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8 Crucial Points On The Future Of The Comic Book Industry

Started by GM8,

17 posts in this topic

GM8

GM8

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Over on CBSI this article on the future of the comic book industry was shared by Justin Dice. I think its interesting to read and it really doesn't paint a great picture for the physical books and back issue market most people here love (which includes me!).

 

http://comicbookeditor.com/post/137696015893/future-trends-comic-industry

 

My question is: like other media, is there an end in store for the physical comic book? I don't think so anytime soon, with the market for new comics continuing to be strong by Diamond's figures. But it seems possible years down the road.

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drotto

drotto

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People have been predicting the death of print media for at least 10 years now. I have kids, and I can tell you that the printed word is coexisting with new distribution methods, not killing them. Yes the throw away paperback is going away, but for their favorite books or series they still want that physical copy. I think that possession or the idea of it, is ingrained in people. We like tangible things, and digital does not provide that feeling. The physical comic in addition is viewed as a collectible, which will help maintain the physical form.

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jools&jim

jools&jim

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So, to summarize:

 

From the West Coast of the United States a sustainable business model for new comics will emerge...one which will, of necessity and inevitably, have divested itself of all the ranting old white codgers who, wedded to their pathetic nostalgia and its concomitant lack of "diversity", are keeping the industry in chains.

 

Yawn.

 

Wake me up when Ms. D’Orazio has written something worthy of me giving a damn about her opinion...

 

 

 

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GM8

GM8

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People have been predicting the death of print media for at least 10 years now. I have kids, and I can tell you that the printed word is coexisting with new distribution methods, not killing them. Yes the throw away paperback is going away, but for their favorite books or series they still want that physical copy. I think that possession or the idea of it, is ingrained in people. We like tangible things, and digital does not provide that feeling. The physical comic in addition is viewed as a collectible, which will help maintain the physical form.

 

I agree with this, especially with comics which have the utility of reading them as well are also collectible.

 

A lot of what the author projects in the future is already happening though. Diverse characters and changing of the guard such as Ms. Marvel muslim hero, Jane Foster/female Thor, Falcon African American as Captain America, Angela as LGBT, and many more.

 

As far as comic shops diversifying, is there a 1 that hasn't? The old days of a comic shop being solely a comic new and back issue storefront is long over, no? In fact, I don't know many LCS that aren't phasing out their back issues.

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GM8

GM8

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So, to summarize:

 

From the West Coast of the United States a sustainable business model for new comics will emerge...one which will, of necessity and inevitably, have divested itself of all the ranting old white codgers who, wedded to their pathetic nostalgia and its concomitant lack of "diversity", are keeping the industry in chains.

 

Yawn.

 

Wake me up when Ms. D’Orazio has written something worthy of me giving a damn about her opinion...

 

 

 

That west coast thing and the rant about the stereotypical comic "codger" distracts from an otherwise interesting article.

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jcjames

jcjames

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Superheros aren't going anywhere, they've been around since the stories of Beowulf, Hercules, Achilles and Zeus. It's a Jungian archetype that's ingrained in our human-ness and digital whizbang technology isn't going to extinguish it, nor will young urbanites seeking gritty stories with more diverse faces.

 

Her prediction about all those "old white guys" who are all just a bunch of closet racist/sexist hatemongers waiting until they've got "nothing to lose" to unleash the most vile offensive screeds against their replacements tells us a lot more about HER ignorance and prejudice than it does about them.

 

And that's an awesome prediction that the West Coast is going to become predominant in the future of comic creation. Wow, really went out on a limb there. Next thing they're gonna say the LA area might become a major hub for movie and TV production too.

 

And there's gonna be more synergy and overlap between comics and TV/Movies? Really!?? How does she DO it!!?? :o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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drotto

drotto

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I can tell you as a not so old white guy, I like some of the risks that even the mainstream publishers are starting to take. While not a fan of the race and gender swapping craze of the last few years. Some of the fresh story telling in Ms Marvel, Black Canary, Batgirl, etc. combined with some independent stuff has pushed those books to the top of the pile. Finding new ways of telling stories with strong art will go much further to sustaining comic books. The overly deconstructed often overly dark tone of many of the main books has gotten tiresome. So somewhat lighter, faster paced stories have been great.

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rjrjr

rjrjr

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In 2015, the number of comic units sold was up 4.21% from last year. The dollar sales was up 8.99%. Altogether, the comic industry sold roughly $579,180,000 of product. Numbers came from here:

 

http://blog.comichron.com/2016/01/december-2015-comics-sales-estimates.html

 

There have been ups and downs, but the trend (dollars) has been up for over 10 years now:

 

http://www.comichron.com/vitalstatistics/alltime.html

 

As long as sales remain strong, the comic industry has absolutely no reason to change. So, I don't really foresee pamphlets or comic book specialty shops going away until this trend reverses itself for a few years. And I suspect that will be a long, long, long time from now.

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tv horror

tv horror

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I may live in the U.K but as far as I know both Marvel and DC are based in New York which is on the East coast! As for actual comic books I still love the feel and look, as for digital I can live with that which brings me to my next thought. This is for you comic art collectors, are they still free-hand drawing the pages or are they all digital now? Now that would be a shame if all the great art was now a lot of ones and zeros on some data cache.

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jools&jim

jools&jim

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Her prediction about all those "old white guys" who are all just a bunch of closet racist/sexist hatemongers waiting until they've got "nothing to lose" to unleash the most vile offensive screeds against their replacements tells us a lot more about HER ignorance and prejudice than it does about them.

^^

 

 

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jaybuck43

jaybuck43

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I may live in the U.K but as far as I know both Marvel and DC are based in New York which is on the East coast! As for actual comic books I still love the feel and look, as for digital I can live with that which brings me to my next thought. This is for you comic art collectors, are they still free-hand drawing the pages or are they all digital now? Now that would be a shame if all the great art was now a lot of ones and zeros on some data cache.

 

DC moved to Cali last year.

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valiantman

valiantman

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I've heard some critics say the Superhero genre will eventually go the way of the Western and War genres. I tend to disagree with this sentiment as it seems to me all the Superhero genre has merely outlasted them.

Zombies will go the way of the Western and War genres... then after a couple of decades... they'll be back again. Like Zombies.

 

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