Another Comic Book Legend QUITS Industry Because He CAN'T MAKE MONEY!

Steve Rude announced that he's going to be shutting down his comic book business as the comic industry slides yet again.
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[@chm9935]

Freelancing for comic publishers has become a scam. Just make your own stuff.

[@02Lemonhead]

This is rubbish. The comics industry was always comprised of a very low percentage few that were capable of subsisting on it as a primary source of income. The friends I had on the 1990's who were very good and got work regularly supplemented their income by doing animatics, storyboards and production art. Maybe not purely comics, but mediums closely relatable to comics. To cite a prime example: Neal Addams. His personal business was Continuity Associates. His primary source of income was doing animatics, storyboards and production art. He still did comic art work hiring other well known artists on a freelance basis to help finish the pages. I was at his studio a couple of times and witnessed his operation. The comics industry was never a big money maker for independent artists unless they became engaged in the selling and negotiation of Intellectual Property. Back in the late 1970's and 80's Jack Abel, Larry Hama, Carl Potts, Terry Austin and Bob Wiazcek all worked with Neal at Continuity Associates.

[@heroineburgh]

40 years after following the Nexus run in the 80s, I had no problem finding the latest hardcover volume of Mike Baron's Nexus last year. I bought it from Mike's artist, Richard Bonk, at the Hershey PA Comicon where we were vending. I also bought a copy of the crowdfunded book, Private American, which Bonk also drew. Got both signed by Bonk, and I hope someday to get them signed by Baron, as well.

[@jamescole7930]

Sorry, a 50 year fan since I was 7 in 1973 . But what I mostly buy 99% are comics from the 1960’s to 1980’s and I enjoy the stories so I do not care as much on the condition of comic just that they are fun.

[@Salvador_Daliances]

No one disputes his talent but after watching that Kayfabe interview where he disparaged Mike I had no interest in his impostor Nexus book. The man's in his upper 60's now. He made his life choices and now gets to live with the consequences of those decisions in the time he has left.

[@fabrizioaiello]

Crowdfunding is a failure as well. Even those handful of books that make some money, after costs it nothing compared to an average salary doing any number of things. This idea that crowdfunding is going to solve this nosedive is ludicrous. Unless you have a stupid drama-stream KZbin channel.

[@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS]

Is that a dig at EVS~?

[@harbingerofchaos6720]

@@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS Sounds like a rather dumb one at that. Basically saying - Crowd-funding is a failure, unless you aren't a failure.

[@ProfessorHeyTeeEn]

Checked the replies to this, pretty much what I was expecting. People don't understand that crowdfunding is not the end-all be-all of the indepenent circuit.

[@harbingerofchaos6720]

@@ProfessorHeyTeeEn But it IS for some people. Basically because of pieces of untalented trash think they'd get more money if they were removed completely in all aspects.

[@Plxlinixy]

What I would pray for is the Mike gets a moment to forgive Steve Rude, and that Rude asks for forgiveness for making the awful error of throwing his former partner under the bus. What's so sad is how the post MCU comic market has led to so much pain and talent being exploited because everybody thinks there's this socialist audience that will someday watch their work on a movie screen and somehow the residuals from that will excuse you from excising a good solid audience of loyal readers you used to have when it all about telling a solid story rather than socialist message work.

[@HammerheadStarcraft]

Was there some personal falling out? In interviews Baron says they’re still in touch.

[@vito]

Always interesting atuff

[@johnr.e.789]

Socialist message?

[@billrules8716]

Maybe he shouldn't have turned on Mike Baron.

[@user-qs5ec7pe2i]

Well he isn’t a huge name and if he hasn’t been able to diversify the kind of ways he uses his art in a way that’s financially successful it’s sensible to get a normal job and do art part-time.

[@mapledripcomics]

Steve Rude is one of the finest illustrators to ever work in the medium, but he is also completely looney tunes. You cant just be a great artist and hope you can make money by doing alex toth inspired work for a niche audience.

[@ProfessorHeyTeeEn]

It is pretty obvious at this point that the format being pushed by the mainstream is not working, and that even independents don't understand business enough to get their foot out of the door. Comic has to evolve past what it has been for so long and embrace new technology and new ideas if it wants to move forward, and that includes new BUSINESS MODELS, which is championed by the likes of Eric July.

[@rockon8174]

0:20 Larry Hama owns 25 percent of Bucky O'Hare, bought several real estate properties. He's fine. Ask him what "retirement income" is before you take his words at face value.

[@draketungsten74]

Uh, spergy nitpick but anything that's "costs" is not "profit," by definition. Profits don't go to costs, by definition. I know what he means though, he means he has little to no profits because costs are so high.

[@TheKMN1971]

His wife works 10-20 hours a day & he works about 8? 🤔

[@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS]

🤔🤔

[@davidknight2423]

Maybe he needs to freelance for other writers. Maybe even for fan writers? Many comic artists will do commissions for for fans, of nice black and white, or color pictures. Why not offer to do say, 5 or 6 page stories for writers? The writer submits a story for you to draw, you agree on price, you do the work, you get paid, your work gets out there, maybe in fan circles you haven't reached.

[@frankandstern8803]

It was always a blue collared field and I suppose it paid if your main objective wasn't just to be friends with your boss. Geeks and business dont always dance well together. Big surprise right? Sigh

[@sometimesfriendly9839]

There was a series years ago where the writer put out 4 issues, then said he didn't have enough success with the comic to continue because he had a 9-5 job. I don't remember the comic, but I remember being sad to see it end abruptly. We can't forget the comics is part of the entertainment industry, and there are probably many people who had some success, but not enough to sustain a lifestyle. Congratulations to you, Jon, for making a living doing what many people would consider a dream job. Maybe you should contact Rude, but would he be one of the people who would scream "Comicsgate!"?

[@DrLynch2009]

I see he didn't learn nothing from his talks with Jack Kirby.

[@jfrsnjhnsn]

He is one of America’s greatest living artists. I'd put his work up against anyone's.

[@deathtoideologues]

Agreed. I started collecting right when Nexus came out.

[@joeoconnor1948]

The trouble with comics at the moment is that they're just too dear. I don't know how they're going to do it but they need to reduce the price of them.

[@Infini-Toons]

Why not just do another Image Comics schtick, get groups of indie artists/writers together, start an actual joined effort over the internet, do exactly what they wanted to do back then? You beat the players at their own game so they don't have one to play. That's the only way things are gonna shake back to how they were, all out creative warfare.

[@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS]

Aight sony, send me a (short) script and I'll draw it!

[@Infini-Toons]

@@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS Why can't you write it lol, I also draw. Better yet, join the cause and find writers who are willing to help. Aight gramps? I'm 30 kiddo, cute though.

[@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS]

@@Infini-Toons did you just call me gramps _and_ kiddo? lol

[@Infini-Toons]

@@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS Had to put you between a rock and a hard place

[@johnzimdahl7879]

How about Nexus as a Sunday comic strip? I would love on Sundays to have the comics come to my door. The strips are the only reason I subscribe to my Sunday paper.

[@sirubisan698]

(Not and never to deliniate the dedicative artists getting financially skinned here) If you think you know starving artists, look no further than the manga industry. IDK if trying to make or maintain a manga career is nightmarishly harder. Unless you're an Oda-San or a Toriyama-san (RIP), it's abysmal. You gotta be a warrior to mentally handle all that.

[@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS]

I think that's just their culture? not just for mangaka but any job...they're expected to _work_ I get your point tho

[@sirubisan698]

@@WxIxLxLxIxAxMxS yep you ain't wrong. Karoshi (Death by overwork) is the MO there. I hate how the pay so abysmal too.

[@zuffin1864]

I buy Steve rude's stuff, I hope he gets more support despite this statement

[@jollyroger58]

Hey JDA 🤙

[@jdatalkscomics]

Yo!

[@OnionSavoya-jf5hz]

Art dies when money makes people. They ain't got enough hart.

[@theragoooverlord5021]

I watched a documentary about him that was on Amazon prime a few years ago

[@harbingerofchaos6720]

Mike Baron has had some dumb hot-takes over the years (I'm think about his comments about 2000AD way way back) but FFS, Steve managed to up-stage them in that Cartoonist Kayfabe interview. I already had backed his (Steve's comics) so I'm getting this LAST series of him being on Nexus. Meanwhile I don't want Kelsey Shannon doing the art on Nexus with Mike Baron... Because Rude is very important to that character as well... So between that and the insane postage cost to OZ I've checked out on Baron's. BUT, despite my choice going one way, the Reality dictates the other way was the main path. Mike is still going with Nexus, and will continue to make money, while Steve clearly isn't. STUPIDITY ABOUNDS.

[@OnionSavoya-jf5hz]

Steve Rude is a living God In Asheville NC

[@cpubigdipper9145]

And sophie campbell?