I think Comic Drake said something about how comic books should adopt the manga structure of compiling various issues into book-length chapters to make it easier for readers to keep up on their favorite series without requiring them to wait a month or 2 for the next issue to come out.
When DC and MARVEL reset their numbers it turned a lot of the older fans including myself away. Yes they got a small spike in sales but it quickly went away and now they are in a worse spot then before.
@@mtgamateurnightyeah I remember before new 52 then all that shit happened I haven’t bought a comic in years well I got some reprints of the whole animated series Batman so yeah need to look after those stores tho they can’t leave I think most comic stores are really now just collectible traders I’ve got some rare figures in box and they priced them and yeah 200 for an assassin creed bust and rare ezio figure all boxed sad to see no one want to read anymore
I bought the btas adventures continues as well but only to complete my run as I have every single issue of btas thru now the current run. Other than that I am not interested in spending money for most physical books. People still read comics but it's mostly online or if they are buying it's older books that don't get trade backs. I still read and hunt down silver age and bronze age books myself.@@superherobeatdown
Sell comics in regular stores. This idea has been a common answer. I would add that they should also sell new issues with classic complete stories. That way, new readers can jump into complete story, and if they like it, get another. Hopefully, the reader would just add a comic book to their regular shopping list.
You just described a graphic novel. Also if by regular store you mean target or wal-mart that will most likely not ever happen again. This has been tried before and it did not work.
Not big box stores. Meeting places restaurants, locally gas stations, and the big ones coffee shops and bars. You can reserve yours old school news stand style or just stop by have a beer and read it and discuss with others.
@@AndyfnB That’s what was so great about it back then. That it could be bought anywhere. Retail, grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, corner store, etc. It was great for comic fans, and also a great entry point for children, as they always had a comic to read whenever they went somewhere.
100%. i already go out of my way to buy hard copy comics, if I couldn't be bothered it would be digital. but either way, if I saw a comic at the register of just about any shop at all, id buy it as a little treat to myself.
My problem is it's nearly impossible to find a whole run. You can find like issue 2 of a run everywhere but can't find 1 anywhere. Had this happen several times.
I also think that there are people, like me, who would rather wait for the story to be complete to read than to have so follow along. I prefer buying the compendiums rather than individual comics.
if you want Marvel books there is marvel unlimited and if you want DC books there is DC universe. the newer issues come after 6 months for distribution reasons but everything else is already there
I think a subscription service would be nice, do something like Shonen Jump does to where if you pay a reasonable price you can read as much series as you want. Also cut down on the series and spin offs, because I know at one point Superman, Batman and Spider-Man had like 5 series going on and it was expensive just to find out what was happening with the characters. Also doing a reboot of the universe every 10 years would probably be good too, I know DC has kind of kept that model but Marvel needs to commit to a hard reboot. Even though they weren't the best the Marvel ultimate comics were refreshing because it was easier to get into the universe then having to read 60 years of comics to understand the history. Also a free recap comic every 2 months or so would be a good idea.
Literally just give us a complete run once a writers time with a character is finished, I shouldn't have to get issue 1 and 4 then wait 3 months to find 2 and 3. Hell at this point I'd settle for at least knowing more clearly that what I picked up was the next issue in the run. But not every story gets it's own tagline. If people can't wait that long for a complete story some more one shots would be nice. But again I can never tell of it's a self contained story or not.
U can buy the entire arc but it will cost a bit Immortal hulk 1-50 is on sale but uts a bit costly. Also, Volumes exist. U get an arc that spans from a certain amount of issues. It's how I read avengers infinity(which is a dope arc too).
Also, for the next issue in a run, most times, the comic shop is only selling issues back to back tha are of the same run. Comics are mostly monthly, but certain issues can arise that delay some parts. U can also go online and do a lil research for if it's the next comic in line. I did this when figuring out the watch order of the fate series as well as which mha "team up mission" volumes to read and how they connect to the main story.
never heard of any runs that release issues out of order. if it spans across different titles it would obviously make sense that the numbers aren’t in the same order but it’s usually stated in the titles in some form. usually they’re connected within the arc names or at the end of the last issue it states what’s next most of the time. if you’re talking about events it makes sense to release things separately instead of just throwing it all together then it wouldn’t be much of an event. comics sometimes take patience and if you’re not reading something new then most likely it has some form of collected edition where the story is definitely all together. i guess i kinda understand what you were trying to say i understand delays in a story arc can be a pain in the ass or a story being told out of full chronological order can get confusing but i’ve never heard of issues releasing out of order. i can’t say i’ve seen, for example, "Batman #24" released before "Batman #23"
One way to improve the comic industry is to make direct adaptations of their most popular storylines. It’s a system similar to anime and that’s is how it has began big in the west.
Your not wrong that would help, dc has the animated universe but straight to DVD, they need to put them on streaming platforms so people may get introduced to a universe they may be introduced.
It doesn't work because Comic stories just don't freaking end. And that's ok to some extent. But maybe they should have more that do. Or actually end it and then actually reboot it like 10 years later. Instead of the half reboots we've been getting since forever. Half reboots half way through any given story.
@@DSan-kl2yc No, im sorry but that brakes the foundation of why alot of people like comics. Also i think your wrong, yes these storys are ever continued but they have arcs. take fear state for example, thats a single contained thing mostly, Sure it's technically a continuation but that doenst mean you can't make an adaptation that has absolutely no connections to anything. Like dcs flashpoint animation, for the comic it was connected to a bunch of things but the movie didn't do any of that and took the base line story. So no, they don't need to end comics to make that work and if they did "end comics" that would be dumb ass fuck, works for manga cuz there tends to be one writer and artist but comics ain't like that and i doubt people want them to be.
@@TheRobinWithWit you can't make an animated series that follows the comics without it diverging at some point, or starting from mid way. I'm not saying they should but it's an issue with comics due to their format. I was just bringing this distinction up. They're already adapting stories and it doesn't drive sales and isn't how manga and anime are coordinated. OP was talking about a similar system to manga, and that's just the barrier as to why they aren't similar. And just adapting storylines like the movies doesn't work. It works best with things that are elseworld because they do have endings. You can adapt the whole thing. Everything else will be a partial adaptation. Or it'll be an alternate continuity. Something that happens more rarely in manga. Flash point was connected to a series of movies that made it's own movie universe. That's not a similar system of adaptation to manga to anime.
I wish people would check out indie comics, or at least the smaller publishers like Image, Vault or Dark Horse. My favourite book right now is Monstress, and while it's winning awards often most people don't know about it, even many avid comic readers. but yeah western comics need to change.
There are several indie series I've read an enjoyed. I think the problem indie comics has is literally just a lack of marketing; Marvel and DC also kinda have that problem, but they're characters' fame and the movies/shows coming out stop the lack of marketing from affecting them
U said it all I just spent 40$(which I hide from my wife cuz it's Xmas time n she'd kill me for spending that much on comics instead of for the kids lol) and didn't get all the titles I've fallen behind on so a subscription coupled with books that don't span 15 different titles is a great start
Who in there right mind is gonna pay 4 bucks a week for a story your not even sure your gonna like. Especially for older stories you know your gonna be waiting longer to find than read
Agreed the fuck that the average book jump from 4 and "special "/issue can rang from $5 to $8 is wild. It like they dont want people to buy multiple series.
I know its annoying to say at this point but manga really is the cash crop model that comics need to adopt. A single story with few spin offs. Get a super faithful show adaptation and fans will want to read ahead and buy the comics. I know many people right now are buying invincible comics because they want to read what comes next before the show gets to it.
Well for Marvel and DC yes, but Inde comics does that already most of them, Like for invincible like you Said ... And it still doesn't sell out ? After all even invincible really started because of the series, but know that I think About it thats how most manga get known to, animation
@@jackpopo4673 Yeah thats my point I feel like tv shows act as great jumping on point and can promote sales. Trying to jump into a character like batman is hard because the character has existed for 80 years and even if you try to jump into the latest stories they usually tie into many different series a person might not be interested in. Jumping into a manga series is not as hard imo. Can be pricey but if you already know you enjoy the anime than its a good sign your money is worth spent.
@@jackpendragon6080 yeah I agree with this, to be able to follow a comics hero story you need to already have a great knowledge of things Or read one shot from else World and all some of them are classic but their is not a lot of them Now I'm asking myself, with the succes of Invincible, I do Hope they will adapt more Inde comics heros in animation, some of them deserve it, and those one at list doesn't have complicated verse to follow. I'm thinking about the vaillant universe particulary
I feel like Japan gets it. Their model for the manga/anime industry is golden. For some it starts with the anime opening to kind of be like advertising for the show (besides the actual trailer), there are so many reactors on YT that got into anime as a whole because of the opening/endings, and the artists are amazing. Anime op help get people interested in what the hell is going on in those op/ed. Then there's the anime itself, it does a good job of advertising the manga. Especially when they follow it. With most anime, especially modern ones it helps that anime is such a diverse art form, with many animation styles and beautiful animation (I know thats because of the grind those poor people have to go through, but they made it so beautiful). The animation draws people in and that's what studios should want. It help that most manga is created by one main person and a team to create one story. Marvel and DC have multiple storyboard writers for one character, and thats after a decade or two then a new person comes in. The stories are never over. I think that's also a problem, where the hero arc never ends. It just changes. With manga I know there will be an end, and sure the volumes are thicker and more costly than comics but at least I know I'm not going to be spending that much money in the long run because there will be an end, a last volume. It also helps anime studios sell figures and other merchandise that are good quality and looks amazing.
@@gemmacruz6356 oh manga volume are more costly ? ... Well I didn't knew that, in Europe anyway manga is way cheaper but that's because they don't sell comics volume... They sell omnibus, you've got one untire story in a Book That was just for information no jugement on you written
I would absolutely pay for a subscription model for an app that had all the comics, and would tell which order to read them in, as that's been my biggest problem trying to get into them
Going through the comments, that’s the thing most people are asking for. I would gladly pay a 100 or 10 bucks a month for access to the latest comics. And the amount I suggested is more than what manga platforms charge
I honestly think self contained series work best have one universe with anthology stories so that way big stuff like character deaths or massive grandiose events dont need you to look through dozens upon dozens of mini issues where it doesn’t even feel like anything happened while also paying livable wages i also think they should make stories with endings
I definitly agree you can pay better wages when sales increase. if your whole publishing comany with every IP you have is losing to a single manga AND its being pirated more then you are selling comics I feel like its more then just a "we getting paid enough" theres a fundemental flaw happaning that you as a publishing company NEEDS to change
honestly, I'm even more pissed that i can't get to read those comics because they're not available in my country. dc universe infinity was supposed to be released in brazil in june last year, but it just didn't and I couldn't find any explanation why. so i either gotta watch videos like yours explaining what's going on, read the older ones i can actually buy in comic book stores or go to "other sources", which honestly i feel bad about doing because the writers and artists deserve recognition for their job.
Another idea is have a place digitally where people can catch up with comic stories & character journeys but doesn’t spoil most of said story’s details. A personal example for this is Gotham girl. Last I heard was she helped Bane against Batman years ago, but no matter how many sites or youtube videos I looked for I couldn’t find anything on why she did it, what happened after or even much on the storyline as a whole. And this was years ago, yet I still have the same problem.
One thing that would help is A putting more mainstream books like the flagship characters or whoever has a movie coming out at the moment in grocery stores. Another, they need to lower prices. It should not cost almost as much for a single issue as it does to get a trade paperback.
I think one problem particularly for marvel, they currently focused too much on their canon storylines and not enough else world stories unless it’s what if. Im talking about stories like spider-man life story, the dark knight returns, etc. they have a nice beginning middle and end. I’m hoping we can see something like that with the new ultimate spider man launch
They need to change the comic from comic to volumes like manga have volumes. That way, people have a larger part of the story and will feel a lot better.
They should condense the amount of crossover storylines they do. If they were to just run an arc in one series without all the “meanwhile in [city name]”. Another big issue is them not finishing an arc for a character before a new series has started for the character; this scares off the casual fan because they get into an arc then there’s more stories for the character they’re reading that they assume goes with the arc they’re reading not realizing it’s a separate entity until after purchase so it angers them & makes them give up on comics
They need to start following the manga system. Volume releases make much more sense and would attract way more people. You can still have your regular singles, but push the volumes Volumes exist in the comic industry but they need to start being the norm instead of the exception.
They could probably do a discount for connected books? Especially ones that don't really contribute much to the overall story, it'll probably encourage sales
A subscription service to read comic books would be great. We could have a solid platform to read comics without spending a whole lot of money and if anyone wants to buy hard copies they can
Marvel and DC both have streaming services. the new comics come there 6 months after but the whole backlog along with a few original books are on there
@@Underworlddreamin part due to the over abundance of services and again complex number of issues I think that a subscription would work but it would need to be a group effort between the big comic companies to increase downloads and increase convenience with new releases put for sale and later add to the subscription set after a set time. This combine with reading playlist that have the main story line in order
@@Underworlddream Because at least for marvel it costs as much as a video streaming service and you don't even get to read the new stuff when it drops, you have to wait 6 months. I have been subscribed to shonen jump for like 4/5 years because it only costs 3 dollars a month, and it only takes like a week to get new issues and that's because they have to be translated, marvel could drop the issues the second they're officially released.
I partially think the big problem is that we always hear about the same hero's. With the same brands and gimmicks I think the industry needs a flow of heros and villains. Possibly from independent writers. As while I love characters like Batman and Superman and others they are all we typically hear about. Where now stuff like the Boys Invincible and the Umbrella Academy. Have sored to new hights as while we all love the classics. We also desire for something new. Like keep the same hero's we know but let a newer group of characters like invincible take the spot light for a bit.
This is exactly one of the reasons I've preferred Image over Marvel and DC for quite a while now. They're constantly letting artists and writers try out new things, and their stories are self-contained so I don't need to read through years of titles from multiple heroes I don't care about in order to understand what's going on
What pisses me off is both marvel and dc have an online comic subscription, but is not supported for either of kindle fires which along side iPad minis are the perfect size for comics
As someone who lives in England, I haven't seen a comic shop anywhere near me. I think the nearest ones would be in London, and that's like a 1-hour train ride for me
One problem. I don’t have a local comic book shop, the nearest would be in a city 2-3 hours away, and even then it’s not large, it’s a small display table piled with random comics
I heard a perfect comparison would be Manga, one singular story line with spin offs that are most of the time optional reading. I want a comic just like that, that isn't set in a "What if?" Universe but from the main universe.
The fact that you have to read 5 different comics to get one story that isn’t a crossover is criminal. Like imagine you read MHA and suddenly they say you got to go read Yugioh chapter 79 to know what happens is a little ridiculous. Not sure how help the comic industry but just having a way to read all like subscription would help
This, when they got to $3 each years ago I bailed. I dont want to short the creators, but, I'm more willing to pay $9-$12 for a mult-issue sized graphic novel than a biweekly floppy of only 24-28 pages of actual content.
Yeah no kid is gonna spend that much money on one 25 page floppy when they can spend 2 dollars more and get a 160-200 page manga volume that covers a good chunk of story
I an just not interested in the newest version of batman becoming evil or getting kicked into depression again and again, same aplies to spider man getting cucked and everyone else being better than him.
then just don't read Batman or Peter spider-man books. check out moon knight, superman, miles spider-man (for the hobgoblin fight ALONE), green lantern, doom patrol, uncanny spider-man (nightcrawler book), Blue Beetle, etc.
@@baddealdude807 moon knight got shafted too, the punisher got shafted too and so many other heroes got the Peter Parker treatment in some way, why would I give money to a industry that actively hates their IPs and the fans of said ip? Why fund that?
comic books are a true blue monopolized industry, it's marvel and it's DC or it's nothing, that'll be the death of this industry i promise you, there's nothing new to this age old industry, fuck dude you could pull a dude from the 70s and plop him in front of an avengers movie n he'd see all the characters he just finished reading, yes marvel n dc make new characters but that doesn't really matter when they have so many iconic characters they could never ditch, we need new eyes on comic books, new writers, new artists, new people doing it in general, n the saddest part is most young people looking for those jobs will probably go to marvel or dc to get them, again showing us our problem
They should hire people who care about it, to many forget they are writing superhero stories not opinion pieces. Also it would help if they actually tried to make something good, a lot out there is not good, few good ones but a lot of bad ones.
More animate shows will increase sales.sample😊. I'll give you an example, anime.What makes manga(Japan comic books)succeed, is likely the good shows they made about it. Easy!! I mean good shows(well animate)= a good sales.❤
Honestly you don’t even need to do anything crazy with new retailers. Just put up famous stories like year 1, the long Halloween, and all star Superman. The trick isn’t to create more loyal subscribers to the monthly books. Collected editions are the main way people read comics now. You can’t just create a diehard fan overnight, but casual readers that picked up year one on an impulse buy have the potential to get Hooked on the classics, and once people get hooked on the classics it has a snowball affect. The big 2 put literally 0 effort into getting new fans. The only reason I read comics is because a family friend happened to go to the comic book store goes the wedding issue and I convinced my mom to buy me the court of owls which I randomly found on the shelf. Put comics in regular stores
My idea for Marvel and DC: Avoid the big storylines where you have to read a bunch of different books just to understand what's going on. If you insist on doing that, have an easy-to-find page on your website specifically dedicated to showing the reading orders for each massive, ongoing storyline. For pricing, the subscription service would be the best solution, but with this, at least readers know what order to go in
I don't really buy comics to read. I have the public library which I do most of my reading and then my LCS has daily and weekend auctions where I buy the variant prints for 1:10 of the original price. My display graded wall looks crazy because of it.
A lot of people are talking about distribution, and that’s all great and definitely a contributing factor. However, there is a legitimate question of quality of material in marvel and dc which drives sales trends for the entire industry. How are smaller publishers supposed to garner attention when the big two are producing questionable material and driving more casual readers away from the shelf before there’s ever a chance?
Im really enjoying the Official Batman comics on Webtoon and several others from original artists Im sad to say its just a more convenient read, i go on my lunch break and read comics for a bit and ill do that when i get home Dont get me wrong I love my print comics but because I want to take care of them im not gonna roll them up and stuff them in my purse And this way i get to have a physical copy of my favorite stories but still read my other stuff
I mean, sure. But are we just going to ignore the fact that they have failed to produce any good new character? They already did everything possible with the characters they have.
Shonen jumps model for manga online is a good example of this done right it's only a couple bucks a month but you get all the new releases and old releases are free. Their service is far from perfect but it's so cheap that a lot of people don't bother pirating it.
Every title should be telling its own story. It’s fine to have a reference to what happened in another book, but it shouldn’t be necessary to read that to still enjoy the story in that comic.
I think positivity and realism also play a major part in these stories. If you stay crazy and negative for too long, people won't like the story after a while
Seems you have a terrible grasp of why no one biys them anymore Manga sells like crack and its because they have good stories marvel and dc don't and haven't for many years at this points
It's even worse when you realize two of the most popular franchise in manga nowadays are about SUPERHEROES, My Hero Academia and One Punch Man. Honestly there's nothing stopping the manga industry from keeping their incursion into genre, I mean there's no way other magakas haven't seen that success and want a piece of the cake too.
I disagree there has been a lot of great comics out there and specially recently like the superman run we are currently seeing, I think the problem is that comic books are meant to "last forever" while mabga are written with an start and ending already in mind and when people look at the 1000+ Batman comics it might get them scared to buy it and plus the manga are often going to be adapted into anime while the vast majority of comic book storylines probably aren't getting adapted,it's two entirely different mediums it's unfair to compare them like that, but I do think that a subscription service can help the comic book industry quite a lot and people are going to get acess to older comics a lot easier too
And believe there are a lot of really GREAT comics out there rn, another example is the green arrow mini series we got recently or the new green lantern run, honestly the whole dawn of dc has had a lot of great stories (except batman)
I agree to some extent. Marvel and Dc definitely have had dog shit stories and nonsense events for like a decade, but I think the lack of variety and no marketing is also killing the big two. Indies dont have it two much better because of a lack of exposure.
I really liked how it used to be done where a generation existed, had it's run then the story would end and they would start a new generation. Things got really messy when multiverses and alternate timelines got in the mix because now a generation can never end but it goes through so many authors with different stories that keeping the canon consistent is impossible
My only issue is the comic shop is kinda far from me and i have to go through the hood to get there Despite being black i just prefer not to be in that area. My own neighborhood aint perfect but its better than being in the worst part of my city.
I once heard dc had a monthly subscription - unlimited read. That was a very very long time ago tho. Also, manga does the 10 vol book for $10. Comics should provide that maybe?
They should copy what the manga industry does and have a subscription for people to read digitally and release physical copy in volumes rather than issues. They should also stop having stories hop from one series to another, there’s been series I’ve tried to read on marvel unlimited and DC infinite but stopped because needing to refer to a guide for what to read next was too much work. Alternatively, they could rename issues on their subscription services so that when you’re reading a story it just goes from chapter 1 to chapter 2 even if those two chapters were actually issues from two different titles. For example if you’re reading world war hulk, instead of needing to go from Incredible Hulk 106 to world war hulk 1 to ghost rider 12 the app would just have those as chapters 2, 3, and 4 of the world war hulk series.
Nuke everything I don't mean another recon I literally mean World ending phenomenon and it destorys the enire muli verse and we get new characters, new places, new everything
Plenty of comic books do have those genres and those genres have been things for decades in the industry. The problem is that no one ever hears about them.
Comic books are no longer accessible to new readers, back when I got into comics there were very few multi-part stories, and any one could pick up any Marvel or DC comic and start reading it...
This, so much this. I know the Multi Title Multi Issue arcs have storylines to appeal to older readers, but dear god, I just want 1 issue 1 story again.
Lower the prices, create more heros, create a collab that's canon within the comic books. IDrk what they plan on doing. Hell just make a comic book about Batman vs soloing the WHOLE Dc verse with only plot
I like the idea of graphic novels or a book with multiple issues so it’s a bit more accessible, I don’t normally buy comics but I feel like I would if it was a bit more accessible to jump into both for the cost and the the issues
So my favorite way to read comics these days is in bigger volumes that they release later. Ex. Currently I'm finally reading the fables because the volumes exist now.
I'd say pull an Invincible or do what anime does. Make direct adaptations of their best comic series for animated tv shows, and heavily advertise them. split them up into multiple seasons so if viewers don't want to wait that long for the next season they can just buy the comic to read instead. The problem with how these comic companies copy anime is that they think they can just copy the anime artstyle and they instantly have a big hit when in reality it's seen lazy and will be forgettable a lot of the times. Either that or they put out manga that no one hears about like the Superman trying foods around the world one. Most manga get popular because of they get adapted into an anime.
A) these stories are garbage and are fever dreams of repressed teenage angst that doesn’t push any narratives beyond a shallow redundant moral story B) blue balling readers for 6 issues straight only to have underwhelming conclusions that the reader knows will be retconned with some weird ass continuity crises 2 years down the line C) No genuine new characters D) out of touch writers E) corporate meddling Comic industry is in desperate need of actual fans who want the best for characters, not their weird ass stories where they live vicariously through heroes and dismantle decades and in some cases centuries of lore
The reason I don’t want to buy comics is Beacuse if that yes I have to read 500 comics to catch up but also Beacuse the comics will probably be 100s of dollers
sell story packs with multiple comics that are all continuing a story, or just a big book version which im sure exists im pretty sure my friend had like 1 or 2 in highschool but i mean make that more common, price it appropriately but i mean put all the relevant books together after they're out
If a character being gay or black completely ruins a comic for you then you don't deserve to read comics. Like seriously y'all can litterally just ignore the fact that a character is gay, you don't see gay people complaining when a character is straight.
They need to foucus on volumes, people find it easier to get into manga cuz it's just vol 1,2,3....but dc has a lot all over the place. I love comics and once you get it you get it...i think issuee shouldn't be what they foucus on making they should be for the purist.....also PUT THEM IN NORMAL SHOPS i don't have a comic book shop near me but book shops have like.....1 book case of mised dc and marvel and random comics.
People *are* buying comics. They aren’t buying Marvel and DC comics. They’re buying manga and kids graphic novels. And good for them! Dave Pilkey and Raina Telgemeier (sp?) make more money than the top Marvel or D.C. creators, because Marvel and DC make a garbage product. The Big Two aren’t going to go out of business any time soon, but when Warner and Disney realize that they can make more money by outsourcing their comics lines to other publishers…well I won’t miss them
Its exhausting to be a comic book fan. If you follow a major character, I hope your wallet and free time can keep up with the multilple books and crossover nonsense they're in. Is it going to be collected in a trade by series title or the complete story arc? 🤷♀️ If you like minor characters, (like Red Hood, Arsenal, Booster Gold, and Flash's classic Rogues) they're the first to be killed off for shock value (every minor Teen Titan), have their arcs dropped/ignored for big events (Heroes in Crisis), or turned into complete idiots to further the plot (Batman 45-47 "The Gift"). Sometimes they are killed off gruesomely out of spite like the Wonder Twins, Rainbow Raider, and Karate Kid.
Make more animated movies that directly adapt the comics, you know how cool it'd be if Weapon X or Kravens last hunt got an animated movie or even some of the lesser known stories like Superman For Tomorrow, Spider-Man: Nothing can stop The Juggernaut, Batman the Cult etc. Animated adaptations would get people to go out and buy the comics that are associated with the movies thats what convinced me to buy Under the Red Hood. Another thing that could really help, get new writers and get better artists because GOD DAMN the art for comics these days look awful, theres a handful of good artists in the industry but the rest are just terrible and as for writers.....well Zebb Wells is a good example of who you shouldn't allow to write for certain characters. All in all the industry just needs a few tweaks, hell maybe more advertising would help too. Also Marvel needs to start releasing more omnibus books for things that are out of print or no longer available in comic book stores
I mean it depends what the goal is. A) Go back/forward to a news stand "subscription" model. Think the Mile High Collection. Except at your local coffee shop or bar & Grill. Brings people out and together. B) Focus on larger format. People love to wait and hoard a season at a time. Make cheap old school weeklys for purists and collectors than drop a big glossy quarterly for like $25. (You could also subscribe to this in December for the next year and not worry about it). C) Digital Subscriptions with high end limited print run full arc, year, etc paperbacks or even hardcover coffee table style only.
The ploy that they use, spreading a storyline across so many different titles, is the reason why I stopped collecting comics (that and running out of storage space), and just read them digitally. It's just far too expensive, for someone like myself, that reads DOZENS of titles from DC, DOZENS from Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, independents, etc. What I would do sometimes, is wait until after a storyline has been compiled into a complete graphic novel. Nowadays, when I do buy comics at a Comic-Con or comic book shop, after I've read it a few times, I'll just donate them to my local library. That way, I can help out a little, for kids and those that love to read the comic books, but not necessarily need to keep a collection. My thoughts on how the industry could address this issue; Write the storyline straight through the original book, in a way that nothing is lost by the reader not buying the other titles that cover that storyline. As far as those different books covering that storyline that aren't the main book of that story, they offer aspects of the same story/scenes, but just from the perspective of THAT book/title's characters. Like, say a storyline about let's say the Beast World story. The main book is The Titans...so when you're reading their book, all of the action is mostly from their perspective. But when you read a different book from that storyline, the same situation/battle scenes are similar, but just from the perspective of the main characters of THAT book/how they're experiencing it. I think what frustrates people is when, a big storyline crosses several books in addition to the main one, and the info/scenes in the peripheral books contain VITAL info/plot points. So if you DON'T read those other books, you've got gaps in the story you're reading. I understand it from a marketing point of view...they want to introduce you to/make you a new customer of these other titles you might not read normally, but it's ridiculous. 🤷🏿♂️
Better stories. I know that seems stupid but I was all in diring DC's Infitite Crisis and I continued to by through New52. I was evem buying in 2016. Now, I have given up and am looking at Manga.
I work at a comic store. I don't really read a lot of them, and for this exact reason. Even WITH my 30% off discount, I'm still paying $50 CAD for like 8 comics. Trying to keep up with several different intersecting runs, all with decades of history behind them just isn't really worth it.
Sub models don't work. Look at all the pop up streaming services that found out the hard way it was just not gonna work. We are not talking no name content providers either. Printed comics can survive but only in a limited format. My advice would be as follows: 1. NOT have a world changing event each year. 2. Permadeath needs to be a thing, death should have weight and ripple effects. 3. Everything goes digital only except for the books with the top 3 characters in the company. 4. Charge less for digital comics (if a book is $4 in print it should be $2 digital). 5. Don't be afraid to move forward and tell stories with lesser known heroes/villains (like it or not copyrights will be up for each character 100 years from the time they were created which means less money for the company making them).
The big 2 really need to adopt the same model as Image. Tonnes of stories, but those stories are from one run (sometimes with spin-offs) and you don't actually need to read anything else to keep up with a single story. Take Invincible for example, you COULD read Invincible Universe and Guarding The Globe for additional content if you want, but it isn't actually necessary to read those in order to understand Invincible. The problem is though, Marvel and DC will never do that, they're so tied up with this idea of connected stories and universes that it would require them to completely rethink how they approach their books and that's probably never gonna happen
This is more or less an idea based on 19th century novel chapters published on newspapers: make an app with monthly subscription. Publish stories with minimal references to previous stories in expected numbers (12 issues, 26 Issues, 78 issues, 112 issues, etc.) have the creators vision prioritized over sales. Only make physical volumes and omnibuses at higher prices depending on quality/ visual. Also make alternative universes more ambiguous, embrace infinity over restrictions
American comic sales have skyrocketed in recent years, and this is just sales from comics; not movies, nor merch and DC and Marvel at at the top of this trend. They are neither failing, nor are they dying. Comic sales cooled off a bit in 2023 but that was only because pandemic restrictions drove up sales in 2020-2022 and comics are still selling way better than they did 5 years ago. I agree needing to buy 15 tie-in, to get the full story is trash, but I don't know where you get this idea that the industry is failing from.
Dunno where I saw this, but something like the Shonen Jump model could work. Big book of varied stories, polls provide direct feedback, pump what’s successful and either minimize or ax what doesn’t.
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You all are amazing to have casual conversations with, I should do open discussions like this more often
I think they should hold on to the story until it's fully done and I can read the whole series in go. Or a couple books
Sell some story line in volumes like manga.
that way i don't have to hunt down 20 comics.
I think Comic Drake said something about how comic books should adopt the manga structure of compiling various issues into book-length chapters to make it easier for readers to keep up on their favorite series without requiring them to wait a month or 2 for the next issue to come out.
While that may be a contributing factor, ask your local shop why the faithful aren’t buying books anymore
When DC and MARVEL reset their numbers it turned a lot of the older fans including myself away. Yes they got a small spike in sales but it quickly went away and now they are in a worse spot then before.
@@mtgamateurnightyeah I remember before new 52 then all that shit happened I haven’t bought a comic in years well I got some reprints of the whole animated series Batman so yeah need to look after those stores tho they can’t leave I think most comic stores are really now just collectible traders I’ve got some rare figures in box and they priced them and yeah 200 for an assassin creed bust and rare ezio figure all boxed sad to see no one want to read anymore
I bought the btas adventures continues as well but only to complete my run as I have every single issue of btas thru now the current run. Other than that I am not interested in spending money for most physical books. People still read comics but it's mostly online or if they are buying it's older books that don't get trade backs. I still read and hunt down silver age and bronze age books myself.@@superherobeatdown
Comic book shops themselves are part of the issue. Focusing on direct to market. Too many books for shelves.
my LCS blames amazon
Sell comics in regular stores. This idea has been a common answer. I would add that they should also sell new issues with classic complete stories. That way, new readers can jump into complete story, and if they like it, get another. Hopefully, the reader would just add a comic book to their regular shopping list.
You just described a graphic novel. Also if by regular store you mean target or wal-mart that will most likely not ever happen again. This has been tried before and it did not work.
@@mtgamateurnightIn the 90s you could buy a comic book almost anywhere. This helped contribute to the boom during that period.
Not big box stores. Meeting places restaurants, locally gas stations, and the big ones coffee shops and bars. You can reserve yours old school news stand style or just stop by have a beer and read it and discuss with others.
@@AndyfnB That’s what was so great about it back then. That it could be bought anywhere. Retail, grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, corner store, etc. It was great for comic fans, and also a great entry point for children, as they always had a comic to read whenever they went somewhere.
100%. i already go out of my way to buy hard copy comics, if I couldn't be bothered it would be digital.
but either way, if I saw a comic at the register of just about any shop at all, id buy it as a little treat to myself.
My problem is it's nearly impossible to find a whole run. You can find like issue 2 of a run everywhere but can't find 1 anywhere. Had this happen several times.
Collected editions are the way
@@jackclark5292 I agree, unless you want to be a purist and have the original paperback issues for their potential value down-the-line.
Endings we need endings... This will result in more new stories to be made and beloved characters to be put to rest.
I also think that there are people, like me, who would rather wait for the story to be complete to read than to have so follow along. I prefer buying the compendiums rather than individual comics.
Compendiums can get too thick and be heavy though
Really, just any subscription service would be nice
if you want Marvel books there is marvel unlimited and if you want DC books there is DC universe. the newer issues come after 6 months for distribution reasons but everything else is already there
@@baddealdude807 Huh I will check it out. How much does it cost?
@@baddealdude807
Yeah I was gonna mention this
I prefer physical copies but that app helps
@@baddealdude807but who wants to read six month old comics when if you are reading comics the storyline is already spoiled by other comics or RUclips.
@baddealdude807 Yeah, people keep talking about wanting these service but people are still not buying.
I think a subscription service would be nice, do something like Shonen Jump does to where if you pay a reasonable price you can read as much series as you want. Also cut down on the series and spin offs, because I know at one point Superman, Batman and Spider-Man had like 5 series going on and it was expensive just to find out what was happening with the characters. Also doing a reboot of the universe every 10 years would probably be good too, I know DC has kind of kept that model but Marvel needs to commit to a hard reboot. Even though they weren't the best the Marvel ultimate comics were refreshing because it was easier to get into the universe then having to read 60 years of comics to understand the history. Also a free recap comic every 2 months or so would be a good idea.
Literally just give us a complete run once a writers time with a character is finished, I shouldn't have to get issue 1 and 4 then wait 3 months to find 2 and 3. Hell at this point I'd settle for at least knowing more clearly that what I picked up was the next issue in the run. But not every story gets it's own tagline.
If people can't wait that long for a complete story some more one shots would be nice. But again I can never tell of it's a self contained story or not.
U can buy the entire arc but it will cost a bit
Immortal hulk 1-50 is on sale but uts a bit costly.
Also, Volumes exist. U get an arc that spans from a certain amount of issues. It's how I read avengers infinity(which is a dope arc too).
Also, for the next issue in a run, most times, the comic shop is only selling issues back to back tha are of the same run.
Comics are mostly monthly, but certain issues can arise that delay some parts.
U can also go online and do a lil research for if it's the next comic in line. I did this when figuring out the watch order of the fate series as well as which mha "team up mission" volumes to read and how they connect to the main story.
never heard of any runs that release issues out of order. if it spans across different titles it would obviously make sense that the numbers aren’t in the same order but it’s usually stated in the titles in some form. usually they’re connected within the arc names or at the end of the last issue it states what’s next most of the time. if you’re talking about events it makes sense to release things separately instead of just throwing it all together then it wouldn’t be much of an event. comics sometimes take patience and if you’re not reading something new then most likely it has some form of collected edition where the story is definitely all together. i guess i kinda understand what you were trying to say i understand delays in a story arc can be a pain in the ass or a story being told out of full chronological order can get confusing but i’ve never heard of issues releasing out of order. i can’t say i’ve seen, for example, "Batman #24" released before "Batman #23"
One way to improve the comic industry is to make direct adaptations of their most popular storylines. It’s a system similar to anime and that’s is how it has began big in the west.
Your not wrong that would help, dc has the animated universe but straight to DVD, they need to put them on streaming platforms so people may get introduced to a universe they may be introduced.
DC kinda does this with their animated movies while marvel sorta experimented with the idea in X-men the animated series.
It doesn't work because Comic stories just don't freaking end.
And that's ok to some extent.
But maybe they should have more that do.
Or actually end it and then actually reboot it like 10 years later.
Instead of the half reboots we've been getting since forever. Half reboots half way through any given story.
@@DSan-kl2yc No, im sorry but that brakes the foundation of why alot of people like comics. Also i think your wrong, yes these storys are ever continued but they have arcs. take fear state for example, thats a single contained thing mostly, Sure it's technically a continuation but that doenst mean you can't make an adaptation that has absolutely no connections to anything.
Like dcs flashpoint animation, for the comic it was connected to a bunch of things but the movie didn't do any of that and took the base line story. So no, they don't need to end comics to make that work and if they did "end comics" that would be dumb ass fuck, works for manga cuz there tends to be one writer and artist but comics ain't like that and i doubt people want them to be.
@@TheRobinWithWit you can't make an animated series that follows the comics without it diverging at some point, or starting from mid way.
I'm not saying they should but it's an issue with comics due to their format. I was just bringing this distinction up.
They're already adapting stories and it doesn't drive sales and isn't how manga and anime are coordinated.
OP was talking about a similar system to manga, and that's just the barrier as to why they aren't similar. And just adapting storylines like the movies doesn't work.
It works best with things that are elseworld because they do have endings. You can adapt the whole thing.
Everything else will be a partial adaptation.
Or it'll be an alternate continuity. Something that happens more rarely in manga.
Flash point was connected to a series of movies that made it's own movie universe. That's not a similar system of adaptation to manga to anime.
I wish people would check out indie comics, or at least the smaller publishers like Image, Vault or Dark Horse.
My favourite book right now is Monstress, and while it's winning awards often most people don't know about it, even many avid comic readers. but yeah western comics need to change.
There are several indie series I've read an enjoyed. I think the problem indie comics has is literally just a lack of marketing; Marvel and DC also kinda have that problem, but they're characters' fame and the movies/shows coming out stop the lack of marketing from affecting them
U said it all I just spent 40$(which I hide from my wife cuz it's Xmas time n she'd kill me for spending that much on comics instead of for the kids lol) and didn't get all the titles I've fallen behind on so a subscription coupled with books that don't span 15 different titles is a great start
Who in there right mind is gonna pay 4 bucks a week for a story your not even sure your gonna like. Especially for older stories you know your gonna be waiting longer to find than read
Dude it's 4 bucks
Agreed the fuck that the average book jump from 4 and "special "/issue can rang from $5 to $8 is wild. It like they dont want people to buy multiple series.
My parents wouldn’t pay 4 bucks for Pokémon cards let alone every week for a comic
I know its annoying to say at this point but manga really is the cash crop model that comics need to adopt. A single story with few spin offs. Get a super faithful show adaptation and fans will want to read ahead and buy the comics. I know many people right now are buying invincible comics because they want to read what comes next before the show gets to it.
Well for Marvel and DC yes, but Inde comics does that already most of them, Like for invincible like you Said ... And it still doesn't sell out ? After all even invincible really started because of the series, but know that I think About it thats how most manga get known to, animation
@@jackpopo4673 Yeah thats my point I feel like tv shows act as great jumping on point and can promote sales. Trying to jump into a character like batman is hard because the character has existed for 80 years and even if you try to jump into the latest stories they usually tie into many different series a person might not be interested in. Jumping into a manga series is not as hard imo. Can be pricey but if you already know you enjoy the anime than its a good sign your money is worth spent.
@@jackpendragon6080 yeah I agree with this, to be able to follow a comics hero story you need to already have a great knowledge of things
Or read one shot from else World and all some of them are classic but their is not a lot of them
Now I'm asking myself, with the succes of Invincible, I do Hope they will adapt more Inde comics heros in animation, some of them deserve it, and those one at list doesn't have complicated verse to follow. I'm thinking about the vaillant universe particulary
I feel like Japan gets it. Their model for the manga/anime industry is golden.
For some it starts with the anime opening to kind of be like advertising for the show (besides the actual trailer), there are so many reactors on YT that got into anime as a whole because of the opening/endings, and the artists are amazing. Anime op help get people interested in what the hell is going on in those op/ed.
Then there's the anime itself, it does a good job of advertising the manga. Especially when they follow it. With most anime, especially modern ones it helps that anime is such a diverse art form, with many animation styles and beautiful animation (I know thats because of the grind those poor people have to go through, but they made it so beautiful). The animation draws people in and that's what studios should want.
It help that most manga is created by one main person and a team to create one story. Marvel and DC have multiple storyboard writers for one character, and thats after a decade or two then a new person comes in. The stories are never over. I think that's also a problem, where the hero arc never ends. It just changes. With manga I know there will be an end, and sure the volumes are thicker and more costly than comics but at least I know I'm not going to be spending that much money in the long run because there will be an end, a last volume.
It also helps anime studios sell figures and other merchandise that are good quality and looks amazing.
@@gemmacruz6356 oh manga volume are more costly ? ... Well I didn't knew that, in Europe anyway manga is way cheaper but that's because they don't sell comics volume... They sell omnibus, you've got one untire story in a Book
That was just for information no jugement on you written
I would absolutely pay for a subscription model for an app that had all the comics, and would tell which order to read them in, as that's been my biggest problem trying to get into them
Going through the comments, that’s the thing most people are asking for. I would gladly pay a 100 or 10 bucks a month for access to the latest comics. And the amount I suggested is more than what manga platforms charge
Both Marvel and DC Have apps
@@TheMadmax03they do
I honestly think self contained series work best have one universe with anthology stories so that way big stuff like character deaths or massive grandiose events dont need you to look through dozens upon dozens of mini issues where it doesn’t even feel like anything happened while also paying livable wages i also think they should make stories with endings
So much this. Mini series should be kept mini and published as magazines or graphic novels.
I definitly agree you can pay better wages when sales increase. if your whole publishing comany with every IP you have is losing to a single manga AND its being pirated more then you are selling comics I feel like its more then just a "we getting paid enough" theres a fundemental flaw happaning that you as a publishing company NEEDS to change
honestly, I'm even more pissed that i can't get to read those comics because they're not available in my country. dc universe infinity was supposed to be released in brazil in june last year, but it just didn't and I couldn't find any explanation why.
so i either gotta watch videos like yours explaining what's going on, read the older ones i can actually buy in comic book stores or go to "other sources", which honestly i feel bad about doing because the writers and artists deserve recognition for their job.
Try a vpn
Another idea is have a place digitally where people can catch up with comic stories & character journeys but doesn’t spoil most of said story’s details.
A personal example for this is Gotham girl. Last I heard was she helped Bane against Batman years ago, but no matter how many sites or youtube videos I looked for I couldn’t find anything on why she did it, what happened after or even much on the storyline as a whole. And this was years ago, yet I still have the same problem.
Comics need to be like JLU The Question with great storylines
One thing that would help is A putting more mainstream books like the flagship characters or whoever has a movie coming out at the moment in grocery stores. Another, they need to lower prices. It should not cost almost as much for a single issue as it does to get a trade paperback.
I think one problem particularly for marvel, they currently focused too much on their canon storylines and not enough else world stories unless it’s what if. Im talking about stories like spider-man life story, the dark knight returns, etc. they have a nice beginning middle and end. I’m hoping we can see something like that with the new ultimate spider man launch
Just release them as graphic novels and don't do single issues anymore
Yep what I was thinking
They need to change the comic from comic to volumes like manga have volumes. That way, people have a larger part of the story and will feel a lot better.
They should condense the amount of crossover storylines they do. If they were to just run an arc in one series without all the “meanwhile in [city name]”. Another big issue is them not finishing an arc for a character before a new series has started for the character; this scares off the casual fan because they get into an arc then there’s more stories for the character they’re reading that they assume goes with the arc they’re reading not realizing it’s a separate entity until after purchase so it angers them & makes them give up on comics
They need to start following the manga system. Volume releases make much more sense and would attract way more people. You can still have your regular singles, but push the volumes
Volumes exist in the comic industry but they need to start being the norm instead of the exception.
They could probably do a discount for connected books? Especially ones that don't really contribute much to the overall story, it'll probably encourage sales
So, this may sound far fetched, but DC really should do more light novels, when I last went on amazon for one, they were selling like hotcakes
A subscription service to read comic books would be great. We could have a solid platform to read comics without spending a whole lot of money and if anyone wants to buy hard copies they can
Marvel and DC both have streaming services. the new comics come there 6 months after but the whole backlog along with a few original books are on there
They had a subscription service for years now, people are not buying it.
@@Underworlddreamin part due to the over abundance of services and again complex number of issues I think that a subscription would work but it would need to be a group effort between the big comic companies to increase downloads and increase convenience with new releases put for sale and later add to the subscription set after a set time. This combine with reading playlist that have the main story line in order
@@Underworlddream Because at least for marvel it costs as much as a video streaming service and you don't even get to read the new stuff when it drops, you have to wait 6 months. I have been subscribed to shonen jump for like 4/5 years because it only costs 3 dollars a month, and it only takes like a week to get new issues and that's because they have to be translated, marvel could drop the issues the second they're officially released.
Better writers and artists are needed ,the big two needs to spend the money and Better editors.
I partially think the big problem is that we always hear about the same hero's. With the same brands and gimmicks I think the industry needs a flow of heros and villains. Possibly from independent writers. As while I love characters like Batman and Superman and others they are all we typically hear about. Where now stuff like the Boys Invincible and the Umbrella Academy. Have sored to new hights as while we all love the classics. We also desire for something new. Like keep the same hero's we know but let a newer group of characters like invincible take the spot light for a bit.
This is exactly one of the reasons I've preferred Image over Marvel and DC for quite a while now. They're constantly letting artists and writers try out new things, and their stories are self-contained so I don't need to read through years of titles from multiple heroes I don't care about in order to understand what's going on
It's simple.
We read comics to be entertained, not be preached to. We look for the ridiculous not the relatable. Comics have forgotten this.
I don't know. A lot of people do look for relatability in stories. It's one of the main reasons why Spider-Man is Marvel's most popular character.
What pisses me off is both marvel and dc have an online comic subscription, but is not supported for either of kindle fires which along side iPad minis are the perfect size for comics
I'm gonna say this, When I want to buy a Comic, I'm going to get something like the Conan Dark horse Omnibus.
As someone who lives in England, I haven't seen a comic shop anywhere near me. I think the nearest ones would be in London, and that's like a 1-hour train ride for me
They could make more direct adaptations of their comics like anime does with their manga. The Invincible TV show it's a very good example of this.
DC did that before but for some reason not really anymore
The Dark Knight Returns
Under the Red Hood
Flashpoint
Etc
@@Azusashusband they should make mini series instead
@@AzusashusbandThat's different. Their comics would financially benefit more from animated tv series that are direct adaptations of their comics.
One problem. I don’t have a local comic book shop, the nearest would be in a city 2-3 hours away, and even then it’s not large, it’s a small display table piled with random comics
they need to bring back motion comics or start animating the modern comic.
dooms day clock and feath metal could save dc if they do it right
I heard a perfect comparison would be Manga, one singular story line with spin offs that are most of the time optional reading. I want a comic just like that, that isn't set in a "What if?" Universe but from the main universe.
The fact that you have to read 5 different comics to get one story that isn’t a crossover is criminal. Like imagine you read MHA and suddenly they say you got to go read Yugioh chapter 79 to know what happens is a little ridiculous. Not sure how help the comic industry but just having a way to read all like subscription would help
Thank you to you and Dan for mentioning this. I tried getting into comics and this is what immediately turned me off from it.
I know for sure it’s now like 6 or 7 bucks! I know no kid would ever buy something expensive like that! It seriously needs to be lower
This, when they got to $3 each years ago I bailed. I dont want to short the creators, but, I'm more willing to pay $9-$12 for a mult-issue sized graphic novel than a biweekly floppy of only 24-28 pages of actual content.
Yeah no kid is gonna spend that much money on one 25 page floppy when they can spend 2 dollars more and get a 160-200 page manga volume that covers a good chunk of story
I an just not interested in the newest version of batman becoming evil or getting kicked into depression again and again, same aplies to spider man getting cucked and everyone else being better than him.
then just don't read Batman or Peter spider-man books. check out moon knight, superman, miles spider-man (for the hobgoblin fight ALONE), green lantern, doom patrol, uncanny spider-man (nightcrawler book), Blue Beetle, etc.
@@baddealdude807 moon knight got shafted too, the punisher got shafted too and so many other heroes got the Peter Parker treatment in some way, why would I give money to a industry that actively hates their IPs and the fans of said ip? Why fund that?
you are NOT reading moon knight if you think hunters moon replaced him. @@RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus
comic books are a true blue monopolized industry, it's marvel and it's DC or it's nothing, that'll be the death of this industry i promise you, there's nothing new to this age old industry, fuck dude you could pull a dude from the 70s and plop him in front of an avengers movie n he'd see all the characters he just finished reading, yes marvel n dc make new characters but that doesn't really matter when they have so many iconic characters they could never ditch, we need new eyes on comic books, new writers, new artists, new people doing it in general, n the saddest part is most young people looking for those jobs will probably go to marvel or dc to get them, again showing us our problem
They should hire people who care about it, to many forget they are writing superhero stories not opinion pieces. Also it would help if they actually tried to make something good, a lot out there is not good, few good ones but a lot of bad ones.
More animate shows will increase sales.sample😊.
I'll give you an example, anime.What makes manga(Japan comic books)succeed, is likely the good shows they made about it. Easy!!
I mean good shows(well animate)= a good sales.❤
The problem is comics are changing and they’re getting more and more woke
Not all just a few
Honestly you don’t even need to do anything crazy with new retailers. Just put up famous stories like year 1, the long Halloween, and all star Superman. The trick isn’t to create more loyal subscribers to the monthly books. Collected editions are the main way people read comics now. You can’t just create a diehard fan overnight, but casual readers that picked up year one on an impulse buy have the potential to get Hooked on the classics, and once people get hooked on the classics it has a snowball affect. The big 2 put literally 0 effort into getting new fans. The only reason I read comics is because a family friend happened to go to the comic book store goes the wedding issue and I convinced my mom to buy me the court of owls which I randomly found on the shelf. Put comics in regular stores
My idea for Marvel and DC:
Avoid the big storylines where you have to read a bunch of different books just to understand what's going on. If you insist on doing that, have an easy-to-find page on your website specifically dedicated to showing the reading orders for each massive, ongoing storyline. For pricing, the subscription service would be the best solution, but with this, at least readers know what order to go in
I don't really buy comics to read. I have the public library which I do most of my reading and then my LCS has daily and weekend auctions where I buy the variant prints for 1:10 of the original price. My display graded wall looks crazy because of it.
A lot of people are talking about distribution, and that’s all great and definitely a contributing factor. However, there is a legitimate question of quality of material in marvel and dc which drives sales trends for the entire industry. How are smaller publishers supposed to garner attention when the big two are producing questionable material and driving more casual readers away from the shelf before there’s ever a chance?
Im really enjoying the Official Batman comics on Webtoon and several others from original artists
Im sad to say its just a more convenient read, i go on my lunch break and read comics for a bit and ill do that when i get home
Dont get me wrong I love my print comics but because I want to take care of them im not gonna roll them up and stuff them in my purse
And this way i get to have a physical copy of my favorite stories but still read my other stuff
They keep being political and u can tell every single time a new character they bring out
I mean, sure. But are we just going to ignore the fact that they have failed to produce any good new character? They already did everything possible with the characters they have.
Shonen jumps model for manga online is a good example of this done right it's only a couple bucks a month but you get all the new releases and old releases are free. Their service is far from perfect but it's so cheap that a lot of people don't bother pirating it.
Every title should be telling its own story. It’s fine to have a reference to what happened in another book, but it shouldn’t be necessary to read that to still enjoy the story in that comic.
I think positivity and realism also play a major part in these stories. If you stay crazy and negative for too long, people won't like the story after a while
Seems you have a terrible grasp of why no one biys them anymore Manga sells like crack and its because they have good stories marvel and dc don't and haven't for many years at this points
It's even worse when you realize two of the most popular franchise in manga nowadays are about SUPERHEROES, My Hero Academia and One Punch Man. Honestly there's nothing stopping the manga industry from keeping their incursion into genre, I mean there's no way other magakas haven't seen that success and want a piece of the cake too.
I disagree there has been a lot of great comics out there and specially recently like the superman run we are currently seeing, I think the problem is that comic books are meant to "last forever" while mabga are written with an start and ending already in mind and when people look at the 1000+ Batman comics it might get them scared to buy it and plus the manga are often going to be adapted into anime while the vast majority of comic book storylines probably aren't getting adapted,it's two entirely different mediums it's unfair to compare them like that, but I do think that a subscription service can help the comic book industry quite a lot and people are going to get acess to older comics a lot easier too
And believe there are a lot of really GREAT comics out there rn, another example is the green arrow mini series we got recently or the new green lantern run, honestly the whole dawn of dc has had a lot of great stories (except batman)
I agree to some extent. Marvel and Dc definitely have had dog shit stories and nonsense events for like a decade, but I think the lack of variety and no marketing is also killing the big two. Indies dont have it two much better because of a lack of exposure.
This is a ludicrous statement considering most manga get axed immediately if they don’t have mass appeal
I don't live in the USA and for me is almost impossible to get comics I even tried to buy them online but no luck, so I just gave up.
I really liked how it used to be done where a generation existed, had it's run then the story would end and they would start a new generation. Things got really messy when multiverses and alternate timelines got in the mix because now a generation can never end but it goes through so many authors with different stories that keeping the canon consistent is impossible
DC Infinite and Marvel Unlimited have been my go-to source of comics reading it on my iPad
My only issue is the comic shop is kinda far from me and i have to go through the hood to get there
Despite being black i just prefer not to be in that area. My own neighborhood aint perfect but its better than being in the worst part of my city.
Comics are dying because the kids are reading manga. Ya boi Zack was right
Create another Ultimate Marvel type thing where we can read a universe that doesn’t have sixty+ years worth of lore
i wanna read gang war but that shit is spread out way to hard so i'm not gonna. not even a money issue, this shit is tedious even for pirates
Marvel and DC both have a digital subscription service.
That’s why I’m happy with my indie comics
I once heard dc had a monthly subscription - unlimited read. That was a very very long time ago tho.
Also, manga does the 10 vol book for $10. Comics should provide that maybe?
Doesn’t dc already have this with DC infinity?
They should copy what the manga industry does and have a subscription for people to read digitally and release physical copy in volumes rather than issues. They should also stop having stories hop from one series to another, there’s been series I’ve tried to read on marvel unlimited and DC infinite but stopped because needing to refer to a guide for what to read next was too much work. Alternatively, they could rename issues on their subscription services so that when you’re reading a story it just goes from chapter 1 to chapter 2 even if those two chapters were actually issues from two different titles. For example if you’re reading world war hulk, instead of needing to go from Incredible Hulk 106 to world war hulk 1 to ghost rider 12 the app would just have those as chapters 2, 3, and 4 of the world war hulk series.
Btw, the Viz/Shonen Jump apps is what they should copy
Nuke everything I don't mean another recon I literally mean World ending phenomenon and it destorys the enire muli verse and we get new characters, new places, new everything
Spoken like someone who knows nothing about business because that would kill DC for good.
Comic books need to change genres from Superheroes to a mecha sci-fi Comic book and fantasy harem Comic book to have new readers.
Plenty of comic books do have those genres and those genres have been things for decades in the industry. The problem is that no one ever hears about them.
I'll start reading comics again when Jon Kent and Tim drake are straight...
Eh give it awhile for Tim he'll be back with Steph eventually
Yet another comic book crash!
Comic books are no longer accessible to new readers, back when I got into comics there were very few multi-part stories, and any one could pick up any Marvel or DC comic and start reading it...
you still can, there are often recap and context pages as soon as you open the book in order to catch people up.
This, so much this. I know the Multi Title Multi Issue arcs have storylines to appeal to older readers, but dear god, I just want 1 issue 1 story again.
That n Manga is killing em
Lower the prices, create more heros, create a collab that's canon within the comic books. IDrk what they plan on doing. Hell just make a comic book about Batman vs soloing the WHOLE Dc verse with only plot
The term “purists” always made me mad lol
Pure what? If you were pure you’d buy concert tickets exclusively
I like the idea of graphic novels or a book with multiple issues so it’s a bit more accessible, I don’t normally buy comics but I feel like I would if it was a bit more accessible to jump into both for the cost and the the issues
So my favorite way to read comics these days is in bigger volumes that they release later. Ex. Currently I'm finally reading the fables because the volumes exist now.
I feel like they should take a page out of Webtoon's book!
DC has done a couple of webtoon series
I'd say pull an Invincible or do what anime does. Make direct adaptations of their best comic series for animated tv shows, and heavily advertise them. split them up into multiple seasons so if viewers don't want to wait that long for the next season they can just buy the comic to read instead.
The problem with how these comic companies copy anime is that they think they can just copy the anime artstyle and they instantly have a big hit when in reality it's seen lazy and will be forgettable a lot of the times. Either that or they put out manga that no one hears about like the Superman trying foods around the world one. Most manga get popular because of they get adapted into an anime.
A) these stories are garbage and are fever dreams of repressed teenage angst that doesn’t push any narratives beyond a shallow redundant moral story
B) blue balling readers for 6 issues straight only to have underwhelming conclusions that the reader knows will be retconned with some weird ass continuity crises 2 years down the line
C) No genuine new characters
D) out of touch writers
E) corporate meddling
Comic industry is in desperate need of actual fans who want the best for characters, not their weird ass stories where they live vicariously through heroes and dismantle decades and in some cases centuries of lore
The reason I don’t want to buy comics is Beacuse if that yes I have to read 500 comics to catch up but also Beacuse the comics will probably be 100s of dollers
sell story packs with multiple comics that are all continuing a story, or just a big book version which im sure exists im pretty sure my friend had like 1 or 2 in highschool but i mean make that more common, price it appropriately but i mean put all the relevant books together after they're out
Wrong it's woke politics that are killing comics
If a character being gay or black completely ruins a comic for you then you don't deserve to read comics. Like seriously y'all can litterally just ignore the fact that a character is gay, you don't see gay people complaining when a character is straight.
Id like them to be accessible in my local bookshop.
Or just stop making comics because who cares about that shit anymore.
More omnibus at the end of aces no more of this magazine style books like a graphic novel size
They need to foucus on volumes, people find it easier to get into manga cuz it's just vol 1,2,3....but dc has a lot all over the place. I love comics and once you get it you get it...i think issuee shouldn't be what they foucus on making they should be for the purist.....also PUT THEM IN NORMAL SHOPS i don't have a comic book shop near me but book shops have like.....1 book case of mised dc and marvel and random comics.
People *are* buying comics. They aren’t buying Marvel and DC comics. They’re buying manga and kids graphic novels. And good for them! Dave Pilkey and Raina Telgemeier (sp?) make more money than the top Marvel or D.C. creators, because Marvel and DC make a garbage product. The Big Two aren’t going to go out of business any time soon, but when Warner and Disney realize that they can make more money by outsourcing their comics lines to other publishers…well I won’t miss them
Its exhausting to be a comic book fan. If you follow a major character, I hope your wallet and free time can keep up with the multilple books and crossover nonsense they're in. Is it going to be collected in a trade by series title or the complete story arc? 🤷♀️
If you like minor characters, (like Red Hood, Arsenal, Booster Gold, and Flash's classic Rogues) they're the first to be killed off for shock value (every minor Teen Titan), have their arcs dropped/ignored for big events (Heroes in Crisis), or turned into complete idiots to further the plot (Batman 45-47 "The Gift"). Sometimes they are killed off gruesomely out of spite like the Wonder Twins, Rainbow Raider, and Karate Kid.
How do we make sure Tom Bilyou see this? Quite an impactful idea.
Make more animated movies that directly adapt the comics, you know how cool it'd be if Weapon X or Kravens last hunt got an animated movie or even some of the lesser known stories like Superman For Tomorrow, Spider-Man: Nothing can stop The Juggernaut, Batman the Cult etc. Animated adaptations would get people to go out and buy the comics that are associated with the movies thats what convinced me to buy Under the Red Hood.
Another thing that could really help, get new writers and get better artists because GOD DAMN the art for comics these days look awful, theres a handful of good artists in the industry but the rest are just terrible and as for writers.....well Zebb Wells is a good example of who you shouldn't allow to write for certain characters.
All in all the industry just needs a few tweaks, hell maybe more advertising would help too. Also Marvel needs to start releasing more omnibus books for things that are out of print or no longer available in comic book stores
I mean it depends what the goal is. A) Go back/forward to a news stand "subscription" model. Think the Mile High Collection. Except at your local coffee shop or bar & Grill. Brings people out and together.
B) Focus on larger format. People love to wait and hoard a season at a time. Make cheap old school weeklys for purists and collectors than drop a big glossy quarterly for like $25. (You could also subscribe to this in December for the next year and not worry about it).
C) Digital Subscriptions with high end limited print run full arc, year, etc paperbacks or even hardcover coffee table style only.
The ploy that they use, spreading a storyline across so many different titles, is the reason why I stopped collecting comics (that and running out of storage space), and just read them digitally. It's just far too expensive, for someone like myself, that reads DOZENS of titles from DC, DOZENS from Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, independents, etc.
What I would do sometimes, is wait until after a storyline has been compiled into a complete graphic novel.
Nowadays, when I do buy comics at a Comic-Con or comic book shop, after I've read it a few times, I'll just donate them to my local library. That way, I can help out a little, for kids and those that love to read the comic books, but not necessarily need to keep a collection.
My thoughts on how the industry could address this issue;
Write the storyline straight through the original book, in a way that nothing is lost by the reader not buying the other titles that cover that storyline. As far as those different books covering that storyline that aren't the main book of that story, they offer aspects of the same story/scenes, but just from the perspective of THAT book/title's characters.
Like, say a storyline about let's say the Beast World story. The main book is The Titans...so when you're reading their book, all of the action is mostly from their perspective. But when you read a different book from that storyline, the same situation/battle scenes are similar, but just from the perspective of the main characters of THAT book/how they're experiencing it.
I think what frustrates people is when, a big storyline crosses several books in addition to the main one, and the info/scenes in the peripheral books contain VITAL info/plot points. So if you DON'T read those other books, you've got gaps in the story you're reading.
I understand it from a marketing point of view...they want to introduce you to/make you a new customer of these other titles you might not read normally, but it's ridiculous. 🤷🏿♂️
Better stories. I know that seems stupid but I was all in diring DC's Infitite Crisis and I continued to by through New52. I was evem buying in 2016.
Now, I have given up and am looking at Manga.
I work at a comic store. I don't really read a lot of them, and for this exact reason. Even WITH my 30% off discount, I'm still paying $50 CAD for like 8 comics. Trying to keep up with several different intersecting runs, all with decades of history behind them just isn't really worth it.
Sub models don't work. Look at all the pop up streaming services that found out the hard way it was just not gonna work. We are not talking no name content providers either. Printed comics can survive but only in a limited format. My advice would be as follows:
1. NOT have a world changing event each year.
2. Permadeath needs to be a thing, death should have weight and ripple effects.
3. Everything goes digital only except for the books with the top 3 characters in the company.
4. Charge less for digital comics (if a book is $4 in print it should be $2 digital).
5. Don't be afraid to move forward and tell stories with lesser known heroes/villains (like it or not copyrights will be up for each character 100 years from the time they were created which means less money for the company making them).
Write ONE book like manga 🤷🏾♂️civil war should jus the civil war, avengers vs Xmen should be 1 book spread out over issues but just one main title
The big 2 really need to adopt the same model as Image. Tonnes of stories, but those stories are from one run (sometimes with spin-offs) and you don't actually need to read anything else to keep up with a single story. Take Invincible for example, you COULD read Invincible Universe and Guarding The Globe for additional content if you want, but it isn't actually necessary to read those in order to understand Invincible. The problem is though, Marvel and DC will never do that, they're so tied up with this idea of connected stories and universes that it would require them to completely rethink how they approach their books and that's probably never gonna happen
This is more or less an idea based on 19th century novel chapters published on newspapers: make an app with monthly subscription. Publish stories with minimal references to previous stories in expected numbers (12 issues, 26 Issues, 78 issues, 112 issues, etc.) have the creators vision prioritized over sales. Only make physical volumes and omnibuses at higher prices depending on quality/ visual. Also make alternative universes more ambiguous, embrace infinity over restrictions
American comic sales have skyrocketed in recent years, and this is just sales from comics; not movies, nor merch and DC and Marvel at at the top of this trend. They are neither failing, nor are they dying. Comic sales cooled off a bit in 2023 but that was only because pandemic restrictions drove up sales in 2020-2022 and comics are still selling way better than they did 5 years ago.
I agree needing to buy 15 tie-in, to get the full story is trash, but I don't know where you get this idea that the industry is failing from.
Dunno where I saw this, but something like the Shonen Jump model could work. Big book of varied stories, polls provide direct feedback, pump what’s successful and either minimize or ax what doesn’t.