How much do comic book artists make? salary vs. hourly rate or a set fee? Also do they get a percentage if...

Question

they create a character/design a costume/etc. i'm just curious i wanna go to art school but i don't knwo....

Answer 1

Depends on the comic book popularity and what the artist can negotiate.

Usually not much for beginning illustrators.

Top level artists such as Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Alex Ross et al can negotiate for a lot more.

Answer 2

It depends on the popularity of the artist, and also how quickly they can produce work. Most of them have a standard rate which increases as their desirability does. Artists also have their artwork returned to them after it has been published and they can sell it on the collectors market for hundreds or thousands of dollars (again, depending on their popularity).

They only get a significant percentage if they own the characters they create. Generally if you work for Marvel or DC, Marvel and DC own the characters you create. Many writers and artists seek creative ownership. In the cases where you own an incredibly popular character, you can easily become a millionaire. But this is only for the most popular. Most artists struggle to establish themselves and will have separate day jobs to help support themselves.