Are comic books a dying medium?

Ditch Fahrenheit
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 8, 2017 16:21:37 GMT -8

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Post by Ditch Fahrenheit on May 8, 2017 16:21:37 GMT -8

Is this the tipping point?

Marvel Comics Likely Cancelling 30 Titles

Marvel Comics Likely Cancelling 30 Titles
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Posted By: Matt McGloin
05/08/2017 - 3:20pm

Marvel Comics continues to suffer from dwindling sales as it's looking likely that upwards of almost 30 titles will be cancelled.

Sales for April's issue reveal 28 titles have sold less than 20K, which is right around the cancellation threshold number.

I'll gladly point out that when I was promoting Abnett and Lanning's Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova that they sold a solid 35K each.

Titles with an asterisk area already cancelled as of July.

CA: Sam Wilson - #21 - 18,650

Gwenpool - #14 - 17,972

Captain Marvel - #4 - 17,893

US Avengers - #5 - 17,880

Ultimates 2 - #6 -17,350

Dr. Strange & Sorcerers Supreme - #7 - 16,887

Man-Thing - #3 - 16,199 [Mini]

Hawkeye - #5 - 16,031

Totally Awesome Hulk - #18 - 16,009

Spider-Man 2099 - #22 - 15,273

Elektra - #3 - 15,113*

Silver Surfer - #10 - 15,041

World Of Wakanda - #6 - 14,547*

Nova - #5 - 14,525*

Silk - #19 - 13,524*

Thunderbolts - #12 - 13,780*

Kingpin - #3 - 13,765*

Rocket Raccoon #5 - 13,373*

Power Man & Iron Fist #15 - 13,055*

Bullseye - #3 - 12,912 [Mini]

Star lord - #6 - 12,278*

Squirrel Girl - #19 - 11,074

Occupy Avengers - #6 - 10,296

Unstoppable Wasp - #4 - 9,780

Great Lakes Avengers - #7 - 8,370

Moon Girl and Devil Dino - #18 - 7,966

Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat - #17 - 6,943*

Mosaic - #7 - 5,876*

On the fence:

Ms. Marvel - #17 - 20,881

mrwoogieman TCBF Member I've got the journaliest journal there is here! Joined: May 2017 Posts: 914	Are comic books a dying medium? May 8, 2017 18:12:43 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by mrwoogieman on May 8, 2017 18:12:43 GMT -8 I prefer 'evolving' medium, not dying.

Ditch Fahrenheit
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 8, 2017 18:45:21 GMT -8

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Post by Ditch Fahrenheit on May 8, 2017 18:45:21 GMT -8

May 8, 2017 18:12:43 GMT -8 mrwoogieman said:

I prefer 'evolving' medium, not dying.

Yeah, I agree.

The title is a little tongue-in-cheek.

But I do think the Big Two would do much better with less titles, no reboots, no renumbering and a higher focus on quality. Develop a character in a series and stick with it.

And here's an idea...maybe the character doesn't need to fit in the overall continuing universe with all the other characters. For example, I can enjoy a movie like 'Alien' without needing context to how it fits in with the TV show 'The Big Bang Theory.' An extreme example, but my point is that they've forced extreme complexity where none is needed. This is the kind of complexity that turns me off from dozens (possibly hundreds) of titles - I'm just not interested in doing the research, especially when much of it is forced and makes little or no sense.

MetalPSI™
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 8, 2017 20:48:43 GMT -8 steveinthecity likes this

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Post by MetalPSI™ on May 8, 2017 20:48:43 GMT -8

They need to step up to the plate and hire some real story tellers and stop pushing their trendy agenda.

Seems like everything these days is being pushed so hard in your face that it makes it just so much easier to ignore. For instance, I haven't had cable in almost a year now and could care less to ever have it again.

Come up with some decent stories with some half way decent art and things will pick up. If all you are looking for is the next big thing, it's just doomed to fail.

"If it's loud, and you need just that little bit more, mine goes to 11""Yeah but, couldn't you just make 10 louder?""But these all go to 11"

slym2none TCBF Member Joined: December 2016 Posts: 3,540	Are comic books a dying medium? May 8, 2017 20:53:43 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by slym2none on May 8, 2017 20:53:43 GMT -8 "Are comic books a dying medium?" Yes.

Jeffro
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 9, 2017 3:40:16 GMT -8

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Post by Jeffro on May 9, 2017 3:40:16 GMT -8

Given those print runs, you have to wonder if it's worth buying these up. Those are tiny, tiny print runs

Corpses that have been dead for twenty-seven years do not get up and go for a walk by themselves! - Detective Cameron

"Well, do you see anyone else pressing the soft underbelly button?" - Hawkeye Pierce

"I'll help you fluff your garfield, if you know what you mean?" - Colin Mochrie

"I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want, and get it - Eugene V. Debs

Jeffro
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 9, 2017 3:47:08 GMT -8 steveinthecity and slym2none like this

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Post by Jeffro on May 9, 2017 3:47:08 GMT -8

Newsprint
No computer coloring
$1 cover price
Continuity and a coherent universe
Bring back 70s and 80s creators and give them work
Legacy numbering
No reboots

That's what it would take to get me back. Yes, I know that's never going to happen. I'm a dinosaur and I like it that way :))

Corpses that have been dead for twenty-seven years do not get up and go for a walk by themselves! - Detective Cameron

"Well, do you see anyone else pressing the soft underbelly button?" - Hawkeye Pierce

"I'll help you fluff your garfield, if you know what you mean?" - Colin Mochrie

"I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want, and get it - Eugene V. Debs

Jeffro
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 9, 2017 4:32:11 GMT -8

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Post by Jeffro on May 9, 2017 4:32:11 GMT -8

Unstoppable Wasp - #4 - 9,780

When I think of "Unstoppable" I automatically think of the wasp. lol

Yeah, sure

Last Edit: May 9, 2017 4:32:23 GMT -8 by Jeffro

Corpses that have been dead for twenty-seven years do not get up and go for a walk by themselves! - Detective Cameron

"Well, do you see anyone else pressing the soft underbelly button?" - Hawkeye Pierce

"I'll help you fluff your garfield, if you know what you mean?" - Colin Mochrie

"I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want, and get it - Eugene V. Debs

Ditch Fahrenheit TCBF Member Joined: April 2013 Posts: 15,705	Are comic books a dying medium? May 9, 2017 7:41:42 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Ditch Fahrenheit on May 9, 2017 7:41:42 GMT -8 May 9, 2017 3:40:16 GMT -8 Jeffro said: Given those print runs, you have to wonder if it's worth buying these up. Those are tiny, tiny print runs Buy up all the newsstands for maximum cheddar.

Jeffro
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 9, 2017 8:19:33 GMT -8

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Post by Jeffro on May 9, 2017 8:19:33 GMT -8

May 9, 2017 7:41:42 GMT -8 Ditch Fahrenheit said:

May 9, 2017 3:40:16 GMT -8 Jeffro said:

Given those print runs, you have to wonder if it's worth buying these up. Those are tiny, tiny print runs

Buy up all the newsstands for maximum cheddar.

You laugh but I can see these being hard to find in 20 years. When have comic book print runs ever been this low?

Corpses that have been dead for twenty-seven years do not get up and go for a walk by themselves! - Detective Cameron

"Well, do you see anyone else pressing the soft underbelly button?" - Hawkeye Pierce

"I'll help you fluff your garfield, if you know what you mean?" - Colin Mochrie

"I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want, and get it - Eugene V. Debs

Siggy's Tar Dust®
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 9, 2017 8:48:02 GMT -8

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Post by Siggy's Tar Dust® on May 9, 2017 8:48:02 GMT -8

May 9, 2017 3:47:08 GMT -8 Jeffro said:

Newsprint
No computer coloring
$1 cover price
Continuity and a coherent universe
Bring back 70s and 80s creators and give them work
Legacy numbering
No reboots

That's what it would take to get me back. Yes, I know that's never going to happen. I'm a dinosaur and I like it that way :))

I hate computer coloring and what it's done to comic art. The 'featbering' technique used by inkers to lend to to depth and dimension have become useless today, and as a result modern comic OA consists of outlines, relying on the computer for the rest.
So much modern OA looks like coloring book art anymore.

"I told him, Larry [Fitzgerald], if you break one of my records, I’ve still got 36 more." -Jerry Rice

Ditch Fahrenheit
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Posts: 15,705

Are comic books a dying medium? May 9, 2017 10:14:03 GMT -8

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Post by Ditch Fahrenheit on May 9, 2017 10:14:03 GMT -8

May 9, 2017 8:48:02 GMT -8 Siggy's Tar Dust® said:

May 9, 2017 3:47:08 GMT -8 Jeffro said:

Newsprint
No computer coloring
$1 cover price
Continuity and a coherent universe
Bring back 70s and 80s creators and give them work
Legacy numbering
No reboots

That's what it would take to get me back. Yes, I know that's never going to happen. I'm a dinosaur and I like it that way :))

I hate computer coloring and what it's done to comic art. The 'featbering' technique used by inkers to lend to to depth and dimension have become useless today, and as a result modern comic OA consists of outlines, relying on the computer for the rest.
So much modern OA looks like coloring book art anymore.

Featbering

Isn't that how wine is made?

Siggy's Tar Dust® TCBF Member Crack removes Newton Rings. Joined: February 2016 Posts: 8,626	Are comic books a dying medium? May 9, 2017 10:17:52 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Siggy's Tar Dust® on May 9, 2017 10:17:52 GMT -8 Only if fat fingers are used
	"I told him, Larry [Fitzgerald], if you break one of my records, I’ve still got 36 more." -Jerry Rice

FiveZero
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Are comic books a dying medium? May 14, 2017 17:09:01 GMT -8

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Post by FiveZero on May 14, 2017 17:09:01 GMT -8

I haven't read any Marvel comics in quite some time. I think the last time was when Marvel Zombies came out but since then none of their titles really caught my attention. I think a lot has to do with the books that are coming out are movie related. I still buy some DC but have started to thin out what I get due to the high cover price. Even going through DCBS for new books is pretty costly. I prefer to read my books on the computer, or tablet, now versus a physical copy. I think the speculator market will keep the variants going since there seems to be a market for those books but that too may eventually flop.

slym2none TCBF Member Joined: December 2016 Posts: 3,540	Are comic books a dying medium? May 14, 2017 22:45:07 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by slym2none on May 14, 2017 22:45:07 GMT -8 I learned through reading TPBs that Jubilee is now a vampire. FTS

Post by Ditch Fahrenheit on May 8, 2017 16:21:37 GMT -8

Post by mrwoogieman on May 8, 2017 18:12:43 GMT -8

Post by Ditch Fahrenheit on May 8, 2017 18:45:21 GMT -8

Post by MetalPSI™ on May 8, 2017 20:48:43 GMT -8

Post by slym2none on May 8, 2017 20:53:43 GMT -8

Post by Jeffro on May 9, 2017 3:40:16 GMT -8

Post by Jeffro on May 9, 2017 3:47:08 GMT -8

Post by Jeffro on May 9, 2017 4:32:11 GMT -8

Post by Ditch Fahrenheit on May 9, 2017 7:41:42 GMT -8

Post by Jeffro on May 9, 2017 8:19:33 GMT -8

Post by Siggy's Tar Dust® on May 9, 2017 8:48:02 GMT -8

Post by Ditch Fahrenheit on May 9, 2017 10:14:03 GMT -8

Post by Siggy's Tar Dust® on May 9, 2017 10:17:52 GMT -8

Post by FiveZero on May 14, 2017 17:09:01 GMT -8

Post by slym2none on May 14, 2017 22:45:07 GMT -8