I sure am glad that I have friends that send me links to interesting discussions or blogs. I don’t have time to search through all of them, nor the inclination. But occasionally, something comes across that I find compelling and end up reading the entire thread. It’s surprising how many of the same people are posting on all these different threads. Many of them are comic writers and I just wonder how they manage to get anything done with the time they spend on these message boards. I have trouble enough just doing a blog.
I found two threads interesting. One was “How to Save the Comics Industry” and the other, which appeared in different places, was “Is Digital Going to Kill the Comic Stores”. Those weren’t the exact titles but it gets the point across. They’re almost the same topic, just approached from different directions.
My first thought regarding “How to Save the Comics Industry”?
Why?
Besides the obvious benefactors for the “system” as it is set up now, why would anyone want it to continue as it does nowadays? It’s mired in superhero fantasy at almost the exclusion of everything else. It depends (especially for the non-Marvel and non-DC) on a pull and hold system where people order ahead without even looking at the other books. It’s locked into a small niche market that is woefully inadequate to appeal to most people in this country and the “events” that prop it up for short term are just reconfigurations on 40 year old stories. And we want to save that?
Now, saving the comics medium…I’m all for that. But the industry as it is?...no thanks.
I have nothing against the participants in the current system. Sure, Diamond is a monopoly but it’s in their best interest to be that and you can never fault a business for taking care of its own house first. And yes, I know there are a lot of good comic shops that offer wide selections and are great ambassadors for the comics medium. But there isn’t nearly enough of them.
The whole concept of digital distribution concerns many of the stores. Right now, publishers are looking to the Internet to determine how it can be beneficial. Providing copies online (whether for viewing or downloading in some format and whether for free or a nominal fee) is being bandied about with proponents and opponents both bringing up good arguments. Will digital format increase awareness of the printed material and possibly drive sales or will it supplant the printed format altogether? Who actually utilizes the digital format…and who will? Is it customers that don’t have access to comic stores or simply those who wish to save money and will gladly take a reduced price and forego the physical copies. It’s becoming readily apparent that there isn’t a simple answer, mainly because everything is still new territory.
One of the major contentions against the digital format proposed by some is that just having it available online will not increase awareness because consumers won’t bother looking for something that they’re unaware of in the first place. I disagree with that assessment to some extent. I think a lot of it depends on what the subject matter is. I get information requests all the time from people who hardly know what comics are as they come across the books via internet searches. Titles like Jack the Ripper, Troy, Red Diaries, and even Renfield are often sold to people who are interested in the subject matter and if anything, the comic format is a turn off. However, with the success of 300, Sin City, History of Violence, etc. the comics format is much more palatable to the “non-comic” audience than it used to be. But the point of awareness is a valid point is someone is doing online superhero comics because anyone interested in superheroes is likely already aware of the Marvel-DC direct market avenues.
I see the digital exploration as a good way of building awareness but it is too early to tell if it will indeed build sales. Undoubtedly, it will but it’s also a good bet that it will cannibalize some physical sales so it remains to be seen how the two stack against each other. But for many smaller publishers, it’s worth the gamble because the current system is a brick wall which isn’t likely to come down anytime soon.
Things are hectic for me this time of year as school is starting back up and the beginning of the semester is always the most hectic time as I essentially have to plan out the entire semester right at the beginning so I’ll have to come back to this subject next week.
Quick Notes:
Of Scenes and Stories will have more copies available any day now as I completely sold out at Chicago Con. I have a couple other projects just about ready to announce but will wait until I can be reasonable assured of the time schedule.
I’ve seen the pages for the new mini-series, Deadworld: Frozen Over that is being guest written by Mike Raicht. Looks good! Check out www.desperadopublishing.com for more information and a preview. Also, Desperado’s site has finally been updated and now they have a message board as well.
I’m going to be appearing at the Kerrytown Book Festival on Sunday, the 9th. KerryTown BookFest Lots of book people and even some comic people. Ann Arbor is always a good place to go with reading material so I’m hoping to see a good crowd. I’ll be joining Dan Mishkin and Rob Worley on an Actionopolis panel that we’re presenting there.
Hope to have some intriguing announcements regarding Transfuzion shortly. This thing is starting to snowball a bit….
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
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2 comments:
Great. I wrote up a long reply, and then it vanished on me. *sigh* This is going to sound rushed because I don't want to have to write all that up again. Call me lazy. :-)
First, I wanted to say I couldn't agree with your question about the saving the comics industry. "Why?" I've asked myself that quite a bit the last few yeras. In business, like in nature, if you can't adapt then you die and that's just the way it is. So if the comics industry doesn't adapt, it will die. There has been some movement towards this since 1996, but I think it will require more than webcomics on on-line ordering to do the job. Comics and the comics market will need to change quite a bit to survive. I just wish I knew how exactly because those who have the proper foresight will likely reap in a nest egg that should make their retirement more comfortable.
I also agree that the digital marketplace does pose dangers to the present comics market, but by "dangers" I simply mean changes. In 1987 AM radio was the province of lcoal talk shows that featured recipes and psychics. Starting in 1988 AM radio began to change -- adapt to the new federal laws as well as changes in other media such as TV (e.g,. ESPN, 24-hour news channels, "niche" cable channels). Now, 20 years later, AM radio is a much diffrent beast than it was in 1987, and NOBODY foresaw exactly what AM would look like today. Still, it proves a venreable medium can adapt to the times and experience unprecedented change. Will this happen to comics? Like you, I don't know, but I love the medium, too, so I hope it does. And it sure be a fun ride to be a part of, eh?
Steve,
I think that the industry will change...simply because it has to. Right now, the "biz" is exploring all the different directions and some will work, some will fall by the wayside. But its obvious now that even in the beginning stages of online comics, a whole different dynamic is playing out with a different audience (as with Manga) and it will be interesting to see how these different factions will merge...or not.
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