This question wasn’t all that unusual in the grand scheme of artist Russell Dauterman’s press tour for his upcoming art book, The Marvel Art of Russell Dauterman. In fact, the one I asked was pretty standard, even. It was just about the appeal of taking on a project like that, something others assuredly inquired about.

And yet, Dauterman took a second to contemplate his response, as he tried to nail down exactly why it was so attractive to him. When he considered the reasons he wanted to put an art book together, it wasn’t his own work he turned to first. Instead, it was the art books he treasured himself, whether it was one that highlighted the gifts of legendary commercial artist J.C. Leyendecker or those focused on the work of comic artists like Chris Bachalo or Cliff Chiang. Dauterman simply loves art books, and the idea of having his own was irresistible because of that.

Admiring art books isn’t exactly rare amongst people in that line of work, though. Whether it’s IDW’s renowned Artist’s Edition line, self-produced sketchbooks, or higher end productions created in concert with a publisher, your average comic artist is going to have at least one they turn to when they’re in need of inspiration. That makes sense, of course. If you talk to any artist about their craft, you’re likely only a short step away from them raving about their favorite artists and how they inspire them. That’s because most are fans at heart, ones who cannot help but get excited about having the chance to pour over the work and worlds of their favorites, just like we do. And to get the chance to join their ranks with an art book of your own?

Forget about it.

That’s the dream.

The good news for the dreamers out there is an increasing number of artists are getting to do just that, with the potent marriage of art books and crowdfunding driving it. We’re in a boom time for these high end showcases of comic art, both in terms of how many there are and how much they’re earning. The past few years alone have brought a deluge of them to life, whether it’s creator-centric tomes focused on names like Frank Cho, Art Adams, Alex Maleev, and David Mack or comic specific highlight reels like Daniel Warren Johnson’s The Art of Extremity and Werther Dell’Edera’s The Art of Something is Killing the Children. 9 All were successfully funded, but each had a high ceiling too, with several reaching well into six figures on fairly modest goals.

While the affinity artists have for the form plays a role in this story, it’s only a small part of what’s driving the influx of these projects. The truth is, it’s never been easier to fund and create an art book thanks to the proximity artists have to their adoring fans via crowdfunding, and an increasing number of artists and industry-adjacent publishers are recognizing this perfect storm of energy and opportunity. Pair all that with folks in the space getting all starry eyed when they see the massive earnings these can bring in and you can see why this is starting to feel like it’s only the beginning of a much larger trend.

And make no mistake about it, the recent rash of crowdfunded art books from comic creators is just that: a trend. Not only that, but it’s one that’s been growing for a few years now, according to those operating in that space — including the artists themselves and those that work with them. There are several things driving that in their minds.

Artist Terry Dodson recently found success 10 with his Flesk Publications-produced, Kickstarter-powered art book, The Art of Rachel and Terry Dodson, the first art book he has put together with his wife and collaborator Rachel. His take is there are a few main factors fueling this. One is that it’s “very easy now” to “create and publish your own high-quality books.” That ease is essential to the growth the comic art book space has seen on crowdfunding platforms, as is publishers giving artists more leeway “to use published works” in projects like this.

But maybe even more importantly, Dodson noted that much of the burgeoning interest amongst creators comes down to what it offers the artist. For one, he views these books as excellent marketing tools, acting as a “great way to advertise your work.” But maybe even more importantly, they offer artists a way “to make money off existing work.”

That right there is the beauty of all this. For most artists, the key to earning a living is to always be producing pages. That’s hard, time-consuming work, and work you typically are only paid for once, or maybe twice depending if you work traditionally. 11 These art books give you another channel to operate in, offering you the ability to leverage yesterday’s work for today’s gain. That’s a big deal, especially in “precarious fields” like comics and illustration where sustainability is key, as artist Elsa Charretier shared. In her mind, the reasoning behind this trend is obvious.

“Why are there more and more? It’s pretty simple: The promise of freedom and money,” Charretier told me.

“Isn’t that what we’re all looking for?”