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Mark Haslett
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 19 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 6792
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 3:59pm | IP Logged | 1
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Comics, that is.
We've had threads about the current tone at the big 2, the return of the speculators, and debates over the rising revenues Vs. stagnant circulation, but can anyone give an objective, contextualized, accurate description of the current state of the industry? Is it growing? Is it diminishing?
How long can it go if current trends hold? What is the most accurate way to look at it?
I've been pessimistic for years, but things don't seem any worse than they did 5 years ago--
--Or DO they?
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Steve Lieber
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Joined: 16 July 2004
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 4:22pm | IP Logged | 2
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Here's an article with some overall industry numbers:
Edited by Steve Lieber on 08 March 2007 at 4:25pm
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Mark Haslett
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Joined: 19 April 2004
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 4:27pm | IP Logged | 3
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You may need to fix the link--
FIXED. Thanks!
Edited by Mark Haslett on 08 March 2007 at 4:43pm
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John OConnor
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Joined: 01 August 2004
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 4:41pm | IP Logged | 4
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to me, it's [still] almost on it's deathbed. DC is all but a licensing arm of Warner[not altogether a bad thing, they powers that be tend to ignore alot that way]. And Marvel is a [or seems to be] a horribly organized mess -- again.
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Mark Haslett
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 4:48pm | IP Logged | 5
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From The Article: "Since then, graphic novel sales have increased in comics shops three
fold, and in bookstores SEVENFOLD. Much of it is due to manga, but that
was old news at today’s conference...
...There was no “Ah ha!” moment of triumph, but rather the kind of
security and quiet confidence that comes from knowing that graphic
novels are here to stay."
***
Interesting lack of info about "comic books." Trades, I might suppose, are being considered graphic novels? Are comic books also?
The growth in dollars since 2001 for the industry is clearly good. But something seems amiss-- the growth at bookstores is gigantic. But what are they selling? Manga?
Is this good news for monthlies?
Am I asking too many questions?
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Greg Kirkpatrick
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 4:54pm | IP Logged | 6
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Yeah, I think trades are considered graphic novels in regards as how sales are looked at. They would have to be. Not a whole lot of Original Graphic Novels out there.
Monthlies don't count. They mention that GN are outselling regular comics.
I don't think the industry is on it's deathbed. It may not be as healthy as it has been in the past but it has been getting stronger each year. I think licensing keeps a lot of this stuff going. Fine with me.
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Joe Zhang
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 5:21pm | IP Logged | 7
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I hope it does better and better. I hope it survives and thrives. I suspect it's currently growing only because the disposable incomes of the late twenty to forty year old readership is increasing. For example, fifteen or twenty years ago almost none of us would be able to afford a John Byrne commission.
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Greg Kirkpatrick
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 5:25pm | IP Logged | 8
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fifteen or twenty years ago almost none of us would be able to afford a John Byrne commission.
***
Sadly, I still can't....
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Ed Finley
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 5:31pm | IP Logged | 9
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Comics printed on newsprint and not expensive magazine paper. Comics that are available at the grocery store so kids will get interested in them (And I am talking about superhero books, not donald duck). If the comics industry doesnt get young kids interested in comics like when we were kids, there will come a day when there will be little or no interest in comics and the artform will die away.
Ed
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Matthew Hansel
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 5:40pm | IP Logged | 10
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Comics as we know them are dying...
MPH
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Martin Redmond
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 5:51pm | IP Logged | 11
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Bookstore sales. Are those numbers that are sold to customers, or numbers that bookstores have in stock?
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Aaron Smith
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| Posted: 08 March 2007 at 5:54pm | IP Logged | 12
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Here's a question for anyone who might know the answer, since I don't know much about the distribution side of the comics industry. I've noticed that my local Borders gets its new comics at least a week after the LCS does. Why does it work this way? I would have thought the release date of an issue was the release date everywhere.
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Topic Closed)
