Image Boom over? Really?

[Orpheus37]

Well actually they do, just not the way Marvel/DC and the direct market do things. That''s the way the big book publishers who are doing graphic novels operate now-you're First Seconds, Scholastic, etc. who are putting comics out outside the monthly grind and outside the Diamond controlled direct market, and those books are profitable and viable without monthly releases in the direct market. And guess what, there's actual real growth in that market, not faked sales to retailers who are ordering extras to meet variant buy in minimums to make publishers monthly marketshare numbers look healthier than actual sales to end customers would make it look. Monthly books can't crack 100K copies on a regular basis aside form the top 2-3 books from each publisher. In the glory days of the newsstand, Jimmy Olsen got cancelled selling nealry 200K copies a month because it wasn't selling well and was far below the line average. When X-Men got turned into a reprint book released bi-monthly in the 70s before GS #1 it was selling over 150K copies a month, which wasn't good enough to warrant monthly release or new material. When Power Man and Iron Fist got demoted to bi-monthly and eventually cancelled in the mid-80s, it was because it had finally fallen under 100K which was the cancellation level at the time.

Today's books can't even touch those numbers without variants and retailer buy in and those last for all of a month in most cases, not sustained periods. Why? Because the monthly book is a dinosaur in the 21st century market. The big 2 and other Diamond publishers may not operate the way book publishers do, but there are comic publishers that do, and they are the ones seeing growth not attrition in their product offerings.

There's a reason the biog 2 offerings can't sell what they once did, because they come out hell or high water no matter what the quality is in a format that the mass audience doesn't want sold in destination shops, a retail model that has been dead in the water for most products for over a decade and abandoned by most other entertainment industries as their primary means of distribution. The big 2 are small fish in a big pond, "the Big 7" publishers (i.e. the actual big dogs in the publishing world) are all doing comics now without Diamond and without monthly product in periodical or serialized format, and the big 2 and Diamond crew need to seriously look at how they are doing business if they want to remain relevant in the mass culture.

Super-heroes and comic books/comic book characters are more popular and more relevant now than at any point in history, yet sales of monthly comic books are about as low as they have ever been-there's something wrong with that equation-and the problem is that outside of the niche hardcore comic book audience, nobody wants a tiny bit of content serialized monthly in an overpriced and unsatisfying format that is neither easily available or compatible with how the mass audience purchases and consumes entertainment these days. If the big 2 can't do a better job of getting people to buy their actual comic product when super-heroes and comics are so popular, they had better start looking at their business model and how it's not working if they want to grow their business moving forward. The last thing Image wants to do is follow the example of the people who were handed an easy sell on a silver platter with the popularity of super-heroes and whiffed on capitalizing on it to grow the business they have.

-M

I agree and disagree. One reason sales numbers were so much higher is because there were so many fewer series. Now there's so much more choice which thins out the numbers. Also, the movies aren't going to sell comics. They've become an easier way for people to digest superhero stories. People are going out for a good time on the weekend and for most its going to end with the credits. You'll get a few converts but most people just won't care about the comics no matter how much they like the movie, and no one can be blamed for that. I agree publishing a full gn is a better strategy than publishing monthly. However, I would bet that those major publishers are giving their creators an advance to live off of while they produce their story. Thats a major difference from image who is all back end. Yeah you can take your time and try to make it a masterpiece opus but there better be some type of steady paycheck coming in or it won't be sustainable and its back to the big 2 or where ever else will pay your bills.

[JFP]

^^^^Agree entirely about how movies and shows don't sell comics. I've met people who crinkle their nose at the sight of a comic book eager to watch the latest superhero flick. Then there are people I've met who didn't know the movie they watched was based on a comic and don't care after they've learned about it.

[John Aston]

My wallet disagrees that the boom is over.

[Mark Thorson]

For me, the boom is just starting. After being mostly out of comics until a couple months ago, just about my whole pull list is Image.

[DavidRA]

Ditto. After asking for recommendations a few months ago, my moribund comic buying habit has exploded, with a pull list of around 50 titles.

[dimo1]

While I agree to some posters that breaks n-between issues lead to forgetting titles, the biggest obstacle is that nowadays there are many fish in the sea.
DC with their Rebirth got me excited, plus DH titles and other publishers, not to forget for international readers their market as well. Here in Europe tons of great comics fight for your money, sadly my income is limited, so I need to decide what I can afford.
Speaking for me the boom is still ongoing, Image has tons of titles I'd love to get into but money and also having a family won't let me.

[Javasaurus]

While I agree to some posters that breaks n-between issues lead to forgetting titles, the biggest obstacle is that nowadays there are many fish in the sea.
DC with their Rebirth got me excited, plus DH titles and other publishers, not to forget for international readers their market as well. Here in Europe tons of great comics fight for your money, sadly my income is limited, so I need to decide what I can afford.
Speaking for me the boom is still ongoing, Image has tons of titles I'd love to get into but money and also having a family won't let me.

I'm pretty much in the boat. As a family man, I have a set monthly budget for comics and have to pass on a good number of titles that are being produced by Image (and other publishers as well). There is great work being published – I just don't have the luxury of bringing it all home.

[Yosaltenberg]

For me, the boom is just starting. After being mostly out of comics until a couple months ago, just about my whole pull list is Image.

I agree with this absolutely. I read a small handful of comic books growing up in the 80's/90's but nothing Marvel or DC put out ever really interested me. After seeing Walking Dead as a show I then went through all of the trades for walking dead, and got hooked on pretty much everything Image is/was putting out. I do like the monthly books, and also buy lots of trades, they both feel great to read in different ways. My entire pull list except maybe 1 book is all from Image and I regularly see new series and minis that interest me.

[Mr`Orange]

^^^^Agree entirely about how movies and shows don't sell comics. I've met people who crinkle their nose at the sight of a comic book eager to watch the latest superhero flick. Then there are people I've met who didn't know the movie they watched was based on a comic and don't care after they've learned about it.

Depends on who you ask. The cartoons in the 90's opened up a world of comics to a lot of people and for me personally The Flash has made me want to read the comics. Also wasn't there a bump in sales of The Walking Dead after the series premiered?

[armlessphelan]

I'd say that there was never an "Image Boom" so much as there were a small handful of writers (sadly, most artists were an afterthought) who got popular at Marvel/DC and then jumped ship to do creator-owned stuff. Their books sold well, but so many other Image properties didn't sell at all. Spawn is still one of Image's best-selling monthly books, but the old stalwarts like Top Cow, Savage Dragon, and even Invincible aren't selling what they did even five years ago. Newer properties launch solely on the name of the writer: if the writer isn't known via Marvel/DC, then the book isn't selling.

The Image Boom was an artificial boost to the market and the usual Image problems of massive delays kicked in. It's unfortunate but not unexpected.

[Mr`Orange]

I'd say that there was never an "Image Boom" so much as there were a small handful of writers (sadly, most artists were an afterthought) who got popular at Marvel/DC and then jumped ship to do creator-owned stuff. Their books sold well, but so many other Image properties didn't sell at all. Spawn is still one of Image's best-selling monthly books, but the old stalwarts like Top Cow, Savage Dragon, and even Invincible aren't selling what they did even five years ago. Newer properties launch solely on the name of the writer: if the writer isn't known via Marvel/DC, then the book isn't selling.

The Image Boom was an artificial boost to the market and the usual Image problems of massive delays kicked in. It's unfortunate but not unexpected.

Well isn't that what a boom is? A rise in sale? It doesn't matter why it happend but it happened and now it may be levelling off or even falling due to the reasons mentioned above.

I do think that Image central was almost caught unawares by the rise in sales and exposure recently but listening to the Image Expo keynote speeches they are looking to rectify this and create a more stable and regular publishing schedule.

[HsssH]

I think his point is that its not Image who is responsible for this boom so its not really theirs. But I wouldn't really agree with that since Image made this environment that was attractive to popular writers/artists so its a bit of both that created this boom.

As for regular publishing schedule, question is how many creators are attracted to Image precisely because it doesn't try to enforce anything?

[Chrysalis_Changling]

The Rucka-Scott Black Magick thing really shows some of the flaws that having unbridled freedom that image brings. Here you've got two pros who have been reliable their entire careers, and all of the sudden they flake on their book. I understand its a dream of Nicola Scott to draw Wonder Woman, and a legit congrats to her for accomplishing it! However, delaying a book that you promoted to your fans for a whole year out of nowhere is totally unprofessional. But what can you say? Theres no one there to hold them accountable for that. It will be interesting to see if Image changes some of its policies. If you're promising all of these series that barely come out or never come out, its just not a good thing. I wonder what Stephenson thinks of this stuff when he sees it?

i have to agree with this....people like to always toot they're horn about how great Image comics are and if you aren't reading them then you aren't a real comic book fan

but when the freedom they provide also brings horrendous delays that could happen at anytime and cause the books to vanish forever....is it really worth it?

[ArthurCurry]

i have to agree with this....people like to always toot they're horn about how great Image comics are and if you aren't reading them then you aren't a real comic book fan

but when the freedom they provide also brings horrendous delays that could happen at anytime and cause the books to vanish forever....is it really worth it?

Gotta agree. The only title on my pullist that still has delays is Southern Bastards. Just look at this release schedule
#12- November 11, 2015 (wasn't even a regular issue, it was a fill-in)
#13- Jan 27, 2016
#14- May 11 2015
#15 HASN'T EVEN BEEN SOLICITED YET, THREE MONTHS AFTER THE LAST ISSUE (yes mad)

All this says to readers is Jason Aaron doesn't give a crap about the series. The fact that it won an Eisner for 2015, and then it stopped being released in 2016 is all the more hilarious.

I also think the Image Boom really refers to the amount of NEW ongoing titles that were launched a couple years ago. People saying they disagree with the Boom being over, because they just got back into comics and are reading Image doesn't really mean anything for the "Image Boom." Those people are just reading titles from the Image Boom period. The amount of NEW titles is lacking.

[Chrysalis_Changling]

Gotta agree. The only title on my pullist that still has delays is Southern Bastards. Just look at this release schedule
#12- November 11, 2015 (wasn't even a regular issue, it was a fill-in)
#13- Jan 27, 2016
#14- May 11 2015
#15 HASN'T EVEN BEEN SOLICITED YET, THREE MONTHS AFTER THE LAST ISSUE (yes mad)

All this says to readers is Jason Aaron doesn't give a crap about the series. The fact that it won an Eisner for 2015, and then it stopped being released in 2016 is all the more hilarious.

I also think the Image Boom really refers to the amount of NEW ongoing titles that were launched a couple years ago. People saying they disagree with the Boom being over, because they just got back into comics and are reading Image doesn't really mean anything for the "Image Boom." Those people are just reading titles from the Image Boom period. The amount of NEW titles is lacking.

this crap would never happen at Marvel/DC because yes while there are cases where it does happen there...there are still deadlines and there are consequences for constantly flaking on books you were hired to write

you can't just suddenly decide I'm not gonna write this anymore in the middle of a story arc and never return to that book....the company would be pissed