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Has my hobby reached it's pinnacle?

Started by shadroch,

26 posts in this topic

shadroch

shadroch

Posted
Posted

While everyone is proclaiming gloom and doom for the comic industry,I'm wondering if they are missing the boat.Are we failing to see the forest thru the trees?

My passion has always been SuperHeroes.Reading the exploits of Captain America,Thor,The Mighty Avengers and so on. It was the characters that I loved.Not the paper their storys were written on.

I remember a biology class where we talked about mutants,and getting blank stares when I mentioned the X-Men. Seeing a van in a parking lot in Ft Lauderdale with a mural of Silver Surfer and Galactus painted on it,and being the only one on my rugby team who knew who they were.Having to explain who this Magneto and the Titanium Man that Paul was singing about were.

In my wildest dreams,I never thought that Peter Parker or Prof. X would ever be Hot Hollywood properties.Or even state of the art childrens cartoons.Now,my video store has a section for 'inspired by comics" movies.

Yes,I'm somewhat sad that the monthy comic pamphlet seems to be going the way of the pinball machine,and true comic stores are harder to find now than twenty years ago.But I can turn on my tv and be treasted to shows that take Super-Heroes seriously. No Bam,Zap,Zowie effects,no throwing rubber guns at Supes chest.

It's a great time to be a fan of the Extraordinary. Perhaps the greatest.

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MedicAR

MedicAR

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Posted
i agree.

 

and with comics becoming more and more mainstream because of film developments, i hope that the hobby continues to grow and achieve more popularity than ever before.

 

While I agree completely with you on this, I don't think we're seeing any real growth in the comics themselves. For example, my LCS tells me that people come in when the FF moive came out and wanted FF and Silver Surfer comics, but very few if any ever came back after their initial purchase.

 

Tragically, I see comics as "Hollywood's farm team" right now. It's a place where unknowns can come in and give storytelling a shot, show off new characters and concepts, and see how the public reacts prior to getting a deal in Tinsel Town. I don't begrudge any of the creators that have moved on to movies and TV any of their wealth or success in the least, just the opposite in fact as it makes me happy to see someone come from relatively nowhere and do very well for themselves.

 

I'm thrilled comics are getting some attention, I just wish they could sustain the interest past opening weekend of the latest big budget offering.

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Raphael

Raphael

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Posted
i agree.

 

and with comics becoming more and more mainstream because of film developments, i hope that the hobby continues to grow and achieve more popularity than ever before.

 

While I agree completely with you on this, I don't think we're seeing any real growth in the comics themselves. For example, my LCS tells me that people come in when the FF moive came out and wanted FF and Silver Surfer comics, but very few if any ever came back after their initial purchase.

 

Tragically, I see comics as "Hollywood's farm team" right now. It's a place where unknowns can come in and give storytelling a shot, show off new characters and concepts, and see how the public reacts prior to getting a deal in Tinsel Town. I don't begrudge any of the creators that have moved on to movies and TV any of their wealth or success in the least, just the opposite in fact as it makes me happy to see someone come from relatively nowhere and do very well for themselves.

 

I'm thrilled comics are getting some attention, I just wish they could sustain the interest past opening weekend of the latest big budget offering.

 

I see what you mean, but let's face the truth with your example for the FF movie - both of the movies simply were not that good. So I can totally understand why people that bought comics because of the movie generally did not keep coming back.

 

I have to believe that if a solid movie comes out for a comic book title (provided that the comic at the time of the movie release is just as solid, if not better), that the people who jump on board as a result of movie hype would be inclined to come back and keeping reading that title.

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Calamerica

Calamerica

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Posted
i agree.

 

and with comics becoming more and more mainstream because of film developments, i hope that the hobby continues to grow and achieve more popularity than ever before.

 

unfortunately the comics world will start to lose demographic followings starting 2015 - other things and computer games/contests will overrun the comics world.

 

Enjoy the movie binge now - this will flame out first.

 

CAL :news:

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peewee22

peewee22

Posted
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To emphasize what some Boardies just said, I believe the M&Ms (Movie & Media) blitz the past few years has illuminated the comic sky for awhile. That never hurts so let's keep the candle lit BRIGHTLY.

 

Simply put, people just love comic book heroes...good guy bad guy stuff. I remember sitting in the '89 Bat movie and a black woman looked at me and said, "when is someone gonna have a Spiderman movie...?" Unaware of any movie in production, I should have scratched my head and said to her..."let's meet back in this theatre May 3, 2002 just for the heck of it!!

 

 

Good thread!

 

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Calamerica

Calamerica

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Posted
To emphasize what some Boardies just said, I believe the M&Ms (Movie & Media) blitz the past few years has illuminated the comic sky for awhile. That never hurts so let's keep the candle lit BRIGHTLY.

 

Simply put, people just love comic book heroes...good guy bad guy stuff. I remember sitting in the '89 Bat movie and a black woman looked at me and said, "when is someone gonna have a Spiderman movie...?" Unaware of any movie in production, I should have scratched my head and said to her..."let's meet back in this theatre May 3, 2002 just for the heck of it!!

 

 

Good thread!

 

anyone following comcis at all knew that Stan Lee was fighting for rights, and several conglomerates were bidding on Spidey.

 

There were a few indepenent movies made( the CAP one stunk, the FF one somehow failed in the distribution - and was a REAL stinker) and Stan Lee stood fast and eventually was compensated. Estates of Kirby and Buscema saw litigation as well.

 

CAL :news:

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Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

Posted
Posted

With superhero adaptations, the effect on comics is usually felt only mildly, and generally people are looking for merchandise or trade paperbacks. Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, FF, Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Hulk... nary a ripple.

 

The real cause-effect is in the biggest non-superhero movies. Sin City, Hellboy, 300, Ghost World, From Hell, V for Vendetta (even League of Extraordinary Gentlemen as bad as it was)... these films did have impact as people went looking for the books that inspired the movies they enjoyed. And like anyone being exposed to a book by a novelist that they enjoy they went looking for more books by the same person... Mignola, Miller, Moore, Clowes... even Pekar (American Splendor).

 

Stores couldn't keep 300 in stock earlier this year and Dark Horse made a fortune reprinting that book. And a lot of people seemed to be saying "what can you recommend to me that is LIKE THIS?". Same thing happened with Sin City and V for Vendetta the year before.

 

Watchmen could potentially do the same thing again, if it's any good. I don't know if 300 Days of Night is having the same kind of effect, but I have seen the stores making sure it is well displayed.

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Calamerica

Calamerica

Posted
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print runs are a fraction of what they used to be

 

the movies are profitable now, but look at the last FF - did well the first two days and then died - dropped like a rock

 

merchandising falling off - I got a ton of Spidey coloring books MINT frm pennies per CASE

 

all fads fade.

 

CAL :news:

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Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

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Sure they do, but I doubt you'll find many Hollywood movies that are designed to do much business beyond the first two weekends in the theatres. MOST movies drop like a rock as soon as they are released. It's the rarities that see any strong business on opening weekend and both FF movies opened well (as did Hulk, Daredevil and even Ghost Rider, all movies that are rightly complained about). It is all about the first weekend and then it's on to DVD sales and pay-per-view broadcast rights. As much as you may have disliked that FF movie (either one or both), it was profitable because of home video sales and they are now planning a third.

 

To many, Spider-Man 3 underperformed as well, and was a critical dud, but how many of us went out and got our copies today? I know I did. I'm looking at it now. But do I have an urge to buy any Spider-Man comics right now? Not a bit. Between this and the recently released Spider-Man Friend or Foe Wii game I'm currently Spidey-ed out.

 

As for the merchandise, Wal-Mart and Toys'r'us need new toys as the turnover is pretty high. Superhero action figures will always be supported for the brief flashes... now they order before the film and liquidate when the dvd comes out a few months later and you can get those toys and peripherals (like coloring books) dirt cheap.

 

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Calamerica

Calamerica

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Sure they do, but I doubt you'll find many Hollywood movies that are designed to do much business beyond the first two weekends in the theatres. MOST movies drop like a rock as soon as they are released. It's the rarities that see any strong business on opening weekend and both FF movies opened well (as did Hulk, Daredevil and even Ghost Rider, all movies that are rightly complained about). It is all about the first weekend and then it's on to DVD sales and pay-per-view broadcast rights. As much as you may have disliked that FF movie (either one or both), it was profitable because of home video sales and they are now planning a third.

 

To many, Spider-Man 3 underperformed as well, and was a critical dud, but how many of us went out and got our copies today? I know I did. I'm looking at it now. But do I have an urge to buy any Spider-Man comics right now? Not a bit. Between this and the recently released Spider-Man Friend or Foe Wii game I'm currently Spidey-ed out.

 

As for the merchandise, Wal-Mart and Toys'r'us need new toys as the turnover is pretty high. Superhero action figures will always be supported for the brief flashes... now they order before the film and liquidate when the dvd comes out a few months later and you can get those toys and peripherals (like coloring books) dirt cheap.

 

I am in the movie business and I can tell you that MOST of the last FF was:

 

presells

 

The next one up was also presold in Europe first.

 

That is all I can divulge for now

 

but much discussion has been the bookkkepping for r4eceipts for studios and a TON of infighting over "Net profits"...

 

I don't want to turn this Thread into another nightmare BUT the heads I spoke with all agree to jump on th ebandwagon and in the future let some wanna-be schlub produce an Independent feature. Some fool will spend his entire life savings trying to be the next Speilberg and if the movie has potential, a major studio will purchase it, market it, but the most important - distribute it.

 

Studios have done polls and other internet work that indicates that the comic characters are leaning closer to smaller children. The demographics point a sorry picture for us older adults.

 

Bottom line: Enjoy it while you can.

 

CAL :tonofbricks:

 

 

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Calamerica

Calamerica

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Cal,

 

Cappy had a MOVIE? Where have I been hibernating?

 

Is it on DVD

 

that movie was HORRIBLE!

 

Hitler was not even german - he was Italian!!!

 

I have it on VHS somewhere...

 

CAL :(

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Shadow

Shadow

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Cal,

 

Cappy had a MOVIE? Where have I been hibernating?

 

Is it on DVD

 

that movie was HORRIBLE!

 

Hitler was not even german - he was Italian!!!

 

I have it on VHS somewhere...

 

CAL :(

 

Oh mama, was that a bad movie. Didn't Cap have "fake" ears? I remember the red Skull only having the skull look very briefly.

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