Spawn comic-book creator-turned-film producer Todd McFarlane is proud of his unlikely $70 million empire. “I have banks bugging me to spend money,” he cacks. And he’s not the only one with a burgeoning bankroll: McFarlane is sharing in the recent windfall for comic-book writers, and underclass historically looted–without any payoff–for their ideas.

“All the studios had to offer me was money,” says McFarlane, who was already a millionaire before Holloywood came knocking. “But I had the number-one-selling comic book in the nation.” With that kind of leverage, McFarlane stuck a savvy deal with New Line, one that afforded him unheard-of control: merchandising rights, executive producer privileges, and cash rewards that would kick in once the film’s gross passed the $35 million mark, according to McFarlane. “Spawn,” to his delight, made $55 million.

His exploits are emblematic of a shift for many comics insiders from autographing comic books to signing movie deals. To wit: “The Tick” cerator Ben Edlund has signed on to write and direct a remake of the 1964 B film “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians;” former “X-Men” scribe Scott Lobdell has a five-picture producing deal with Miramax’s Dimension Films; and Neil Gaiman (”Sandman”) has three scripting gigs–including first dibs on directing the film adapation of his comic “Death: The High Cost of Living.” Even the respected Frank Miller (”SinCity”), who walked away form Hollywood after cowriting the “RoboCop” sequels, is back, adapting his “Ronin” comic for director Darren Aronofsky (II). “When you’re writing a screenplay, you’re pretty low on the pole,” laughs the older, wiser Miller. “I’ve come back with a different attitude–not attaching myself to the point where my entire ego depends on a project.”

One power broker who has helped open the Hollywood gates is producer Don Murphy (”Natural Born Killers”). He has deals with comic alums Gaiman and James Robinson (”Starman”), and is currently courting Grant Morrison (The Invisibles), who’s interested in writing original movie scripts. “Anytime you give anybody a shot [at scripting or directing], you’re taking a chance on them. But with these guys, your gut instinct is a little bit stronger,” Murphy says. “A good comic is like a storyboard to a good movie.”

This logic now has extra financial juice thanks to the major success of “The Matrix” writer-directors Andy and Larry Wachowski, former comic-book writers themselves, who commissioned comics veterans Geof Darrow (”Hard Boiled”) and Steve Skroce (”SpiderMan”) to storyboard their $170 million-grossing film. And the timing couldn’t have been more opportune. With comic-book sales in a slump (the top-selling “Spawn”, for example, now sells about 100,000 copies annually, compared to 750,000 in ‘92), writers are frustrated with grinding out up to four titles per month–to a shrinking audience, no less–just to make a decent living.

And they weren’t the only ones looking for a change. “Hollywood seems like it’s bereft of original ideas,” says director Kevin Smith (”Dogma”), who, aside form penning comic books of his own (including “Jay & Silent Bob” and “Daredevil”), is executive-producing “Preacher,” based on the comic by its screenwriter Garth Ennis. “Some of the most original stuff out there is coming from comic books.”

Once the pastime of prepubescents, comics experienced a renaissance in the ’80s, during which time monosyllabic exclamations (Pow! Bam!) gave way to mature storytelling rooted in satire, self-reference, and noir. “In 1991, nobody in the studios had heard of you,” Gaiman says. “But all of their assistants were reading your work.” Still, few in the film industry seemed to care–until they did the math. “These guys come cheap,” Kevin Smith says.

And they are coming willingly. “Special effects have made it possible to make movies [look] like comic books,” says Grant Morrison, whose “The Invisibles” is speculated to have influenced “The Matrix.” “And the people who make comic books are starting to say, ‘I don’t need to do this on paper [anymore.’” Hollywood, it seems, shares the sentiment.