However, that does not mean I don’t keep up with all things comic books-primarily through YouTube, Twitter and other social network avenues.
About the last three or four months I’ve come across some disturbing news/rumors.
It seems that both DC and Marvel Comics are teetering on the edge and one or both may stop publishing comic books-at least in the conventional sense.
Comic book shops are closing left and right and comic book sales in general are plunging. The Direct Market may soon become a thing of the past as publishers scramble to find new outlets to sell their comic books.
Surprisingly (to me at least) crowd funding has blossomed and more and more independent creators are looking to sell-publish.
DC Comics, a part of Time/Warner, which was recently purchased by AT&T, appears to becoming a victim of the bottom line.
AT&T has taken a good hard look at DC Comics and discovered that it is losing money. As a result DC Comics has downsized, eliminating job positions, cutting back on publications, merging its Vertigo line into its DC Comics portfolio and struggling to bring sale numbers up.
It’s even been suggested that DC Comics expands its publishing output to include TV show adaptations and to concentrate on big retail outlets like Walmart and the like-effectively cutting out the Direct Market.
Marvel Comics is in a similar situation. Disney, who owns Marvel, is not happy with its sales figures. In an attempt to bring on new readers Marvel went the SJW (Social Justice Warrior) route and wound up alienating many of its longtime fans and purchasers of its comic.
No one likes to be preached to.
In response Marvel increased its output of ’Alternate Covers’ catering to the speculator market and creating a false profit margin.
An increase in trade paperback reprints and collections, a cycling of new #1 issues almost twice a year and (as with DC) an almost complete disregard for its fan base has resulted in a plunge in its sales.
Comic fans have complained about SJW, high prices, too many cover variations, a preponderance of #1 issues and a total lack on both DC and Marvel’s part to recognize what the real problems are.
People want comic books to read to escape from reality, not to be slapped in the face with it. No one likes a comic book writer to push their political or social issues stand or to put down anyone who disagrees with him or her.
Sadly many at Marvel and DC have forgotten that the fans are what keep them solvent. Keep continuity and by all means introduce new minority and female characters, but don’t use them to replace existing characters.
Diversity is a good thing. Constantly overstating the fact or pushing it continually will not endear it to fans.
Attacking traditions and vilifying those that disagree with personal political/social issues is not the way to sell comic books.
Slapping a different cover on a book does not change the interior art or story. Initially it may sell comic books, but as time passes those who invested in said ‘Variants’ will be shocked when they time comes to resell their supposedly ‘hot’ books. Sorry-no takers.
Collecting is fine. Making a few extra bucks is OK. But, isn’t reading and enjoying a comic book priority one?
If a comic book goes up in value, that’s a nice extra.
Ironically the big two have put in place a system that is slowly and inevitably putting them out of business.
I believe comic books will always be around-more digital than printed. But, why limit the collector’s choices by eliminating many titles and possibly publishers?
‘Nuff said!
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