How is the comic industry in bad shape?

[EddieChingLives]

There's some great work out there. I think there's so much great art out there right now, comics never looked better!

And it's not selling in the millions, but it's selling in the hundreds of thousands. Ten thousand is a respectable success figure.

And comic conventions are still full of people!

I think comics just got smarter. No one is going to believe that Superman is going to die again. We all realize it was a ploy to sell books. The big EVENT, if you will.

And the market adjusted, so now the over-inflated prices of books in the early 90's can be found in dollar bins. Which is good, because now more people can read the stories!

I remembrer reading an article in an 80's comic news comic, and it was about how the industry is dying! And this was before the Superman/Doomsday-Xmen-Spawn numbers! I think saying the industry is in bad shape is a ploy for people to buy more books.

So I'm just curious when was the time that we want to get back to? And why is it in a bad state right now?

Is it because we compare this industry to how good movies and video games are selling? Novels don't even get those movie numbers. And it's a pro-active medium. You have to fill in the gaps. You can't just watch it and wait till it's over. You gotta flip those pages.

The fact that movies are getting all their ideas from comics right now is a good sign that the industry is not dying.

I don't think comics will ever die! It has such a long history. And it's so easy for ONE PERSON to tell a story in a visual way, similar to movies!

Plus, the internet is avaliable, so it doesn't even cost much to get readers! As long as someone has the means to tell stories visually through words and pictures, and there is access to the internet or copy machines, I'm pretty sure comics will never die!

So to recap:
What was the time that we want to get back to? And why is it in a bad state right now?

[misfitX]

It's better than it ever has been. The respectability is becoming more and more widespread. The talent is coming out of the cracks and the talent can actually succeed now.

If we don't let the whole comics-into-movies thing turn into a big deal, i see this age of comics as being the best EVAH so far. Until next week, then it'll get better. Right?

[scrawl]

I've heard theories that its cyclical, we're on the brink of another boom...after that boom there will be a decline, a boom etc.

Then there's bendis's theory that the print medium wont exist in seven years.

I think the comic art form is stable, but the industry might be in for some big changes.

[InkDrop]

I like funny books, the artwork makes me happy.

[Manji]

I think people aren't bothering to read to book when they can just see the movie instead.

I think it will all start to take off again. I am waiting for an online comic movement to surface.

[Deth]

Comics will always have us 30 somethings and those of us who grew up with it as kids to be their fan base.

once we're gone Comics will suffer greatly. Although, the core characters that are iconic will still be around in other mediums

[EddieChingLives]

I see tons of kids in the Manga section. A lot of girls too.

I'm pretty sure we'll be replaced by several different waves of generations when we're 70. Heck, all these young artists on PJ let me know that the next generation is allready nipping on our heals!

The 90's wave came before, now there's an Ultimate Spiderman wave!

Comics aren't going anywhere.

[Kaligula]

You gotta understand man, this industry has been feeling bad for itself since the beginning of time. That's not gonna change regardless of market climate.

[fatmancomics]

I feel the same way about "the industry". I got to see a time (the 80s) when it really seemed that comics were dying. The production was lousy, the stories were ridiculous and the code was still in efect. Even in the 90s editors were thanking the core audience for helping them scrape by during the 80s.
I saw the art, the quality of paper (about the only good thing 90s Image can be credited for) and stories evolve to a much higher level in the 90s and from 2000 till now independents have been making their marks.
Webcomics taking over? I don't see it happening but if it does, I'm sure I can adjust. I don't see what creators are talking about when they say that the industry is in trouble. It seems like they just feel that way any time THEIR books stop selling as much. Their numbers drop so they panic and yell "end of days for the biz!"

[Huerta]

Video games, movies and tv shows left and right. WE. ARE. DOOMED!