Let's begin with the admission that when it comes to matters of comic book printing and comic book economics, I don't know a damned thing. So I'm just asking questions here, not making actual prescriptions here. And if what I'm asking is stupid, or doesn't make a lick of sense, well, I won't argue.
But as comics push harder and harder against the $2.99 barrier, we've got to ask these questions. Because if comics do go up to $3.99 as a matter of course, than even I will be forced to cut back, and that's saying something. Which means an awful lot of people who have actual living expenses (or more of a life) will cut back even more, and we'll quickly see a bloodbath.
So my question is, why not go, at least partially, back to newsprint? Or cheaper paper?
Right now the Big Two are eagerly pumping out a regular supply of phone book-sized Essentials and Showcases at ridiculously low retails, as compared to regular comics and trades. And readers don't seem to mind the cheaper quality of paper, as they sell.
Yes, I know those are black and white reprint reprint volumes, so it's hardly an exact analogy. But I also know that it would cost you about $150 of Archives or Omnibus to get the same number of stories you get in $17 worth of Essential or Showcase. And some percentage of that has to be the paper.
Plus, as newspapers vanish or see their circulation decrease, I would expect the price of low-end paper to come down even more in the immediate future.
So do current new comics have to be printed on glossier, sturdier paper? I know it was viewed as a huge leap forward as the transition was gradually made back in the day. But comic books survived for decades printed on low quality paper, and maybe the time has come to step back to the past, in order to keep the cost to consumers from crossing the Line of Death.
Hey, comics on the better paper last longer! Acknowledged. But then again, pretty much every comic I've ever owned over the past 30 years is still intact (except due to my ill care in a couple of cases). And these days, every series seems to be almost immediately collected in trade automatically, they'll still exist on good paper, right?
Hey comics on the better paper allow for more intricate artwork, more subtle coloring, etc!! Again, acknowledged. And even though I've griped about a lot of artwork being too mannered and dark and broody these days (especially at Marvel...you guys loose your crayons or what?), I would be the last one that would suggest that we flush everything back to the 80's. But...newsprint was good enough for Jack Kirby and Neal Adams and Steve Ditko and Jim Steranko and...you get my point. And I rarely hear people say that "Kirby was great but I wish his New Gods was colored more subtly, that Swamp Thing was illegible due to bad printing."
(Aside: And does the paper these days have to be so damn glossy? Do I need to keep finding new ways to hold the comics because of glare reflected from overhead lights? Just asking...)
And I'm not suggesting that everything go back to newsprint. There's no reason we can't have two tiers, like we did back in the 80's, right? Do The Titans or Rulk really need to be on paper shiny high class paper? Why not save the more expensive paper (and thus the more expensive price point) for the books that justify such treatment?
So, I'm thinking the Big Two could experiment here. How about doing their All Ages titles on cheaper newsprint, at a lower price point? Or try their weekly or almost weekly (Amazing Spider-Man)? I'm willing to bet many buyers would be willing to make the trade-off of some quality for a less cover price, and that if the Big Two could offer some books at $1.99 or $2.49, you'd see some increased sales. And if it was successful, they could consider some line-wide changes. Not only would being able to actually lower their cover prices keep readership from eroding, I think it would actually increase those numbers.
Am I right? Do I make any sense? Do my numbers add up? Because I fear that if everyone keeps doing the same old same old and just raises the price, we'll see a fairly large comic book depression.
Comic publishers will probably just continue to evolve into trade publishers. There's more money in trade publications and graphic novels than in comics. These days, comics are just a way to make a little extra cash off of a product before it's published in trade form -- sort of like how movies are still released in theaters FIRST, even though the companies make more money off of movies via home video.
ReplyDeleteDC certainly doesn't need to worry, publication-wise. Their backlist is the envy of even NON-comics publishers. Really, what publishers wouldn't love to count Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, or Sandman among their backlists? Sales of those books alone bring DC more money per year than the annual sales of DC's entire comic book lineup.
To follow up on your analogy, Green, movies are still indeed released in theaters first...after all, studios still get 40% of their income there, and who wants to throw that away? Ditto comics--sure, they could transition to all trade...but they could still make a pretty good chunk of change off the singles market, if they chose to do so. They're not mutually exclusive, so why not do both?
ReplyDeleteMy other concern about going all trade, is that it might stifle innovation and new ideas. How many people would be willing to plunk down $15-$30 for a brand new character that's never appeared before, or for some writer/artist who doesn't already have a big name? Singles, if nothing else, serve as great advertisements for the trades...
I've often wondered the same thing (going back to newsprint) - especially for the "all ages" books. Drop the price point down low enough and they could get the books back in 7-11 stores and other outlets where they could be discovered by more kids. These kids then grow up to be die hard fans who can afford to purchase the higher priced books.
ReplyDeleteThis certainly seems like a logical plan to save the industry.
Jim
Good point Snell. You too Jim.
ReplyDeleteI've long held the belief that the single issue market is no longer viable. American publishers need to look at models that actually work. I think a combination of the European and Japanese markets could be a good idea for example.
Euro: Publish handsome trades and graphic albums (as well as your backlog as they've been doing in Showcase etc). And make those books direct to that format. No waiting for slow artists... the books come out complete when they're ready.
Manga: Keep publishing anthology monthlies (keeping titles like Action, Detective, Adventure etc. alive) that feature full length stories that will appear in trade, yes, but also samples, teasers and prologues to upcoming albums (which used to be mini-series) and new original stories featuring new characters to gauge interest.
But I also like Jim's cheap all-ages books, since those can best be used as check-out counter "hooks".
As one who has cut down on the number of comics I purchase, I agree 100%.
ReplyDeleteI don't read comics so that I can reread them 100 years later. I read comics to watch the story evolve. Comics are like TV shows, to me. I watch one then look forward to the next - rinse and repeat. I do not tape and keep forever every show I watch and I only buy the compilation of those I absolutely want.
Comics are no different. Monthlies I read and then keep to reference at a later date and any stories I absolutely love and want to reread I usually buy as a trade.
Making comics cheaper on a monthly basis would be beneficial to companies because more people would read more monthlies and the more monthlies read the desire for the trade will also increase.