Syllabus - Success Stories (Writers/Artists)

Currently my interests are the success stories of the industry's writer's and artists. When does someone "make it" in the industry? what does it take? Talent? Timing? Sacrificial lambs? A few things I found out of interest:

•Average unknown independent comic sells about 2200 nation-wide, those issues die out and we never see for very long.

•To keep a COLOR comic book afloat you need at least 12,000 sold a month.

•Sale numbers always go down; example: if you sell 12,000 your 1st issue, you'll probably only sell 10,000 by the 2nd issue, and then you'll usually average out at 8,000 - which means you're a goner.

•Sale numbers for comics is the opposite for regular magazines. If a magazine sells out at 200,000, then it usually will double by the next issue, so retailers double the orders. for comics its half and half.

I got this info from reading a Bryan Michael Bendis interview, and because of it I'm motivated to worked towards condensed 2-issue stories - even though my ideas go beyond that. If people are behind you, you can always expand your story; if not, no one will be opposed to a nice piece of short entertainment.