First off, Digital Webbing is getting ready to launch a new digital version of their anthology. They've been doing it since 2001, and though I Googled till my Google ran out, I didn't find any bad gossip about artists' experience with them. OF course, i didn't find any good gossip too. Information is rather lacking. And the deal isn't ideal, but they appear to be genuine, forthwith people. Here's the 411, including a FAQ that I'm proud to say may have been created because of my email questions.
DWP 2.0 will be taking advantage of current technology to publish as first-run digital content on mobile devices like iPhones and iPads, as well as online. Options for printed editions/collections are being discussed as well.
Relevant information about rights and compensation are here. Note that there's no up front payment, which sucks, and no one knows if the project will profit. For a 3 to 8 page comic, your cut may end up near negligable. So the question is, do you have a project you've wanted to do regardless and would like a forum to can share it with others and possibly get paid?
It's also in the FAQ, but from the email:
Q: What if any compensation is there? For example, are there first time digital rights payment and/or royalties?
A: The model we used before on the original run of DWP is pretty simple and we'll be using the same set up this time. Accepted stories that are published in any format get a percentage per page of profit. (If your story takes up 25% of the book you get 25% of the creator cut... pretty straight forward.) On digital, the app company takes a cut, then DWP will take a small cut and the rest (a majority of what we get from the app company) is divided between the creators. You retain all your rights but we ask that you refrain from publishing it in other places or formats for a time. The same basics apply to print, whatever is there after costs is divided. There are no up front rights fees paid.
Q: Seeing as you're considering the possibility of print in the future, what about compensation for print licensing? Will it, as with the digital, only be first time rights?
A: "First-run" in describing digital refers to it being original digital content. Most comics on apps right now are "second-run" or reprints of existing material. The digital books will be available indefinitely, so we'll ask a freeze on the material for one year from initial release.
Q: Is there a standard contract for this sort of digital publishing DW uses that can be viewed?
A: Official contracts, we've never had them. But I'm sure it's something we should address, a simple agreement would basically say what I've said here.
Q: Is that gross or net profit?
A: Whatever money DW takes in on digital (after the app distributor takes their cut) is divided by DWP and the creative teams. On print it would be after costs are recouped.
Q: Do you know or will you be posting the cut the app company and DW will be taking, flat rate or % of sales?
A: The exact details are up to DW's publisher to disclose or not. In the past it's been pretty transparent between DW and the creators. Just since the relaunch talk started I've probably spent 2-3 hours just about every day working on DWP "stuff" so I think it's reasonable that we take a little bite but the majority is going to go to the creators.
Q: Do you have a schedule for royalty payments? In other words, will payments be made once a title reaches X amount of profit or paid monthly, biannually, etc. regardless of amount?
A: That's another one for the publisher to work out. I would imagine, but I'm not sure, that it might be based on reaching a certain amount.
In other comic news, writer Mark Millar, known for his work on The Authority, The Ultimates, Wanted, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, and Kick-Ass, is launching his own comic anthology aimed at the 16-30 year old male demographic, and he's looking for 1 to 3 page self contained stories. He's already picked one from the posted submissions, but don't go there and and just list your art site or pages from your ongoing webcomic or 108 page project. Follow instructions. Again, I don't know what the compensation is other than the stated "decent page-rate", but being paid upfront plus getting into the anthology of a well known writer doesn't sound bad. And he's Scottish, and you know if it's not Scottish, it's craaaapp!
DWP 2.0 will be taking advantage of current technology to publish as first-run digital content on mobile devices like iPhones and iPads, as well as online. Options for printed editions/collections are being discussed as well.
- Pages need to be in traditional comic format... tall, not wide. (Standard 6.875"x10.5" Bleed / 6.625"x10.25" Trim / 6"x9.5" Live) That way we're all set for any print applications of the work. For submissions we only need low-rez JPGs.
- I would say a MINIMUM of three sequential pages AT LEAST tightly penciled and lettered* with a concisely written paragraph laying out the whole story (including the ending) would suffice. But the more you show, the easier it will be to sell us on the greatness that is you. Ultimately, color and lettering will be just as important as everything else. *(Submission lettering doesn't need to be publishing quality, it just needs to be good enough that we can read along with the art.)
- All stories should be self contained.... unless it's a serial. But a serialized story, when taken as a whole, needs to be self-contained as well. Doesn't mean you can't revisit the setting or characters again later we just want the reader to feel like they got a complete story. Stories or chapters of a serial should be around 8 pages.
- Content is fairly open. Keep it PG-13 or lower and we're open to pretty much anything from crime to space rangers to dragon slayers. For the time being we'll look at superheroes (I mean FIST OF JUSTICE got his start in DWP!) but you need to hit us with something DIFFERENT.[1]
Relevant information about rights and compensation are here. Note that there's no up front payment, which sucks, and no one knows if the project will profit. For a 3 to 8 page comic, your cut may end up near negligable. So the question is, do you have a project you've wanted to do regardless and would like a forum to can share it with others and possibly get paid?
It's also in the FAQ, but from the email:
Q: What if any compensation is there? For example, are there first time digital rights payment and/or royalties?
A: The model we used before on the original run of DWP is pretty simple and we'll be using the same set up this time. Accepted stories that are published in any format get a percentage per page of profit. (If your story takes up 25% of the book you get 25% of the creator cut... pretty straight forward.) On digital, the app company takes a cut, then DWP will take a small cut and the rest (a majority of what we get from the app company) is divided between the creators. You retain all your rights but we ask that you refrain from publishing it in other places or formats for a time. The same basics apply to print, whatever is there after costs is divided. There are no up front rights fees paid.
Q: Seeing as you're considering the possibility of print in the future, what about compensation for print licensing? Will it, as with the digital, only be first time rights?
A: "First-run" in describing digital refers to it being original digital content. Most comics on apps right now are "second-run" or reprints of existing material. The digital books will be available indefinitely, so we'll ask a freeze on the material for one year from initial release.
Q: Is there a standard contract for this sort of digital publishing DW uses that can be viewed?
A: Official contracts, we've never had them. But I'm sure it's something we should address, a simple agreement would basically say what I've said here.
Q: Is that gross or net profit?
A: Whatever money DW takes in on digital (after the app distributor takes their cut) is divided by DWP and the creative teams. On print it would be after costs are recouped.
Q: Do you know or will you be posting the cut the app company and DW will be taking, flat rate or % of sales?
A: The exact details are up to DW's publisher to disclose or not. In the past it's been pretty transparent between DW and the creators. Just since the relaunch talk started I've probably spent 2-3 hours just about every day working on DWP "stuff" so I think it's reasonable that we take a little bite but the majority is going to go to the creators.
Q: Do you have a schedule for royalty payments? In other words, will payments be made once a title reaches X amount of profit or paid monthly, biannually, etc. regardless of amount?
A: That's another one for the publisher to work out. I would imagine, but I'm not sure, that it might be based on reaching a certain amount.
In other comic news, writer Mark Millar, known for his work on The Authority, The Ultimates, Wanted, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, and Kick-Ass, is launching his own comic anthology aimed at the 16-30 year old male demographic, and he's looking for 1 to 3 page self contained stories. He's already picked one from the posted submissions, but don't go there and and just list your art site or pages from your ongoing webcomic or 108 page project. Follow instructions. Again, I don't know what the compensation is other than the stated "decent page-rate", but being paid upfront plus getting into the anthology of a well known writer doesn't sound bad. And he's Scottish, and you know if it's not Scottish, it's craaaapp!