How will the coronavirus affect comics?

[Ptrvc]

True but it's an expensive product, not really high margins at play.

What might be a boon for comics is if movies and tv shy away from big budget science fi/fantasy for awhile.

Part of the reason comics did so well in the past was that it was the only place to get that sort of thing in a visual medium that wasn't heavily censored like animation.

[Immortal Weapon]

I dont know much about the business side of things. What is the Manga model?

Most manga is published in magazine format as an anthology book. These magazines will run seven or eight concurrent titles with each chapter functioning as an issue. These books are in black & white and printed using newsprint to reduce cost. When it's all said and done you get a magazine with seven or eight issues for the price of a single issue of one American comic. If you like a particular series 7-9 chapters of it will be collected in it's own volume which also cost just as much as the magazine. Being a magazine it opens up it's channel of distribution. When I was in high school it common to see Shonen Jump in newstands, pharmacies and bookstores. In the modern age mags like Shonen Jump offer the latest three chapters of their current series for free to bring in new readers on their site. Manga tends to have a much wider demos due to not being limited to a genere or concept like American comics.

[babyblob]

Most manga is published in magazine format as an anthology book. These magazines will run seven or eight concurrent titles with each chapter functioning as an issue. These books are in black & white and printed using newsprint to reduce cost. When it's all said and done you get a magazine with seven or eight issues for the price of a single issue of one American comic. If you like a particular series 7-9 chapters of it will be collected in it's own volume which also cost just as much as the magazine. Being a magazine it opens up it's channel of distribution. When I was in high school it common to see Shonen Jump in newstands, pharmacies and bookstores. In the modern age mags like Shonen Jump offer the latest three chapters of their current series for free to bring in new readers on their site. Manga tends to have a much wider demos due to not being limited to a genere or concept like American comics.

Thank you for the explanation This sounds like a sound idea.

[Cville]

What might be a boon for comics is if movies and tv shy away from big budget science fi/fantasy for awhile.

Part of the reason comics did so well in the past was that it was the only place to get that sort of thing in a visual medium that wasn't heavily censored like animation.

Movies were the only thing keeping the lights on. They would have gone bankrupt long ago is they weren't selling movie rights.

[Digifiend]

I dont know much about the business side of things. What is the Manga model?

Black and white anthologies. Hundreds of pages per issue, and a lot of different stories packaged together.

For example, Monthly Afternoon has 800 pages and 30 stories every month.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monthly_Afternoon
And Weekly Shōnen Jump contains 500 pages and 20 stories every week.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekly_Shōnen_Jump

In comparison, Marvel do roughly 50 different ongoing books a month (not counting double shipping or minis, so the true number is higher). At 20 pages each that's 1000 pages.

EDIT: Ninja'd by three minutes, ah well.

[Anthony W]

I think Marvel Publishing will be gutted, same with DC. Comics will still be made, but I expect a much smaller team, writer and artist with maybe a few editors covering a lot fewer books.

Probably seeing the end of a big office in New York.

Might be good in the long run. Short run I could see Marvel's output cut to twenty books a month.

What's the bad news?! Twenty books a month works for me!

1. X-MEN
2. UNCANNY X-MEN
3. AVENGERS
4. WEST COAST AVENGERS
5. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
6. SPIDER-MAN
7. FANTASTIC FOUR
8. THOR
9. CAPTAIN MARVEL
10. DAREDEVIL
11. CHAMPIONS
12. IRON MAN
13. CAPTAIN AMERICA
14. BLACK PANTHER
15. HULK
16. NOVA (RICH RIDER VERSION)
17. SILVER SURFER
18. DOCTOR STRANGE
19. NAMOR THE SUBMARINER
20. THE INHUMANS

BOOM! Easy.

[captchuck]

I think this all depends on how long this goes. If comic book deliveries return to normal in May, we may get over this. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I find all of this very depressing.

[Anthony W]

I think this all depends on how long this goes. If comic book deliveries return to normal in May, we may get over this. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I find all of this very depressing.

You have to keep in mind other parts of Disney are suffering as well. Disney is going to be looking to save cash wherever they can. Hopefully Marvel comics has done enough not to get folded up like a day old newspaper.

[Dreaded Porcupine]

What's the bad news?! Twenty books a month works for me!

1. X-MEN
2. UNCANNY X-MEN
3. AVENGERS
4. WEST COAST AVENGERS
5. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
6. SPIDER-MAN
7. FANTASTIC FOUR
8. THOR
9. CAPTAIN MARVEL
10. DAREDEVIL
11. CHAMPIONS
12. IRON MAN
13. CAPTAIN AMERICA
14. BLACK PANTHER
15. HULK
16. NOVA (RICH RIDER VERSION)
17. SILVER SURFER
18. DOCTOR STRANGE
19. NAMOR THE SUBMARINER
20. THE INHUMANS

BOOM! Easy.

No, not easy. You kick out one of those titles and insert Spider-Woman. WTF! She finally gets an ongoing and she might only get one issue? Jess can’t catch a break.

[Prof. Warren]

I think Marvel Publishing will be gutted, same with DC. Comics will still be made, but I expect a much smaller team, writer and artist with maybe a few editors covering a lot fewer books.

Probably seeing the end of a big office in New York.

Might be good in the long run. Short run I could see Marvel's output cut to twenty books a month.

None of this will happen.

Publishing will resume within two months, with the same slate of books.

Neither Marvel or DC will be gutted by this.

The smaller publishers, that's a little dicier and certainly some shops may fold but, no, this is not a doomsday scenario for the Big Two.

[Spideybono]

When they come back, Marvel will just start all books over with $9.99 number ones

[Kintor]

None of this will happen.

Publishing will resume within two months, with the same slate of books.

Neither Marvel or DC will be gutted by this.

The smaller publishers, that's a little dicier and certainly some shops may fold but, no, this is not a doomsday scenario for the Big Two.

I can't help but feel you're being wildly optimistic about the current situation. The longer this goes on the less likely it is that our pet favourite books will return, if any books are still going to be published at all under the old monthly floppy format. I can't say for certain what the new comics industry will look like but we can't assume business as usual.

[Prof. Warren]

I can't help but feel you're being wildly optimistic about the current situation. The longer this goes on the less likely it is that our pet favourite books will return, if any books are still going to be published at all under the old monthly floppy format. I can't say for certain what the new comics industry will look like but we can't assume business as usual.

It will be. Sure, if this goes on and on, things will be in serious trouble. But if it goes on and on, comics or the lack thereof will be the least of anyone's worries.

I expect that will not happen, though, and that by the summer things will start to slide back into normalcy.

[Anthony W]

None of this will happen.

Publishing will resume within two months, with the same slate of books.

Neither Marvel or DC will be gutted by this.

The smaller publishers, that's a little dicier and certainly some shops may fold but, no, this is not a doomsday scenario for the Big Two.

I hope it's not, but Marvel Comics is a part of Disney which is also hurting (take a look at their stock) right now as well. If/when Disney starts to look for things to cut hopefully they don't start with comics.

[Kintor]

It will be. Sure, if this goes on and on, things will be in serious trouble. But if it goes on and on, comics or the lack thereof will be the least of anyone's worries.

I expect that will not happen, though, and that by the summer things will start to slide back into normalcy.

I think that the comics industry was heading for another crash anyway, this virus just rapidly accelerated the decline. New ideas and new business models are needed if the comics industry is to survive in some form. When the dust settles it may not even be Marvel or DC at the top of the heap anymore. That is unless Manga just seizes the opportunity and outright replaces comics as the defacto source of entertainment for American readers.