How do you solve the "mini" problem?

[QBall]

Bringing the discussion back to mini-series and maxi-series, I think most modern writers would prefer 12 issues to tell a self contained story with separate acts, to a 4-6 issue story. It is actually quite difficult to pace out a story that almost demands act breaks after every issue, which this shorter form does.

Virtually the whole of the Mignolaverse seems to manage okay, and a lot of the Image minis are 4-6 issues running time.

[JKtheMac]

Virtually the whole of the Mignolaverse seems to manage okay, and a lot of the Image minis are 4-6 issues running time.

And that has managed the audience's expectations into a very European mindset. So yes, but the big two have struggled because of the nature of line wide real-time continuity. This continuity is an illusion and is never perfect, but it becomes more obviously so when you throw OGNs into the mix. Especially if you want to start charging a premium up front for a hardback or other high quality book, that only encourages people to await the paperback and then read things way out of order.

Perhaps one solution is to stop the normal book trade practice of releasing premium versions before paperbacks and allow the reader to choose which they want. That way digital prices will not be held artificially high for months which is something that puts me off of OGNs.

[phonogram12]

Virtually the whole of the Mignolaverse seems to manage okay, and a lot of the Image minis are 4-6 issues running time.

I honestly think the big two would be better off doing things like this. At the very least, it would help with quality control.

[cranger]

Virtually the whole of the Mignolaverse seems to manage okay, and a lot of the Image minis are 4-6 issues running time.

I'm not sure I'd point to any of those as evidence of a model that is preferable as sales of those are a fraction of Marvel's and the premise of the thread is that Marvel's sales are not doing well.

[phonogram12]

I'm not sure I'd point to any of those as evidence of a model that is preferable as sales of those are a fraction of Marvel's and the premise of the thread is that Marvel's sales are not doing well.

At my local comic shop, Image tends to be the big seller over Marvel and DC, but I'm willing to admit that may be an anomoly.