What sells a Comic Book now days, the art, characters or the writing?

Avatar image for vaeternus
Vaeternus

9558

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Poll What sells a Comic Book now days, the art, characters or the writing? (49 votes)

The Artwork, representation of it on panel 4%
The Story/Writer/Writing 10%
The Character, if the character is popular that's enough. 29%
All of the above 37%
None of the Above, it's all politics or some other reasons now.... 2%
The Artwork and Story/Writing equally sell it 12%
Not about any of the above, it's all about the company name (for example: DC or Marvel) brand will sell. 6%

So curious as comicbook readers on here(most if not all) I'm sure, what do you guys/girls REALLY feel sells a comic book at the end of the day? Especially now days. Is it the Art or the Story/writing? Or perhaps the character involved? Be it Batman or Spiderman enough to sell it? Or is it just down to company you think? As to why it's always DC and Marvel at the top and vice versa?

Discuss :)

 • 
Avatar image for deactivated-5c901e667a76c
deactivated-5c901e667a76c

36557

Forum Posts

10681

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

#1  Edited By deactivated-5c901e667a76c  Moderator

It's all about the writers these days.

Avatar image for wolverine008
Wolverine008

51027

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

I think we've shifted from the art craze that the 90's had to a readership that follows certain writers.

Avatar image for drunkenpunk
drunkenpunk

158

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Character definitely.

Avatar image for The_Deathstroker
The_Deathstroker

8074

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

The character is most important.

With writer and company name following close behind.

Avatar image for judasnixon
judasnixon

12815

Forum Posts

699

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

I wish it was the writers.......... Characters. You ever wonder why Wolverine and Batman are in so many books, because people will buy it if it has Wolverine or Batman in it. Don't get me wrong. There are readers who follow writer they like (Myself Included), but most people will pick up a book, because a character they like is in it...... I wish Snyder's The Wake had the sales that Snyder's Batman has....

Avatar image for granitesoldier
GraniteSoldier

12746

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 42

User Lists: 0

For me it's all of it. A great writer who doesn't stay true to the character or change them in a way that feels natural and organic feels like they are just pushing plot along. Bad art can ruin a book, especially if it is hard to tell what is going on. And, of course, a character has to speak to you as a reader.

Avatar image for vaeternus
Vaeternus

9558

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@granitesoldier: True, im not a huge fan of lee's art, not jim i like his the other lee lol. Jae or something who does superman/batman.

@judasnixon: hi there lol. Neat post, I am reading coffin hill currently which is interesting but heard the wake is good but dont know much about it.

Avatar image for jaken7
JakeN7

15180

Forum Posts

608

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Avatar image for wolverine008
Wolverine008

51027

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

#10  Edited By Wolverine008

Art is still very important though.

Avatar image for darling_luna
Darling_Luna

12918

Forum Posts

994

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 8

Movies and Cartoons : P

Avatar image for jaken7
JakeN7

15180

Forum Posts

608

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

#12  Edited By JakeN7

1. Character

2. Writer

3. Artist

4. Company

5. Sh*ts and Giggles

Avatar image for lyrafay
LyraFay

2643

Forum Posts

43

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 12

#13  Edited By LyraFay

Character, Batman would've lasted 75 years if his comics didn't sell.

Avatar image for The_Deathstroker
The_Deathstroker

8074

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

@jaken7: I don't really see people going to a CB shop and asking for all comics by "example" artist. :p

Avatar image for thetruebarryallen
TheTrueBarryAllen

13529

Forum Posts

84818

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

I personally buy comics due to the Story & the Art - if the character is popular but poorly written or illustrated it makes me less likely to want to purchase their book.

I'm also always into buying new books with new or less popular characters - sometimes the Hype train isn't the best train.

Avatar image for rogueshadow
rogueshadow

30017

Forum Posts

237

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#16 rogueshadow  Moderator

Character.

Avatar image for vaeternus
Vaeternus

9558

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#17  Edited By Vaeternus

@darling_luna said:

Movies and Cartoons : P

That helps, but more direct reason in person of comic book :P lol I think movies and shows definitely adds more comic book nerds for sure though.

Avatar image for holyk
holyk

116

Forum Posts

5520

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@The_Deathstroker said:

I don't really see people going to a CB shop and asking for all comics by "example" artist. :p

Actually I know a few people who do collect everything done by an artist. Met a girl looking for ASBAR as she liked Jim Lee and not for the story by Miller.

Avatar image for vaeternus
Vaeternus

9558

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@holyk: Funny you guys mention that, I'm actually more picky with consistent artists in that respect however a good writer to me is a good writer. I won't obsess over it, my comic book shop a year + ago when I was a newer member there tried to sell me a few books because I liked "The Nobody" Vertigo/DC book about Invisible Man by Jeff Lemire, and how he's done tons of other books. He is a good writer I admit, but they were really pushing me to get his other books lol now ironically I find myself reading or have read some of his other books like JL books he's done and currently Future's End and JLU which I like.

Avatar image for holyk
holyk

116

Forum Posts

5520

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#20  Edited By holyk

@vaeternus: For me a good writer does not always write good stuff. For instance Mark Waid is one of my favorites but I can't stand his Captain America stuff and Frank Miller who had good early days mostly writes crap now. I think every piece of work has to be judged by its own which makes predicting what a good comic will be a difficult task. I admit that there are indicators but the end result isn't always the same for me. Lemire's Animal Man was truly amazing but Future's End has been a bust for me. Sorting through the New 52 is really quite a chore as there's a lot more crap than good stuff there.

Avatar image for deactivated-5edd330f57b65
deactivated-5edd330f57b65

26437

Forum Posts

815

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

All of them in different scenarios depending on the character or artist or writer

Avatar image for zilant
Zilant

51

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Writer + character

Artists are bumped around so much that they're hard to follow

Avatar image for allstarsuperman
AllStarSuperman

51192

Forum Posts

148

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

All of them, but for me its art, I want to look at something beautiful with great fights and great story, but deep down I want to see punches/kicks/guns/swords/heatvision etc. I am more likely to drop a book because of a writer over the art though, see scott lobdell's superman, I feel like I am missing Kenneth Rocafort's great art, but I have no regrets of missing Psi war and whatever was after it.

Avatar image for vaeternus
Vaeternus

9558

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#24  Edited By Vaeternus

@holyk said:

@vaeternus: For me a good writer does not always write good stuff. For instance Mark Waid is one of my favorites but I can't stand his Captain America stuff and Frank Miller who had good early days mostly writes crap now. I think every piece of work has to be judged by its own which makes predicting what a good comic will be a difficult task. I admit that there are indicators but the end result isn't always the same for me. Lemire's Animal Man was truly amazing but Future's End has been a bust for me. Sorting through the New 52 is really quite a chore as there's a lot more crap than good stuff there.

Well, typically speaking if a writer has a good rep I consider that example I will take Geoff John's work and Lemire's any DAY over say Loebs nonsense....I think it's safe to say why lol.

I'm not too familiar with Mark Waid so I can't judge but I do like Frank's work for the most part, not all his stories are my preference but DK stories were cool and I like Alan Moore's work.

Obviously nobody's perfect but at least with a good writer with a good rep will usually be consistent know what I mean? I heard Jeff's Animal Man was great, never got into the character however but now I will since I'm reading JLU which seems rather interesting. And I'm enjoying Future's End so far, it's the beginning so it needs more time but I love time travel and such. Only thing that puzzles me a bit is in the fcbd issue # 0 they say Mr. Terrific and Batman created Brother, yet in issue one they only reference Mr. Terrific as in he's the main creator so I'm wondering if more will be revealed concerning that I hope...and hope they explain how a robot with nano- tech so it seems can harm guys like Superman unless it was one of those things that automatically was programmed to find a person's weakness regardless of metahuman, human, alien etc.

Eh, I think there's as with Marvel, DC and all comics really there's good comics and bad ones....I mean I like Spiderman but I found that Doc Oct controlling Pete's body while Pete's dead to be really dumb...

New 52 for the most part I'm enjoying but I think they're putting out way too many books honestly.

Avatar image for knightsofdarkness2
Knightsofdarkness2

8155

Forum Posts

228

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

the character and story/writer.

Avatar image for russellmania77
russellmania77

17601

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Gore, sex n violence

Avatar image for swordmasterd
swordmasterD

2620

Forum Posts

15

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#27  Edited By swordmasterD

Character, mostly because of all the new readers pulled in by the movies and shows

Avatar image for vaeternus
Vaeternus

9558

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#28  Edited By Vaeternus

I'd say Gore, Sex and Violence sells horror films and games but not so much comics. Though that was probably partially true in the 80's and early 90's, now not so much.

Avatar image for fallschirmjager
Fallschirmjager

23432

Forum Posts

1162

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 32

User Lists: 16

Characters will always make the book sell. To a lesser extent this can also extend to a franchise.

Writers and art do not sell. I've read too many great comic books that sell under 20,000 units (usually the point when Marvel and DC cancel a book) to say otherwise. and I've read well-selling comics that were mediocre as well.

Avatar image for dernman
dernman

35969

Forum Posts

10092

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 9

Should have been multiple choice.

Avatar image for longbowhunter
longbowhunter

9425

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 1

I'd say its pretty writer centric out there right now. But I dont really talk to many other comic buyers.

Avatar image for outside_85
Outside_85

23518

Forum Posts

18735

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 39

User Lists: 1

The writer, look at Johns.

Avatar image for kidchipotle
kidchipotle

15770

Forum Posts

229

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

#33  Edited By kidchipotle
  1. Character
  2. Writer
  3. Artist

Though good writing can't save bad art but good art can save a bad story. (more or less)

Avatar image for billy_batson
Billy Batson

62287

Forum Posts

1286746

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 11

The creators. It's been that way always in other parts of the world and it's becoming that way again in Northern America. Non-superhero books sales are rising and even with superhero books readers most of the time stop reading a comic if they don't like the story/art.

BB

Avatar image for manchine
Manchine

6360

Forum Posts

7931

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

All the above.

Name comes first..... Spiderman, Superman, Avengers, Justice League, Xmen, Buttman, are the big draws. They can have the opposite effect of course. Most of the time if I see Deadpool in a comic I won't touch it. If you see a hated character that just pushes you away from the comic.

Story comes next. If its a great story (Superior Spiderman, Secret Wars, Kingdom Come, Etc) it will draw people in. Good storyline will continue with good sales.

Art comes last but is important. BAD art will push people away. Art is not that important to me but if it's bad enough it will detract from the comic. If the story line happens to be only ok. YOU WILL lose readers.

Pushing politics into a comic is also a bad idea. I know there's been a few times I have avoided comics because of this.

Avatar image for holyk
holyk

116

Forum Posts

5520

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Eh, I think there's as with Marvel, DC and all comics really there's good comics and bad ones....I mean I like Spiderman but I found that Doc Oct controlling Pete's body while Pete's dead to be really dumb...

Tbh I thought it would be stupid too but Superior Spider-Man turned out to be a good read which was a pleasant surprise.

Avatar image for vaeternus
Vaeternus

9558

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#37  Edited By Vaeternus

@holyk: Yeah, sometimes the lesser stories can surprise you while the more hyped can disappoint lol.

Avatar image for sycomantis91
SycoMantis91

64

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

I feel like the art sells issue #0 or 1, and the rest sells the other issues, at least for me.

Avatar image for eisenfauste
Eisenfauste

19633

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Art is pretty important to me, I like visually stunning and grabbing landscapes/battles, characters and writing is meh.