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