just to add to that ask you got re: freelancers- basically anyone other than the editors in these books are freelance bc/ we're not directly hired and salaried under IDW. we get contracted for each job only, then for the next one, the next one, so on. If you're familiar with the usual internet private commissions setup, we're basically commissioned. This means we can be doing this and also something else for other companies at the same time. (going to send 2nd ask sorry)
(cont) actual contracting of talent on the comics industry is super rare, and tends to be done to superstar people and only as a means to get their exclusivity. So DC contracted Bendis, for instance, so they could go "you now don't work for Marvel", etc. Even then IIRC they tend to be very short contracts, so the creatives are then quickly free to go get work elsewhere. This all obviously means insecurity on the job, but also freedom of where to work- the sad usual for freelancing anywhere