Stuck in the Middle

Why does Image Comics still exist? That was the thought provoking title of a blog that someone sent to me. Here's the link (Spunky the Wonder blog). The blogger wants to know why Image Comics is still around as their sales are poor, especially compared to their heyday in the 90's, and they seem to have no focus or direction and titles vary considerably in terms of appeal and quality. Specifically, he brings up Eric Shanower's Age of Bronze and wonders why it is at Image as it doesn't seem to fit their mold. "Spunky" makes his case and he got quite a response from a number of fans and creators on the blog, most extolling the virtues of the current day Image.

The main question that the blogger brings up is why Age of Bronze is at Image at all. He suggests that possibly Fantagraphics would be more suitable. He thinks that Image is a dinosaur and a failed experiment. The feedback letters take him to task for this and they're right to do so. Image Comics of the 1990's is not the Image Comics of today. You can look at the past Image and say that it was a big business that built up properties for exploitation but as far as literary merit, there isn't much to speak of. Today's Image is very much like a Caliber used to be...a house of creator owned titles that run the gamut in themes, execution, and subject matter....and of course, quality. But when you step outside of the superhero world and all that entails...it is much harder to qualify what is quality. The creator owned books often can't be judged just by looking at the art. Superhero books can usually be judged quickly by a flip of the art. Creator owned books take in the whole aspect of the writing, the art, the pacing, and the subject matter. They aren't easily dismissed for not having traditional artwork because there may be a lot more going on with the book.

Why does Image exist? Because they fill a void. If you're a comic talent with creator owned projects....what other opportunities are there? Obviously, Marvel and DC are out. Dark Horse does very little creator owned books. There are a lot of solid smaller publishers such as IDW, Devil's Due, Avatar, Desperado, Boom, Dynamite....but how many titles can they handle? You have other publishers out there who will do more creator owned books but are they going to provide much more than you could get by self publishing? Fantagrahics and Slave Labor provide an avenue but both seemed to tagged with having a certain style (I'm not saying they do but the perception is there)...so that leaves Image Comics.

Why Image? Because they're the primary destination for publishers who want to do genre material. By genre, I don't mean splatter horror, but a wide and diverse range of comics. If you want to do mysteries, science fiction, or even straight out drama....Image is the only place to do it for the most part. Concepts and ideas that may not have a strong appeal to the built in comic audience...but to the general population, they're more intriguing than spandex heroes or your choice of zombie/werewolf/vampire gore. The material that has the best chance to outreach into the "real" world has a very tough time but Image is the primary home for the few that do publish in the direct market.

I can't speak for all creators but I can for myself so naturally, I will. I've produced titles such as Renfield, Saint Germaine, Red Diaries, Raven Chronicles, Jack the Ripper, Troy, Zulunation, etc. They don't fit into the superhero world and they don't fit into the "slice of life" comics. I never know how to sum up the autobiographical/whining/self-reflective assortment labeled as slice of life (and perhaps they shouldn't be categorized at all) but there is a distinct look and appeal on that side of the fence just as there is a distinct look and appeal on the superhero side. So, many creators, like me, are stuck in the middle. Doesn't appeal to fans of Clowes, Hernandez Bros., et al....nor does it appeal to superhero fans. The direct market has a small audience for this type of material yet it is what has the greatest potential outside of the direct market.

But the "outside direct market" avenues don't quite exist now. It's changing but it isn't there yet. Many book publishers are getting into the game of producing graphic novels and they're striking out after the more contemporary stories....type of projects that exist in novels...because that's what they know. Bookstores are going after graphic novels although I think the value of bookstores entering the game is vastly over-rated as far as their actual impact. With a few exceptions, they still ignore the comics market (I look at manga as a whole different beast). Libraries are probably the most active in going after graphic novels even though they rely heavily on manga as well.

That's what I mean about being stuck in the middle. Outside of Deadworld, it seems most of my comics have little awareness in the direct market. I published some with Image, got good press from the comic sources (Newsarama, CBR, Pulse, Silver Bullet, etc), got fantastic reviews on most...yet very little in terms of sales. However, I found that I was selling quite a few direct, that Amazon had good sales on some of them, and that libraries were going after some titles. A different market.

So, for me, Image served a purpose because they got the books in print. I do believe that having books published/distributed by Simon & Shuster and Penguin as well as the young adult novel with Actionopolis helped build up my cache with the libraries, but if I didn't have those books in print, the outreach wouldn't have been possible.

I know, as most fans can also easily find out, what Image books sell. It is not very encouraging. They're at numbers that Caliber had. Image is set up very similar to Caliber although they approached it a bit smarter. At Caliber, we gave a royalty. if a book sold well, we'd benefit as would the creator. At Image, they charge a flat fee on the back end. if sales are too low to cover the fee, they can cancel the book but most come close, at least initially, to covering the cost. Image doesn't get anything beyond the fee (except on trade paperbacks where they get a percentage of every sale) so if the book does really well, then Image doesn't benefit beyond their initial fee. So why do I say that's smarter? They're getting paid for just about every single book they do.

So, Image has a reason to exist...not just for the fees they collect but it is still as viable publishing house with the original crew of Todd, Eric, and Jim and of course, Top Cow. the question actually is why so many creators publish through Image. But that is just as easy an answer...because there just isn't many other places to go.

I don't think a lot of creators make much money of their books. However, when you're a creator, you can't just look at the initial sales to determine the value. Getting books out there is also getting your name out there...whether its to do something for the larger publishers, to find some kind of Hollywood connection, or just to set yourself up for the next project from Image which will now have a fan base to build on.

I look at some of my Image books. By being in print, it created different revenue streams such as apparel, games, downloadable pdf, foreign printing and of course, interest from major licensors that would reap enormous benefits. Increasingly, many creators are looking at the printer material as the "package" to exploit. If it makes money, all the better. That's not to diminish the comic or graphic novel as it is still the primary reason to do the work in the first place but there are other sandboxes to play in. That's one of the reasons for Transfuzion. It can accomplish everything without the expense of printing all the books upfront.

If the comics market wants to grow beyond its current fan base and I'll grant that some movement is happening, then the question moves from why Image to why not more Images? I for one, would be glad to see it.