Hal Jordan: The Green Lantern Appreciation 2021

[Captain Nostalgia]

Guys, I'm fully aware that many of you are in your 20s and 30s. However, the average DC reader is a middle aged white dude, unfortunately. This does not mean that all of them are, it just means that most are.

The average age of DC and Marvel comic readers is still in their teens to age 34, despite the generational shift towards Manga.

The confusion comes in because comics are intergenerational, old fans keep coming back because comics are a great and healthy form of escapism, and because the comic industry was at its peak some decades back.

The Hal gap is a result of the parallax years when Kyle became popular alongside John Stewart in the JLA cartoon.

Hal fans consist of old fans and younger fans who grew up reading him or watching him in multimedia after rebirth from 2005 onwards.

What's different now is Hal's popularity isn't as monolithic as it was because he's largely been excluded from the JLA, and there are other GL's getting exposure in comics and multimedia (Jessica, Guy, John ect)

[skyvolt2000]

Unfortunately people championing diversity are pushing this stereotype that only middle-aged white men like straight white male characters. It doesn't help.

When the main faces of the echo chamber attacking every minority character even in stuff they don't read or watch are white guys-its hard NOT to believe that.

Along with some of those white buys screaming super hero comic belong to US and nobody else. Super Hero comics the one part of comics NOT showing growth.

And unlike Aquaman, they don't need to look for a Jason Momoa to fix Hal because they don't need to fix Hal, they can use any other GL instead.

It's hard to use another GL when they don't have the library Hal does and DC acts like it's a crap shoot to even try.

There is 60 years of investment in Hal with trades that can get to libraries and stores. So he can gain new fans.

Everyone else has a battle-as much as folks want to dismiss books and tv shows/movies-they do go hand in hand.

Most folks will head to a library to see if that person they saw on tv has any books. Before book store hunting.

Everything on Hal is in trades. Same with Jo, Jessica, Teen Lantern and Simon. John, Guy & Kyle-NO.

So it would be in DC's best interest to use Hal because as we have seen with others-movies and shows do move trades.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

The average age of DC and Marvel comic readers is still in their teens to age 34, despite the generational shift towards Manga.

The average age of a DC's reader is between teenagers to 34? How does that even work? How can an average age span twenty years?

For instance, the average life expectancy in the US is about 78.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Well, I'm a Hal fan, I'm 62, and black. Where does that put me? Alone on an island?

[Captain Nostalgia]

The average age of a DC's reader is between teenagers to 34? How does that even work? How can an average age span twenty years?

For instance, the average life expectancy in the US is about 78.

Demographically, the average reader percentage wise for DC and Marvel comics is between the ages of somewhere between 16 and 34. That is the bulk of readers % wise.

Comic book readership for people in their 40's plus make up a smaller percentage of DC & Marvel comics overall readership. Well below 50%.

Therefore statistically, the average DC fan is not a middle aged white person. If I can find the link I will provide it for you, as I was curious about the topic at one point.

[sifighter]

Well, I'm a Hal fan, I'm 62, and black. Where does that put me? Alone on an island?

Depends...is it a nice island with fruity drinks? Because if so I’ll come visit

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Depends...is it a nice island with fruity drinks? Because if so I’ll come visit

Absolutely it's nice, like Hawaii. First round's on me!

[sifighter]

Absolutely it's nice, like Hawaii. First round's on me!

Surprisingly no Hal at beach, so Guy Gardner.

[Frontier]

Surprisingly no Hal at beach, so Guy Gardner.

Guy knows how to have a good time...

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Demographically, the average reader percentage wise for DC and Marvel comics is between the ages of somewhere between 16 and 34. That is the bulk of readers % wise.

Comic book readership for people in their 40's plus make up a smaller percentage of DC & Marvel comics overall readership. Well below 50%.

Therefore statistically, the average DC fan is not a middle aged white person. If I can find the link I will provide it for you, as I was curious about the topic at one point.

That flies in the face of everything I've heard for years. Where are you getting these numbers from?

And, if those numbers are accurate, which I'm a bit skeptical of, then the comics industry is in much better shape demographically than I've been hearing industry professionals bemoan for a very long time.

Again, I'm not doubting that younger readers exist. My doubts are that DC's audience has suddenly skewed so much younger after so many years of its audience gradually aging more and more.

If what you're saying is true, that's great news for DC, though.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Well, I'm a Hal fan, I'm 62, and black. Where does that put me? Alone on an island?

So, you're to blame for the average age skewing older and older!

Get him! It's all his fault!

[Captain Nostalgia]

That flies in the face of everything I've heard for years. Where are you getting these numbers from?

And, if those numbers are accurate, which I'm a bit skeptical of, then the comics industry is in much better shape demographically than I've been hearing industry professionals bemoan for a very long time.

Again, I'm not doubting that younger readers exist. My doubts are that DC's audience has suddenly skewed so much younger after so many years of its audience gradually aging more and more.

If what you're saying is true, that's great news for DC, though.

I can't find the link I read a few years ago (not being evasive, I honestly can't find it) but if you google comic book readership by age a few data links should come up.

Apologies if it came off argumentative that wasn't the intent.

Younger readers may make up the bulk, but it could also be possible that the pool is much smaller for all age demographics than say 20 years ago, and they may buy less considering the price, and that they can easily read them for free, visa via streaming piracy.

As for Hal, yes there are a lot of us geriatric fans in wheelchairs who remember him from the superfriends days or earlier, but I think the vast majority are from the rebirth days

(He's a compelling character like Matt Murdoch or Bruce Wayne or Logan....people just like him)

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I can't find the link I read a few years ago (not being evasive, I honestly can't find it) but if you google comic book readership by age a few data links should come up.

Apologies if it came off argumentative that wasn't the intent.

Younger readers may make up the bulk, but it could also be possible that the pool is much smaller for all age demographics than say 20 years ago, and they may buy less considering the price, and that they can easily read them for free, visa via streaming piracy.

As for Hal, yes there are a lot of us geriatric fans in wheelchairs who remember him from the superfriends days or earlier, but I think the vast majority are from the rebirth days

(He's a compelling character like Matt Murdoch or Bruce Wayne or Logan....people just like him)

Huh? Who said Hal wasn't a compelling character anywhere in this thread? It's a Hal Jordan appreciation thread, isn't it. This is the last place you need to defend the last character ��

As for the majority of Hal fans being younger, unless we've got actual numbers to prove that (one way or another), it's all a guess.

Like I said, I certainly hope you're right, even if I suspect it's the opposite given what I've heard from those within the industry for at least a decade or more.

[Captain Nostalgia]

Huh? Who said Hal wasn't a compelling character anywhere in this thread? It's a Hal Jordan appreciation thread, isn't it. This is the last place you need to defend the last character ��

As for the majority of Hal fans being younger, unless we've got actual numbers to prove that (one way or another), it's all a guess.

Like I said, I certainly hope you're right, even if I suspect it's the opposite given what I've heard from those within the industry for at least a decade or more.

Simply making the point he's a compelling character so he has lots of younger fans.

There just not as reverent as some of the older fans (think old DC comics message boards) because they've grown up with him not being on the Justice League the majority of the time, and they are use to having a lot of other Green Lanterns kicking about, cheers.

[Robanker]

So, you're to blame for the average age skewing older and older!

Get him! It's all his fault!

Get him? I want to ask for his vinyl records.