Good morning, my friend,
If you’re a longtime comic READER, you’ve been replaced, or if it hasn’t happened yet, it will soon.
You may have heard the phrase “The Great Replacement Theory” in other contexts, like politics or culture, but it’s an apt usage in the realm of comics. Why? Because it perfectly illustrates why it’s getting harder to find comics you love and why the new comic reader numbers are continually shrinking.
In effect, the major publishers have decided that people who buy comics to read comics are no longer the target audience.
Once upon a time, comics were disposable entertainment that survived and thrived on volume. For a publisher to succeed, it had to create comics that were easy to get, cheap to access, and good enough to get the readers (mostly children and young adults) to keep coming back for more.
Comics were the weekly habit with an incredibly low bar to entry.
You could walk into any corner store, gas station, or supermarket checkout line and find a comic with bright, exciting covers for less than a dollar. Thus, a unique entertainment medium spread like wildfire.
As long as the price was right and the cover did its job to draw a potential reader in, you could bank on capturing a sizable buyer volume, barring all the marketing nuts and bolts about shelf placement, issue rotation, etc.
This model made it very simple to understand what the readers liked (or didn’t), which types of covers caught the most attention, and what cover price was enough to make money.
More importantly, the business model was heavily influenced by the publishers setting a sustainable price and the widest distribution possible to sell the highest volume possible.
Those days are over.
Now, new comics are only available in specialty stores that may or may not be near you.
More editorial budget is spent on multiple covers for the same issue and/or gimmicks like polybags to tickle the gambling bone.
When online discourse and comic journalists talk about a comic, it’s more often than not related to a controversy related to the covers or what makes a particular issue valuable.
In the last few weeks, controversy broke out over the cover for Amazing Spider-Man #1000 because the cover’s inherent value to the speculators and collectors is now considered more important.
Check out our video on the ASM #1000 controversy and how it really is rooted in Marvel’s mishandling.
Worse yet, the cover price for the regular issue has now outpaced inflation 4x since 1980 in the United States. If the average Western Periodical Comic had kept pace with inflation (not under or over), the average price would be $1.62 instead of $4.99.
Can you even imagine how many more comics would be sold if the average price was $1.62?
Alas, we are where we are. But a higher cover price doesn’t necessarily mean more money is flowing. It’s the opposite. Pull boxes are shrinking. Long boxes are getting smaller. The average, non-speculator reader is instinctively changing his/her behavior in reaction to the average $4.99 price, which is why the reader pool is shrinking.
Check our second video on the change in buyer behavior caused by the $4.99 baseline.
In effect, the thing Western Periodical Comic publishers are pushing is ownership of a collectible item - the packaging, the cover art, the “special” number - for collectors and speculators rather than an average reader who’s interested in the story between the covers.
The bottom line is that a person - young, old, male, female - who likes comics as a storytelling medium has been replaced as the priority in the minds of the biggest publishers.
The story is secondary to cover art, gimmicks, and marketing excuses designed to convince you that a $6.99 is worth the money.
The question isn’t when/why/how you got replaced. The question is whether or not the publishers will ever return to the days when the story is what matters most.
Well, these are my opinions. What do you think? Has the Big 2 (Marvel & DC Comics) lost sight of the priority - people who read comics? Or is a speculator/collector-focused market simply the new normal for good?
Vote in our reader poll, and leave a comment with your thoughts.
-Gabe
Read the Full Weekly Review Roundup on ComicalOpinions.com
Avengers: Armageddon #3 Review - Superman IV With More Debating
Writer Chip Zdarsky & Artist Ario Anindito send David Colton on a one-man mission to gather the world's nuclear missiles, creating the obligatory debate about free will. The dialogue-heavy issue does a good job of giving "both sides" of the debate, but the momentum is lacking.
Key Takeaway: “A decent read for the curious but not essential.”
Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #12 Review - Round 3 Against Conquest Begins
Writer Robert Kirkman and Artist Ryan Ottley begin round three of the fight to the death between Battle Beast and Conquest. Fans of the series will enjoy more of the same.
Key Takeaway: “For fans of Battle Beast and/or non-stop fighting.”
Daredevil #5 Review - Omen's Lackluster End
Writer Stephanie Phillips & Artist Lee Garbett bring Daredevil's conflict with Omen to a close when their paths converge on the next target - Foggy Nelson. Solid art and a clean resolution can't mask silly plot holes.
Key Takeaway: “For desperate Daredevil fans only.”
Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2 Review - World-Building On The Eve Of War
Writer/Artist Patrick Zircher sends Solomon Kane east with his lion ally, where he encounters a hospitable shah and a pair of old friends. Meanwhile, the two khans prepare for war. Long on setup and short on tension, Zircher's tale is rich with atmosphere.
Key Takeaway: “A fine addition to Solomon Kane lore, albeit a dense read.”
The Phantom vs. The Singh Brotherhood #1 Review - Singh Creates A Prison Kingdom
Writer Ray Fawkes and Artist Russell Olson send the Phantom into lockdown when Arif Singh stages a prison revolt. Filled with claustrophobic action and Golden Age heroics, Phantom fans will be pleased with this light adventure.
Key Takeaway: “Refreshingly classic hero storytelling.”
Absolute Green Arrow #4 Review - The Island Of Dr. Iker
Writer Pornsak Pichetshote & Artist Rafael Albuquerque find Dinah learning the secrets of "Jubal Island" and the true fate of Oliver Queen. The issue delivers plenty of tense action and body horror, but the story still keeps Green Arrow on the back burner.
Key Takeaway: “For Black Canary fans only.”
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The book is FREE for Kindle Unlimited Readers
Absolute Wonder Woman #23 (DC Comics)
Amazing Spider-Man #35 (Marvel Comics)
Void Rivals #33 (Image Comics)
Terminal #2 (Image Comics)
ROM Special #1 (Image Comics)
Conan the Barbarian #34 (Titan Comics)
Denver #1 (Mad Cave Studios)
Star-Crossed #2 (Dark Horse Comics)
Marvel Viewers’ Choice (Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to vote)
DC Viewers’ Choice (Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to vote)
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