Batman: White Knight creator and prolific comic book artist Sean Gordon Murphy took to Twitter to provide seven easy business tips for comic book artists.
These tips are supposed to help artists protect their time, wages, self-respect, and sanity.
SGM’s 6 EASY BUSINESS TIPS for comic artists that will help protect your time, your wages, your self respect, and your sanity. These are things they should have taught you in art school, but pobably didn’t.
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
His first tip is to get a lawyer and make sure you understand the agreement you are getting yourself into.
1. Get a lawyer to read your contract, so you understand the agreement. And don’t tell me you can’t afford it–if you’re willing to do a 6 month gig but not willing to pay a lawyer at least 1 HOUR to look it over, then don’t complain when you get burned.
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
He then suggests that you stop working if you haven’t heard from your publisher or writer in more than three days if you are working on a creator owned book.
2. If you’re doing a creator owned book and the publisher/writer hasn’t written you back for 3 days, STOP WORKING. Don’t keep plugging along assuming the project is fine, because there might be trouble. Investigate and ask lots of questions.
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
Next up, he suggests you are CC’d on all communications between the writer and publisher because it might include important information like contract negotiations, scheduling, and sales figures.
3. Make sure you’re CCed on all emails your writer might be having with the publisher. This may include contract negotiations, scheduling, creative discussions, and sales figures…
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
…Artist contribute 70% of the hours of most comics–it’s not asking much for them to CC you, even if you don’t need to respond.
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
His fourth tip is to manage your expectations.
4. Manage your expectations and get used to disappointment. Chances are your comic will sell less copies, get less buzz, pay less royalties, and experience more delays than you’re hoping for.
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
For his fifth tip, he suggests artists ask for a raise especially on subsequent projects with the same publisher.
5. Ask for a raise. Or ask for other things in your contracts. Most artist are terrified to rock the boat, which is great for publishers because it saves them money. Try to make each gig a step up, even if your publisher says no.
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
Sean Gordon Murphy’s sixth tip is to get a hobby outside of comics.
6. Get a hobby outside of comics and spend less time online. Most of us are insecure introverts who spend an unhealthy amount of time alone. Want to be a happier/more interesting/thicker-skinned person? Then get out of your damn bubble.
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
Finally, his seventh tip is to act like a professional and let your meanest friend call you out for your “bullshit.”
7. (BONUS) You are not a celebrity, you are a professional. So if you think your ego is getting out of control, give your meanest/coldest/lowest bullshit friend 110% permission to call you on your bullshit so you can always keep it real.
— Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) August 8, 2018
What do you make of Sean Gordon Murphy’s advice? Will any of you aspiring and up and coming artists take his advice?