Do comics matter?

[penciljack]

Throughout the long and often sordid history of Penciljack.com, we've had several long, fervent arguments about the state of the comics industry. The question is, are comics important anymore? Tell us what you think.

[Beastie]

Comic books are too expensive and there's too much generic crap on the shelves.

These 2 factors alone had lead to me buying less and less.

I would like to think that the recent run of superhero movies that have been on general release across the globe would have increased public interest in comic books - but can only imagine the horror on those potential customers' faces when they walk into their local comic store (if it hasn't gone bust) and realize that they're gonna have to cough up a small fortune to read 22 pages (or whatever) of shiny nothingness.

[The P.R. Man]

I guess you're talking about them in pamphlet form, as opposed to Graphic novels or digital, and not sequental storytelling in general?

I'd say yeah, until Tablets become more available and usefull in daylight they'll stay around, Eisner proved that they're more useful than simply storytelling with Joe Dope and P.S.

both sides of the cold war used them to spread propaganda, and they're still used to spread information

dunno about Marvel or D.C., never been a huge Marvel fan, and DC's yearly storylines seem like a rip-off to make people buy other less popular series.

as long as the price per issue stays as high as it is, they're pretty doomed IMO, make them cheaper, and more kid friendly, or guys our age will be the only ones buying them, and meanwhile my son will play spiderman on his xbox, never cracking open a comic becouse he doesn't have $4, and the fact that Peter Parkers been married for over 30 years untill some deal with satan or something will confuse him.

[Huerta]

I guess you're talking about them in pamphlet form, as opposed to Graphic novels or digital, and not sequental storytelling in general?

I'd say yeah, until Tablets become more available and usefull in daylight they'll stay around, Eisner proved that they're more useful than simply storytelling with Joe Dope and P.S.

both sides of the cold war used them to spread propaganda, and they're still used to spread information

dunno about Marvel or D.C., never been a huge Marvel fan, and DC's yearly storylines seem like a rip-off to make people buy other less popular series.

as long as the price per issue stays as high as it is, they're pretty doomed IMO, make them cheaper, and more kid friendly, or guys our age will be the only ones buying them, and meanwhile my son will play spiderman on his xbox, never cracking open a comic becouse he doesn't have $4, and the fact that Peter Parkers been married for over 30 years untill some deal with satan or something will confuse him.


All of those are Comics. White horse, snow, blow, coke, its all cocaine.

I dont do drugs, I'm just saying.

[pigeonmilk]

comics are an important visual entertainment as much as written books are important literary entertainment.

I find comics more entertaining that 90% of anything on TV.

The main selling point to me is the artist, buts that what comics are mainly, the story usually comes second to me.

[Popninja]

Comic books are too expensive and there's too much generic crap on the shelves.

These 2 factors alone had lead to me buying less and less.

I would like to think that the recent run of superhero movies that have been on general release across the globe would have increased public interest in comic books - but can only imagine the horror on those potential customers' faces when they walk into their local comic store (if it hasn't gone bust) and realize that they're gonna have to cough up a small fortune to read 22 pages (or whatever) of shiny nothingness.

Word to the mutha.

I've said before how bad I feel for my kids, who are both starting to have an interest in comic books. It just doesn't work out financially. Plus, Marvel and DC seem to think that putting out 100 titles a month, 50 of which tie into some major event, is going to get people to buy more(?). I've been curious to count, but with Marvel in particular, it seems they put out at least 40 tie in issues to their various big events. Last time I was in my LCS, I could swear I saw at least 24 comics with "Fear Itself" on the cover. Who are they marketing to? Independently wealthy adults? Because I can't even afford that.

But to answer the question, comics DO matter. And they'll never go away. The people that love them and the people that love to make them will always make sure of that.

[The P.R. Man]

All of those are Comics. White horse, snow, blow, coke, its all cocaine.

I dont do drugs, I'm just saying.


I agree completely, I just wasn't sure if he meant 32 pages of paper held together by staples specifically

[amadarwin]

Comics are just as important as any entertainment medium. Now, can they compete? THAT is the question. It seems comics are getting more expensive while music, movies and shows (to name a few) keep getting cheaper. Thanks to sites like netflix, hulu and itunes, comics are losing their grasp on their share of our hard earned dollars.

As an individual, the only form of comics that have a strong foothold on my entertainment budget is webcomics, where the only currency is my time.

[NickRocks]

comics matter.

superhero comics dont

[50%grey]

Yes they do, die in hell Nickguy!!!

[Adam Masterman]

Not sure if comics "matter", but I think the medium has enough advantages that it won't disappear (I actually think this is a pretty exciting time to be in comics). However, the comic book is almost certainly going to die, and probably sooner than we like to admit. Sadly, it will probably take comic shops down with it, which to me is actually worse than losing the pamphlet format itself. Anyone who's trying to make it in comics now should understand that, very shortly, comics will be found either on an LCD screen, or a shelf at Borders. Those formats work, pamphlets don't.

Superheroes... hard to say what the life-span there will be. Marvel and DC essentially own the genre, and their business model is suicidal. As people complain above; they don't try to grow by attracting new readers, they try to get current readers to buy more. Even if this totally worked, eventually those readers are going to, well, die. Convert the young, or die along with them. I teach middle school, and for every kid I find who reads Marvel/DC style comics, there are 25-50 who read manga or scholastic stuff (Bone, Amulet, etc.). Marvel and DC are cashing in big time at the box office, but they don't seem to be doing much of anything to translate that success into audience growth for their comics. They rake it in now, but without new readers, those lucrative properties will become worthless.

[50%grey]

Comics are still pretty huge in comparison to most underground popular scenes, the only way we let them die is if we stop supporting them imho.

Problem is most fans are so negative its almost like they want comics to die, I don't even understand that.

[Inkthinker]

Wait... are we talking about "comics" as in pamphlet-sized periodical magazines? Or "comics" as in sequential art and storytelling?

'Cause if it's the former, I wanna change my vote.

[Emperorsteele]

Yeah, this is a tough one. Personally, I don't think I've bought a new comic book in YEARS. But I still read plenty of web comics, and still look at newspaper comics (Zits, Get Fuzzy and Pearls Before Swine are good for a chuckle). Those, I think, are gonna be around for a while.

I think the main problem surrounding the mainstream superhero comic genre is that pretty much every story you can tell has already been told. A lot of the writing since around 2000 (some would even say the early 90s) can be negatively compared to fanfiction. How many times is the Green Lantern Ring or Thor's Hammer gonna get passed around? How many people are going to die and come back? How many times is a favorite villain going to join up with the heroes? How many world/galaxy/multiverse-destroying threats are you going to throw at these heroes every year? And how can you go back to making Mole Man trying to take over the city seem dramatic when the Fantastic 4 just got done punching out Galactus?

[NickRocks]

Yes they do, die in hell Nickguy!!!

the evolution of the comics medium does not lie in the superhero genre ;P

[jdmakescomics]

http://i.imgur.com/JLRaH.jpg

[Huerta]

Comics are still pretty huge in comparison to most underground popular scenes, the only way we let them die is if we stop supporting them imho.

Problem is most fans are so negative its almost like they want comics to die, I don't even understand that.

Comics will never die as long as artists like us exists. The direct market, however, will be gone pretty soon.

[Deth]

movies. thats it. Marvel and DC will always exist since they have properties that can produce capital in other mediums. But apart from that this industry is doomed. I havent bought a comic in years. and for those that still do, their support just isnt enough to keep the industry going the way it has. Truth is I dont think people care about comics anymore because the companies dont care about the product they put out anymore.

[spidey976]

I think comics matter and will continue to exist, though I think the form will change.

To be honest I think that in the next five years you will see more comics sold digitally for things like iPads then you will see sold in print. That is the way I think this medium will survive IMHO. Honestly, as a teacher I see how much my kids love comics, but they prefer Graphic Novels because they can buy them at their book stores and not have to try to find their way to a comic book store that to quote one of my students "Is full of scary old guys who look at me weird".

Tablets will change the way the new generation of fan get and experience comics, and I think that is an okay thing.

[deniel]

Yeah I agree comics do matter and I like to have funny comic not action comics.

[Bruce Lee]

The comics I grew up reading still matter to me a great deal. I'm not terribly interested in the modern superhero comics of today. I don't enjoy the gimmicks. Silver Age and Bronze Age comics are more my thing. My comic and comic book related purchases tend to be collected trades, reprinting comic runs, etc. For instance, I'm excited that DC is about to release a hardback that collects the Don Newton era BATMAN stories and another volume that will be collecting the Gene Colan's BATMAN run. I'll enjoy seeing those classic stories get the book treatment they deserve. I just plopped down $125 pre-ordering the WALLY WOOD ARTIST'S EDITION that IDW is releasing in October. I can't wait to get my mits on that! A 15" X 22", 144-page book featuring Wood's EC stories, all scanned from the ORIGINAL art! It's a must-have for me!

I'm not currently following any monthly titles. Instead, I'm enjoying collecting runs of comics from the 60s and 70s. I enjoy collecting, and the nostalgia of the past. It's just who I am.

The last time I followed a monthly title I was reading Brubaker's CAPTAIN AMERICA, and I was really digging it. Then "Boom!" goes the dynamite, and the fancy lads at Marvel decide to killed off Cap to sell a few books. Just like the death of Superman, and the "death" of Batman, etc, etc. It was kind of the last straw for me, and I've given up Marvel and DC's modern direction. Sorry, but I just don't care. I'm tired of the gimmicks, stunts and sales ploys. I'm not interested in comics without continuity, where everything can be tossed out suddenly and rebooted. Not interested enough to spend money on that sort of thing, anyway.

While the monthly books aren't getting my dough, I will probably be picking up the KAMANDI OMNIBUS in October. I'm looking forward to it.

[hadesillustrations]

Comics DO matter, as they are a cheap medium to churn out lots of ideas. Making a movie costs millions - comics are a tiny fraction of that to create. That said, the medium is going to change drastically and fairly soon, I believe. It only makes sense that comics move to digital distribution as their primary and physical floppies and trades as a secondary production method within the next 10-20 years. I envision a two-screen tablet - akin to a laptop, but with one touchscreen and one view only screen. This way you can still have a 2-page reading experience. Digital comics can be dumbed down for the digital medium, but I think a tablet like that would market well (the 2 screens could be used to view movies in a larger format and all that jazz) and will help comics retain one of the things that make them special (the anticipation of the page-turn).

Anyway, comics are still viable. There are things that can be done easily in comics that simply can't be done in other mediums, or cost too much to do. Yeah, comics matter.

[Symson]

Comics matter to each person that buys one. I've never bought Vogue or Cosmo, but it matters to the people who buy them.

[RKillian]

I like comics and love cartoons, but what I've gotten extremely tired of is "product."

[weirdozhead]

People will always enjoy comics in one form or another.. it may not be superhero stories, it may not be in the "comic book" format that we're used to paying 3 bucks for, but artists will always have an opportunity for creative storytelling.

If it's the romantic notion of Marvel & DC (and a few independents) pumping out Spidey and Batman stories in monthly 32 page magazines then I honestly think that's a slowly sinking ship. That stuff got kinda boring anyway, I'd rather see a new Shel Silverstein or Bill Watterson personally than another explosion of superhero books.

If traditional comics do die it might be the beginning of a wonderful new evolution, artists using their full creative potential and not relying on the tried and true stereotypes of the format that seem to plague 99% of the comic book creators today.

[cbikle]

If traditional comics do die it might be the beginning of a wonderful new evolution, artists using their full creative potential and not relying on the tried and true stereotypes of the format that seem to plague 99% of the comic book creators today.

I think that's a cop-out; there's nothing really stopping creators from doing original, non-franchise stuff and many do that right now. If creators work on superhero titles or a new Transformer book, they do it for the money or because that's the stuff they want to do.

Most of the art on this very site is superheroes, Star Wars, etc.

[Matt001]

Killian had a good point, that comics are product. A friend has been loaning me the Universe X graphic novels, and at times they are so bad they make me laugh. They are desperate to bring all the Marvel universes together that I'm thinking, why bother. You're trying way too hard to be relevant and no once cares. I may have mentioned KEV'LAR here, my comic (I don't know. I tend to post drunk) but I'm trying to just bring the fun back to comics. I wish the big three would do the same.

[Duhburger]

Comics suck.

If the movie industry weren't making superhero movies would they still be a viable product?

They only matter to the fans that support them.The fans seem to love the constant re-hash of the same bullsh*t. Its like they recycle the same poses and storylines, the same character types for eons. The same gnashing teeth panel after panel. Hurling pop words like KA-ZING or Ka-BOOOMM, as if elementary children are slightly amused by it.

Even the underground stuff is bewildering and banal. Its more like artists exercising out demons from their childhoods or freewheeling artists trying to stretch the medium as a means of artistic expression.

As a kid, the only thing the comics did was decimate your chances with the opposite sex or get laughed out of the county. Nothing good comes out supporting the comics industry. Yes the art is good, the girl with giant juggs looks nice but how long does that last? You'd better off reading novels at least you would get your money's worth.

I fell like I'm in some sort of virtual hell where they re-release the same Batman, Superman, Dumbman in movies, comics, bed sheets etc. Nine out of ten super films suck ridiculously to where even other studios are making fun of the films. When they talk about making the next Superman I get sick to my stomach. Its enough to make me wanna watch only Russian films for next ten years.

Don't get me wrong, I love comics, I just hate of what they've become. Hallowed-out husks, sold to highest bidder. Instead of dealing with contemporary issues, they hide from it. Instead raising the standards of storytelling they stick to old tried and true. I know people will complain, "there's a lots of good stuff out there!"

Sure...I believe you. That's why sales of comics are so high and stores are so packed, that the owners are building franchises all over the U.S.

[lancermonna]

Comics are a means of escape from our mundane realities. But aside from that, they are a vehicle for communication, thought, can be for any age group, talk about anything under the sun, and can make you feel a plethora of emotions. So for me comics be it Batman or One Piece do matter. They teach fun and entertaining lessons about life and I can't see my life or the lives of my future generations without it.

[NickRocks]

when are comics going to be exciting again? :(

[MRosa]

It's rather disheartening that there's no answer, "Yes, because they're an exception artistic medium." I mean, yes, they're wonderful entertainment, but they're more than that.

[NickRocks]

Miller's Holy Terror kind of showed how big of an impact comics can have when used to actually say something...but it still wasn't a HUGE impact. So I'm still going to say that superhero comics don't matter.

[Bruce Lee]

Do comics matter? Only the good ones. The bad ones get wished to the corn field. :skull:

[Popninja]

I know people will complain, "there's a lots of good stuff out there!"

There are...a few good things out there. :(

[Bruce Lee]

Well, it's never the style or topic for me, but it's really hard to pick out anything that's particularly hard about drawing in general because each individual page or piece of work offers it's own unique challenges.

[turnbolt]

Comic books are too expensive and there's too much generic crap on the shelves.

These 2 factors alone had lead to me buying less and less.

I would like to think that the recent run of superhero movies that have been on general release across the globe would have increased public interest in comic books - but can only imagine the horror on those potential customers' faces when they walk into their local comic store (if it hasn't gone bust) and realize that they're gonna have to cough up a small fortune to read 22 pages (or whatever) of shiny nothingness.

I would have had a huge rant in here... but Beastie said it pretty well! I would have droned on more about the CRAP than the cost... but same points!

[fatmancomics]

Comics matter because they help kids learn to read and older kids to read better.

[khmer]

It's always going to be a dicey question to ask comic book artists or those who want to be comic book artists if they matter. The problem is always going to be that once you take something you enjoy doing (drawing in all its forms) and play your hand at having it be a money making venture that you pay your bills with... then it becomes a love hate relationship. Or for many it does. Some endeavors are great when you can do them at your own pace and there are no strings attached. But once you have those strings attached the you find yourself doing things you wouldn't normally want to do or think of doing and finding reasons to rationalize them to yourself. I needed to pay the electricity bill, gas bill was due, little Jimmy needs school shoes. And bam next thing you know you're slopping out coloring books or sticker art or who knows what. :D

Not that it's entirely bad and yes often times my base of operations is squarely cynical. But I've seen so many artists that would have been happier doing something else for a living and keeping their drawing or art as their own personal projects. I've also seen so many artists who went the 'I want to be a professional artist' who ended up just really as burn outs because they didn't realize being a commerical artist or illustrator or comic book artists is a craft. Long before they ever get to the artistic side - there are deadlines to be met, rules to be followed and a crap ton of work to be done. Not the least of which is having a business accumen and being able to manage their own finances as an independent contractor in many cases. Many art schools don't ever stray into that territory and I've seen guys who just have no clue how switched on they have to be to make it in the creative field.

But I digress... do comics matter? Depends on which level you are talking about. In the bigger picture of the threat of nuclear annihilation of the human race... maybe perhaps a bit less. :D On the question of your preferential reads... yes of course they matter. They're a nice medium between film and television (passive entertainment largely) and fictional books and novels (largely active entertainment). So yeah for me that's their value... they really help at a certain age. Sitting down to read them in a big stack is a largely introspective act... somewhat calm... and gets the wheels turning. Kids don't have a lot of that these days... with video games, social networking and all the rest... jeez I feel old for spending my summer vacations laying around reading the liner notes on all my old mans Jazz LP's and reading comic books.

yeah they matter... it's up to individual to decide just how much they matter for him. Every time I walk into the book store and I see the reams of crap that is published seemingly weekly in coffee table size glossy formats... I ask the same question about publishing in general. It's up to the individual to find a certain genre that matters to him and hammer out why it matters.

[golgotha]

comics make reading fun for kids. reading is good for learning. also, fantasy in comics is better than using drugs.

[immigrant]

I would rather read a graphic novel than a boring novel with no art works to tell the story comics always matter jus like any form of entertainment ask the consumer tell you any different ..some read comics others play video games some watch movies .... next time someone asks you why you read comics jus ask back "why do you watch movies " ( especially to the wife ;p)

[CatalyticProductions]

It's rather disheartening that there's no answer, "Yes, because they're an exception artistic medium." I mean, yes, they're wonderful entertainment, but they're more than that.

I agree wholeheartedly.


It's a shame that some of the answers to this thread, even though they are in support of comics, imply that comics are just for children. There are many great comics for kids, but comics as a whole are so much more diverse and wide-ranging than anyone seems to think. It's like saying that films are for kids just because a popular portion of the market happens to be aimed at them. No-one would ever take that kind of statement seriously; but when it comes to comics, most people don't think twice about pigeonholing them into the "just for kids" section.



Truth is I dont think people care about comics anymore because the companies dont care about the product they put out anymore.

But who says comics are only made by "companies"? What about independent comics? Having gone back and read the past responses to this thread, the vast majority of posters here seem to be referring only to the most mainstream Marvel and DC-produced comics. Maybe this is tied in with the assumption that comics are aimed at children. But like I said before, there are so many more kinds of comics out there if you only look for them.



Digital comics can be dumbed down for the digital medium

Wait, I'm confused. Why do digital comics need to be dumbed down?

[autowagon]

The art form of sequential art storytelling matters. It matters a great deal. The format might not matter as much. I think the problem here is the inability of most to see the big picture. Comics are world wide. They have evolved along side cinema. They are perhaps the most highly developed visual artistic craft around. To say comics don't matter is like saying literature doesn't matter, cinema doesn't, music. It is an art form.
---The format may change for a time, but i believe it will revert to its proper place paper.
---the real sad thing brought up here is the market's state. It just reflects the business practices that have become the norm. The big comics companies should be investing in the future for their products by teaching and inspiring their talent and their future talent with their profits from the movie industry. It isn't surprising that they are acting like every other idiotic money grubbing big business out there. It is a sign of the times. The sad thing is they have lost sight of what they're selling (for the money behind it) to such a degree that they don't even know how they are going to sell it in the future, or even what makes their product viable. I grew up in a state where there was no comic book store. I've always felt it was the responsibility of the big companies like marvel, DC, and now Dark horse to provide a market place for their product. If they want to stay relevant they should built that market place, use the movies to deliver "their" product (not the other way around). If the collective money makers in the business don't see the true value in their own product, it is a sad turn of events indeed.

[chuck001]

I think Comics are a vibrant and important entertainment medium, love to read DC comics.

[Whune]

1 - I reject your definition of comix as an "entertainment medium"
The free comix I read on the plane instructing me on how not to die in the event of the plane falling out of the sky for whatever reason... i find far from "entertaining" either in purpose or affect.

2 -

this:


Comic books are too expensive and there's too much generic crap on the shelves.

These 2 factors alone had lead to me buying less and less.

I would like to think that the recent run of superhero movies that have been on general release across the globe would have increased public interest in comic books - but can only imagine the horror on those potential customers' faces when they walk into their local comic store (if it hasn't gone bust) and realize that they're gonna have to cough up a small fortune to read 22 pages (or whatever) of shiny nothingness.

3 -


when are comics going to be exciting again? :(

I find this question to be - for lack of a better term - a strawman:
It's like saying when will Americans have more character again;
as if there weren't people of shit character in the past; or shit comix

there have always been both and always will be both.

It's just that in the age of hyper media - and I mean that in more of a metaphorical sense rather than a play on words - the 20/80 principle is exacerbated to a nauseating degree:

The crap just gets more momentum of attention; even though so many agree that it's crap.
Many are like addicts apologizing for why they buy.

But I digress:
comix as an tool of communication will never die.
They will individually matter or not matter to the degree that they express things that matter or don't matter.

[Whune]

just bumping this; for any that missed it


It's always going to be a dicey question to ask comic book artists or those who want to be comic book artists if they matter. The problem is always going to be that once you take something you enjoy doing (drawing in all its forms) and play your hand at having it be a money making venture that you pay your bills with... then it becomes a love hate relationship. Or for many it does. Some endeavors are great when you can do them at your own pace and there are no strings attached. But once you have those strings attached the you find yourself doing things you wouldn't normally want to do or think of doing and finding reasons to rationalize them to yourself. I needed to pay the electricity bill, gas bill was due, little Jimmy needs school shoes. And bam next thing you know you're slopping out coloring books or sticker art or who knows what. :D

Not that it's entirely bad and yes often times my base of operations is squarely cynical. But I've seen so many artists that would have been happier doing something else for a living and keeping their drawing or art as their own personal projects. I've also seen so many artists who went the 'I want to be a professional artist' who ended up just really as burn outs because they didn't realize being a commerical artist or illustrator or comic book artists is a craft. Long before they ever get to the artistic side - there are deadlines to be met, rules to be followed and a crap ton of work to be done. Not the least of which is having a business accumen and being able to manage their own finances as an independent contractor in many cases. Many art schools don't ever stray into that territory and I've seen guys who just have no clue how switched on they have to be to make it in the creative field.

But I digress... do comics matter? Depends on which level you are talking about. In the bigger picture of the threat of nuclear annihilation of the human race... maybe perhaps a bit less. :D On the question of your preferential reads... yes of course they matter. They're a nice medium between film and television (passive entertainment largely) and fictional books and novels (largely active entertainment). So yeah for me that's their value... they really help at a certain age. Sitting down to read them in a big stack is a largely introspective act... somewhat calm... and gets the wheels turning. Kids don't have a lot of that these days... with video games, social networking and all the rest... jeez I feel old for spending my summer vacations laying around reading the liner notes on all my old mans Jazz LP's and reading comic books.

yeah they matter... it's up to individual to decide just how much they matter for him. Every time I walk into the book store and I see the reams of crap that is published seemingly weekly in coffee table size glossy formats... I ask the same question about publishing in general. It's up to the individual to find a certain genre that matters to him and hammer out why it matters.

[ever123]

No, Comics never mattered.

[Jonny-Ledford]

Pictorial story telling is the oldest form of communication by the Human race. By definition it matters. How it is received culturally is a different story. We here in the good old U.S. of A have always treated comic books as a poor relation, until of late. That is solely money driven. Hollywood loves the comic movie dollar so it has gained a faux respect. The types that are pushing the next Green Lantern movie have zero respect for the medium and history of the people that created that story or its art form. They just like the fact that it has "X" amounts of book, video game, breakfast cereal, and T-shirt tie ins in place from jump street.

[Lonrott]

I don't think comics matter in the sense...a job matters, family, or anything concrete. Comics are a medium like novels, movies and paintings. None of them matter in the long run, but they do matter deeply to a few. Comics mattered to Jack Kirby and they mattered to Will Eisner. I can see how the responses can go either way. I have not read a comic in years, but they still print comics. People still buy them. I think comics would matter most to someone who has story to tell and if the story is told really well and the artwork is superb, then it will resonate with people and that comic will matter. I think then the medium doesn't matter but that one creator who creates something so interesting, relevant and maybe ground breaking will matter and the medium will matter again briefly. But in the long run...it doesn't matter to me.

[benjonesart]

I think comics matter more to the creators than the public. I remember being in highschool in the 90's and the nerd group I was part of would spend a good chunk of some of the classes talking about comics, characters and current storylines. We actually would debate stuff and be ready for the next of issues. Sigh Xecutioner song still #2 on my list of favorite story lines. Im pretty sure kids aren't doing that in school these days.

Will they continue to exist? of course they will in one form or another but comics in general will live.

I draw comics, love them to death but ive bought exactly 3 graphic novel / trades in two years. Warchild for a proposal and needed info on the character, Seige because Ive always loved Thor, and the Avengelyne HC trade because I had a pin up published in it.

[Chris2.0]

My 2c...

Comics shall survive... It's been on its supposed deathbed since the 50's... It survived Wertham, the direct market shift, the boom/bust cycle of the 90's, as well as the transition to digital...

But comics really don't deliver the bang-per-buck as movies/music, or even measured against comics itself a few decades ago...

So as agreed above - comics will have to get cheaper, so that more people can afford/read them. And less derivative - do we really need 5-10 Bat/X/Spidey/Supey books a month?

And to touch on the point below - I was also all for a 2 screen eComic Book Reader, but you only really need the 2nd screen for double pages splashes? Or like multiple gatefold pages/covers a la Jim Lee?

My main gripe against the iPad is that it's still a bit smaller than a real comic book... So text is too small for me... And I intensely dislike panel zooming like guided view...

But now Toshiba is launching a 13" tablet... That could be it for me! Now if DC/Marvel/Image/DH can just give it to you for free with a yearly contract giving unlimited browsing of their back catalogue!


It only makes sense that comics move to digital distribution as their primary and physical floppies and trades as a secondary production method within the next 10-20 years. I envision a two-screen tablet - akin to a laptop, but with one touchscreen and one view only screen. This way you can still have a 2-page reading experience.

[Lonrott]

I hope digital comics succeed and yet, I don't really like comics on a tablet or phone. The feel and appearance is just not right. The colors are either too vibrant or too sharp. It's good for marketing. Every creator wants to be seen and read and yet, comics started out in print for a reason. The feel of paper. It is the same issue I have with tablets and novels. I think they are great, but I like to read on paper. It has many advantages over paper: hot links, dictionary and all sorts of background data a novel cannot provide and yet, the experience is different. Comics should be on paper for a reason: it is a piece of artwork when done well, it needs to somewhat degrade and be transitory like paintings. All the great paintings will eventually degrade and will slowly lose color and vibrancy, but I think the experience is different each time you view it.

[JussaArtGuy]

Hmm. Knee jerk answer: No, in the grand scheme of the universe - comics don't matter.

slower, more thought out answer: well, yeah - they must matter. People buy them, and the companies make them- and NO company does anything on that grand a scale if there aint money in it for them. So they matter to the folks that buy em, and to the folk that sell em. (and the folks that argue passionately about them on internet forums! :D)

More thought out answer: Yes, they matter to ME - because they were an integral and important part of my childhood, they helped form how I see the world (visually - I'm a visual person), and they were my personal "John Wayne" movies.

Longer, deeper thought out answer: no, they don't matter at all - because really, nothing matters. Does it?

[Ratcrack]

I hate the idea of digital comics for the same reason I hate Digital Copies of movies. If you can't turn on your pc/tablet or log into your accounts, you can't read or watch anything. With physical media, just pop in the dvd; and if the lights go out, light a candle and read your favorite TPBs. Another reason why print is much better is because you can reach a wider audience. If the big 2 went digital, I would need the following to read their stuff: A $200+ tablet/PC, a credit card, an account, some tech savvy and $3-4 for every 22 pg story. I feel sorry for any impoverished kid that just wants to read Spider-Man once a month. They need to 1. Make these monthlies appropriate for kids again 2. Find a way to print them cheaply so they don't cost $3 an issue 3. Write good stories that will appeal to children and adults. The guys in charge at Marvel and DC need to wake up or they're going to have no one left to sell their crap to.

[Juggertha]

If the printing costs are out of the equation, should not the overall costs be much lower?

[Ratcrack]

If the printing costs are out of the equation, should not the overall costs be much lower?

Batman v.2 #10 (digital and print) costs $4 at comixology. You might be able to get an older issue for less, but it won't have any collector's value. And if some kid wants to get it digitally, they'd need to borrow Mom or Dad's credit card. When I was a kid, I bought all my books with cash. I used the money given to me for bus fare on comics and then I would walk home. Or I used what ever allowance I got for comics.

[malachimanson]

If the printing costs are out of the equation, should not the overall costs be much lower?

Its not so much the cost to print but the deal with diamond. They ship the titles not dc or marvel. Which i can tell having to go through orders from diamond they will skip books ect. Which leaves digital option. The price will remain as long as diamond needs their cut. Marvel has the right idea with some of their books giving away free digital with the purchase of the actual book. However you need to get the book that wensday it comes out.

[Ratcrack]

So is Diamond dsitributors responsible for the rise in cost?

[malachimanson]

So is Diamond dsitributors responsible for the rise in cost?

I wouldn't blame diamond more then the core company on the set price. Printing costs which include paper ink and talent all have to factored in on the price also. It is hard to deny the artist and writers their due. However the core companies can bring the cost down in quality of the print which would bring the price of the book down. They won't its an excuse to keep prices raising. Just like diamond is an excuse for the digital prices are the same. Overall even factoring in the deal with diamond the prices of the digital book shouldn't be more then half of the print book. At the end of the day greed keeps theprices high.

Digital would be better if everyone did what marvel does as much as i complain and dont use the free digital copy it is a better step in the right direction. Evevtually the compaines will realize that you take a hit in print sales to increase the volume of digital sales. You get your money and cut out the middle man.

[ranceluci]

Yes comic plays important role, for banning many t.v series are come from famous comics. view http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_series_based_on_DC_Comics this link the list of t.v shows from comics. Comics is always a good source of entertainment for kids even for me :P

[jessi]

Yes, comics is important entertainment.

[Selkirk]

on cost...i've posted it before but jim zub http://www.jimzub.com/?p=2066 has an interesting breakdown of digital 'cost'-essentially 2.00 goes to the app(1.00 for comixology and 1.00 for google/apple). lowering the cost of digital is practically impossible under these circumstances...even if the creators work for nothing(which most do :D) it would really have a negligible impact on price.

the same dynamics are at work in print...from what i have read a book needs to sell 10k to break even(paying the creators a living wage...not a good wage but a living wage). less than that and the creators have beer money...or worse-they lose money.

do comics matter? of course not...they never have and never will...they matter as much as dungeons and dragons does to role players(to those interested they matter a lot...to the general public not at all :D).

[Pete Tha Creep]

Comics matter, comic books don't.

Comic books are a niche market for a slowly diminishing group of die-hards, who support either a certain artist, company, or buy comics out of sexual innuendo and childhood problems.* It is mostly left for an elitist group of fans, that like to separate themselves through the exclusiveness of their collections. Hence the horrendous prices for, e.g. Splitter high-gloss hardcover editions and the likes. ( This info is from my LCS dude, he's been in the biz for about 40 years now, and likes to talk about it a lot. Also this refers to the german comic scene, experiences and circumstances abroad may differ severely. )

Comics as an artform do matter and always will matter as they have the power to simplify complex circumstances and situations, which other media doesn't have in this quality. The satirical comicstrip for example will have a long and lively future, think of rage comics, as the most democratic and revolutionary form of comics nowadays. These strips flood the net and help the young generation to define their social identities in a society that is dictated by networks and their intrusive collectivism. Stuff that the elder generation, who didn't grow up with highspeed dsl can't guide them through, as they are completely ignoring it or getting lost in the attempt to cope with it.
And think of all the people who committed murder and arson over the publishing of some mohammed comics?
Almost any videogame that is released can present its own comic to the franchise, so a lot of marketing directors seem to still think its worth the hassle. Comics are even presented IN videogames ( e.g. Witcher 2, Diablo 3 ) etc etc...

Short:
I do think comics matter and I think that we as creators have a lot of power at our disposal, being able to create worlds out of our imagination, that can forever change the views of others on certain aspects of life, and the responsibility to use it!

Now go, draw something! ;)




* I don't ^^

[Doomsmith]

I think that you're asking the wrong question. It really should be: Do printed comics matter anymore? The sad but true fact to that question is a large NO. With everything going digital and funds being tight, most sensible consumers are looking to get the most bang for their buck. Printed books are gradually becoming more expensive, the cheapest book I've seen last time I was in a newsstand or Comic shop was $2.99 for an allegedly 22pg book, when in actuality it's 18-20 pages cause of pointless ads for products that most people don't care about or can't afford. And also the majority of people are impatient ON TOP OF being cheap. They don't want to pay alot of money for a book but they want it, not now but RIGHT NOW.

Here's a crazy idea: not that I'll hold my breath til this happens but The Big Two (Marvel and DC for those that don't know) should have a retro month where they price their major titles at their early 80's books. Or even for a buck just to entice readers to take interest. Its not like their hurting for money and can't afford to do that. But I digress. Doesn't really matter anymore, printed books are slowly going the way of the dinosaur. Inside of 7 years from the posting of this message I can see Lil Doom looking at me when I tell him comics used to be printed on paper like I'm telling him a fairy tale since when he's able to, all books will be eBooks and I'll seem like a relic from a forgotten time. Sad. Borderline depressing to me that thought.




D2k13!

[Selkirk]

@pete the creep yeah but i don't like comics >D...i like comic books-i buy them to watch the best illustrators draw hot babes :cool:. comic books and dungeons and dragons(my two passions) both hold pretty much the same fanbase they have always held-earnest geeks and societal dropouts...wave your freak flag :-lml:...:D.

comics are lowbrow entertainment-comics as an 'artform' really dont exist(and yes the exception does prove the rule -one could argue in fact that the 'underground'/radical comic...particularly when it comes to the political arena-has largely disappeared)-if i want something serious i read a book.

@doomsmith i'm always a bit puzzled by the 'comics are too expensive' argument...particularly when it comes from the creative community. i mean we know the costs involved...or at least we know we should get paid some money for drawing/writing/lettering. it is expensive if one is buying 20 books a month i suppose but i buy 4 or 5 and it's money well spent...a movie costs 20 bucks-and avengers comic books(opena ftw) are better than avengers movies.

[davechisholm]

here's a good article on this subject:
http://www.tcj.com/the-literaries/

sorry if it's been posted already!

[50%grey]

In the big scheme of things, nothing is important we only add value to the things we care about.

So if you think comics are important then they are.