Pin-up answers:

They usually get national Syndicators who sell it to many newspapers and split fees.

So imagine it’s $10 per newspaper and you split a percetage with the syndicator.

Pin-up answers:

It can vary greatly. Some are payed by the amount they make (per piece) and for others. it is a contract for what they can finish. This is why when at any comic or anime con you see artists working when not talking to fans. Their time is money to them, and if they can make a few extra bucks by a con appearance that just benefits them some what. => Yet they still may have a dead line to finish stuff by.

General annual salary for the working artist can range from $20,000 to $50,000, and more, if you can get into specialty prints and other commercialization of your art…

Pin-up answers:

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.

As far as character ownership – that is a big struggle more often won by the publisher. You have to be a big artist, or go independent, to usually keep rights to any character you create.

Still, if you have talent as an artist – comics maybe the place to get that art job…

Pin-up answers:

Usually you are assigned a number of pages – to draw, ink, letter or color or a combination of all of these. You may be assigned to draw several issues of a comic – and if the readers love you – you salary can go up… (and you get more work).

Pin-up answers:

You can go to college for comic artists.

FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York City has a good comic program I believe.