Is comics a dying trade?

[mrbrklyn]

I've never really had problems finding comics. You can order them for delivery, digital, or some of the remaining local shops.

If anything, I find it easier now more than ever to get comics.

In 1975 there were13 stores in a 5 block radius from where I lived to buy comicbooks. How many do you have?

[Trey Strain]

There are many counties in the Unites States with no comics shops.

[Chocolate Starmie]

Even the highest selling non-anniversary, non-issue number one comic book sold barely over 200,000 copies in recent months. Action Comics #1000, which shipped with ten variant covers and had orders worldwide exceeding 500,000 copies; the North American first-month portion accounted for 450,000 copies. Dan Slott's Amazing Spider-Man #800 topped 410,000 copies in May.

No single comic book has sold over a million copies since X-Men #1 in the 90's. Marvel's Star Wars #1 came close to the 1 million copies mark, just a few hundred short of the 1,000,000 copies.

Could market saturation be a factor? I wonder how many different monthly or biweekly series were on the stands in the 90's compared to now

[mrbrklyn]

Even the highest selling non-anniversary, non-issue number one comic book sold barely over 200,000 copies in recent months. Action Comics #1000, which shipped with ten variant covers and had orders worldwide exceeding 500,000 copies; the North American first-month portion accounted for 450,000 copies. Dan Slott's Amazing Spider-Man #800 topped 410,000 copies in May.

No single comic book has sold over a million copies since X-Men #1 in the 90's. Marvel's Star Wars #1 came close to the 1 million copies mark, just a few hundred short of the 1,000,000 copies.

According to https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?SeriesID=3091, the 1963 Amazing Spiderman had a subscription of 242,781 and a print run of 554,248
-just your run of the mill spider-man book

Action Comics #327 1965 - print run of 716,000


Adventures of the Fly (Fly Man) (1966) #37 - Yes the Fly Man
Print Run 308,000

[jb681131]

There are many counties in the Unites States with no comics shops.

True that, but there are no counties without internet. And without libraries.

[mrbrklyn]

Could market saturation be a factor? I wonder how many different monthly or biweekly series were on the stands in the 90's compared to now

the 1990's was saturated and it might be even more saturated now. Once publishers discovered that fans were buying back issues and reading them, they decided to plunder that market, and effectively killed the back issues market in the store front. Marvel, DC, Image, Malibu, etc ... they effectively killed the back issues market and the bins, and inadvertently killed the golden goose, IMO. Store were gambling with inventory and refusing to over buy product without having back issue bins to sell excess stock.

[dancj]

Considering parents tend to limit their kids' screen time, the internet probably doesn't do that much to get comics into the hands of kids.

We've lost the impulse buy of an issue of a comic for the kids in the supermarket that we used to have. That's got to hurt kids getting into comics.

For adults on the other hand, it's probably improved. TPBs and digital both have big advantages over floppies for adults with a decent income.

[GOLGO 13]

There are many counties in the Unites States with no comics shops.

Last store within 5 miles of me closed last December. I didn't realize it closed till the store sign was removed. I felt nothing.

[Enigma]

I don't think that comics are dying, but changing, for good and bad. Personally, I now exclusively buy collected editions as they are simply better for me in every way. I honestly don't know enough about the comic industry to feel like I can suggest how this will ultimately affect the industry. However, the industry provides what the customer wants, so if more and more people abandon floppies, then they will find a way to generate profit that way instead of through floppies. The other problem for me is quality and quantity. There is so much coming out these days (especially supers), and it feels kind of diluted.

[Skrolm]

I recently came back to comics thanks to my daughter (11yo) that picked it up.
I have a Marvel unlimited sub (she Loooooooves X-Men, especially Wolverine) but she seldom uses it.
Each week we go to our local comic book store and have 10ish subscriptions going.

But tbh I think it's mostly collectors going to comic book stores now...

[Enigma]

My LCS (don't actually have one now) did the weekly subscriptions, which I had for a while, but I mostly went there to browse the back issues. Same with novels, I love just browsing through back issues or second hands and seeing what I find

[Kusanagi]

Have a LCS (well 15 minutes away, I guess that's local), but haven't been in a couple years. While I like a hard copy of an issue it's just way less convenient than online.

[Skrolm]

While I like a hard copy of an issue it's just way less convenient than online.

Funny enough, I have everything digital at home (video games, movies, music,...), I even have a Kindle for books, but I have yet to find a good way to read digital comics. I guess the format doesn't work for me...

OFF TOPIC - From your signature: My daughter and I started reading the new Domino series, we love it.

[Gbob]

Just a limited perspective from a former fan of decades ago, who is getting back into the hobby.

A month ago I was talking with a friend when the topic cam up. She had never read a comic in her life. One thing led to another and we started doing a podcast based on introducing a new people to the medium. I figured that she would be a more...critical...voice and that would be the fun. Instead, she's found comics that she really loves, and even has a favorite writer. Where, at first, it felt like a chore to her, now is something she does even when we're not reviewing a book for the show.

So, I don't think it's a problem (mostly) wit the content. Far more variety for her today than if she had been riding bikes with me as a kid to the nearest spinner rack.

I think there are barriers to entry that the industry needs to address.

First, let's look at what retailers can do different. In preparation, we visited four different comic shops. She would go up and ask for recommendations. Most of the shops would be happy to push things in her hands, but without any regard to what she might like to read. Best choice presented to her was Saga, but if you just hand a new person the latest issue, how is that a jumping on point? The other issue is the way the shops are set up. Regular book stores have different sections of interest. Why not comics? Also, why not have little signs saying "hey, this issue is a great jumping on point!". So better arranged stores with a thrust on customer service might help.

Also, shops really need to be more kid friendly. I had this problem ten years ago when my son was at the age where you can catch the bug. Have a place in the store where the kid can sit and browse and find interests while the parent shops.

Next, there really is a problem with the publishers. If I see a number one issue of a new series, it would be great if I could read it and have a clue what's going on. Who is this character? What's his or her story? What is the character motivation? If I spend five bucks for a book, will I get an actual story out of it? (Not usually). If you need to have wikipedia open to understand a book, it could probably use some editing. The editorial days of Jim Shooter could hold some lessons to the editors of today. If your writer doesn't make it clear, then have them rewrite it.

Final issue is value for entertainment. It takes me less time to read a comic than it does to drink a beer. What's a better buy for my money? How about video games? Novels? Movies?

So, I guess the answer of what to do is "everything". Get new readers. Make retail more attractive. Manage price. Better editing on books. Have books for the next generation. Have books for the current generation. Have books for everybody.

G. Bob

[chongjasmine]

Today, I went to my local comics shop and stay for 10 minutes. Mostly elder adults, hardly any young people.
Comics, I think, is a dying trade.