future of comics

[Gaastra]

Joker made a billion dollars, they aren’t going anywhere. They are property farms.

Movies are not comics. Most non comic fans know who batman, superman, Spider-Man and avengers are---from movies, video games and toys! My nephews can tell you every mcu hero, knows all the gotg members, and major batman bad guys but have never read a dc or marvel comic in their life. A big name show or movie can help sell manga in japan but other then a few rare cases like the 1990 ninja turtles film they don't help comics in America much.

They know joker from the movies, games, lego toys, toys and shows. Most people have never read the comic book joker ever!

[Gaastra]

Another young adult title announced! With the lumberjanes creator! DC is going all out! Good job dc!

From New York Times bestselling author Grace Ellis (Lumberjanes) and artist Brittney Williams (Goldie Vance) comes a new story about 13-year-old Lois Lane as she navigates the confusing worlds of social media and friendship.
It’s the first day of summer break in the sleepy town of Liberty View, and young Lois Lane bursts onto the scene with what she knows is a sure-to-go-viral video channel. Okay, maybe her platform only receives two views a week (thanks, Mom), and maybe her best friend, Kristen, isn’t quite as enthusiastic about social media, but when Lois sets her mind on something, there’s no turning back.
At the end of the week, the big neighborhood barbecue and bike race will be the perfect backdrop to Lois and Kristen’s #friendshipchallenge video. But when the girls find out the annual fireworks are missing, Lois doubles down on her efforts for fame, testing her friendship in ways she couldn’t imagine.
With Kristen leaving for sleepaway camp after the barbeque and a new girl on the block taking all of Kristen’s attention, will Lois be able to find the missing fireworks, celebrate the summer, and post the best #friendshipchallenge the internet has ever seen? Or will she have to face her challenges IRL?

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/11...-goldie-vance/

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[Badou]

DC Comics is in a weird place. Superhero comics are in decline but superhero properties are as popular as ever with movies, TV shows, merch, video games, and so on. It is interesting that the medium that spawned these properties isn't keeping pace with the demand for the properties outside the medium. With traditional comic book shops also in decline, and DC already trimming their line as well as having to ship two issues of their most popular books per month, it doesn't feel like floppies are going to be around for too much longer. At least not in the way they have been. The pool they are selling to feels like it is shrinking as kids don't really read ongoing superhero comics issue to issue anymore. Plus it is an expensive hobby. DC still releases a lot of books, but so many feel like they just get released and then evaporate into the ether. Then they get packaged into a trade and that sells a few hundred and then it is forgotten. It doesn't feel sustainable.

And some would point to trades and graphic novels as being the future for DC Comics because that is a market that is growing, which it is in thanks to all the children focused graphic novels being released, but 2018 was an interesting year for DC Comics in trades. Their trade sales in 2018 completely tanked. Brian Hibbs does a great article detailing the trade sales bookscan numbers every year that shows all this and is worth a read. Basically the sales completely bottomed out and even stalwarts that sold consistently year after year like a Watchmen fell off. I have no idea what that means going forward for DC, but it was kind of shocking as someone that has been following Hibbs' article since it used to be on CBR.

But clearly DC is still investing heavily in their Zoom and Black Label lines and that is probably what they are hoping will be their future. Focusing on specialized limited series for younger readers, which is a market DC had abandoned for a long time, and then other specialized limited series for adults. Both of which are more written for trade instead of month to month like traditional floppies. So they will do more books like White Knight, Harleen, or even Doomsday Clock. Most of these will probably line up with whatever property is getting a big push in other media at the time. Then for traditional floppies I think DC will continue to shrink their lineup. So they will always have some ongoing Batman or Superman title, but their secondary or tertiary books will probably continue to get cut until they are gone.

[WillieMorgan]

Marvel will be ok, they feature all of their characters in some capacity. While over at DC, Dumbo Dan, Bob Harris, and Jim Lee will run it into the ground with character preferences, character assassinations, and Batman, Batman, Batman!

And, as if on cue....

Trust me, if DC do stop publishing one day it will definitely NOT be for any of those reasons. That's just wish fulfilment that you're using to help you legitimise your own personal grudges. The Batman complaint is particularly out-of-touch with reality.

Affirmation upon demand, Willie.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

It took two days BA

[WillieMorgan]

DC Comics is in a weird place. Superhero comics are in decline but superhero properties are as popular as ever with movies, TV shows, merch, video games, and so on. It is interesting that the medium that spawned these properties isn't keeping pace with the demand for the properties outside the medium. With traditional comic book shops also in decline, and DC already trimming their line as well as having to ship two issues of their most popular books per month, it doesn't feel like floppies are going to be around for too much longer. At least not in the way they have been. The pool they are selling to feels like it is shrinking as kids don't really read ongoing superhero comics issue to issue anymore. Plus it is an expensive hobby. DC still releases a lot of books, but so many feel like they just get released and then evaporate into the ether. Then they get packaged into a trade and that sells a few hundred and then it is forgotten. It doesn't feel sustainable.

And some would point to trades and graphic novels as being the future for DC Comics because that is a market that is growing, which it is in thanks to all the children focused graphic novels being released, but 2018 was an interesting year for DC Comics in trades. Their trade sales in 2018 completely tanked. Brian Hibbs does a great article detailing the trade sales bookscan numbers every year that shows all this and is worth a read. Basically the sales completely bottomed out and even stalwarts that sold consistently year after year like a Watchmen fell off. I have no idea what that means going forward for DC, but it was kind of shocking as someone that has been following Hibbs' article since it used to be on CBR.

But clearly DC is still investing heavily in their Zoom and Black Label lines and that is probably what they are hoping will be their future. Focusing on specialized limited series for younger readers, which is a market DC had abandoned for a long time, and then other specialized limited series for adults. Both of which are more written for trade instead of month to month like traditional floppies. So they will do more books like White Knight, Harleen, or even Doomsday Clock. Most of these will probably line up with whatever property is getting a big push in other media at the time. Then for traditional floppies I think DC will continue to shrink their lineup. So they will always have some ongoing Batman or Superman title, but their secondary or tertiary books will probably continue to get cut until they are gone.

This is a bit of a thread closer to be honest. A very well thought through post that makes some excellent points.

I do think that DC will try and keep more licenses in print for as long as possible than just Superman and Batman though. They would surely like to keep on printing a Justice League title. Ditto for characters like Wonder Woman and The Flash. I agree that we'll probably continue to see their 'lesser' content get whittled down as time passes. And I say that with a heavy heart.

[gazdadude]

This is a bit of a thread closer to be honest. A very well thought through post that makes some excellent points.

I do think that DC will try and keep more licenses in print for as long as possible than just Superman and Batman though. They would surely like to keep on printing a Justice League title. Ditto for characters like Wonder Woman and The Flash. I agree that we'll probably continue to see their 'lesser' content get whittled down as time passes. And I say that with a heavy heart.

I hope they continue with the nightwing harlry quinnand supergirl comics in tp form as there my favorite

[Buried Alien]

Movies are not comics. Most non comic fans know who batman, superman, Spider-Man and avengers are---from movies, video games and toys! My nephews can tell you every mcu hero, knows all the gotg members, and major batman bad guys but have never read a dc or marvel comic in their life. A big name show or movie can help sell manga in japan but other then a few rare cases like the 1990 ninja turtles film they don't help comics in America much.

They know joker from the movies, games, lego toys, toys and shows. Most people have never read the comic book joker ever!

That's a shame too, because while I discovered Batman from reruns of the 1960s Adam West TV show, Superman from the 1950s George Reeves series and the Christopher Reeve movies, the Justice League from the old SUPERFRIENDS cartoons, Captain Marvel/Shazam from the 1970s Saturday morning live-action SHAZAM! TV show...I really only got the depth of these characters' mythos after reading the comics.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[kingaliencracker]

I believe monthly comic books will become a thing of the past, yes, and I think that reality is closer than most of us are willing to admit. While I understand some of the fan sentiment that people have been saying that since 1996 (which isn't untrue), or the 70's with the market implosion (which also isn't untrue), the industry has been getting by with a lower volume of units sold every year by increasing the price of floppies. The problem with that is I can purchase a 6-issue collected edition of an entire story arc on Amazon for $10-15 digitally, or pay X-amount of dollars a month for unlimited comic books (also digitally) with DC Universe or Marvel Unlimited, as well as get significantly more content, versus having to go into a specialty shop (which are also dwindling in size) and paying $5 for a 22-page story. Fans are realizing this, which is why unit volumes are going down even on "staple" books (such as Batman or JLA), and why prices keep going up. Eventually the few fans left will refuse to pay $7-10 on one comic book and go strictly digital.

Beyond this, it just makes practical business sense to do 3-to-6-part story arcs or mini series where a writer and artist have more or less free reign to tell the story they want, unhindered by continuity, deadlines, or the monthly grind.

Having said all of this, comic books themselves will exist but how we get them and the type of content we receive will be changed for sure.

[The Kid]

I believe monthly comic books will become a thing of the past, yes, and I think that reality is closer than most of us are willing to admit. While I understand some of the fan sentiment that people have been saying that since 1996 (which isn't untrue), or the 70's with the market implosion (which also isn't untrue), the industry has been getting by with a lower volume of units sold every year by increasing the price of floppies. The problem with that is I can purchase a 6-issue collected edition of an entire story arc on Amazon for $10-15 digitally, or pay X-amount of dollars a month for unlimited comic books (also digitally) with DC Universe or Marvel Unlimited, as well as get significantly more content, versus having to go into a specialty shop (which are also dwindling in size) and paying $5 for a 22-page story. Fans are realizing this, which is why unit volumes are going down even on "staple" books (such as Batman or JLA), and why prices keep going up. Eventually the few fans left will refuse to pay $7-10 on one comic book and go strictly digital.

Beyond this, it just makes practical business sense to do 3-to-6-part story arcs or mini series where a writer and artist have more or less free reign to tell the story they want, unhindered by continuity, deadlines, or the monthly grind.

Having said all of this, comic books themselves will exist but how we get them and the type of content we receive will be changed for sure.

This is how I pretty much see it

[superduperman]

I believe monthly comic books will become a thing of the past, yes, and I think that reality is closer than most of us are willing to admit. While I understand some of the fan sentiment that people have been saying that since 1996 (which isn't untrue), or the 70's with the market implosion (which also isn't untrue), the industry has been getting by with a lower volume of units sold every year by increasing the price of floppies. The problem with that is I can purchase a 6-issue collected edition of an entire story arc on Amazon for $10-15 digitally, or pay X-amount of dollars a month for unlimited comic books (also digitally) with DC Universe or Marvel Unlimited, as well as get significantly more content, versus having to go into a specialty shop (which are also dwindling in size) and paying $5 for a 22-page story. Fans are realizing this, which is why unit volumes are going down even on "staple" books (such as Batman or JLA), and why prices keep going up. Eventually the few fans left will refuse to pay $7-10 on one comic book and go strictly digital.

Beyond this, it just makes practical business sense to do 3-to-6-part story arcs or mini series where a writer and artist have more or less free reign to tell the story they want, unhindered by continuity, deadlines, or the monthly grind.

Having said all of this, comic books themselves will exist but how we get them and the type of content we receive will be changed for sure.

This is what people don't seem to understand. Digital comics didn't exist back in the 70s-90s. Trades were barely a thing until the mid-nineties. And everything has a price ceiling. A point at which we are no longer willing to pay for something. If comics are $4.00 now, what will they be five/ten years from now? And how good will the story be? Story quality will be the biggest factor. Black Label can afford to charge more because they are, arguably, making better quality stories with better quality art. Can anyone honestly look at the quality of stories in the mainstream books now and say they are worth $4.00 a pop? Or more? And that isn't even taking into account the constant reboots. Does anyone even know what Superman's current origin is? AT&T is a digital company. Suppose they just don't want to invest in print anymore? At the end of the day, we're talking about a company owned by another company run by people who don't read comics who just bought them as a package deal. Does the president of AT&T even know that he owns Superman?

[Gaastra]

Trades were barely a thing until the mid-nineties

Well in America anyways. Overseas they been around along time. The 50s smurfs were in "albums" (trades) and manga has have trades way back in the 50s! They had trades of Disney comics for a long time as well as titin, lucky luke and others. Doraemon has been in trades as far back as the 60s!

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[Jadeb]

I believe monthly comic books will become a thing of the past, yes, and I think that reality is closer than most of us are willing to admit. While I understand some of the fan sentiment that people have been saying that since 1996 (which isn't untrue), or the 70's with the market implosion (which also isn't untrue), the industry has been getting by with a lower volume of units sold every year by increasing the price of floppies. The problem with that is I can purchase a 6-issue collected edition of an entire story arc on Amazon for $10-15 digitally, or pay X-amount of dollars a month for unlimited comic books (also digitally) with DC Universe or Marvel Unlimited, as well as get significantly more content, versus having to go into a specialty shop (which are also dwindling in size) and paying $5 for a 22-page story. Fans are realizing this, which is why unit volumes are going down even on "staple" books (such as Batman or JLA), and why prices keep going up. Eventually the few fans left will refuse to pay $7-10 on one comic book and go strictly digital.

Beyond this, it just makes practical business sense to do 3-to-6-part story arcs or mini series where a writer and artist have more or less free reign to tell the story they want, unhindered by continuity, deadlines, or the monthly grind.

Having said all of this, comic books themselves will exist but how we get them and the type of content we receive will be changed for sure.

Yeah, I've gone digital and am considering dropping all the floppies. The idea makes me sad, but I'd rather read the old stuff than most of what DC has been putting out lately. I'm reading Wonder Twins and Jimmy Olsen, but when those end, so may my time as a monthly reader. That seems unbelievable to me, but the general tone and direction DC has gone for lately isn't my cup of tea.

Re: the longstanding predictions of the industry's collapse, I do worry that DC has been skating by on the backs of readers who got on board in the '80s/'90s or earlier. Fans formed when readership was common can keep things going for several decades, but who replaces them? I fear we're approaching a very steep cliff.

[Gaastra]

I'm fine with digital comics but like owning the real trades myself. They look great on the shelf.

[Ascended]

Re: the longstanding predictions of the industry's collapse, I do worry that DC has been skating by on the backs of readers who got on board in the '80s/'90s or earlier. Fans formed when readership was common can keep things going for several decades, but who replaces them? I fear we're approaching a very steep cliff.

Given the amount of effort DC's put into kid-oriented content lately, I'd say they agree with you.

It's actually kind of fascinating from the business perspective. The IP's (a lot of them anyway) are bigger than they've been in decades and we've got more shows and cartoons on more networks, more games, original streaming stuff that's apparently gone over well, etc. But the core industry is dying. Hell of a problem to overcome.

[The Darknight Detective]

That's a shame too, because while I discovered Batman from reruns of the 1960s Adam West TV show, Superman from the 1950s George Reeves series and the Christopher Reeve movies, the Justice League from the old SUPERFRIENDS cartoons, Captain Marvel/Shazam from the 1970s Saturday morning live-action SHAZAM! TV show...I really only got the depth of these characters' mythos after reading the comics.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Same here, BA. When I was a kid back in the '70s, comics had the most gravitas compared to the other mediums.