AJ stands for Andrew Jackson, our 7th president. His reputation for toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory." A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928.

Be your own company!

What about royalties? Don't Count on Royalties

Companies pay royalties when circulation reaches 100,000 copies. But the top-selling comics only sell up to 250,000 copies in the US and Canada, because:

• There are only about a million regular comic book readers;
• There are only about 2,500 comic shops.

That's less than the number of viewers of the least popular network TV show!

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You can do it cheaply at a copy place. It doesn't have to be in color. In fact, some of the greatest comics are in black and white.

Joe Casey, the popular writer of X-Men, Wildcats, and The Intimates broke in this way: "In the mid-90's, I was doing some black & white, no-money comics on my own," he says.

Casey adds, "at the same time, I was friends with pro writers like Steve Seagle, Brian Holguin and James Robinson, all who I met after moving to Los Angeles."

James Robinson actually got Casey in at Marvel for his first paying work.

Break out!

Want to see a larger image of The Creature? The Creature from the Black Lagoon

Writer Mike Baron and artist Paul Niemec are working on an adaptation of The Creature From the Black Lagoon, for Moonstone books. This is what a page in progress looks like. Copyright Moonstone Books.

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Manga, or Japanese-style comics such as

• Rurouni Kenshin
• Fruits Basket
• Dot Hack
• Yu-Gi-Oh
• Love Hina

differ from the super-hero comics.

Manga's the fastest growing segment of the comic industry. In fact, it is the only growing segment of the comic industry!

Multiplying Manga

Stores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders have sections dedicated to Manga.

American publishers such as Dark Horse, Del Rey, Tokyopop and Viz are aggressively expanding their lines and looking for American writers and artists.

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Manga is a style with simple drawings of big-eyed characters. Unlike super-hero comics:

• The emphasis is on romance and relationships;
• At least half all manga readers are girls.

The top manga publishers in the US are Tokyopop and Viz.

Go for it!

Follow the latest comic news at Newsarama and icv2!

Now you've seen some of the possibilities for a career in comics, are you geared up?

Get experience! Create a comic strip for your school newspaper, or a local shopper.

You don't have to get paid for it. Putting your work before the public provides you with valuable feedback, and is its own reward.

Learn more about author Mike Baron

About Author Mike Baron

Mike Baron lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. He got his start in comics by teaming up with Steve Rude. Baron calls Rude "an excellent artist."

Together they created a twelve page science fiction story (Nexus) about an executioner of mass murderers.

Baron got his break when a local company, Capital Comics, agreed to publish the comic. He says, "Nexus led to many offers for both of us."

Baron also writes Wheels for the high-school level of this online magazine, and hires freelance artists to illustrate it.

True or False: Andrew Jackson had a scar on his head for the majority of his life. Click Andrew's head for the answer.

TRUE: He received it a punishment from a British soldier for not cleaning the soldier's boots.

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