What is the state of the comics industry?

[Angilas-Man]

There's a Popeye ongoing series, therefore, the comics industry is doing great.


... but, then again, I think I'm measuring this by a different system than everyone else.

[StoneGold]

Mostly either New York or California.

[Rasputin9977]

Didn't Marvel have another big layoff? Or am I exaggerating it?

Yep. Marvel had a lay off and an implosion but thanks to DC's new 52, comics have been on an upswing. Since it looks like Marvel NOW is just putting out garbage, I doubt they'll have the same positive impact that DC had.

[toastedmuffin]

All i know is you won't make a lot of money dealing with comics unless you're working for the top publishing companies or happen to be in the few successful shops left. Which on average probably isn't doing good. Comics have died since the 90's. Just look at sports trading cards.

[mistergoodman]

I think a big thing that's hurting comic book retail is the advent of digital comic book piracy and the rise of digital comic books. Legal apps like Comixology are great for getting people to pay for their comics so they can read them digitally, but it's hurting retail in many ways and taking the collectibility of comic books down a few notches, but at least people are still paying for their comics and reading them one way or another. But thanks to the internet comic books have been so easy to pirate and sometimes you see a file for a comic that's been downloaded 70,000 times and that's a potential of 70,000 extra people buying that specific comic that aren't, which is just downright sad.

More likely that was just 70,000 people who like free things. And there's no evidence that ComiXology is "hurting retail in many ways". DC went same day digital with the New 52 and it sure didn't seem to hurt sales at comic book stores. DCs own data seems to indicate that digital comics are reaching a different audience than paper comics. I can't see that digital sales are "taking the collectibility of comic books down a few notches" either. Popular comics were already being reprinted in book form anyway, so people haven't had to collect back issues to read classic material in years. The only people who collect now are those who like collecting old issues of paper comics.. and i don't know why digital comics would have any effect on that at all.

[dupont2005]

If anything, "collectability" is a bad thing for comics. Good for sales for a certain demographic of comics to a certain demographic of buyer, bad for good stories getting in the hands of interested readers. When the only people buying comics are more worried about a Campbell cheesecake cover for their slab than they are about what's actually inside the comic, we have garbage dominating the orders and the walls of the comic stores. Then the odd person who wanders in looking for a good read is just going to see crap and walk out thinking comics are stupid.