How do we save the Comic Industry

[UsagiTsukino]

I think the way to save the Comic Industry is by making movies and animated series. I mean it works for the manga industry.

[LoneNecromancer]

What works for the manga industry is that manga is cheap and easily accessible.

[Blade X]

I think the way to save the Comic Industry is by making movies and animated series. I mean it works for the manga industry.

Fire most of the people calling the shots at the Big 2, as well as most of the current crop of creators.

[Robotman4]

I think comics going digital was a great thing for the industry. A huge problem before was that comic books had become such specialty items. People used to be able to buy comics at news stands, spinner racks at super markets, and a lot of other places. When those disappeared comic books weren't reaching the casual consumer and the age range of comic book fans skewed to the older side of the demographic. digital comic books are far more accessible and it helps reach a wider audience.

[LoneNecromancer]

Fire most of the people calling the shots at the Big 2, as well as most of the current crop of creators.

This may shock you, but really good writers will always be a minority of the people who are writing. This can be observed across every form of storytelling. Cos if they were the standard, they wouldn't really be that special.

[The Duke]

Do whatever Julius Schwartz did might be a good start. The guy kinda knew what the hell he was doing.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

What works for the manga industry is that manga is cheap and easily accessible.

qft.

Also, Japan just seems to be the more open-minded culture. Manga doesn't have the stigma that superhero comics has in the respective cultures. There's manga for everyone, that covers all walks of life - cooking manga, history manga, sports manga, scifi manga, detective manga, soap opera manga for women, soap opera manga for young girls, horror manga, etc.

Over here, the Big 2, even when they divert to "street level" or cosmic stories, it's still considered/seen as "superheros in tights". American culture as a whole, imo, is just too closed minded about reading books w/ pictures about physical specimens in tights. I know a lot of ppl that play video games based on comics and love movies and TV shows based on comics. But they still avoid reading comics like the plague, even the comics that are the source of those games and shows/movies. Not even just try to avoid, but actually still condemn it as some immature, childish hobby. Granted, I know that's not how everyone thinks in the States, but I'm sure it's a large portion, even w/ the increased trendiness of being a nerd.

[skyvolt2000]

I think comics going digital was a great thing for the industry. A huge problem before was that comic books had become such specialty items. People used to be able to buy comics at news stands, spinner racks at super markets, and a lot of other places. When those disappeared comic books weren't reaching the casual consumer and the age range of comic book fans skewed to the older side of the demographic. digital comic books are far more accessible and it helps reach a wider audience.

That is when you stop with the 32 page comic book for most of your titles. I work in a school and have seen many 48-60 digests or hardcover graphic novels in the library.

If I was DC I would go through all my titles from the 52 and look at which ones would work better in digest or novel form. The ones that fit that description and release them every 4 months in the Targets and other stores. Or I would release them when I put out new trades from the 52 lineup. With hope that will help trade sales.

Books I would use in format would be Static, I Vampire, WIldstorm guys, Tim Drake, Doom Patrol, Katanna, Green Arrow and Beetle.

Digital does work but not everyone has access to the software like most schools-so that is a ton of kids you are missing out on. And that free software that allows you to read comics can not be legally loaded on school computers. I think it wold help if you could make some of those comics pdfs and we could use adobe software.

[DexterSinister]

What works for the manga industry is that manga is cheap and easily accessible.

The manga thing is a cultural difference, if DC and Marvel could sell more copies at a cheaper price they would almost any company would be ok with that.

The more popular manga's have little in the way of quality,there weekly release date has forced them to depend on long fights and they use the idea of continually power scaling as a key point of nearly every plot.

[Brave Sir Robbin]

I think comics going digital was a great thing for the industry. A huge problem before was that comic books had become such specialty items. People used to be able to buy comics at news stands, spinner racks at super markets, and a lot of other places. When those disappeared comic books weren't reaching the casual consumer and the age range of comic book fans skewed to the older side of the demographic. digital comic books are far more accessible and it helps reach a wider audience.

I agree with this, having poured an embarrassing amount of my discretionary income into Comixology and Dark Horse. Digital comics does a few great things for the industry:
1. Like you said, makes the books available to anyone that has a computer or tablet.
2. The digital store is always stocked with every issue so people can browse and buy different things, getting a deeper appreciation for comics and the variety. (non DC, of course. Variety and DC are not exactly two words I think of as complementing each other.)
3. Digital comics also make available a huge variety of titles that a shop might not have and would otherwise get ignored. On top of that, the small titles can be promoted online easily to give them attention they would not otherwise get through sales. Through sales I was introduced to some books I love and able to buy large runs of them: Courtney Crumrin, The Sixth Gun, Haunt, Jennifer Blood (at least the first arc, it goes way over the top later on), Billy the Kids' Old Timey Oddities, BPRD...and many more. I have also picked up older DC runs that were fantastic, like the Secret Six and Brubaker's Catwoman.
4. I think that once digital comics start to appeal to more comic people that have not gone in shops or have not really thought about comics, combined with reduced pricing (charging $3.99 for new digital issues for many publishers is criminal) I think that comic readership could increase greatly over time.

[Brave Sir Robbin]

That is when you stop with the 32 page comic book for most of your titles. I work in a school and have seen many 48-60 digests or hardcover graphic novels in the library.

If I was DC I would go through all my titles from the 52 and look at which ones would work better in digest or novel form. The ones that fit that description and release them every 4 months in the Targets and other stores. Or I would release them when I put out new trades from the 52 lineup. With hope that will help trade sales.

Books I would use in format would be Static, I Vampire, WIldstorm guys, Tim Drake, Doom Patrol, Katanna, Green Arrow and Beetle.

Digital does work but not everyone has access to the software like most schools-so that is a ton of kids you are missing out on. And that free software that allows you to read comics can not be legally loaded on school computers. I think it wold help if you could make some of those comics pdfs and we could use adobe software.

I agree that digital is not the only answer. I buy a lot of trades of the stories I really like. But digital can spread the word easily and increase awareness.

[vicvega]

the way to save the comics industry is to buy comics, encourage people to buy comics, get people comics as gifts in order to get them into comics, etc.

making movies and games puts most of that money towards the movie and games industry

its as simple as buying comics.

[sunofdarkchild]

That is when you stop with the 32 page comic book for most of your titles. I work in a school and have seen many 48-60 digests or hardcover graphic novels in the library.

If I was DC I would go through all my titles from the 52 and look at which ones would work better in digest or novel form. The ones that fit that description and release them every 4 months in the Targets and other stores. Or I would release them when I put out new trades from the 52 lineup. With hope that will help trade sales.

Books I would use in format would be Static, I Vampire, WIldstorm guys, Tim Drake, Doom Patrol, Katanna, Green Arrow and Beetle.

Digital does work but not everyone has access to the software like most schools-so that is a ton of kids you are missing out on. And that free software that allows you to read comics can not be legally loaded on school computers. I think it wold help if you could make some of those comics pdfs and we could use adobe software.

I think length is part of it. A videogame gives you 8+ hours, a tv show 30 minutes-1 hour, a movie 2 hours, a novel who knows how many hours. A single comic gives you less than ten minutes before you finish it the first time. Is it any wonder graphic novels, even if they're just collections of individual comics, get more respect?

[PsychoGoatee]

Also, Japan just seems to be the more open-minded culture. Manga doesn't have the stigma that superhero comics has in the respective cultures.

I dig Japan too, and I do wish America had their prevalence in animation/comics popularity for all ages. But saying they're a more open-minded culture is a bit broad. For example, they still have to censor/pixelate all genitalia in any media in their country, they just can't show that part of the body. So they're more conservative in some ways, and less in others, in other words just a different culture.

That is when you stop with the 32 page comic book for most of your titles. I work in a school and have seen many 48-60 digests or hardcover graphic novels in the library.

If I was DC I would go through all my titles from the 52 and look at which ones would work better in digest or novel form. The ones that fit that description and release them every 4 months in the Targets and other stores. Or I would release them when I put out new trades from the 52 lineup. With hope that will help trade sales.

Books I would use in format would be Static, I Vampire, WIldstorm guys, Tim Drake, Doom Patrol, Katanna, Green Arrow and Beetle.

I don't think that would help with the popularity of comics. There are some in that format, for example The Tower Chronicles. But overall, if you have material it seems you might as well release it instead of saving it up. Besides, they'll be released in trade paperbacks anyway, and I think the ones with 5 or 6 issues in them are probably more attractive to a book buyer than the 60 page ones. Plus it's a better deal to get a trade.

One thing about manga is that it's released weekly with chapters about as long as our monthly comics. Though black-and-white, it is wild how fast they put stuff out compared to us, probably a scary schedule.

Anyways, as for how to save the comic industry, I guess just by continuing to read and buy and spread the word. Overall comics are selling better now than they did a few years back, so we seem to be in an okay place.

[LoneNecromancer]

qft.

Also, Japan just seems to be the more open-minded culture. Manga doesn't have the stigma that superhero comics has in the respective cultures. There's manga for everyone, that covers all walks of life - cooking manga, history manga, sports manga, scifi manga, detective manga, soap opera manga for women, soap opera manga for young girls, horror manga, etc.

Over here, the Big 2, even when they divert to "street level" or cosmic stories, it's still considered/seen as "superheros in tights". American culture as a whole, imo, is just too closed minded about reading books w/ pictures about physical specimens in tights. I know a lot of ppl that play video games based on comics and love movies and TV shows based on comics. But they still avoid reading comics like the plague, even the comics that are the source of those games and shows/movies. Not even just try to avoid, but actually still condemn it as some immature, childish hobby. Granted, I know that's not how everyone thinks in the States, but I'm sure it's a large portion, even w/ the increased trendiness of being a nerd.

The Japanese do their fair share of condemning adult manga/anime fans. Look up what otaku actually means and how they're perceived. It's not actually a term of endearment like it's thrown around with US manga fans.