Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Dark Horse Comics, Games, Marvel Comics | Tagged: Jen Bartel, Marvel Snap

Dark Horse To Publish The Art Of Marvel SNAP… But Who Gets Paid?

Dark Horse to Publish the Art of Marvel SNAP... But Who Gets Paid? The answer is pretty much exactly what you will expect.

In March next year, Dark Horse Comics is publishing The Art of Marvel SNAP Hardcover, collecting the artwork from over 300 in-game cards featured within the game, selected by the developers of the Marvel SNAP digital collectable card battler game, Nuverse and Second Dinner. However, because this is Dark Horse publishing the volume for $50 each, following their years of successful coffee table books based on the artwork for video games, that means they will pay a license to Marvel for the rights rather than the artists featured within. And Marvel? Because it's a licensed title, it falls outside their "incentive payments" contracts, and so they don't pay out anything to the artists featured. Which, according to the listing, will include the likes of Rian Gonzalez, Dan Hipp, Alex Ross, Jim Lee, Luca Claretti, Kim Jacinto, Peach Momoko, and Artgerm.

As Jen Bartel revealed, Marvel SNAP reuses art that the creators previously drew for Marvel comics and covers, without additional payment for their digital cards. She wrote "It's actually perfectly legal bc we *have* to sign over all rights on any licensed art we make for mega corps who own these characters, but it's definitely not *ethical* to shaft artists like this. Some companies (like Mondo, rip) paid us for usage even if they didn't *have* to. They don't legally have to because we the artists don't own the rights to any official work we've done for these companies, but it'd go a long way to extend us some goodwill considering they promote these "rare variants" explicitly using our names and creator recognizability sucks Imagine if the artists who actually made the art they make millions of dollars off of even got to see a fraction of a percentage of that. A cover I might have been paid $800 for will go on to make them 100x that amount and they will never send me an additional dime." So odds are it will be the same when they are put back into print…

The Art of Marvel SNAP Hardcover – March 4, 2025
by Paul Davies, Second Dinner Studios Inc.
Including over one hundred characters and locations from across Marvel's bustling Multiverse, The Art of Marvel SNAP is a fabulous way to indulge in the artistry that brings Marvel SNAP to life!
A full-color hardcover collection celebrating Marvel's award-winning, smash hit digital collectable card battler game featuring art from over 300 developer-selected cards created for the game.
MARVEL SNAP is a smash-hit digital card battler that lets players assemble powerful team-ups with fan-favorite heroes and villains across the Marvel Universe. With this beautiful collection, fans can pore over every exciting detail of the game's elaborate, original artwork from many of the industry's leading artists. Bursting with flair and dynamism, the artistic vision of MARVEL SNAP is explored through commentary and exclusive insights from the game's developer, Second Dinner Studios.
Including dozens of characters and locations from across Marvel's expansive multiverse, The Art of MARVEL SNAP is a fabulous way to indulge in the beautiful imagery that brings MARVEL SNAP to life!

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