Max/Min sales for Image

[The Fn Man]

Does anyone know the breaking point for an Image book to keep getting published?

Just wondering because Copperhead (fav new book) is selling around 10k per month. Marvel and DC cancel any book below 15K.

[capuga]

Does anyone know the breaking point for an Image book to keep getting published?

Just wondering because Copperhead (fav new book) is selling around 10k per month. Marvel and DC cancel any book below 15K.

Varies from creator to creator and also depends and the trade/collection edition sales. For example, Invincible Diamond estimated sales are around 13,500 an issue. But it sells well in collected editions and the artist Ryan Ottley has said that he makes more as an owner of the book than he would working for Marvel or DC.

Savage Dragon only sells around 3,000 an issue these days but keeps plugging along. But I think that is a break even at best title at this point and Larsen keeps it going because he loves it and lives (I assume) off savings from the early heyday of Image when the book was selling hundreds of thousands an issue. (He also both writes and pencil/inks so he isn't paying as much out to other creators.)

The profitable point on creator owned titles is going to be lower than at Marvel or DC because they are not paying (much) corporate overhead, editors, etc. The creative team keeps a much bigger piece of the pie. Of course, profitable doesn't mean "making a living enough to pay bills" so that is where it depends on each individual creator's personal situation.

[Anduinel]

There was a post from Rocket Girl's Brandon Montclare about the scale of his sales on a creator-owned Image book a while ago. TL;DR: By his estimations, at 12K, he and artist Amy Reeder were making as much on their creator-owned book as they would at the Big Two, but at 8K, they would have to start thinking of wrapping up the title.

The other big difference is that The Big Two books can't work on a break-even model. They have to recoup all the production costs of the comic plus a certain level of profit, which is why numbers that would make Image creators break out the bubbly and pizza rolls are cancellation level for Marvel and DC.

[King's_Gambit]

There was a post from Rocket Girl's Brandon Montclare about the scale of his sales on a creator-owned Image bppk a while ago. TL;DR: By his estimations, at 12K, he and artist Amy Reeder were making as much on their creator-owned book as they would at the Big Two, but at 8K, they would have to start thinking of wrapping up the title.

The other big difference is that The Big Two books can't work on a break-even model. They have to recoup all the production costs of the comic plus a certain level of profit, which is why numbers that would make Image creators break out the bubbly and pizza rolls are cancellation level for Marvel and DC.

Iirc, Greg Rucka has indicated at some point that he's making more money with Lazarus than he has on any project he's done for DC or Marvel. That book is currently sitting at 16K. Granted, I believe he made the statement when the book was in its first few issues, when it was sitting in the mid-20K range. But I imagine it's done respectably in trade since then to, hopefully, make up some of the difference.

[Weekend Warrior]

Interesting stuff. Kirkman must be a millionaire by now considering the success of TWD.

[King's_Gambit]

Interesting stuff. Kirkman must be a millionaire by now considering the success of TWD.

I've certainly gotten that impression.

Especially since he appears quite business savvy and has converted his TWD success into an executive position at Image and his own publishing imprint (whose MO is basically "Kirkman finds new talent and tries to land them TV/movie/merchandising deals").

It's why he bangs the creator-owned drum so hard, often seeming to paint it as a place of fame and fortune.

[Lady Warp Spasm]

I've wondered this myself. Very interesting info. I hope the creators are making more despite the lower sales.