I'm worried.
The comics industry has, of course, gone through a massive upheaval in the past few years (as have most industries) as it struggled and shifted to the new demands set by the arrival of a true digital age. Formats changed, presentation, business plans and distribution have been thrown out the window and 'events' have taken the place of continual quality.
But at what cost?
Sure, Events sell well and, to be honest, have probably kept the industry afloat a good number of years now, but is there a longer, farther reaching and deeper cost to such an approach? Change for the sake of change is rarely a good thing and the constant shifting of the goal posts, most noticeably evident in Marvels approach to their four colour universe seems to leave the whole rather hollow. Personally, I have lost interest in reading a lot of mainstream comic books as they seemed to be geared toward serving the whims and ambitions of whichever writer has been assigned to it at the time. How is this any different to the past? Well, to me, when a writer used to take on a book, they wrote to the characters, not to themselves; they served the story (unless you're talking about John Byrne who ALWAYS served himself first).
Now, comics feel like a game of one one-upmanship, each consecutive writer trying to outdo the last in how many deaths, resurrections, status quo changes and general mass destruction of that particular part of the universe they can achieve.
Don't get me wrong, I love mass destruction as much as the next fan-person (no geek sexism here), but when it is used in lieu of a good idea, or well written characterisation, then I’m not interested (are you listening , Michael Bay?). It feels incredible manipulative and plain disrespectful to real comic book fans out there who have committed and continue to commit themselves to these books and these universes.
I worry that when faced with constant relaunches, eternal number ones that the strength of comics mythology, the most important part of comics in my opinion will be diluted, if not destroyed completely. The Marvel NOW sums it up in it's title; Now is all that seemingly matters in the industries outlook. I am absolutely sensitive to the fact that any print medium in this day and age is going to struggle to compete with, well, everything else, but is there a way to make a buck and keep integrity? Is that the age old question?
Sure, comic book characters are at their highest profile, probably ever with the multi billion dollar successes in the movie world, but how does that relate to the industry? When you check the sales figures, they seem to be levelling out about the same, which means that there is no trickle back to the comic book world itself; people care about the characters, but not about the books from where they came.
How many loved the Godfather movie? Jaws? 2001? The Shawshank Redemption?
Now, how many people have read the books they were based on?
Right.
So who are the comic book companies catering to now? Are comics simply to be used as amped up storyboards, drawn movie pitches with which studios can sell their movies to interested parties? Is Marvel now just a movie development plant for Disney (their recent scrapping of Wolverine and Fantastic Four to seemingly sabotage 20th Century Fox would seem to suggest so), DC the same for Warner?
And where does that leave us, the humble comic book fan who just wants to be thrilled and excited by these characters we have supported and loved when the movies and public acceptance failed us?
The Comic Book is the most exciting medium there is and it's power, it's mythology is unique.
I hope it stays that way.
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