The Comic Companies are Doing Something Right. Really.

The Comic Companies are Doing Something Right. Really.

To say comic-book fans are passionate is an understatement. I know some people who will get in a more heated argument over changes in their favorite title than they ever would about politics or current events. Society has become more cynical over the years (thank you, local & world leaders), and we citizens tend to focus more on what’s wrong in our lives than what’s right.

Despite the often-reported decline of the print media, business in our store is strong. I can attribute a lot of it to the hard work of our knowledgeable staff, I’d like to look at what I think the comic industry itself is doing well. After all, even if our store does a fair job, if the product isn’t any good, and promotion is scarce, customers won’t be coming back.

1. Big-name talent on big-time characters. It’s like boxing. (Really? Yeah, hang on.) In boxing, there are lots of great lightweight fighters who have made the sport very exciting. However, there’s nothing like two big heavyweights putting on a show to get fans really excited. So too in comics. Not long ago, Jim Lee tried to revamp his creator-owned WILDCATS with Grant Morrison. Too bad nobody cared about Wildcats, and it never got past issue #1. Trust me, if sales were good on that issue, both creators would’ve come back for more. Yet Grant Morrison’s current run on BATMAN & ROBIN is one of the top-selling comics in the industry, and Jim Lee’s last two stints on Batman titles were best sellers as well. Brian Bendis’ AVENGERS run has been one of Marvel’s top-selling titles for almost 5 years, yet SPIDER-WOMAN was only a marginal seller at best, and has already been cancelled at issue #7. At no point am I questioning the quality of the lower-selling work, just the simple sales facts.

2. The availability & wide variety of graphic novels. Years ago, if someone wanted to read a story with multiple chapters, they were at the mercy of finding back issues, which was always an inconsistent search at best. Even the most well-stocked stores had trouble keeping entire storylines, and once it was sold, the chance of getting it back in stock wasn’t too good. Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, and many other small publishers have realized the importance of keeping a library of their work available. The wide variety of titles, from X-Men to Walking Dead, from Fables to Scott Pilgrim, makes it easier to recommend reading material. Not in the mood for Superman and Spider-Man? No problem.

3. Comic sites providing information and promotion of material. Although too much information
can sometimes be bad, in the case of product promotion, there’s no such thing. Now more than ever, fans are wired into their favorite titles and creators via websites, message boards, social networking sites, and more. This constant exposure to their hobby allows fans to keep up with all the news, upcoming projects, and inside scoops. With senses heightened, fans are excited (or turned away) about future titles and storylines. I know this to be true due to the increased frequency in which customers will ask about a title they read about online. The big companies have very interactive and informative websites, but one must credit the online press and fans as well for making comic news and rumors viral.

There is certainly room for TONS of improvement (a future article) on the part of everyone involved in maintaining the comic-book tradition, but we seem to be moving in the right direction. As long as the publishers understand the importance of providing top-notch product by their best creators, as well as making that product accessible by many means, including current technology, the comic industry should weather the decline of print media rather nicely.