Originally Posted by
Za Is No Leader
it's always been about money, even going back to the days of Stan and Jack. Readers have the fantasy that at one point comic books were an art form purely fueled by creative people who delivered unto the people wonderful tidings and harmony. When in reality it was always "how do we sell this to people and in a way that will maximize profits." The for the fans stuff and what not is more them throwing us a bone mixed with pageantry. You have to make the consumer think that they're part of the creative process and in the thoughts of those creating, when that's the furthest thing from the truth. A publisher has to make money and they'll do what needs doing to make money. Which is why I get a slight chuckle out of people who say "they're just doing this for money!" Well duh, of course they are. They're a business first and foremost.
The fan love and everything else is just icing on the cake. It's entertainment, packaged and put into a nice little box with the illusion that they love us and will cater to us. It's Marketing 101 really. Make the consumer think you care and they'll be happy with what you give them. You're not just selling them a product, you're selling them an emotional investment with a product.
Yeah, indie companies aren't as extreme as this, but money still matters. If Love and Rockers didn't make a dime, do you think Phantagraphics would have kept publishing it out of the goodness of their hearts? Of course not. While Los Bros Hernandez, do what they do for artistic purposes, in the end they do what they think is best. Not the fans, not the publisher, but them. Which to me says a lot about being a fan of something and the strange entitlement that has been produced in the last two decades. Just because we buy something, doesn't mean we should get a say in how it's produced. Our only voice is our wallet. Vote with your dollar and if you don't like the product, well, then don't buy the product and move on.