Like most comic book publishers, I spend a lot of time thinking about the state of the industry and how to improve it; well, honestly, how to improve my little corner. After spending a lot of time thinking about and discussing what everyone perceives to be the main elements that led to the downfall of comics (the distribution monopoly, for example), I realized what the biggest problem and killer really is: the industry.
I think most of the problems we find “in the industry” come from the industry itself. First of all, comic book companies tend to publish only for those who are already in the industry. Comic publishers often target their marketing to those who are already here and creators tend to only create products for those who are already well-versed in the industry. Very rarely does the idea of attracting new readers come up, which is crazy. That would be like Hollywood only making movies for those who work in film and television. Oddly enough, this seems to be the mindset of the industry in general.
Magazines like Cosmopolitan are fashion magazines, but their audience is the average woman (or girl) interested in fashion, not members of the industry itself. Their advertising extends beyond the fashion industry trade publications and into the mainstream itself, where their buyers reside. Why short your books only to the 50,000 or so members of the active comic community and not go after millions of people who enjoy action movies?
Comic book publishers aren’t the only culprits, either. The creators themselves are as big an impediment to new readers as anything else. If you want to know why, take a look at a modern comic versus one from the mid-eighties and you’ll see a world of difference. No, I’m not talking about paper or printing processes. The art itself is the main problem with comics. Strong, clear storytelling has become a thing of the past. A new buyer will find most modern comics unreadable because the solid storytelling of days gone by (along with the gutters—remember, full-page indents on every page get confusing) are gone.
Do you know why many new readers choose manga titles? It’s because they are easier to read than the American ones. Even with the format reversed, most Manga has direct enough narration that even the most uninitiated reader can follow what is happening and which panel is next. This cannot be said of most American titles (indy or mainstream). The fact that the current trend in the US is for poorly thought out and over-rendered computer coloring doesn’t help readability at all.
Comics and comic art have become so inbred that the only ones who can stand them are their sister-mothers. But it does not have to be like that.
The general public will read comics if they can get out of the industry mindset and start creating comics for readers rather than for an industry more interested in John Byrne’s latest social blunder than buying his books.
Some places to consider for your books (depending on your target audience) are non-chain bookstores, new age stores, record stores (Tower is starting to have a large selection of small press and independent magazines), libraries, corner markets, magazines with similar area interests, schools, local area mail compilations (like the little coupon books you get in the mail), area events (concerts are a great place), swap meets, arcades, or game stores. There is an endless list of places that might be willing to take your work if you let them know it’s available. You may have to spend some money to advertise. Get used to it. The old adage, “you have to spend money to make money,” holds true for any business.
Here are some tips to make your books more accessible to the general public:
1) Market your books outside of specific comic book areas. Find out who might be interested in your book and search for those outlets. There are tons of places in the world that would be willing to sell your comic…but first they have to know it exists. I’ve had success at art festivals, flea markets, record stores, sci-fi magazines, and more. Be as creative with marketing and sales as you are with the production of your book. It’s worth the extra effort.
2) Get rid of full page bleeds on every page. Don’t be afraid of negative space around your pages. In fact, it will open up your pages and prevent them from looking cramped.
3) Don’t forget the gutters! Overlapping panels are interesting from time to time, but gutters help keep the art readable and prevent blending. They’re also great for pacing your storytelling.
4) If you’re going to color your books, don’t go for the over-rendered look that most comics use. It is muddy and unclear. Look at animation or places like Disney Adventures for coloring reference. Most “cartoon” books are well colored because they want to make sure the work is easily accessible to readers of all ages. Not every panel has to be a completely digitally painted work of “art”.
5) Think about telling stories. The most important thing in a comic is that you don’t lose your audience. If at any point your readers get confused as to where to read next, then you have failed in your job as a storyteller. And, remember, “style” is no excuse for poor storytelling (or poor illustration in general, but that’s a rant for another time).
6) Don’t have large blocks of text or dialog on each panel. There’s an old unwritten rule in mainstream comics (and one that’s been largely forgotten or ignored): never have more than 26 words in any caption balloon or box. Any more than that and the words will stick together, potentially causing readers to skip sections of what’s on the page.
7) This one is going to make any comic book collector cringe: Ditch the issue numbers. Or, if you just need to have them, put them on the marks only. Issue numbers are one of the biggest hurdles for new readers, especially for periodic products like comics. A reader should be able to get into any topic and not have to worry about having to read 10 back issues to find out what’s going on. Sure you can let them know that there are other stories they can read (and that will be available in trade paperback), but don’t make those stories required reading. Take a cue from Cosmo (or Playboy) and just have the month and year on each cover. Comics should be entertainment first and foremost. Get out of the collectible mentality.
8) Forget the mantra, “comics aren’t just for kids anymore.” He’s old, worn out and part of the industry’s death knell. The creators have spent so much time trying to prove that comics can be for adults that they have forgotten to build the next generation of fans by making comics only for older fans who are already into comics. Without young readers there is no future in the industry. As a second part of this thought, the fact that your comic has adult language, nudity, and graphic violence does not automatically make the book for adults. The writers of Vertigo and “Ultimate” take note.
9) Be prepared to get your hands dirty and do some work. Publishing is a business, and in the beginning, you may spend as much time marketing as creating. That’s not a bad thing.
My heresy will end with this statement: the only way to save comics may be to let the comics industry, as it now exists, wither and die. He’s on the road just as he is, with everyone running to rip off whatever pieces they can get from his still (barely) alive corpse. The industry is not the heart of comics and it didn’t make them, so dare to be different. Leave the latest issue of the comic book industry’s death watch, Wizard. Ignore the party line that an independent book will sell fewer than 250 copies: there’s a world outside of the Geppi stranglehold.
A little inspiration for you: Nifty’s main title, Framework, sells over 5000 copies per issue and 90% of that is outside of the comics industry. Not bad for a mainstream style black and white superhero comic.
The world is a big and beautiful place full of potential new readers. You just have to venture out and find them.