Attorney, Author, and Business Consultant for the Comic Book Industry

Filtering by Category: Aspiring Artists

What Are the Twelve Downsides to Working Freelance in Comics?

Added on January 21, 2023 by Gamal Hennessy.

This is a modified excerpt from a book I’m working on called The Business of Freelance Comic Book Publishing. It attempts to define the disadvantages of creating comics that you don’t ultimately own. While this can’t be taken as legal advice, it can help you understand what you need to consider before you create comics for someone else.

There is a significant amount of general hostility against work-for-hire agreements, but that animosity often lacks specifics or singles out a particular egregious case of abuse. As a general matter, when you work as an independent contractor in comics, there are quite a few things you will lack compared to an employee, creator-owned artist, or independent creator:

1. Benefits: Freelance creators do not get vacation days, sick days, insurance, stock options, or other employment perks.

2. Certainty: Freelance creators have no guarantee that their clients will pay. In most cases, the government will not intervene on your behalf.

3. Debt protection: Freelance creators are liable for the debts of their business. Without the proper business structure, a business failure could lead to a personal financial loss.

4. Financial favoritism: Freelance creators can often face discrimination from financial institutions and lenders because they do not have what they consider a stable income.

5. Free time: According to recent surveys, independent contractors in America work more hours than employees in government, nonprofit, and private businesses.

6. Labor protection: Labor laws, including worker’s compensation laws, do not protect freelance creators in the same ways that employees are protected.

7. Materials: Freelance creators need to acquire everything they need to run their business, including workspace, materials, internet access, and most importantly, caffeine.

8. Ownership: Freelance creators normally have no ownership of the characters or stories they create. In many cases, if their story goes on to inspire a billion-dollar film, they will get no additional payment. They might not even get invited to the movie premiere. There are some forms of ownership based on limited transfers of rights, but this is a long-term strategy that can lead to more money but not actual ownership.

9. Permanence: The relationship between a freelance creator and a client is temporary by definition and can end at any time. This means that you need to be comfortable with a certain amount of financial insecurity, or see comic freelancing as a side hustle and not a full-time job.

10. Stability: Even freelancers with existing client relationships do not know how much work they will get in any given month. The workload can switch from feast to famine without warning.

11. Support: There is no existing business structure for a freelance creator to fall back on, so unless they bring in outside vendors, they have to be their own accounting, legal, human resources, marketing, sales, customer service, and project management departments in addition to creating comics.

12. Tax protection: Depending on the situation, freelance creators may pay more Medicare and Social Security taxes than employees. For example, in 2018, employees pay a 7.65% tax on their salaries and employers pay a matching amount. In contrast, self-employed people must pay the entire tax themselves. This is in addition to federal and state income taxes.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

If you’d like to learn more about freelance comic book publishing, subscribe to the Comics Connection newsletter for blog updates and information about the upcoming Kickstarter campaign.

If you have questions about the business or legal aspects of your comic book publishing and you'd like a free consultation, please contact me and we can set something up that fits in with your schedule.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

What Are the Seven Benefits of Working in Comics as a Freelancer?

Added on January 14, 2023 by Gamal Hennessy.

This is a modified excerpt from a book I’m working on called The Business of Freelance Comic Book Publishing. It attempts to define the advantages of creating comics that you don’t ultimately own. While this can’t be taken as legal advice, it can help you understand why you might decide to create comics for someone else.

At first glance, working as a freelancer in the comic book industry seems like an inherently bad deal and while there is plenty of hostility against work-for-hire agreements that I’ll go into in my next post, there are several benefits to the freelance creator in the context of comic books.

Access: Many people who want to make comics grew up reading comics. They love the stories. They care about the characters, and they aspire to help write the next chapter in this postmodern mythology. Because their favorite characters are owned by other companies, the only way to create those stories is as a freelance creat
Autonomy: Employees of a publisher may be accountable to several layers of superiors in the hierarchy of the company and can easily be dragged into interoffice politics. Freelancers are only accountable to their clients and their personal obligations.
Certainty: Many comics do not generate a profit, so comic creators relying on comic book sales to make a living might not be able to sustain themselves. Also, even if comic sales across the board were healthy enough for artists to survive, the profits for comics don’t materialize for months, sometimes years after the work is done and the book is published depending on the distribution model. Under a standard work-for-hire agreement, the artist is paid upfront, regardless of the sales or profits of the published book.
Flexibility: It is difficult for some people to be creative during regular business hours. It is often preferable to be able to create your schedule. Being a freelance creator gives you the ability to move where you want, for as long as you want, adjust your schedule to fit the rest of your life, and avoid the whims of corporate headcount. In the uncertain world we live in, being able to have more control over your business is a powerful asset.
Productivity: Compensation for freelancers is based on their output, not the hours they work, so the more efficient you can be the greater your earning potential.
Simplicity: Because you are not embedded in the corporate hierarchy, you can often get your job done without all the extra meetings, complex systems, and formalities inherent in large organizations.
Tax Benefits: When you’re self-employed, you can deduct any necessary expenses related to your business from your taxable income, as long as they are reasonable in amount and ordinarily incurred by businesses of your type. This may include, for example, office expenses (including those for home offices), travel and meal expenses, equipment costs, and insurance payments.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

If you’d like to learn more about freelance comic book publishing, subscribe to the Comics Connection newsletter for blog updates and information about the upcoming Kickstarter campaign.

What is the Legal Basis for Freelance Employment in Comics?

Added on January 7, 2023 by Gamal Hennessy.

This is a modified excerpt from a book I’m working on called The Business of Freelance Comic Book Publishing. It attempts to define the underlying legal concepts for freelance professionals working in comics. While this can’t be taken as legal advice, it can help you understand your rights, revenue, and responsibilities when it comes to working in the industry.

________________________________________________________________________

Intellectual property (or IP as it is often referred to) as “intangible creations of the human intellect” The components of comics (copyrights and trademarks) and the comics themselves constitute intellectual property, so working as a freelancer creates a legal situation that is different from driving an Uber.

In most situations, whoever creates IP owns the rights to that creation. The work-for-hire doctrine is an exception to that rule: “If a work is made for hire, an employer is considered the author even if an employee created the work. The employer can be a firm, an organization, or an individual and if the work is “prepared within the scope of their employment or a work is specially ordered or commissioned for use as a contribution to a collective work” then it can be considered work-for-hire.

It is important to note that as a freelancer, you have the legal ability to transfer some or all of the rights to your creations, but in many cases, comic book publishers will demand a total transfer of IP rights.

A transfer of IP rights must be in writing, often in a formal contract. If there is no contract granting a license or transferring IP rights to the publisher, then you may own or share ownership with that publisher, which can create some interesting scenarios if the comic becomes a film or a Netflix series one day.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

If you’d like to learn more about freelance comic book publishing, subscribe to the Comics Connection newsletter for blog updates and information about the upcoming Kickstarter campaign.

CPI New York Comic-Con Wrap Up 10.15.21

Added on October 15, 2021 by Gamal Hennessy.

I’ve finally recovered from my three-day odyssey in and around the Javits Center and dug myself out of the massive pile of unanswered emails, so it’s time for me to provide my rundown of the first major post-pandemic convention of the year.

There have been plenty of news stories about the con from a general perspective (check out this good one from Comics Beat), but I want to focus on the professional panels that will be relevant to CPI members. I’ll proceed day-by-day and provide links where appropriate.

Thursday

Panel to Publisher Legal Education Seminar: I was a panelist at this three-hour presentation designed for lawyers who want to get into comic book law. While it covered a lot of ground in terms of intellectual property, contract negotiation, technology impacts, diversity issues, and relevant court cases, there wasn’t a lot of practical advice for the comic book creator. Anyone who wants to do a deep dive into these subjects should pick up Thomas Crowell’s Pocket Lawyer for Comic Book Creators

How to Sell Your Books to Libraries: Libraries are a huge untapped distribution channel for comics. This panel provided some insight into how emerging and independent publishers can find the right libraries to approach and what kind of information they need to consider your story. Here are a few highlights

o Libraries have several ways of finding comics to buy: This includes trade publications (like Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly), specialty blogs, and direct requests from library patrons.

o There is a big opportunity for digital library distribution: Libraries like comic shops have limited shelf space. Digital books give them more ability to buy without reducing the demand for physical books. If you place your book into digital services that libraries use (Overdrive, Bibliotechia, Comics Plus, and Libby) you have a better chance of getting your book circulated in libraries.

o Start small and build a network: Every library has different submission guidelines. Some have large comic collections, some have no comics and most are somewhere in between. To break into libraries, you need to visit the website of each library and see what the submission guidelines are. Once you break into your local libraries, you can branch out into different cities, states, and regions.

o Information is Key: Libraries have to be very aware of the content and nature of your comic before they can consider it. They need to know where your book fits in the collection and who the appropriate readers are. Calling your book an all-ages graphic novel doesn’t help. Detailed information including target age group, detailed plot descriptions, metadata, ISBNs, and review copies are all helpful tools you can give the librarians.

o Make the books easy to buy: Libraries don’t typically buy from Diamond. They buy from distributors like Baker and Taylor and Ingram. Adding another source for your books is key to tapping into this market.

o New types of books needed: Libraries are looking for books that serve diverse audiences. That means they are looking for comics aimed at 18–24-year-olds, not just kids. They want books with non-European international perspectives. They want emerging and independent publishers, so now is the time to look into libraries.

o If you want more information on library distribution, check out chapter 46 of The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing. (ICP)

Pitch Perfect: This panel offered tips and advice on how to pitch your comic ideas to publishers. The essence of the discussion focused on condensing your story into a short, single idea. This idea needs to encapsulate your entire story and create the kind of visceral, emotional reaction that will inspire someone to spend thousands of dollars and years of work publishing your story. There were also some guidelines on networking, building relationships, and the verbal skills that you need to make your pitch effective. If you want more information on pitching, see pages 41-42 of ICP.

Friday

Critical Comic Book Contracts: This legal panel focused more on the comic book creator than the lawyer. Many of the concepts discussed here can be found in chapters 20-25 of ICP and Lesson 7 in CPI, but the one new wrinkle they added was the importance of checking the social media history of people who you are working with to publish your comic. You don’t want to put years into a project only to find out your artist is the center of a firestorm on Twitter.

Kickstarter Secrets: Crowdfunding continues to be a major source of distribution and revenue for emerging and independent publishers. This panel highlighted a lot of information you can find in Chapter 68 of ICP, but they also mentioned a book by comic book veteran Greg Pak called Crowdfunding Secrets that I think we all should check out.

Saturday

Comic Book NFTs: Non-fungible tokens have been in the comic news cycle for months, so this panel was both expected and well attended. Most of the discussion focused on the various opportunities for creators and publishers to use NFT’s to create community and generate ongoing revenue, but they also addressed decreasing the environmental costs of the technology to make it more sustainable. If you’d like a more basic introduction to NFTs for comic book creators, you can check out this post I made over the summer.

Overall, NYCC was a cathartic, enjoyable, and productive event for comic book professionals and fans alike.

CPI members who want to discuss these panels in more depth can jump into our open Q&A session next Wednesday at 8:00 pm Eastern.

If you’d like to join CPI, please visit https://bit.ly/IntroCPI

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

The NYCC Preview Edition of The Professional Comics Creator for October 2021

Added on October 4, 2021 by Gamal Hennessy.

The Professional Comics Creator is sponsored by The Comics Publishing Institute (CPI).

CPI is a new educational service on the business and legal aspects of the comic book industry. We offer multiple live education lessons per month, weekly Q&A sessions, expert interviews, and more.

Click Here to Join the Comics Publishing Institute

As we head into NYCC, we’re looking at movement in the worlds of copyright ownership, continued distribution disruptions, and practical career advice for anyone trying to thrive in comics.

Legal

Ditko Estate Attempts to Gain Copyright to Spider-Man

(Comics Beat)

Copyright termination is a process included in the 1976 Copyright Act and allows creators to terminate a copyright agreement after 56 years. The termination for both characters would go into effect in 2023 if backed up by courts. But Disney is expected to fight reassignment by claiming that the work was done as “work for hire”.

Marvel Suing to Keep the Rights to the Avengers

(The Hollywood Reporter)

The litigation figures to focus on the “Marvel Method,” a loose collaborative working atmosphere where initial ideas were briefly discussed with artists responsible for taking care of the details. The Marvel Method has been the subject of prior litigation such as a dispute a decade back over “Ghost Rider.”

Distribution

IDW Follows the Big Two Away from Diamond

(Comics Beat)

"It’s yet another major blow to Diamond’s once near-monopoly on distribution to the direct market, but many had been waiting for this particular shoe to drop. Image, Dark Horse Dynamite are among the major publishers still distributed by Diamond exclusively."

(Bleeding Cool)

As demand for comic books of all descriptions has increased over the pandemic, unfortunately, the ability to print and distribute comic books has been hampered.

Career

Is Working in Comics Just a Side Hustle? (Video)

(Perch)

Millions of people have money in the stock market, but they’re not stockbrokers. Thousands of people invest in real estate, but they’re not real estate moguls. How many people create comics as their sole source of income?

New Guide for the Comic Book Letterer

(Screen Rant)

"Letterers play a critical role in the comic book creation process, and The Essential Guide to Comic Book Lettering promises to be an exhaustive guide for those who wish to break into the field."

Character: A Book Review

(Creative Contract Consulting)

Comic book characters can exist and inspire beyond the confines of their story if they capture the imagination. If you want to create quality characters and comics on any level, McKee’s books are an important addition to your professional library.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

The Comics Publishing Institute Welcomes Rich Douek on October 4th!

Added on September 29, 2021 by Gamal Hennessy.

Rich Douek is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated writer of original series like Sea of Sorrows, Road of Bones, and Wailing Blade, as well as writing for Wastelanders: Star Lord, Superman: Red and Blue, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Universe.

On Monday, October 4th at 8:00 PM, Eastern I’m going to sit down with Rich to discuss breaking into the comic book business and thriving as a working professional.

This interview and many others are only available to members of The Comics Publishing Institute. Find out more about what CPI has to offer and get your membership at https://bit.ly/joinCPI

Character: A Book Review

Added on September 27, 2021 by Gamal Hennessy.

I have recommended Robert McKee’s books to comic book creators for years, but his latest book might be his most relevant to this artform.

Character deconstructs the distinct works of art that populate stories. McKee analyzes the process of designing characters tapping into the psychological, philosophical, and social perspectives to create complex contradictions that readers identify with on both an intellectual and emotional level. McKee takes examples from every type of narrative art from The Odyssey to Breaking Bad to Waiting for Gadot to Mission: Impossible to A Fish Called Wanda to The Avengers to illustrate his points.

Characters are important to any story, but they might be most significant to modern comics because the characters can achieve so much life outside the narrative. Most of the Western world knows who Batman is, but not from reading the comics. The character has evolved and adapted to different stories and media over the decades in part because of his internal multilayered conflicts and the cast that surrounds him to highlight those facets of his experience. McKee’s book teaches you how to build that structure for your comics.

Our characters can exist and inspire beyond the confines of their story if they capture the imagination in the manner McKee lays out. If you want to create quality characters and comics on any level, McKee’s books are an important addition to your library.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

Professional Comic Book Creator for August 2021: The Challenge of Creating a Career in Comics

Added on August 18, 2021 by Gamal Hennessy.

The summer of 2021 may be the beginning of major shifts in the industry. Digital comics are gaining prominence, career struggles are being exposed and a new business educational service for comic creators is now available. Check out all the details and links below.

Education

The Comics Publishing Institute Launches Monday, September 13th.

(Nightlife Publishing)

Until now, many comic creators had to publish and pray to learn the business of comic book publishing. The Comics Publishing Institute teaches essential legal concepts and sound business principles. Join now while seats are still available.

Understanding Contracts (Video)

(Comic Book Writers on Writing)

I sat down with writer James Roche to discuss the major issues and concerns comic book creators need to consider in relation to their contracts.

Understanding Your Rights as an Artist (Video)

(Project Anime)

I joined global pop culture expert Kuo-Yu Liang to discuss the key things artists should know when it comes to protecting their work for a panel that was part of Anime Expo Lite 2021.

Career Advice

Can You Have a Career in Comics Without a Second Income?

(Comics Beat)

“The Beat has certainly detailed the struggles of paying bills through comics, plus also trying to maintain any kind of work/life balance, as these are all factors that have and continue to convince talented creators to quit, so it’s probably good for the community that the realities be unobscured and readily discussed without stigma.”

Marvel and DC’s Shut Up Money

(The Hollywood Reporter)

“Comic book history is full of stories of writers and artists who signed meager deals only to see their creations become icons, dating back to 1938, when Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster signed away the character for $130. Conventional wisdom within the comic book industry is to go to Marvel and DC to build your personal brand, then leave, bringing that audience over to publishers that allow you to retain character rights.”

Open Positions in the Comic Book Industry

(Comic Book School)

Comic Book School provided a list of open positions at companies including DC, Marvel, Valiant, and PRH.

Digital Comics

Scott Snyder Signs Massive Deal with Comixology

(Comics Beat)

"Former Batman writer Scott Snyder has signed a deal with comiXology Originals that will see him and a set of collaborators both new and old publish eight titles on the platform ahead of physical releases from Dark Horse Comics."

DC’s Rebuilding Mode

(The Hollywood Reporter)

"As a major player in this industry, it’s really up to us to redefine what this means for the next generation of fans and to build the right type of organization that can future-proof itself to meet that fan demand."

DC and Webtoons Team Up for Webcomics

(Comics Beat)

"As the comics periodical struggles to be a storytelling medium finding new readers on mobile platforms is a logical extension of the DC brand."

Major Creators Sign Up for Substack
(The New York Times)

The creators will be paid by Substack while keeping ownership of their work. The company will take most of the subscription revenue in the first year; after that, it will take a 10 percent cut.

Comics on Substack Make Sense in Every Way But One

(ICV2)

This news is a case of the same story, on a new platform, but this feels disruptive, especially since it’s being driven by the buzzy flavor-of-the-month tech brand, Substack, which has already raised eyebrows for its impact on journalism.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

Eight Legal Considerations for Comic Book Crowdfunding

Added on June 11, 2021 by Gamal Hennessy.

Most comic book creators and publishers are aware of the impact crowdfunding has made in the industry over the past few years. Few creators are aware of the legal issues they need to consider when planning a crowdfunding campaign. As a comic book attorney who has represented several crowdfunding creators, I’d like to offer some thoughts on the best practices for comic book crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding as Distribution

Despite the concept that Kickstarter rewards are not guaranteed, many comic creators treat crowdfunding as a contingent distribution method, meaning that the book will be published if the funding goal is achieved. While established publishers use the platform to offset costs and create marketing buzz, emerging and small press publishers are using platforms like Kickstarter to bypass the perceived gatekeepers of traditional publishing to bring their stories directly to their readers.

From a legal standpoint, this means crowdfunding needs to be treated as a variant of the independent comic book publishing process. There are some nuances unique to crowdfunded comics, but I’ve tried to list the major legal considerations below.

Legal Checklist for Comic Crowdfunding

1. Ownership of the underlying intellectual property. The story, characters, and logo of the crowdfunded comic represent IP (copyrights & trademarks) that will probably be owned by some member or members of the crowdfunding team. Since that IP has the potential to be far more valuable than the initial crowdfunding campaign, whoever plans to claim ownership needs to protect their interests by completing the proper IP registrations, securing the rights to all the work done on the book with contracts, and strive to maintain ownership of the IP after the book is printed.

2. Investment. Crowdfunding can generate substantial revenue for a comic book project, but there are business and creative upfront costs that someone needs to pay for before the campaign launches. Who pays that money, how they get their money back (recoupment), and what happens to that investment if the campaign fails all need to be understood by the entire crowdfunding team and established in a contract.

3. Business formation: The creation of a legal structure can provide significant liability protection and tax benefits to anyone publishing comics, including crowdfunding creators. Consider starting a company to manage the financial and intellectual property assets of your campaign.

4. Project Management. Crowdfunding involves a lot of work on both the business and creative sides. The role of everyone one involved, from managing the social media for the campaign, to producing the comic, to printing and fulfillment should have both their role and their compensation spelled out in a written contract.

5. Talent Acquisition: Running a campaign is easier if you don’t do everything yourself, but the responsibility of everyone involved, their relationship to the IP, and what they’re being paid needs to be clear, whether the campaign succeeds or not. This can range from a collaboration agreement, a work for hire agreement, or a services agreement, but the contracts should be in place before the campaign goes live.

6. Printing and fulfillment: If the campaign is successful, you’ll need to have a plan in place to deliver the rewards to your backers. Many services have emerged to offer this service if you don’t want to have a packing party, and each one should have its own terms and conditions available for review. It is always best to look these over on your own or with your attorney to ensure you’re getting what you’re paying for.

7. Post campaign sales: A crowdfunding campaign can provide a great platform for an emerging creator to make a splash with their target market, but the end of the thirty-day campaign doesn’t have to be the end of your distribution efforts. Whether you sell comics on your website, through the direct market, or digital distribution it always pays to review those terms of service to ensure each platform is a good fit for your book.

8. Revenue distribution: When the money arrives, you need to know where it is supposed to go. Outstanding payments to creatives and vendors need to be made and taxes may need to be paid. After the dust settles, any funds leftover (either from the campaign itself or the ongoing sales) can be distributed to the IP owners, collaborators, or anyone else who is entitled to a bonus for a successful campaign.

These eight steps do not offer a guarantee for a comic book crowdfunding campaign will go well, but they can put a comic creator in a better position to succeed, especially if the book reaches its funding goal.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

21 Business Books for Freelance Comic Creators

Added on June 4, 2021 by Gamal Hennessy.

So far, I’ve spent most of 2021 doing research for my next book, The Business of Freelance Comic Book Publishing. While the manuscript won’t be finished until next spring, I’d like to share some of my source material for anyone interested in pursuing a successful career in freelance comic creation.

Some of these books are classics in the field. A few of them were published within the past year. Many of them aren’t about working in freelance comics specifically, but since there are broad business principles that apply to this field, I’ve included them to make this book as comprehensive as possible.

1. The Business of Being an Artist by Dainel Grant (2015)

2. The Business of Comics by Lurene Haines (1998)

3. The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing by Gamal Hennessy (2020)

4. Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port (2017)

5. Business Law Basics by James Hart (2016)

6. Comics Career: Tales from the Titans by Kirk Chritton (2020)

7. Company of One by Paul Jarvis (2019)

8. Do the Work by Steven Pressfield (2010)

9. Don't Panic: A Legal Guide for Creative Professionals by Art Neill (2017)

10. The Freelance Hustle by David Heredia (2020)

11. The Freelancer's Bible by Alison Grade (2020)

12. I Never Write for the Money… by Paul Kupperberg (2020)

13. It's a Living: Surviving as a Freelancer by Cristian Aluas (2019)

14. Making Comics by Scott McCloud (2006)

15. The Practice: Shipping Creative Work (2020)

16. Shop Talk by Will Eisner (2001)

17. The Freelancer's Union Guide to Taxes by Sara Horowitz (2015)

18. What They Don't Teach You in Art School by Will Terry (2020)

19. Words for Pictures by Brian Michael Bendis

20. Working for Yourself: Law and Taxes by Stephen Fishman (2018)

21. Working in the Gig Economy by Thomas Oppong (2018)

If there is a book or a source that you think I left out, please let me know. I’m always looking for more information.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal

PLEASE NOTE: THIS BLOG POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR COMIC PROPERTY, DISCUSS IT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACT ATTORNEY OR CONTACT C3 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION