Marvel and DC have 'em.
They have your audience, if you are a comic book creator.
Just so you know that.
What? You've sold some comics at some conventions? Great!
But most people's money is tied up in buying Marvel and DC. It's just the way it is.
So why go head to head with them? "Because those are the comics I read, and I want people like me to read my comics."
Understandable. But with the price of comics going up and up and up . . . we creators have to be thinking of ways to get around the fact that DC and Marvel are snapping up those dollars. We've got to be all "kung fu" about things, and use the giant's strength against itself.
How?
By innovating. Not copying.
By looking for different audiences. People who don't buy comics, but might buy yours.
By giving content away.
I think, unfortunately, too many of us are stuck trying to be the people we looked up to in 1986 . . . or 1996 . . . or, for some, 1976 and 1966.
But back then, we were the audience. Now, we're aspiring creators. We simply cannot try to emulate the past. Not now.
We have to look forward. Bring our product to the audience. If we were Marvel or DC, we could expect the audience to find us. But, hate to break it to you, we aren't.
The time has come. If you are a creator, you have to stop thinking about what it was like back in the day when you were the audience, and start thinking about tomorrow and where you're going to FIND your audience. And then grab 'em! Give 'em awesome content that they've never seen before! Hook 'em! And then make 'em glad they came, and look forward to coming back.
Easy? Heck no! But it's what I'm trying to do.
We'll see if I manage to succeed somehow.
~ Ben
Showing posts with label 1986. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1986. Show all posts
December 9, 2008
December 8, 2008
Stuck in 1986, part II: Form
The $3 22-28-page comic book.
Soon to be the $4 22-28 page comic book.
Remember when it was just $1? I do.
Am I waxing nostalgic about that? Heck no.
Why?
Because the 22-28 page comic is not dead. Not like people predicted. But it IS strangling the comic book industry. Just killing it. How?
Well, let's just get the whole "graphic novels are the wave of the future" thing that has been the mantra for years now.
And the whole "webcomics are the wave of the future" thing that has been the mantra for fewer years now, but still years none-the-less.
Those ideas are great in theory, but let's face facts. Theory is only good if it leads to some sort of action. And so, some people have been trying to ride those ideas, focusing on graphic novels and webcomics.
But the 22-28 page comic book format continually rears it's ugly head. Don't get me wrong, the format is not evil in and of itself. And it is a financial viable method for DC and Marvel and a few select others.
But.
Because of that success, many, many people who would be able to produce a wonderful webcomic are focused on trying to be Marvel and DC. That's the way the big boys do it, that's the way it's gotta be done.
22-28 page comics aren't going anywhere. The comic industry is too dependent on them, comic shops rely on the comic collector who will come in every week to get the latest installment of whatever comic characters they follow, and it's worked great for the last 80 years. Why mess with a good thing?
Because it's not the ONLY thing. And it's not even the BEST thing.
Too many creators are stuck looking backward, at an outdated model of publishing that can only work if you have lots and lots of money to throw at it. And they get burned. It tears me up to see so many small start ups waste so much money. Some of us (yes, I say "us" because I've been involved in this) were able to dust ourselves off from the mistake, and try looking in other directions. Others of us just plain lose everything.
It's not pretty.
The sky is the limit these days, for anyone with an idea, some time, and some talent. So why are we getting so many people who are producing material that, if you overlook the glossy paper and the lack of comic want ads and Sea Monkey ads, looks just like something they were selling in 1986.
The difference? In 1986, people were buying.
Tomorrow, part III . . . probably the last part.
~ Ben
Soon to be the $4 22-28 page comic book.
Remember when it was just $1? I do.
Am I waxing nostalgic about that? Heck no.
Why?
Because the 22-28 page comic is not dead. Not like people predicted. But it IS strangling the comic book industry. Just killing it. How?
Well, let's just get the whole "graphic novels are the wave of the future" thing that has been the mantra for years now.
And the whole "webcomics are the wave of the future" thing that has been the mantra for fewer years now, but still years none-the-less.
Those ideas are great in theory, but let's face facts. Theory is only good if it leads to some sort of action. And so, some people have been trying to ride those ideas, focusing on graphic novels and webcomics.
But the 22-28 page comic book format continually rears it's ugly head. Don't get me wrong, the format is not evil in and of itself. And it is a financial viable method for DC and Marvel and a few select others.
But.
Because of that success, many, many people who would be able to produce a wonderful webcomic are focused on trying to be Marvel and DC. That's the way the big boys do it, that's the way it's gotta be done.
22-28 page comics aren't going anywhere. The comic industry is too dependent on them, comic shops rely on the comic collector who will come in every week to get the latest installment of whatever comic characters they follow, and it's worked great for the last 80 years. Why mess with a good thing?
Because it's not the ONLY thing. And it's not even the BEST thing.
Too many creators are stuck looking backward, at an outdated model of publishing that can only work if you have lots and lots of money to throw at it. And they get burned. It tears me up to see so many small start ups waste so much money. Some of us (yes, I say "us" because I've been involved in this) were able to dust ourselves off from the mistake, and try looking in other directions. Others of us just plain lose everything.
It's not pretty.
The sky is the limit these days, for anyone with an idea, some time, and some talent. So why are we getting so many people who are producing material that, if you overlook the glossy paper and the lack of comic want ads and Sea Monkey ads, looks just like something they were selling in 1986.
The difference? In 1986, people were buying.
Tomorrow, part III . . . probably the last part.
~ Ben
December 6, 2008
Stuck in 1986, part I: Content
1986 was the Golden Days for comic books.
Watchmen.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
In fact, those two books are the Golden Standard for what comic books are. Or should be. Or want to be. Or whatever.
The broke the mold, subtly and not-so-subtly poking holes at the conventions of supeheroes, deconstructing the idea of modern heroes, and presenting archetypes in a new light.
Watchmen and Dark Knight. Top of many, many lists of best comics ever.
Still.
It's 2008, people. Where's the next Watchmen or Dark Knight?
Everything about comics these days seems to be looking back in the rear-view mirror. Looking back at this two comics.
That's not to say they aren't great . . . they are. But where is the next breakthrough? The next "changes everything" story?
The answer: it's come. And it's gone. And we didn't notice. Because our collective eyes were on those two masterpieces, in the rear-view mirror . . . instead of looking ahead.
On Monday, part II . . .
~ Ben
Watchmen.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
In fact, those two books are the Golden Standard for what comic books are. Or should be. Or want to be. Or whatever.
The broke the mold, subtly and not-so-subtly poking holes at the conventions of supeheroes, deconstructing the idea of modern heroes, and presenting archetypes in a new light.
Watchmen and Dark Knight. Top of many, many lists of best comics ever.
Still.
It's 2008, people. Where's the next Watchmen or Dark Knight?
Everything about comics these days seems to be looking back in the rear-view mirror. Looking back at this two comics.
That's not to say they aren't great . . . they are. But where is the next breakthrough? The next "changes everything" story?
The answer: it's come. And it's gone. And we didn't notice. Because our collective eyes were on those two masterpieces, in the rear-view mirror . . . instead of looking ahead.
On Monday, part II . . .
~ Ben
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