Comic publishing industry may be on the verge of another collapse
Published by Avi Green on Wednesday, January 09, 2008 at 2:52 AM.
On Ye Olde Comick Booke Blogge (via Graphic Fiction), one contributor looks at the recent state of the industry, and reminds everybody about how comic book publishing collapsed in the mid-1990s, and predicts, with good reason, that it may be about to happen again. And I concur, because chances are that One More Day may have, for now anyway, sealed the fate of Marvel for one: it could even trigger a domino effect on many of their other books, some of which are suffering, once again, from problems like variant covers, multiple series spinoffs, crossovers, etc. DC looks like it's getting there even faster, when you look at the mess that spun off not just from Countdown, but from 52 as well (I think Power Boy, who may be deceased now, first turned up in the pages of the 52 weekly mini; that's one clue to where they were going, or ending up). And despite some mainstream press articles that may say that sales are up, they're really not. Certainly not for the big two.
It could very well be that, in several years, comic books will end up being reduced to trade paperbacks/hardcovers/prestige formats entirely, as the publishers, and that includes even indies, will no longer be able to afford making pamphlets.
For now, I will say that, if the industry really wants to save itself, that's why it's going to have to start taking the proper steps to fix as many things as possible that went wrong. This can include, but should not be limited to, appointing editors who respect fans and avoid trash-talking and publicity stunts, and who don't go out of their way to produce multiple spinoff series and specials that could practically cost more money to publish than they end up making in sales. My idea for whom to appoint as EIC of Marvel might be Peter David, or even Tom DeFalco, who did once occupy a senoir editor's seat. At DC, it could be Chuck Dixon. If anything or anyone, it has to be people who aren't prone to do the same contemptuous things that Quesada and DiDio have been doing, and who don't throw away the moral backbone needed to make superhero comics inspiring and effective.
The major publishers have a chance to redeem themselves. If they really want to save their businesses, they'd better get to work, lest it be too late.
Trackposted to: bRight and Early, Celebrity Smack, Mark My Words, MoreWhat.Com, Pirates' Cove.
It could very well be that, in several years, comic books will end up being reduced to trade paperbacks/hardcovers/prestige formats entirely, as the publishers, and that includes even indies, will no longer be able to afford making pamphlets.
For now, I will say that, if the industry really wants to save itself, that's why it's going to have to start taking the proper steps to fix as many things as possible that went wrong. This can include, but should not be limited to, appointing editors who respect fans and avoid trash-talking and publicity stunts, and who don't go out of their way to produce multiple spinoff series and specials that could practically cost more money to publish than they end up making in sales. My idea for whom to appoint as EIC of Marvel might be Peter David, or even Tom DeFalco, who did once occupy a senoir editor's seat. At DC, it could be Chuck Dixon. If anything or anyone, it has to be people who aren't prone to do the same contemptuous things that Quesada and DiDio have been doing, and who don't throw away the moral backbone needed to make superhero comics inspiring and effective.
The major publishers have a chance to redeem themselves. If they really want to save their businesses, they'd better get to work, lest it be too late.
Trackposted to: bRight and Early, Celebrity Smack, Mark My Words, MoreWhat.Com, Pirates' Cove.
Labels: crossoverloading, dc comics, marvel comics
