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Expanding Comic Book Audiences
ScoobaShag
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I think a small but fundamental fixture in the comic book industry that seems to be missing is a body of critical review. What I'm getting at is that, with the exception of the Comics Journal, I can't think of too many other publications, digital or otherwise that reviews, critiques, and gives editorial articles about the comics industry. Or atleast if there are, these publications don't seem very apparent to me.
There's IGN, and they only really cover mostly mainstream titles with some exceptions here and there. Does anybody know of any others.
Also, I'm looking for some counter-arguments, I guess. What do you think is more important to the widening of comic book audiences? Is it peer reviewed publications, advertising, or a change in public perception?
There's IGN, and they only really cover mostly mainstream titles with some exceptions here and there. Does anybody know of any others.
Also, I'm looking for some counter-arguments, I guess. What do you think is more important to the widening of comic book audiences? Is it peer reviewed publications, advertising, or a change in public perception?
ScoobaShag on
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If you're just looking for web site recommendations thread for reviews, editorials, etc, I think we have one floating around somewhere or you can just ask in the questions thread.
As for the last question, the only thing that will expand the industry is a digital movement by the big 2 that puts free samples on people's iPhones, computers and other media devices because they are definitely not going into the comic shops. Buy the Iron Man DVD? Get a coupon for say Invincible Iron Man #1-6 in a downloadable (not shitty subscription thing Marvel uses wth that horrible, horrible reader they use) format. That's several hundred thousand (millions? dont know dvd sales) people that like Iron Man enough to buy a DVD and would never go to a comic shop gettin gaccess to the series in a digital format for free and if it converted even 1% of that to new customers, youve expanded the industry more than any advertising could possibly do.
Wth people actually reading the comics, they now have a gateway drug that can change perception and show them it's not just for kids and fat nerds in parents basements with grilled cheese sandwiches. I still advocate an iComics like store that sells digital copies for 99 cents and mabye coupons for trades if you own all the digital versions. Could then give coupon codes in print versions that get people on the digital (say instead of reprinting a comic in a book, you put a coupon code for it in the book for digital version) and the DVD giveaways for select stories for the heroes on hand and so on. People arent going to comic shops out of the blue to start collecting. It's a digital world where they spend more time twittering or on their phones texting. Give them what they want and at reasonable prices and you'll sell to the masses again. Wont be a huge boom right away, but industry isnt exactly getting any bigger as it is.
Especially companies like Marvel should realize sell a 40 page #1 for $2, take the loss, but the people still holding on for issues #2 and 3 will even that out soon enough (since comic sales basically operate on the premise of get big numbers out the gate, ride the wave down, then event-up and let the book ride a boost here and there).
You have to first focus on getting those who read comics, but not your comic. Get those people first, since they are the easiest targets. Then expand outwards.
But back to my original question, as I said it's not the most important aspect for comics as a whole, but it is important. In a world where there's journalism for just about everything under the sun, how could there not be room for comic books? I honestly think the fact that there exists few venues for the mainstream public to go for information about what's going on in comics to be detrimental to its perception. People pay attention to the latest movies coming out because they're constantly being advertised, the creators are being interviewed on daytime talk shows, and there's a near constant stream of information being shovelled into the public eye. There's a long, long, road before that ever happens for any comic book, but you have to start somewhere.
Anyway, I am still curious about other review publications.
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
certainly an aspect I hadn't originally considered. Print comics have gotten pretty pricey in the last couple of years.
@MeToo!
That's not a bad idea, just take it up a level. Comic book release parties, like a more laid back gallery open.
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
I also see that you have a link to a review site, so that's atleast one more. I just never see or hear about any.
Which is why I ask.
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
Like many other mediums, more and more people rely on blogs for information, reviews and thought pieces due to corporate ass kissing of the big sites and so on. The comics medium, in particular, seems to have sites dedicated to just about every character imaginable, some for mainstream, some dc, some marvel, some indy, general review sites, and everything in between. It's really hard to just recommend blogs since everyone looks for different writing styles or content and have different views on things. Some like hard lined snark, others neutral voices, others still like the blogger to like the same things (say a Marvel fan or a DD fan or selection of books).
In all honesty, I typically avoid big sites for reviews due to the fact they have big ass advertisements from teh same thing they are reviewing and you always see stories about video games or movies with holding review copies and other draconian methods if they dont get good reviews and even threats of pulling advertising. Comics, being a small medium, sees more 'clubhouse' like reporting than most and Newsarama and the like come off with things like Ultimatum being great in their reviews when everyone and their mothers thought it was horse shit. I can rhyme off a dozen+ blogs if you want, though, but your milage will vary with each.
And Newsarama is pretty much dead now, or always one step behind CBR since co founder Matt Brady left. All they have left that is the Weekly Webbing with Wacker article, which is nothing but Steve Wacker being a complete asshole to the readers/opponents of BND. 20 Questions with Didio is so heavily filtered it's not even worth it. I haven't even posted there since Brady left, to be honest.
Kirk's site is good with reviews as well, as his panel scans going with the review help the reader get a glimpse of where he's at in the review article. It's weird to say it but it shows the comic was read before it was reviewed. Oftentimes it seems like reviewers at Newsarama and CBR already have their review written before they read the book, as they are very vague and could basically be written off the free previews the companies provide every week.
give me all the free stuff
https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
Also the answer is always to send everyone a copy of Hellblazer
Dangerous Habits to be specific
@robos a go go
Now that's lateral thinking, I like it!
@the lovely bastard
We should all get free stuff, but we live in an unfair world. But you should know that better than anyone having watched the Deathwish movies, I assume. Charles Bronson can only fix so many of our problems
@KVW
I take it you're extremely well read as far as review sites go. I'll make sure to give all of those a look.
@Me Too!
It's true.
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
Only I should get free stuff.
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
Ads before the comic-based movies.
"Continue the adventure in: The Amazing Spider-Man!" or whatever. It's not fucking rocket science. Every 4 year-old I've seen who loves Spider-Man loves the movies. They don't even know the book exists. You could just tell them!
That's a great list. I usually get my reviews courtesy of The Onion's Comics Panel. They're supposed to update biweekly, but seem to have missed their latest deadline.
I don't know if the Onion counts as the biggest audience expansion, but at least it's giving comics exposure to the fake-news-enthusiast crowd.
I could see this. You even have western magazines like Monocle with a manga insert -- why not a western comic serial in a magazine? Hmm.
Marvel doesn't seem to care about the sales of their comics right now, which is kind of sad. Comic artists really can't depend on the bigger companies as of late. Though I do think it would be a good idea to send as a letter to Marvel, just as an inquiry. Because yeah, if you want to sell more comicbooks, advertise during the f@#$ing movies!
@ ziggymon,
reaching out to the basic male demographic beyond the most immediate comic induced types is a pretty good idea too. Seems simple.
Alot of these ideas seem simple, but for some reason they're just ignored. I wonder what it would take to get these ideas into peoples heads?
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
Then again, western comic industry is vastly different than the eastern ones, so even if you did that i'm sure the thousands of die-hard mooks out there would try and steam-roll it because they didn't get their latest issue of spiderman or whatever. Who needs change, right?
Actually for Marvel that would be perfect to have a magazine like that with their current franchises, especially with all their continuity obsession.
Imagine if the Civil War storyline had been released as a set of chapters in a bi-weekly magazine? Actually seems like they could make more money running off of that model. Methinks a marvel executive's missing out on a golden opportunity here.
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
Shounen Jump, for example, releases their comics on a weekly schedule, with each series cranking out a whopping eighteen/twenty pages a week. They aren't colored, but honestly that's something probably saved better suited for Volume releases.
While other competitors release on a weekly basis, other magazines and companies will release on a bi-weekly or monthly schedule. Some series work out better in this format, so it's up to the creator to pick which format works best.
On a side note, here's a breakdown of the Eastern male age demographic bracket for the 2009 fiscal year:
10-20
1. ONE PIECE
2. NARUTO
3. Full Metal Alchemist
4. BLEACH
5. Hayate no Gotoku
6. Hitman Reborn
7. Soul Eater
8. FAIRY TAIL
9. D.Gray-Man
10. To Love-Ru
20-30
1. ONE PIECE
2. Full Metal Alchemist
3. HUNTERxHUNTER
4. NARUTO
5. BLEACH
6. Negima!
7. Tenjo Tenge
8. Black Lagoon
9. Hayate no Gotoku
10. Yotsuba-to!
30-40
1. ONE PIECE
2. Vagabond
3. PLUTO
4. BASTARD!!
5. Full Metal Alchemist
6. Berserk
7. HUNTERxHUNTER
8. NARUTO
9. Initial D
10. Yotsuba-to!
40-50
1. ONE PIECE
2. PLUTO
3. Initial D
4. Nodame Cantabile
5. NARU
6. Shacho Kousaku Shima
7. Full Metal Alchemist
8. Zipang
9. Kamen Rider Spirits
10. BASTARD!!
That series at the top has only been around for ten years (long for an eastern series, a drop in the bucket for the american industry), and makes more money than God. The fact that it dominates the age groups from ten to fifty is something Corporate America could only dream about.
Also, every one of these series are self-contained, easy to get into and are readily available.
This post smacks of "manga is superior to your superhero funny books"
Fuck yourself
No, it doesn't.
Seriously, I think either of those two franchises could bring people in by the boatloads. Of course, you then got transition them to other books, but I think that (especially with HP), there's a lot of other things you can show a fan and go 'you liked this? Read this!"
Or if you want to be mean, show them Gaiman's Book of Magic and go "wanna see what JK ripped off from?"
I only bother to keep up with one manga series.
Fuck you.
Anyhow, there has been a major influx of comics based on books recently. Farenheit 451, Great Expectations, Dresden Files, Last of the Mohicans and the list goes on. Some of them are even being produced by none other than Marvel, which is a surprise to me, but I have an unfortunate bias.
I suppose it's a step.
Another one that I don't hear too many talking about is that "Bone" is now being marketed through Scholastic and that includes the catalogues that they send out to elementary schools. Kyle Baker is also trying the same thing with Nat Turner.
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
The Rock'n'Roll web-comic adventure: Garage Raja
settttttllllleeee down