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Mark Haslett
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Joined: 19 April 2004
Location: United States
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| Posted: 04 November 2024 at 9:15pm | IP Logged | 1
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From the 1940s to the 1960s, there was a wide variety of comic book
genres. There were times when superheroes almost completely dropped
out and then came back.
I wonder what might have happened if the spinner racks and traditional
distribution systems had stayed in place over the last 40 years?
Is there anyway to do some educated speculation about what comics might
have ruled the news stands in such a healthier, more competitive
environment?
I think we can safely say there would have been a stronger adherence to the
all ages mode of writing and marketing. I suspect there would have been a
more serious attempt to reach a female market and to maintain a younger,
funny-animal market. I also believe, there would have been a speculator
boom but I think it might have lifted all the different genres instead of just
superheroes.
Thoughts?
Edited by Mark Haslett on 04 November 2024 at 9:19pm
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Harry Dounis
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| Posted: 04 November 2024 at 10:40pm | IP Logged | 2
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Circa 1981-86 I would frequent the neighborhood deli/convenience store where the spinner racks housed a cellophane wrapped 5 pack of comics. The outer copy usually being some Avengers or similar type of title but the inner books were exactly what you just described, either targeting a younger audience or an independent publisher. Lots of fun in discovering a hidden gem or something that I normally wouldn't have given the time of day. In hindsight, other than serving to dump some books and liquidate inventory it did serve to broaden audiences.
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Mark Haslett
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Posts: 6550
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| Posted: 04 November 2024 at 10:54pm | IP Logged | 3
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Yes, the comic book format is flexible enough to contain almost anything.
There was a time when this could generate real business.
Another thought about “what might have been if…” is that I don’t think
there’s much about the market we see today in comic stores that would be
the same if there had been an emphasis on news stand sales. The pressure
to avoid low circulation/cancellation would have been significantly different
and led people in such different directions— even in just speaking of the
super-hero genre.
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Steve Coates
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| Posted: 04 November 2024 at 11:35pm | IP Logged | 4
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Speculation on a successful newsstand market would pivot on removing the corruption in the distribution and refunding. The corruption was in all phases and started before a title was even sent to print.
Once the returns became partials, i.e. covers only, the whole system, on multiple levels became corrupt and that was a long time ago.
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Mark Haslett
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| Posted: 05 November 2024 at 12:04am | IP Logged | 5
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Can you clarify that? How did this corruption impact what comic books
succeeded and failed in the new stand market?
Is this corruption the reason that comics stopped being available on the
news stand/drug store market? I have never heard that before.
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Mark Haslett
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| Posted: 05 November 2024 at 12:15am | IP Logged | 6
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Anyway, yes— this speculation pivots on imagining a world where whatever
wrecked the newsstand market did not happen.
“What if..?” they didn’t fail— what trends do you suppose would have
marked the last four decades if the first/biggest market was the drug stores
and not the comic stores?
Edited by Mark Haslett on 05 November 2024 at 3:47am
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Doug Centers
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| Posted: 05 November 2024 at 11:42am | IP Logged | 7
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If left to a more natural, "in the wild" so to speak, development I could see the American comics companies find success copying manga's own success. Using teen adventure/drama long arcs like teen vampires, voyagers, fantasy, etc.Superhero's would wane yet again until the apatite would get sparked decades later.
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Mark Haslett
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| Posted: 06 November 2024 at 2:52am | IP Logged | 8
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Doug: I could see the American comics companies find success copying manga's own success.
**
I've had this thought too. I think the wide variety of storylines/concepts in Japanese Manga could point to possible successes in an "organic American Manga" success.
Some seriously talented cartoonists could have made American Romance Comics great in the way that romance comics thrive in Manga. the crazy adventure/sci-fi/cultural satire Manga is a flavor that I can imagine working in the U.S. too.
I'd love to have been able to see what that would have looked like.
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Harry Dounis
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| Posted: 09 November 2024 at 12:46am | IP Logged | 9
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The pressure
to avoid low circulation/cancellation would have been significantly different
and led people in such different directions— even in just speaking of the
super-hero genre.
I lived this fear throughout most of my collecting days. Especially, with titles like Moon Knight constantly going in and out of publication, direct sales etc... The darker tone of the art and storytelling resonated with me much more than the popular titles of the day. While an initial favorite, having the Wolverine appear in what felt like every title only served to somewhat sour me on the character after a while and Deadpool is pure anathema...
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