Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 58

Thread: Good article on saving the industry

  1. #1

    Default Good article on saving the industry

    Attracting young readers is the way to save comics.

    Article link below.

    http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/08/...-phil-hampton/
    Support Artists, Not Companies! Creator-owned comics are where the real art is at!

    My new website! http://lifelessordinarywebnovel.com/home.html Follow my super-powered web-novel adventures, "Life Less Ordinary"!

    Twitter (1) = @RealWyldeChild
    Twitter (2) = @lifewebnovel

    FaceBook = https://www.facebook.com/realwylde.child or search for me at " Life Less-Ordinary "

    Also 'occasionally' ranting Alpha Flight related stuff at http://canadas-own-the-flight.blogspot.com/

  2. #2

    Default

    I feel terrible buying the new AF series for my godsons now... they are only 7 and 3 haha! I'll leave it up to the parents to share them with their own kids now, or when they are older I just want to make sure they get addicted to AF as early as possible hahaha

  3. #3

    Default

    I think the only true way to save comics is to go back to Newsprint paper which will lower the cost of the book. Plus get the comic books back into the cornner stores again, like back in the day with the old "Marvel Rack" or going to the $1 store and having a 3 for a $1 bag. You got three random books for a $1. If you make it afordibal for kids then they'll buy it, and parents won't hesitate to buy it either.

  4. #4

    Default

    They need to do a better job getting tpb volumes into bookstores. Manga boomed in the West as soon as they started pushing tpb instead of the individual issues. It would be a great way for newer fans to get a hold of stuff they missed without having to order tons of old issues online.I mean, hell, I was missing quite a lot because it's hard to keep track of all the series and characters, and the individual issues were becoming too expensive. I'd be at the bookstore so fast Northstar's head would spin, if they started putting out limited tpb reprints of all the old comic books. There was a lot of great stuff that I'd like to read, but I just can't spend the kind of time and money it would take, and the individual issues are such a pain to store and preserve. There are issues I've had to buy replacements for because they fell apart!
    "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice, you must be Marvel."
    -FlightPath07 Don't you feel all important now?

  5. #5

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Alpha Rider View Post
    I think the only true way to save comics is to go back to Newsprint paper which will lower the cost of the book. Plus get the comic books back into the cornner stores again, like back in the day with the old "Marvel Rack" or going to the $1 store and having a 3 for a $1 bag. You got three random books for a $1. If you make it afordibal for kids then they'll buy it, and parents won't hesitate to buy it either.
    I like that idea. I started reading comics because I got a set of the first 5 issues of X-Men 2099 that was discounted. Wore them out and went and re-bought them. lol Then I started buying random stuff from the back-issues bin that were half-off, and got hooked on X-Factor, Excalibur, Uncanny X-Men... started buying those regularly. Then I started buying back issues of series like Alpha Flight that certain characters used to be in and got into even more series.

    I guess it's kind of like drugs. XD
    "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice, you must be Marvel."
    -FlightPath07 Don't you feel all important now?

  6. #6

    Default

    Excellent idea. When I first got into comics in my younger days, half the excitement was running down to the corner store to grab the latest issue off the rack.
    If you want a product to appeal to the masses... you need to make it easily available to the masses.
    The Flight Forever !

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by EccentricSage View Post
    I like that idea. I started reading comics because I got a set of the first 5 issues of X-Men 2099 that was discounted. Wore them out and went and re-bought them. lol Then I started buying random stuff from the back-issues bin that were half-off, and got hooked on X-Factor, Excalibur, Uncanny X-Men... started buying those regularly. Then I started buying back issues of series like Alpha Flight that certain characters used to be in and got into even more series.

    I guess it's kind of like drugs. XD
    Thats the whole point of comic books is to be fun. But now we have these stupid "collectors" who ruined the industry. When I was a kid I'd colour in the books, cut out the charaters, and so forth, but it was only worth like 20 cents at the time. No big deal. Now a books is like $5. A few years back I didn't have much money, and I was contimplating about buying a couple of books or going out to eat at McDonalds, and I was making like $12/h at the time and I went to the comic store and then wanted to go for lunch. But what kind of world do we live in when a person can't decide of buying a few books or lunch. I hate to think that these artest are making like $200 + per page, and I'm scraping dimes and pennies to get enough to eat or buy there stupid book.

  8. #8

    Default

    My limited understanding is that Direct Market was more economically viable than mass outlets. With the mass market there was a sale or return policy which meant that large amounts of comics would go back each month and get pulped. With Direct Sales that doesn't happen. Given that comics nowadays are only a tiny part of the big two, with Video Games, Movies, Animated series and toys probably bringing in more, then they only need to publish to maintain copyright.

    When Alpha vol 1 was cancelled I believe the figures were 130k+ units per month, now 50k+ is considered good. There's a good piece at the Comics Journal which will definately clarify a lot better than I can.
    Last edited by DelBubs; 08-11-2011 at 09:31 PM.
    Del

    Driftwood: Well, I got about a foot and a half. Now, it says, uh, "The party of the second part shall be known in this contract as the party of the second part."
    Fiorello: Well, I don't know about that...
    Driftwood: Now what's the matter?
    Fiorello: I no like-a the second party, either.
    Driftwood: Well, you should've come to the first party. We didn't get home 'til around four in the morning... I was blind for three days!

  9. #9

    Default

    [QUOTE=EccentricSage;81825]They need to do a better job getting tpb volumes into bookstores.

    This could be the main problem for initial sales of comics. Yes I have bought TPBs too but if the average reader is not buying the issues when they first come out and instead elect to wait for the collected set, the publishers will not have an accurate gage as to popularity of the series. Another problem I think the industry has is these multi title crossover stories. If you are a regular purchaser of a title but it is only parts 3,8 and 13 of a crossover do you really want to pick up the other titles or are you more likely to drop the one you usually read? I know I'm likely to do the latter. And on a side note how many "event" series do we need in a year anyway?

    DIGGER

  10. #10

    Default

    And on a side note how many "event" series do we need in a year anyway?
    Well, i think the Big 2 seem to feel that you pretty much need at least one every year! It may work to get readers to buy issues of series that they normally don't, but does it really work long-term? I doubt it, as if it did they wouldn't need that 'big event' to happen so often.
    Support Artists, Not Companies! Creator-owned comics are where the real art is at!

    My new website! http://lifelessordinarywebnovel.com/home.html Follow my super-powered web-novel adventures, "Life Less Ordinary"!

    Twitter (1) = @RealWyldeChild
    Twitter (2) = @lifewebnovel

    FaceBook = https://www.facebook.com/realwylde.child or search for me at " Life Less-Ordinary "

    Also 'occasionally' ranting Alpha Flight related stuff at http://canadas-own-the-flight.blogspot.com/

  11. #11
    Harvester of Sorrows Department H
    Le Messor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    7,579
    Images
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    Well, i think the Big 2 seem to feel that you pretty much need at least one every year!
    I've been hearing feedback that there are people who only read for the events, and feel that a title is on hold until it gets to the next one.
    I won't say what I think here, but
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	nothankyou..jpg 
Views:	83 
Size:	95.4 KB 
ID:	1365

    re: the article that started this thread:
    I rarely see people's tastes who so strongly gel with mine - and I do note he listed Byrne's Alpha Flight as a classic.

    I agree with the thread, but go further: It was reading comics as a kid that got me into comics. Those comics were aimed at kids - and I still enjoy them as an adult.
    The industry seems to have forgotten its roots, and now I just find most of them bland because of it. So focussed on taking themselves seriously, they've forgotten to be fun. So focussed on 'grim 'n' gritty', they've forgotten the heroes.

    No, comics aren't just for kids - but they should be readable by kids.

    - Le Messor
    "Whatever happened to the heroes?"
    ~ Joss Stone
    "We don't need another hero."
    ~ Tina Turner
    "I'm holding out for a hero!"
    ~ Bonnie Tyler.
    "Stop fighting, you lot! Unless there's jello involved..."
    ~ me

  12. #12

    Default

    As (almost) always, i agree with Mik. (Except about Tina Turner in jello - yuck!)
    Support Artists, Not Companies! Creator-owned comics are where the real art is at!

    My new website! http://lifelessordinarywebnovel.com/home.html Follow my super-powered web-novel adventures, "Life Less Ordinary"!

    Twitter (1) = @RealWyldeChild
    Twitter (2) = @lifewebnovel

    FaceBook = https://www.facebook.com/realwylde.child or search for me at " Life Less-Ordinary "

    Also 'occasionally' ranting Alpha Flight related stuff at http://canadas-own-the-flight.blogspot.com/

  13. #13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Le Messor View Post
    I agree with the thread, but go further: It was reading comics as a kid that got me into comics. Those comics were aimed at kids - and I still enjoy them as an adult.
    The industry seems to have forgotten its roots, and now I just find most of them bland because of it. So focussed on taking themselves seriously, they've forgotten to be fun. So focussed on 'grim 'n' gritty', they've forgotten the heroes.

    No, comics aren't just for kids - but they should be readable by kids.

    - Le Messor
    "Whatever happened to the heroes?"
    ~ Joss Stone
    "We don't need another hero."
    ~ Tina Turner
    "I'm holding out for a hero!"
    ~ Bonnie Tyler.
    "Stop fighting, you lot! Unless there's jello involved..."
    ~ me
    I think that people forget that comic books were always aimed at kids and teenagers. Back in the 40's and 50's you had the real crime stories and the horror, and love stories that were more popullar than superhero books. That was until the CCA put alot of companies out and set the industry back 20 years.

  14. #14

    Default

    I think that people forget that comic books were always aimed at kids and teenagers.
    The operative word there is "were".

    When you forget who your market is, and snub the very ones who should naturally love you, you are a doomed industry. The reason comics sell far less than they used to, is mainly because the percentages of kids who read comics has dramatically fallen. Yes, they have many other things to do now, far more than when i was a child. But you do not combat that by trying harder to sell to only adults - that's just dumb.

    I hate to be grumpy about this, but the industry is a ticking time bomb...with nobody to blame but themselves.

    And, as a comics fan, that pisses me off. And it should.
    Support Artists, Not Companies! Creator-owned comics are where the real art is at!

    My new website! http://lifelessordinarywebnovel.com/home.html Follow my super-powered web-novel adventures, "Life Less Ordinary"!

    Twitter (1) = @RealWyldeChild
    Twitter (2) = @lifewebnovel

    FaceBook = https://www.facebook.com/realwylde.child or search for me at " Life Less-Ordinary "

    Also 'occasionally' ranting Alpha Flight related stuff at http://canadas-own-the-flight.blogspot.com/

  15. #15

    Default

    Lets not forget writers and editors who will go out of their way to snub long time fans as well. I still laugh every time I think of Frank Tieri bragging to me about his book selling 10,000 copies, accusing me of cursing him out in private message, etc. e_e And then there's the guy who killed off Diamond Lil for no reason, claiming in so many words 'I'll abuse the characters all I want, fans of those characters will still buy the books'. People like these pretty quickly drive fans like myself away.


    As for comics not being fun anymore, I half agree. I do thing there is a place for grim and gritty in some story lines, and I'm glad writers and artists have the freedom to go there now. The problem is it's really no more realistic for every day to be a bloody battle for life than it is for angst and violence to get glossed over. I find a lot of comics now impossible to get into because in real life, people take the time to have fun, enjoy each-other 's company, etc. There were some pretty serious story lines about racism, human experimentation, etc. back before the whole 'comic books full of explosions and needless deaths' trend. Those are serious topics and I found it so much easier to care when the characters dealing with them felt like human beings, not marketing ploys tailored to overly specific demographics who will likely be ether tortured or killed sometime soon, or else suddenly turn villain, or both. You get the idea.
    Last edited by EccentricSage; 08-13-2011 at 04:49 PM.
    "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice, you must be Marvel."
    -FlightPath07 Don't you feel all important now?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •