Things you Want to See in 2014
Torchsong
Posts: 2,794
As a counterpart to SR's Things to Go Away in 2014, what are something things, the world being perfect, you'd like to see out of comics in 2014?
My list:
- The Manga Boom is Over, Long Live Manga - The madness of the past decade, where if it even remotely LOOKED Japanese, it found a company to release it, has ended. Companies rose, fell, and those that remain have heard from the people who buy their books. As a result we're getting less quantity, but much more quality, and a good number of titles made for older readers like me to enjoy. I hope this trend will continue and we're able to get some of the best Japan has to offer, even if there aren't nearly as many titles as they were 5-6 years ago.
- More Readers Discovering there's Life (and great books) outside the Big Two - Image had a banner year this past year as far as putting out creative, innovative and well-done titles. It'd be great to see that translate into better sales and market share. On the indie front, Kickstarter and Indiegogo have helped level the playing field by giving any artist with a solid plan and chops the ability to finance their project and shorten that gap between creator and patron. Here's to seeing that continue.
- Consistency and Innovation from the Big Two - Don't need or want another Avengers book. Oh sure, we'll buy it, but dangit Marvel you used to be the House of Ideas. Recreating the same concept every couple years isn't really an "idea" is it? While DC gets props for trying to create some new characters, they're unfortunately buried in lackluster titles that I can't imagine anyone expected to last very long. I know with both of them it's more about licensing and rights rather than creativity and innovation, but there's not much coming out these days that's demanding my attention or money.
- More Kids' Books - Love 'em or hate 'em - the Ponies had a great book. One that kids buy. And read. Same with Adventure Time. Younger readers become adult readers, and hopefully a few of them will become adult comic readers.
- A Workable Digital model - 99 cents. I won't pay anything more. Don't even ask me.
My list:
- The Manga Boom is Over, Long Live Manga - The madness of the past decade, where if it even remotely LOOKED Japanese, it found a company to release it, has ended. Companies rose, fell, and those that remain have heard from the people who buy their books. As a result we're getting less quantity, but much more quality, and a good number of titles made for older readers like me to enjoy. I hope this trend will continue and we're able to get some of the best Japan has to offer, even if there aren't nearly as many titles as they were 5-6 years ago.
- More Readers Discovering there's Life (and great books) outside the Big Two - Image had a banner year this past year as far as putting out creative, innovative and well-done titles. It'd be great to see that translate into better sales and market share. On the indie front, Kickstarter and Indiegogo have helped level the playing field by giving any artist with a solid plan and chops the ability to finance their project and shorten that gap between creator and patron. Here's to seeing that continue.
- Consistency and Innovation from the Big Two - Don't need or want another Avengers book. Oh sure, we'll buy it, but dangit Marvel you used to be the House of Ideas. Recreating the same concept every couple years isn't really an "idea" is it? While DC gets props for trying to create some new characters, they're unfortunately buried in lackluster titles that I can't imagine anyone expected to last very long. I know with both of them it's more about licensing and rights rather than creativity and innovation, but there's not much coming out these days that's demanding my attention or money.
- More Kids' Books - Love 'em or hate 'em - the Ponies had a great book. One that kids buy. And read. Same with Adventure Time. Younger readers become adult readers, and hopefully a few of them will become adult comic readers.
- A Workable Digital model - 99 cents. I won't pay anything more. Don't even ask me.
Comments
2. Improved binding for trades. I recently had a vertigo trade (less than 2 years only and only read 2 to 3 times) separate from the cover. The pages stayed together so I was able to superglue it back to the cover.
3. A price point for comics that actually encourages people to buy comics especially younger readers. Today, i went into my LCS and bought 5 issues off the rack - my total costs were $18 dollars and change. That is insane. A parent who is not into comics and are just buying for their kid will almost never accept that type of cost. And a kid on an allowance just walking into a LCS should be able to walk out the store with 5 books for around 10 bucks.
4. To make #3 happen, there needs to be serious competiton for Diamond.
1. A grand Superman-centered event -- Yeah the H'El mini events are okay but something more Batman Year Zero only bigger for the Man of Steel.
2.More Superhero OGNs -- I enjoyed Superman & Batman Earth One. Can we have a Wonder Woman Earth One?Or JLA Earth One? A all wrapped in one story w/ minor loose threads to carry over to another volume.
3. More Usagi Yojimbo -- Yeah I'm reading back tpbs of his earlier adventures but it has been a while since new content as been out well over a year.
4. I'm hooked on Yotsuba&! & would like more kids like comics. I'm reading Betty & Veronica comics for a change of pace since I took a hatius from The Walking Dead.
5. Continue w/ the Byrne Man of Steel Superman era tpbs next year -- Yes I have the issues bound but I don't expect comics from 1986-88 to last forever. Cracking the whip on DC get to it DAMNIT!
6. Finally, slim down the number of new Image comics aka new #1s coming out. I counted up how many new series there was it was well over half their line. I don't want Image to be a repeat of its founding years of turning out less that stellar product.
Well that is my ten cents on the issue.
Matthew
:x
1) DC to switch from editorially driven stories to writer driven stories. I miss the DC Universe, and the new, nasty, scratchy 90's rehash that took its place is not to my liking. Marvel had it's resurgence in the late 1990's when they turned the company over to creators...yeah, some people whined that the books didn't concentrate on building continuity, but by 1997, they'd built continuity so dense, NO ONE could do anything in it. DC needs to go out, hire great creators and let them tell stories.
2) Let's get Essentials and Showcases rolling again! Both DC and Marvel have let their big, cheap reprint programs slip, doing fewer and fewer book annually. They are by far my favorite way to read older comics, and are a great way for new fans to dive in.
3) Comics sales trends to keep moving upward. Comics are doing better, year over year, but the REALLY great thing is that the sales are spread out. The lowest selling book on the Top 300 chart is now clocking in at around 5,000 to 6,000 copies...a few years ago, selling 5000 copies would put you in the top 200 book, and the bottom was around 900 copies. More diversity means a stronger market, which is a good thing.
4) A resurgence here on the board. I don't want to complain, but it seems we aren't talking as much as we used to about the COMICS we're reading. I don't see a thread on Infinity, Forever Evil, Spider-Man, and so on. I know message boards are passe, and I have been dealing with a horrible work schedule, but I would hate to see the board go the way of Barbelith and other message boards that do a slow fade.
2) It's time for Marvel to put the focus on its first family. We've had Avenger and X-Men events now let's have one that revolves around The Fantastic Four.
I wouldn't be so sure. Although it might just mean some characters survive.
Well that's good news, I wish they'd label them as Ultimate though, I almost missed Hunger when it came out cause I thought it was just a stand alone Galactus story
I haven't read a single (current) comic since finishing Avengers vs X-Men last Summer. Time to change this, yes?
AMEN!!!! :)
It would be great for the DC Showcases to start up again. They have covered the Silver Age with most of their main characters but they could spend years mining the Bronze Age material.