Any advise on starting a comic/graphic novel?

Must illustrators have their own websites where the sell art. contact them. Except for those who have contracts for exclusivity, you can hire whomever you want. You can hire Neal Adams. You just have to pay, that's all. If you don't have it all written though, don't contact an artist yet. That's like going up to ask a girl for her number and pulling out a condom at the same time - - you aren't their yet. Write out your book/s first. Rewrite it. Then fix that. Then have someone who will be mean read it, get their notes, then fix that. Of course all artists are for hire, everyone needs money, and there are only so many projects . . . but at the same time, no one is gonna wanna draw for crap book at what you are going to be paying them, which will be less than DC and Marvel (where of course they don't care if it is crap or not because of the $$$).

You may think you should find someone who hasn't drawn professionally, to do it for free, and ya'll basically go in it 50/50 and try to bring it to the comic companies. That's noble, but it's really stupid. You are already coming in as nobody. You don't need more nobodies on the ship. Get an artist with a name so that you have a better chance to get in the door.

That's all you really need. You can give digital copies of your book to execs to look at, so no need to run copies. Just focus all your time into writing the best story, and getting the best artist you can afford. Everything else should take care of itself.

I'm sure if you google around someone will have a step by step guide.

As for illustrators etc. check out Upwork, you'll need to dig around through applications to find the good ones, ask for test tasks (pay small fee), but you'll find good people who can do the style you want.