CBR: Stephenson on the State of Image Comics

[CBR News]

Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson spoke with CBR News on everything from his company's place in the comics industry to grooming young talent and up and coming books for the rest of the year.


Full article here.

[Ramage]

Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson spoke with CBR News on everything from his company's place in the comics industry to grooming young talent and up and coming books for the rest of the year.


Full article here.

Eric seems in a pissy mood. Especially regarding DC and Marvel.

[murch]

Great interview / article. I've got a lot of time for a guy like Eric Stephenson who's very obviously passionate about the industry and the talent at Image.

I could rattle off a whole list of guys I'd like to see writing and drawing new material at Image instead of just polishing up old wood over at one of those other companies.

Oh, and it's Erik Larsen, not Larson.

[GRANT!]

Eric seems in a pissy mood. Especially regarding DC and Marvel.

I think he's spot on on his assessment of Marvel and DC. I mean they try to hoard talent with exclusivity deals, raise prices and clutter the stands with too much product to eliminate shelf space for the competition (how many Batman books a month do we need?)

Don't get me wrong I like some of their books but the Big Two is doing a lot of damage to the industry as a whole.

[ColonelLee]

I don't know if it's due to Eric Stephenson or not .. but lately .. the best new books on the stands are from IMAGE. It's great to see IMAGE develop into what it was promised to be 20 years ago.

As far as the creators who have started at IMAGE and moved over to MARVEL/DC .. far be it from me to criticize anyone for wanting to make a good living .. but the work they're doing for the Big Two is not as good as what they did on their own.

The only drawback is distribution .. because while comic shops have plenty of shelf copies of MARVEL/DC .. hot IMAGE books require the customer putting them on their hold list. Because buying extra copies of new ideas is riskier for the Comic Shop than buying extra copies of old ideas.

Eric didn't talk about that .. but I see that as the biggest problem for IMAGE as it grows ..

[ScotsScribbler]

Loved it, I'm putting together my first one shot, and I can't wait to submit.

I think Image will be bigger than Marvel and DC one day.

Loved Mister Universe among many others and just their obvious love of the medium.

[DarthCommenter]

Image Comics = Good stories. Great art. I have to admit that I was extremely resistive to non-superhero books until I heard that the Walking Dead was becoming a TV show (Invincible was on my pull list but the TWD wasn't). In preparation for the show, I quickly read the whole WD series and I really loved it.

Now I can't get enough of non-superhero books, I've added Scalped, Chew and Skullkickers to my pull list.

Image should use the release of the Chew TV show to bring in new readers. Give away the first story arc via facebook or twitter as a pdf file so it just opens right away and easily. And/or have some voice acting to go with the book so even lazy people won't be scared away.

People want to be entertained with good stories and beautiful artwork; they’re just unfamiliar with our medium. For me, pre Walking Dead TV show, comic books only meant superheroes, and now I’m having more fun with comics than ever before. I’m sure there are countless other people who just need to be shown the light (no pun intended).

[rasx]

I currently only buy books from Topcow and love how they mix fantasy stuff with sci-fi. But I may give Skullkickers a try.

[Sinx]

I got into comic books with the start of the Ultimate Marvel line and since then I've been trying to expand my reading. CBR's reviews of Green Wake, The Intrepids, Blue Estate, and Morning Glories caused me to root for the issues I missed and put them on my pull list. I agree with ColonelLee in that comic shops never order enough from Image causing some issues to be pretty hard to find (first prints, at least).

I do love the idea of Image and creator-owned comics. I don't really think that it's fair that DC and Marvel can scoop up hot new creators to exclusively work for them, but that's business I guess. I'll continue to support these great Image comics regardless.

[EMeadow]

I think he's spot on on his assessment of Marvel and DC. I mean they try to hoard talent with exclusivity deals, raise prices and clutter the stands with too much product to eliminate shelf space for the competition (how many Batman books a month do we need?)

Don't get me wrong I like some of their books but the Big Two is doing a lot of damage to the industry as a whole.

When the guys who work at Marvel/DC are ready to attempt creator owned stuff, the first place they'll probably go is to Image.

But if they know signing the exclusive with Marvel/DC for the time they're there precludes them from coming up with anything for the fear that either company will conscript it, then just wait, hone your craft working on the other books, and like I said, when the time is right, present your stuff to Image, and you've already helped yourself by making a name at one of the big two, and will help the sales at Image.

[Quest Mar-Vell]

I got into comic books with the start of the Ultimate Marvel line and since then I've been trying to expand my reading. CBR's reviews of Green Wake, The Intrepids, Blue Estate, and Morning Glories caused me to root for the issues I missed and put them on my pull list. I agree with ColonelLee in that comic shops never order enough from Image causing some issues to be pretty hard to find (first prints, at least).

I do love the idea of Image and creator-owned comics. I don't really think that it's fair that DC and Marvel can scoop up hot new creators to exclusively work for them, but that's business I guess. I'll continue to support these great Image comics regardless.

My LCS orders mass numbers of all Image and other Independents.

And DC and Marvel dont force these creators to sign exclusive deals... Why do people alway blame the Big 2 for it.

[Sinx]

My LCS orders mass numbers of all Image and other Independents.

And DC and Marvel dont force these creators to sign exclusive deals... Why do people alway blame the Big 2 for it.

I don't think they force them, but I'm sure the pay is better if you're an exclusive writer / artist.

[Rasputin9977]

When the guys who work at Marvel/DC are ready to attempt creator owned stuff, the first place they'll probably go is to Image.

Doubtful since Marvel had their own creator own line back in the '80s and '90s. It was called Epic Comics. Also they have one now called Icon. I think Vertigo is DC's.

[Ramage]

Stephenson should be proud. Image is going thru a little minirenaissance during his watch. I'm sure Erik and Jim V had a lot to do with it as well, but the books they are producing right now are really the best on the marketplace.

[EMeadow]

Doubtful since Marvel had their own creator own line back in the '80s and '90s. It was called Epic Comics. Also they have one now called Icon. I think Vertigo is DC's.

Icon is invitee creator owned only. Only people who get as big/popular as Bendis, Millar, and Brubaker get the chance to do a project at Icon.