A final word on the matter.
Comicsgate is a harassment group. They are the worst aspect of comic book fandom.
They've been harassing and abusing creators for years now and appear to have no intention of stopping. They are in no way apologetic for their behaviour.
Anyone who identifies as part of that group, or offshoots, is not welcome here. Full stop. No ifs or buts.
This is not up for debate.
"Let me guess. My theories appall you, my heresies outrage you, I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie!"@Matt_of_Geek
Now writing at The Atomic Junk Shop
CBR Community Standards and Rules
Comics will not die off. However the format can and will change.
Understand something about comic book stores and the gators and their kind will NEVER admit to this.
When you walk into most comic cook stores what do you see? Lets do an example walk through.
Enter a comic book store-you see:
Funko Pop Stranger Things Lucas for $12.99
Marvel Legends Night Thrasher for $21.99
Batman & The Signal trade $19.99
Doomsday Clock 1-12 floppies $6 each (bag and board) $72
Total $126.97
Sales tax 8.25% (because I am from Texas) makes it $137.45
You have spent $137.45 at that store.
Now lets go to TARGET (store or the app)
Funko Pop Stranger Thing Lucas $10
Marvel Legends Night Thrasher $19.99
Batman & Signal trade $19.99
Total $49.98
Sales Tax $54.10
OH wait I have a Target card-I get 5% off before taxes-$51.40
I would have paid 59.50 for those 3 items at the comic book store. I save $8.10 at Target. $5.40 without the card.
You ask what about the Doomsday floppies?
I go to HALF PRICE books-all those issues are there for $3.00 each. So I got them for $18.00.
OH wait the one I go has them all for 25 cents EACH $3.00.
So NOT going to the comic book store has me spending $69.40 ($54.40). I saved 68.00.
This is free market. Because 97% of the stuff sold in a comic book store is not exclusive to it.
All the folks harassed and bullied and threaten by that group have a THING to do with what I just typed.
Comicsgate would have folks believe that they are to blame.
I don't think comics will die per say, but they will have to do more to change their delivery format to modernize for the digital world, because print media/entertainment is dying off in general. In short, there will come a day when comic shops are few and far between (If that day is not already here) and they will have to do rely almost exclusively on advertising digital sales and making them more accessible.
DC and Marvel are moving toward digital and the COVID-19 crisis will just hasten that process.
For me comic books are a very specific thing and digital isn't that. Even many modern comics aren't really what I think of as comics. Still, I think the only reason floppies are around is because of the comic shops. They had a long history with DC and Marvel and it would suck if the brick and mortar stores were abandoned. But maybe COVID will force a lot of stores to go out of business, so it becomes a moot point.
I don't think the physical comic book will ever completely disappear--but it will probably be something that artists produce for themselves. Maybe as giveaways. As long as there's paper in the world--anyone can make their own comic book.
But that's even more the case for digital as you don't even need paper to make your own digitals and you can send them to your friends with a swipe.
Now a lot of this depends on whether we survive as a species--that seems uncertain at the moment.
Not to derail the thread, but to still briefly comment out of concern on a topic like representation I’m sure others would still say is important, I’ll say that it’s unfortunate that they seem to be brought up just about every time elsewhere I see someone attempting to reasonably make critiques in regards to political correctness, diversity, how social issues written in comics, etc. because I know there’s a good time and good place to reasonably, responsibly, and intelligently make constructive criticism towards such aspects of comics, and doing such a thing with the best of intentions doesn’t need to go hand and hand with constantly referencing maniacs that even had any semblance of a good intention go the wrong direction.
So then, I think that’s all I have to say on the matter, and I just hope any possible further discussion and opinions on how social aspects are written in comics in the industry are made not just out of concern for quality, but also out of concern for humanity in general.
Moving on then.
Last edited by Electricmastro; 05-24-2020 at 12:01 AM.