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Eisner Award-winning artist Dustin Nguyen has launched an expletive-filled tirade at Marvel for its poor contract rates and poor treatment of its creators. He also slammed the company’s reticence to pay royalties to creators for overseas sales of their work.
Nguyen aired his grievances on Instagram. “Also, everyone I’m not working with can go f–k themselves. I’ve asked nicely for the past 15 years on behalf of every artist. Stop f–king creators over. You are not getting another cover from me until then. Drown me. I’m ok with your minimum wage bullshit,” he wrote. Apparently, Nguyen got heat for his strongly worded observation, leading him to double down on his post. “Ok. Getting hits earlier than expected from this one, and I’m kinda glad because I got words. But really, if this bothers you, I’m sorry. Marvel has been undercutting creators from the start unless you’re getting 6-7k a cover- then god bless. I hope you’re getting a piece of the MCU and after-sales.”
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Nguyen stated that Marvel and DC do not pay overseas sales royalties to creators.”They’re not paying creators a piece? COME ON. F–K this F–KING SHIT. Also, merch? Lunch boxes and tees? Good luck,” he continued. To those in his DMs asking him not to make an enemy of an entity like Marvel, he responds, “OMG f–k (Marvel). Man, like I give a FLYING F–K. F–K Marvel Comics, f–k anyone that I’m NOT directly working with. (I LOVE my Marvel editors because they get your BOOKS OUT TO YOU ON TIME). The direct staff has no control. They don’t juggle the stupid f–king numbers.”
Regarding the contract rate situation for comic book creators, the Descender artist wrote, “I’ve asked Marvel for like, I SWEAR, $75 PAGE RAISE in the past 15 years (the minimum wage in CA is doing better than them, probably in a decade, even that a**hole Trump will do better than Marvel given a month), I don’t even need that shitty chump change, but I want to see how cheap they are. All this equalling maybe a royalty that’s the, ‘Please sir, can I maybe have .15 cents after you’ve made your thousands.'”
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Nguyen’s post has attracted tons of comments, including several from industry professionals and fellow artists supporting the comic creator’s stance. Former Marvel editor Heather Antos simply posted three clapping emojis, while Zoe Thorogood, co-creator of the character of Spider-UK (Zarina Zahari) for Marvel Comics, wrote, “The only time I worked with Marvel was for a character design (they paid me $100 lmao, but I thought it would be cool just to have done it, so I agreed).” Allegedly, the publisher then used Thorogood’s concept art as a cover without her knowledge and without compensation.
Emmy-winning creator Bobby Chiu also backed Nguyen. “Dropping the truth bombs,” he wrote. “Comicbook artists have one of the most challenging jobs in the industry. Many times, they are the environment designers, character designers, storyboarders, directors, everything,” Chiu added. For Baltimore-based artist Justin Copeland, “No one should be afraid of crossing any corporation. That’s that capitalism economy fear tactic bullshit. That’s how they continue to lowball comic book artists forever.”
Source: Instagram
“}]] Eisner Award-winning artist Dustin Nguyen tears into Marvel for its poor contract rates and treatment of its creators. Read More