IMAGE Publisher Calls Out Industry for 'Stunting' It's Own Growth

[JAM_NYC]

For me it’s volume + price + value for money.

 

The volume, especially, makes it overwhelming and impracticable when one has a very broad-spectrum interest in comics.

 

As a comparison, I’ve just had two run-throughs of Mass Effect 2 and 3 with different difficulty levels, strategies and character abilities, playing on-and-off for 4 months. The videogame discs cost $20 total. Hardly surprising that I’m moving away from buying comics, more and more.

 

I don't remember the last time I read a comic with a story as engaging as the one found in the Mass Effect series. I actually looked forward to the next cut scene or bit of dialogue. Meanwhile, I trade-wait the handful of modern titles I still read.

[Mr. Hog]

I find it strange that he's talking about the dangerous state of the business without mentioning not a word about the properties being optioned hype/bubble. In my opinion thats more of a menace to our industry than any retail variant scheme

 

Nowhere men?

 

What about Nowhere Men? It didn't have any retailer variants or incentive variants.

 

That was his point I think. I was clarifying. Nowhere Men was more of a hype/bubble rather than retail variant. Nowhere Men didn't have retail variants but as I recall was printed in low numbers with third, fourth and possibly fifth printings. I was asking for clarification here.

[Chaseman210]

For the last year and a half, I've started reading trades almost exclusively except to keep my run of ASM going. Everything else I wait for. By doing that, the $3.99 isn't as bad when I'm only buying two or three books a month now.

 

 

[Ken Aldred]

For me it’s volume + price + value for money.

 

The volume, especially, makes it overwhelming and impracticable when one has a very broad-spectrum interest in comics.

 

As a comparison, I’ve just had two run-throughs of Mass Effect 2 and 3 with different difficulty levels, strategies and character abilities, playing on-and-off for 4 months. The videogame discs cost $20 total. Hardly surprising that I’m moving away from buying comics, more and more.

 

I don't remember the last time I read a comic with a story as engaging as the one found in the Mass Effect series. I actually looked forward to the next cut scene or bit of dialogue. Meanwhile, I trade-wait the handful of modern titles I still read.

 

It’s an exceptional game and storyline, and not really that much off-topic because of the Element Zero mutagen, biotic superpowers, and Grissom Academy with its bald professor, although one who’s a little bit more tattooed than Marvel’s version.

 

 

[drotto]

I see many people bulking at the price of comics, and from a logic standpoint it is a stupid amount of money for 15 minutes of entertainment. Does anyone else see a comic future where many books go bimonthly or even quarterly. So instead of 3.99 for 22 pages (or 20 with DC), we get 40 pages for 5.99 bimonthly, or 7.99 for 60 pages quarterly. Basically everything would go to longer mini graphic novel size, with more self contained stories?

[Eric Seffinga]

A similar article, but this one points out the issue with cost and quantity of releases...

 

"There are too many comics to read these days. Not to get all Andy Rooney about the funny-book industry, but it’s absolutely overwhelming how much one has to consume in order to stay on top of the various comics narratives in the marketplace."

 

http://www.vulture.com/2016/02/too-many-comics-dc-rebirth.html

[JAM_NYC]

For me it’s volume + price + value for money.

 

The volume, especially, makes it overwhelming and impracticable when one has a very broad-spectrum interest in comics.

 

As a comparison, I’ve just had two run-throughs of Mass Effect 2 and 3 with different difficulty levels, strategies and character abilities, playing on-and-off for 4 months. The videogame discs cost $20 total. Hardly surprising that I’m moving away from buying comics, more and more.

 

I don't remember the last time I read a comic with a story as engaging as the one found in the Mass Effect series. I actually looked forward to the next cut scene or bit of dialogue. Meanwhile, I trade-wait the handful of modern titles I still read.

 

It’s an exceptional game and storyline, and not really that much off-topic because of the Element Zero mutagen, biotic superpowers, and Grissom Academy with its bald professor, although one who’s a little bit more tattooed than Marvel’s version.

 

Jack

 

 

The Mass Effect mini series that Dark Horse put out a few years back were pretty good, especially the one about the Illusive Man.

[the blob]

I agree things go up,but I think the comic book industry has gouged it's customers for years.

 

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not sure they actually turn a profit on floppies or if they do, it doesn't amount to much. maybe TPBs and variants, toy rights, video games, tv, movies, etc etc.

 

my understanding is that DC comics did not turn a profit for years on its comic business. time warner was ok with that due to other revenues.

[the blob]

A similar article, but this one points out the issue with cost and quantity of releases...

 

"There are too many comics to read these days. Not to get all Andy Rooney about the funny-book industry, but it’s absolutely overwhelming how much one has to consume in order to stay on top of the various comics narratives in the marketplace."

 

http://www.vulture.com/2016/02/too-many-comics-dc-rebirth.html

 

---

 

this is why i gave up on the few marvel books i was buying. it was just too much and i was perpetually confused anyway,

 

and that's why stand alone titles like WD, Goon, Chew, Fables, etc. had some appeal to me.

[Aweandlorder]

I find it strange that he's talking about the dangerous state of the business without mentioning not a word about the properties being optioned hype/bubble. In my opinion thats more of a menace to our industry than any retail variant scheme

 

Nowhere men?

 

What about Nowhere Men? It didn't have any retailer variants or incentive variants.

 

That was his point I think. I was clarifying. Nowhere Men was more of a hype/bubble rather than retail variant. Nowhere Men didn't have retail variants but as I recall was printed in low numbers with third, fourth and possibly fifth printings. I was asking for clarification here.

 

maybe... In a way, theres no way to tell if a book that got optioned really did or didnt. So NWM may or may not have been optioned based on false pretense. Who knows.

All I do know is that comics are where they are today primarily due to the success of many comic book properties being adapted to film/TV. And thats one thing that he didnt discuss in that article. Whatever implications, if any, one can take from that are opinionated.

[ComicConnoisseur]

I agree things go up,but I think the comic book industry has gouged it's customers for years.

 

---

 

not sure they actually turn a profit on floppies or if they do, it doesn't amount to much. maybe TPBs and variants, toy rights, video games, tv, movies, etc etc.

 

my understanding is that DC comics did not turn a profit for years on its comic business. time warner was ok with that due to other revenues.

My point was by them gouging their readers the readers went somewhere else for entertainment like video games,blu-rays and science fiction books were they offer more bang for the buck.

Now if we look at it since those readers have left it might now be the movie hyped speculators who have kept this industry buzzing. Speculators might be a reason for all the variants.

I would say this would have been a dangerous scenario in the 1990s,but here we are in 2016 were super hero movies continue to break box office records.

The only thing that would cause another comic book crash is if all the super hero movies would suddenly start to tank or the movie hyped comics become no longer profitable where as the speculators would jump to something else. I don't see it happening.

Comic book movies are just too popular now which will continue to fuel the keys and hyped comics.

 

 

[the blob]

I agree things go up,but I think the comic book industry has gouged it's customers for years.

 

---

 

not sure they actually turn a profit on floppies or if they do, it doesn't amount to much. maybe TPBs and variants, toy rights, video games, tv, movies, etc etc.

 

my understanding is that DC comics did not turn a profit for years on its comic business. time warner was ok with that due to other revenues.

My point was by them gouging their readers the readers went somewhere else for entertainment like video games,blu-rays and science fiction books were they offer more bang for the buck.

Now if we look at it since those readers have left it might now be the movie hyped speculators who have kept this industry buzzing. Speculators might be a reason for all the variants.

I would say this would have been a dangerous scenario in the 1990s,but here we are in 2016 were super hero movies continue to break box office records.

The only thing that would cause another comic book crash is if all the super hero movies would suddenly start to tank or the movie hyped comics become no longer profitable where as the speculators would jump to something else. I don't see it happening.

Comic book movies are just too popular now which will continue to fuel the keys and hyped comics.

 

 

or the end of easy credit