POP FICTION RANT: THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY

POP FICTION RANT:  THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY

We are at a very difficult time in this world.  This virus has us fearful, and it has forced us indoors to protect ourselves, as well as shutting down our businesses that are not deemed "essential" in order to serve the public.  This pandemic has had an ENORMOUS effect on the comic book industry.  Comic shops around the country have had to shutter their doors because they have to adhere to government guidelines about social distancing.  Also, they're not getting ANY new product in the form of comics from the distributor, as well as the companies themselves.  It's forced publishers to even shut down any new work at the moment.  Everything has come to a screeching halt, in a sense.

But....it's MORE than that.

The comic book industry itself...has left us--shall we say---lacking and unsatisfied, in a sense.  What do I mean?  Well, I'll get to that.  But safe to say, there are some things I just wanna get off my chest when it comes to comics.  I've heard A LOT of talk from various people IN the industry through podcasts and read interviews about not only the creators and publishers, but also the vendors that are now worried that they're going to have to close up shop for good.  No new product, no customers, and no money made.  It sucks...plain and simple.  

The business model for comics is in serious need of a facelift.  Because, sometimes, comic shops get product they can't sell, and can't get money back or send unsold product back.  You have ONE distributor issuing comics to vendors, and then there's the publishers themselves, who have had product out late.  Now Diamond---who is pretty much the sole distributor of comics for pretty much EVERY major publisher in the inudstry---has had a stranglehold on the industry for many years.  And according to many vendors, have been difficult to work with.  It just doesn't help that ONE company holds the market for distribution....especially when it comes to getting product out, or being able to send unsold product BACK.  I believe that they're should be a FEW options to get product to the vendors without issues (yes, I know they'd still OCCUR, but probably not to the extent that it does now).  Some independent companies have decided to go direct to the vendor without a distributor, which is an option.  Some companies and creators are doing what they can to help the local shops across the country stay in business while this pandemic keeps us from being consumers.  That helps keep relationships between vendors AND publishers good.  It's needed.  ONE setback for vendors, though, are online comics.  Marvel and DC have gone out of their way to start putting their comics library online for people to buy and read.  The digital comic has become a huge deal for many, and some go to that source, because it's easier than going to a shop, and rummaging through the shelves or boxes to find what you need.  But, you see, THAT is the FUN of a comic shop:  To physically go inside, see what they have, go through their library that they have, and...oh I dunno...meet fellow collectors much like you.  Comic shops aren't just shops...it's a social gathering place.  Take that away...what do we have?  Not against having digital comics....I would just hate to see the actual, physical comic book disappear forever.  

Aside from that change in the business aspect, one of my major gripes is the CONTENT that is currently being published by the industry.  Relax, relax, everyone---I'm not looking for censorship if that was where you're mind was going.  No, no....I was thinking more along the lines of the LACK of creativity and originality in the industry.  Or...trying to go TOO radical in order to sell books.  It's watered down the industry, and I feel that it will turn away readers...new AND old.

For one thing---it seems the comics today are nothing more than just TOOLS....reference books for movie studios to make movies from these properties.  Sadly, that's what our heroes and favorite characters that we've spend all our lives reading about have become---properties to merchandise the shit out of.  Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, the X-Men, The Avengers, Justice League....I can go on...are nothing more than just properties to license toys, games, shirts, other apparel, trinkets, and anything else the marketing arms of the corporations that OWN them (yes, I'm mainly pointing a finger at Marvel and DC here), can think of in order to bilk money out of the public.  Now...don't get me wrong here...I LOVE the movies (well, quite a good chunk of them---there have been a few stinkers, but I digress), but often times that's the ONLY reason that the corporations that own the two major companies have found a reason to keep these comic publishers around---for reference.  I know that AT&T, which had recently purchased Warner Bros., who OWNS DC Comics, had tried to figure out WHY they need the company in the first place.  They were honestly thinking about shutting down the comics arm of their little conglomerate altogether.  What would we BE without new adventures from Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and so on?  Those of us who LOVE comics thrive on reading about their new stories, and keeping their legend alive.  But since these characters are just now "properties"...they might feel that they can just create a new TV show or movie, and ditch the books altogether.

Another thing chapping my hide is the content.  I gotta tell you, folks---I had STOPPED collecting comics around 2010...for a few reasons.  One thing---my life was going through some changes, and I couldn't afford to go to the shop and buy new books.  When you lose your job...kinda sucks, and that means no more comics.  Two---and this is my pet peeve---the quality of the stories just left me cold.  Some of the events and stories BOTH major companies put out was just overkill and...well...stunk.  I understand wanting to pull in new readers, but there are WAYS you can do that.  To uttery change a character entirely...do a 180 on  them...and then expect readers to just "hop in", and make sure you keep your CURRENT fans...they miss the mark. 

I have also seen an awful trend in comics stemming back to about the late 1980's and WELL into the 1990's up to today:  major company-wide "events" meant to shake up their continuity.  Now, there have been one or two that have made a POSITIVE impact on their respective companies (Crisis on Infinite Earths comes to mind), but then it seems like we couldn't get through a calendar year without both of these companies tossing out some new "big event" to shake up their books, their characters, and hit the reset button.  They wanted turnover, and pull in new readers.  It's one thing to stage an event to pull in new readers, sell books, and tell a good story...but there IS such a thing as overkill---and both Marvel AND DC have been on that track for the last 30 years.  It's become a nervous tick with them---can't seem to really go through the year without shaking SOMETHING up in order to sell books.  And sadly, gang....it doesn't always work.  I know there are those out there who think that A LOT of these huge events were fantastic, but, honestly, MANY have fallen flat, and even driven AWAY readers.  There seems to be less thinking at the top, and going back to the tired crutch of an event to beef up business.  

I'm also not fond of this trope where companies will publish a book...cancel it, restart it with a new creative team, slap a HUGE "#1" on it, and put it out with about 5 different covers and make them like "collector's editions".  This is what the market was like in the 1990's...and EVERY company was suspect of this behavior....and that included the new upstart at the time, Image.  The Collector's Market of the 90's nearly bankrupted the industry as a whole.  And we're still feeling the effects of that to this day, because companies can't seem to get away from these types of gimmicks in order to sell comics.  It's not healthy.  It's hard to invest in a comic when you eventually decided to either cancel it, or to restart it with a new creative team, thus undermining the previous creative team, and the work THEY put forth into the book.  We had a flood of comics hit shelves in the 90's that centered on ONE particluar character.  Had to have MORE Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, X-Men comics because they THOUGHT that was what the demand was.  There was just ONE problem, though...more books didn't equate to better sales, and it also meant a lack of QUALITY being put forth.  I still see tinges of that today.  

Which brings me to my NEXT point:  writing.  During the 90's and up to today, one of the things I have noticed in comics has been a SEVERE lack of quality writing.  That's not to say that there haven't been some terrific stories that have been written within the last 30 or so years, but from some of what was being written back THEN to NOW...completely awful, and just flat out LAZY.  It's one thing to get assigned a book, and you pick up where a previous writer had left off, and try to put your own spin on said character, but doing so CAREFULLY as to not toy nor destroy the basics of what has made said character so popular with fans.  Writers, however, seemed to start mailing it in, because either they COULDN'T come up with anything original, or relied on gimmicks in order to either shock readers so that they'll buy the book and get invested, or they will simply turn the axis 180 degrees on the character, and do a complete teardown and build up in  a way that totally undermines the original concept of said character.  To put it simply:  writers got desperate because they couldn't come up with original ideas, so they thought that going the character assassination route was a great way to drum up readership (just look at what Dan DiDio's tenure at DC brought forth:  a more gloomy and dark universe, overturn of characters, and the complete and utter destruction of the Wally West character).  It's insulting to long time readers, but there have been several artists/writers who have been critical of longtime readers, and believe that there should be a constant turnover in readership every few years or so.  It's arrogant, because you drive away a loyal following that have invested their time and money into the comic.  To piss on the readers is an insult.  A lot of these writers and artists feel that because they are a name, they're bulletproof...they're not (ask Rob Liefeld...that man has been raked over the coals vehemently, as have people like Brian Michael Bendis, and so forth).  You are NOT above the reader.  You are a storyteller, and we rely on YOU to tell a good story, and keep us engaged in this character we've invested our lives in.  At the same time, you need US---because, without US---why are you writing or illustrating to begin with.  Like it or not, it's symbiotic relationship.

These are just some complaints I have.  And I credit a lot of independent comic companies allowing some of these writers to find other outlets to really create, tell stories they can't tell anywhere else, and actually SAY something.  These are the books that are catching my eye now moreso that superhero comics.  It's sad, because I still love my heroes---but I'm tired of how they're treated.  They are OUR modern mythology...we have expectations of those who are CUSTODIANS of these characters, to ensure WE stay invested in them for the future.  And I am all for these writers (and new writers/artists), to have other outlets to really stretch out and create...to bring something NEW to the canvas.  I appreciate those making the effort.  I want the comic book industry to survive.  I still love them.  I'm a middle aged man, and I still love comics---I have A LOT of fond memories of my youth collecting comics.  They can still reel me in with a good story, capture my imagination...if done right.  

That's all I gotta say from my soapbox, gang.  Thanks for sticking by me as I vent.  Let's hope that the industry gets back on its feet, that comic shops open back up, and give us a place to gather, explore, and meet new people.  And hoping that the creators will listen to their fans...and create something exciting and new...without destroying everything we spent years investing in.

Until next time....