"The comic-book industry, in general, is kind of in trouble. It’s going the way the music industry is. I had a meeting with Stan Lee about a year ago to talk about doing another comic book—he’s always been a big fan of Elvira—and he said—and this is coming from Mr. Comic Book himself—“Get out of comic books! Forget it! It’s over! It’s done! All people want to do is get on the Internet!” I’m happy that I did all those comic books; I have them all, and it was a really cool thing to do. I still, of course, go to Comic-Con every year. But even Comic-Con is less about comic books now and more about Hollywood. It’s a freaking nightmare." -- Source
8 comments:
Stan Lee's no idiot. He got out while the iron was still hot. And he's mining Hollywood for money these days. No shortage of folks who'll buy him lunch around there.
But there is no future in the old business model.
So, I really need to get off my ass and get that Hell Nurse Katie webcomic up and running.
Stan can see an ill wind in motion, and Cassandra P speaks the truth on the Hollywoodization of SDCC.
The Party is over...
It's been over for awhile. The internet changes everything.
The internets are great, but I'd rather read a book than read a screen, y'know?
Personally I haven't purchased a new comic book in close to twenty years, just sort of moved on from heroes, graphic novels, and even 'the funny pages'. It's less due to the fact that I get most of my news and information online though, as my reading habits basically did a 180 from SF to non-fiction and historical literature. On the other hand, what Captain Dave (and others) have noted about comic books and especially comic books at-retail is true in that it's become both insular and self-perpetuating, less inclusive than it could be. I began to drift away when I felt that my interests were broader that the scope of a Shinders/Strip Mall culture.
Sturgeon's Law can also be applied to Comics, and perhaps with a great winnowing there might come a return to something approaching profitability amid a new era of "Classics" -- only time will tell.
I think most people would rather read comics in book form. But that's not why the book publishing model isn't working any more. It's all about accessibility. To get a book you've gotta haul your ass to a comic book store and find the physical book and take it to the front counter and find your money and buy it. With the internet, you click and can read the comic instantly.
< With the internet, you click and can read the comic instantly.
Naturally I realize the potential for licensing by way of e.g. film and Television adaptations -and I don't want to put words in your mouth, here- but are you saying that ad-supported internet comics are how creative talent presently make their living, or is this a near-future scenario?
Uncle Kev basically said the same thing last night (mainly in reference to video), but I haven't quite grown accustomed to the idea, since I'm one of those fools who still enjoys shiny discs and clunky old tapes. But neither am I foolish enough to believe that *everyone else* retains my brick and mortar spending habits -- clearly, the tide has turned. It's just that it's going to take some of us from the older generations a while longer to understand this.
I'll be honest. I'm not sure how to make money on the internet. I just know that the internet makes it easier for people to access stuff. It's easy to download comics. And movies and music. Getting people to pay for it, well, that's the problem.
I'm sure there are hundreds of ways that internet cartoonists can make a living from their work. The whole concept of webcomics is still pretty new, so I hope and expect some real amazing stuff as the scene matures. And like music and movies and TV it'll mature and change and find it's way. I doubt print comics will go away completely. The internet is just accelerating the change, but it's also making it easier to change.
I think I'm ranting now.
> The internet is just accelerating the change, but it's also making it easier to change.
Whenever I hear "change" I hear 'Yes We Can' :P
But I guess the Beckii Cruel phenomena is proof that The New Media = coins in someone's pocket, right?
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