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Have we forgotten about the comics ...

Ok dramatic title but hear me out .
I used to comment on message boards all the time discussing Comic threads, stories , creators , publishers, classic titles ect. A few years ago i drifted away from it. Now i thought at the time "hey it happens" but I've noticed recently it seems like i wasn't the only one.

Today i had lull time at work so i went to my comic book news site which i do frequently , but today i noticed something thats been there for ages but i never noticed, there weren't really any "comic book" news on the page ...So i tried another site and another site and it was the same there to .

So i did the math ... 8 out of 10 articles on major comic book news sites are about films or tv shows, two where about the actual comics and most of them where previews .

So much of comics being discussed at the moment isn't any of the hundreds of Books being published but "the casting of characters X ".

The last issue of the big marvel event hits tomorrow, i remember when that would have been poured over (the whole series) panel to panel, wordballon to word balloon on message-boards and news sites . even basic titles like Green Lantern, Captain America , fables , would be discussed at length . Characters moments like Death of Cap, One more Day, Skrull Elecktra , Superman of earth 2, sinestro corp, 52 ect would break the internet with multiple posts on a single issue .

When did we stop talking about the comics? what happened collectively that the adaptations became more appealing to discuss? Do comics still matter as much? is it us fans or the created content ?

Comments

  • TorchsongTorchsong Posts: 2,794
    My 2c...

    Comic properties got popular. Comics themselves did not.

    News sites pretty much have to go where the money - or pageclicks - are. You'll get infinitely more views showing Olivia Munn in the Psylocke outfit than you will Dan Clowes or Frank Miller talking about their latest project.

    I think the core comic collecting (and more importantly reading) lot of us are still around, but I don't know that it's grown any despite the new and amazing popular culture that's grown up around it. People want to watch Batman movies, but invest themselves in the Snyder run? Everyone's got their catty remarks about Gal Godot as Wonder Woman, but how many of them ever actually picked up her books? Everyone tuned into Daredevil, but buy the Miller run so they know who Elektra is? Why bother?

    And the big question now is...do they really NEED to do any of those things?

  • @deadpool Let me begin by saying that I agree with your observations and sympathize because I feel the same way. Unfortunately here's the problem. Movies and television shows are extremely popular right now and a lot of people are really excited about them. Does this often serve as a distraction and divert people's focus from the source material. Yes. And clearly it has frustrated you enough to create this thread. It has frustrated me enough to click "Agree" and respond. Sadly, people like what they like and you and I can't really tell them what to talk about or focus on.

    We can be proactive and perhaps start threads of our own if we want to discuss certain comics-related topics that we don't see anyone else talking about. We can even start our own podcasts, blogs or 'zines if we're so inclined. What we can't do is convince everyone to shut up about Star Wars because we'd rather talk about all these great books we're reading.

  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967
    edited January 2016
    May I recommend bookmarking First Comics News? Most of their articles are comics driven, even covering "back of the book" independent publishers nearly as much as the big 2 and top 5. It's no frills and subdued ads, unlike BleedingCool or Newsarama or CBR. Furthermore, they almost never post 'clickbait' and they even get most new solicits up before almost everyone.

    Check them out.
  • TorchsongTorchsong Posts: 2,794
    I could also point you to comicspectrum.com - focused pretty much completely on comic book talk and news.

    They also let some hack writer occasionally review stuff for them. :)
  • MattMatt Posts: 4,457
    I've opted to avoid posting about the handful of books I've been reading of late. I'm trying to avoid sounding negative & the stuff I've been reading hasn't been very good.

    M
  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,637
    What have you been reading Matt?

  • MattMatt Posts: 4,457
    edited January 2016
    mwhitt80 said:

    What have you been reading Matt?

    Secret Wars, couple of SW tie-in series, Spider-man 2099, & Dynamite Entertainment Shadow vol. 2. S2099 seems to be the only active series (as of my last DCBS order in Oct). I just dropped that series.

    I got my most recent dcbs shipment 10 days ago & I haven't been motivated to even open the wrapping to read them.

    M
  • Mr_CosmicMr_Cosmic Posts: 3,200
    Last month's DCBS order was the Gotham Central omnibus....and that's it. For the first time in about 15 years I won't be buying any new release comics. There just isn't a whole lot that is exciting me in comics right now and the books that I do love don't come out every month.
  • David_DDavid_D Posts: 3,884
    Torchsong said:

    My 2c...

    Comic properties got popular. Comics themselves did not.

    News sites pretty much have to go where the money - or pageclicks - are. You'll get infinitely more views showing Olivia Munn in the Psylocke outfit than you will Dan Clowes or Frank Miller talking about their latest project.

    I think the core comic collecting (and more importantly reading) lot of us are still around, but I don't know that it's grown any despite the new and amazing popular culture that's grown up around it. People want to watch Batman movies, but invest themselves in the Snyder run? Everyone's got their catty remarks about Gal Godot as Wonder Woman, but how many of them ever actually picked up her books? Everyone tuned into Daredevil, but buy the Miller run so they know who Elektra is? Why bother?

    And the big question now is...do they really NEED to do any of those things?

    @deadpool It is an interesting question, and I have also noticed a decline over the years in the sites I go to paying attention to comics vs. the more mass media and celebrity culture side of "comics".

    To add to what @Torchsong said, I will say that not only is there more traffic to be driven from talking about the movies, TV shows, and video games, but what seems to particularly get traffic is anything tied into the cycle of promotion and speculation. Casting announcements, teaser images, trailers, pull quotes from interviews that might suggest what is going to happen.

    And I think there is two reasons for this. First, that the idea that you are revealing new information makes it seem like this is news rather than just another step in a planned promotional campaign.

    And second-- when all there is to respond to is an announcement, image, clip, or even trailer, the bar for entry to the discussion is much lower than later when you have to actually, say, buy and read a comic book. (Or even watch a whole movie, or episode of a TV show).

    Getting a discussion going that responds to, and speculates about, something like a casting announcement or trailer only takes someone a few seconds, or maybe at most 2 minutes of watching a trailer, and then they've got an opinion to share, or a judgment to make. And as usually most of the conversation is had before the work itself can be experienced, then it is not about having to read or watch closely. All gut reactions and quick judgments are welcome, as there is so little to go on. It is perfectly tailored for the social media age: click the thing in front of you, and moments or minutes later, whether or not you like it is ready to express.

    Actually reading, say, a comic book, or following a series of comics, takes time and money (and, sadly, it seems, less of the former and more of the latter all the time). So already the amount of people to participate in the discussion gets cut substantially down from, say, how many people might chime in to talk about a controversial variant cover. Or the announcement of a book that is not out yet. Because when you are just having an opinion about a single image you can look at (like a variant cover), or what you think something you haven't read yet is or isn't, or should or shouldn't be, is a much immediate, lower bar for entry thing, than discussing the work itself, which you have to wait for, buy, and read.
  • David_DDavid_D Posts: 3,884

    @deadpool Let me begin by saying that I agree with your observations and sympathize because I feel the same way. Unfortunately here's the problem. Movies and television shows are extremely popular right now and a lot of people are really excited about them. Does this often serve as a distraction and divert people's focus from the source material. Yes. And clearly it has frustrated you enough to create this thread. It has frustrated me enough to click "Agree" and respond. Sadly, people like what they like and you and I can't really tell them what to talk about or focus on.

    We can be proactive and perhaps start threads of our own if we want to discuss certain comics-related topics that we don't see anyone else talking about. We can even start our own podcasts, blogs or 'zines if we're so inclined. What we can't do is convince everyone to shut up about Star Wars because we'd rather talk about all these great books we're reading.

    Super-like.

    Plus, there is probably time to talk about Star Wars AND comics. As always, I think the best bet is to continue to start and nurture the conversations you want to be having.
  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,637
    edited January 2016
    I tried. :( but I'm not sure what anyone is reading other than @fredzilla and @Torchsong.

    Most of the time we can't talk about TS's list in polite conversation.

    editor's note: sorry @luke52 I read your posts too
  • I should say just in case I wasn't clear. I am not meaning to talk poorly about media discussion . I take part and enjoy it myself. Its more the disappearing of comic book based discussion i'm saddened about. I wish both could exisit together . it could be the two are unrelated to one another.

    I do think @David_D raised some very good points about not only the ease of review a movie teaser but the cost of maintaining a comic discussion .

    The weird thing is I feel the number of comic readers has gone up of recent, I know films generally don't spike mainstream comic sales but it does feel their has been a slow increase with the attention these characters have gotten over time. but that's more in trades. Are trade readers less likely to discuss seeing as the story has already taken place ?

    I do like @Evening639 comment about starting my threads that are comic based and i'll endeavour to do so , I should put my money where my merc with the mouth is
  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,637
    That's not a bad idea. That would make 4 floppies and possibly 1 trade, we know some people are getting/reading every month.
  • TorchsongTorchsong Posts: 2,794
    mwhitt80 said:

    I tried. :( but I'm not sure what anyone is reading other than @fredzilla and @Torchsong.

    Most of the time we can't talk about TS's list in polite conversation.

    editor's note: sorry @luke52 I read your posts too

    Look...not all manga is teenage schoolgirls getting fondled by tentacles and constantly having their skirts blown up by an errant wind...




    ... just the good stuff... ;)

  • TorchsongTorchsong Posts: 2,794
    One thing I have noticed myself doing...whether consciously or unconsciously...is stockpiling.

    I've noticed I'm buying archival editions, large omnibi, and a number of trades of things that hearken back to my collecting heyday (let's say the 80s and leave it at that) but many of them have yet to be read.

    It's almost like I feel there's going to be a time when I won't be able to get/afford my funnybooks anymore, and I need to have stuff available to me in my old age to read.

    Is that stupid or not? I'm not sure anymore, but I also feel like it's going to be a Burgess Meredith Twilight Zone bit where I finally GET time to read all these books and my glasses will break on me. :)
  • CaptShazamCaptShazam Posts: 1,178
    I am guilty of stockpiling too. I keep track of how much I read with the goal of going thru my entire collection. Based on how much I read in one year (assuming I can keep the same pace) and what I own right now, it will take me 18.3 years to read my entire collection one time. Eventually, I am just going to stop buying stuff.
  • David_DDavid_D Posts: 3,884
    edited January 2016

    I am guilty of stockpiling too. I keep track of how much I read with the goal of going thru my entire collection. Based on how much I read in one year (assuming I can keep the same pace) and what I own right now, it will take me 18.3 years to read my entire collection one time. Eventually, I am just going to stop buying stuff.

    Never tell me the odds! ;)
  • DoctorDoomDoctorDoom Posts: 2,586
    Matt said:

    mwhitt80 said:

    What have you been reading Matt?

    Secret Wars, couple of SW tie-in series, Spider-man 2099, & Dynamite Entertainment Shadow vol. 2. S2099 seems to be the only active series (as of my last DCBS order in Oct). I just dropped that series.

    I got my most recent dcbs shipment 10 days ago & I haven't been motivated to even open the wrapping to read them.

    M
    Where do I start with the Dynamite hero stuff?
  • DoctorDoomDoctorDoom Posts: 2,586
    Torchsong said:

    mwhitt80 said:

    I tried. :( but I'm not sure what anyone is reading other than @fredzilla and @Torchsong.

    Most of the time we can't talk about TS's list in polite conversation.

    editor's note: sorry @luke52 I read your posts too

    Look...not all manga is teenage schoolgirls getting fondled by tentacles and constantly having their skirts blown up by an errant wind...




    ... just the good stuff... ;)

    Gives a new meaning to the name "One-Punch Man"... ;)
  • bralinatorbralinator Posts: 5,967

    I am guilty of stockpiling too. I keep track of how much I read with the goal of going thru my entire collection. Based on how much I read in one year (assuming I can keep the same pace) and what I own right now, it will take me 18.3 years to read my entire collection one time. Eventually, I am just going to stop buying stuff.

    This is me.
    Torchsong said:

    One thing I have noticed myself doing...whether consciously or unconsciously...is stockpiling.

    I've noticed I'm buying archival editions, large omnibi, and a number of trades of things that hearken back to my collecting heyday (let's say the 80s and leave it at that) but many of them have yet to be read.

    It's almost like I feel there's going to be a time when I won't be able to get/afford my funnybooks anymore, and I need to have stuff available to me in my old age to read.

    Is that stupid or not? I'm not sure anymore, but I also feel like it's going to be a Burgess Meredith Twilight Zone bit where I finally GET time to read all these books and my glasses will break on me. :)

    This is also me.
  • HexHex Posts: 944
    Torchsong said:


    I've noticed I'm buying archival editions, large omnibi, and a number of trades of things that hearken back to my collecting heyday (let's say the 80s and leave it at that) but many of them have yet to be read.

    This is also me... kinda.

    I have been purchasing a lot of the stuff in trade from my "heyday" that I ALREADY own and read years ago. I am triggered by nostalgia when I see it on the rack at the LCS and want to read it again, or share it with my kids. In my case, my collection is so disorganized and a pain to access (it is stacked away in the crawl space; AKA the Comic Cave) that it is just easier to buy again rather than dig through the vaults. I'm pretty sure that I own at least 4 different versions of Busiek's MARVELS.

    I recently alleviated the urge to purchase duplicate trades by signing up for Marvel Unlimited.

    Speaking of Comics... How about that last issue of Secret Wars that came out today?
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,748
    Hex said:

    Torchsong said:


    I've noticed I'm buying archival editions, large omnibi, and a number of trades of things that hearken back to my collecting heyday (let's say the 80s and leave it at that) but many of them have yet to be read.

    This is also me... kinda.

    I have been purchasing a lot of the stuff in trade from my "heyday" that I ALREADY own and read years ago. I am triggered by nostalgia when I see it on the rack at the LCS and want to read it again, or share it with my kids. In my case, my collection is so disorganized and a pain to access (it is stacked away in the crawl space; AKA the Comic Cave) that it is just easier to buy again rather than dig through the vaults. I'm pretty sure that I own at least 4 different versions of Busiek's MARVELS.
    I used to buy in multiple formats, but for the past several years I have resisted that urge for nice hardcovers of comics I already own. There have been a handful of exceptions when the extra material included was significant enough for me to want to spend the money, but for the most part once I pick a format to purchase for a series, I stick with that one format, be that monthlies or trades or hardcovers. There are more new books I'm interested in reading than I can afford, so why spend that money on something I already have?

    But I do find myself stockpiling. Not archives and omnibuses, but new comics and trades that I simply haven't had time to read yet. I've got a short box full of comics I've fallen behind on, and two shelves worth of trades and HCs I haven't gotten to yet. So I can talk about certain new comics, but many of the books I'm reading I'm several months behind on.
  • MattMatt Posts: 4,457

    Matt said:

    mwhitt80 said:

    What have you been reading Matt?

    Secret Wars, couple of SW tie-in series, Spider-man 2099, & Dynamite Entertainment Shadow vol. 2. S2099 seems to be the only active series (as of my last DCBS order in Oct). I just dropped that series.

    I got my most recent dcbs shipment 10 days ago & I haven't been motivated to even open the wrapping to read them.

    M
    Where do I start with the Dynamite hero stuff?
    That's difficult to say. It seems like DE gets the rights to a character, then put several titles out there (seems like a 12-18 issue series run) before moving onto another character.

    Right now, they've got a Doc Savage series & a couple John Carter of Mars series. They have a bunch properties such as Red Sonja, Evil Dead, & 007 also.

    If you want some great pulp stuff, pick up MASKS in TPB (not so much MASKS II). It features several pulp characters.

    M
  • You also have to factor in what you could talk about in the past. There was only a small fraction of the current material in movies, tv, video games (and a lot of that was poorly translated from the comic form). Now, does the popularity water down the material for the least common denominator or breed creativity and elevate the form? It seems like there is a much broader base, with more options to meet different readers, so there are less people worried about one particular title. Same thing for network tv. They will never get back their old ratings. There is just too much good stuff elsewhere.
  • RickMRickM Posts: 407
    Some of us have gotten frustrated with the comics, trying to follow the twists and turns of characters that are killed off or titles that reboot or universes that relaunch. So we're not going to talk about the latest issue of Iron Man like we did in the past. I still read comics but I'm not tangled up in continuity or trying to keep up with what's hot.
  • DoctorDoomDoctorDoom Posts: 2,586
    Thanks, @Matt. I'm trying to read more non Big 2 stuff.

    As for said stuff... I'm always behind when I read. I currently have like six months of DC, plus at least half of Secret Wars.

    I'm far more caught up on comic tv shows than I am actual comics. I know that's where most of my online contribution goes.

  • Evening639Evening639 Posts: 368
    edited January 2016
    RickM said:

    Some of us have gotten frustrated with the comics, trying to follow the twists and turns of characters that are killed off or titles that reboot or universes that relaunch. So we're not going to talk about the latest issue of Iron Man like we did in the past. I still read comics but I'm not tangled up in continuity or trying to keep up with what's hot.

    I think sometimes we all tend to forget that this is mainly an issue with the Big 2 and some longer-running indies such as Spawn, Savage Dragon, Witchblade, etc. Really these comics represent the minority.

    There are an infinite number of indie ongoings, mini-series, one-shots and graphic novels as well as books and magazines on the subject of comics that come out every month. Not to mention all of the different manga series.

    Some people don't discuss more obscure items such as those I mentioned above because they think nobody is interested. They might be right. However, in my opinion, these comics are the very thing that elevate the medium from the common misconception of being "kid stuff" to the art form it deserves to be seen as.

    I also have become frustrated with Marvel and DC over the years because of endless retcons and reboots. I am rather intimidated sometimes by Valiant because of it's characters long histories of publication. That hasn't diminished my love for comics. It's strengthened my motivations to find new ways to enjoy them.

  • RickMRickM Posts: 407
    Yeah, my comic shelf has Fables, Saga, Low, Y the Last Man, Letter 44, Manifest Destiny and the Adam Strange and Sgt. Rock showcases. Plus I bought Marvel Digital for all of 2016 so I'm trying to read the full run of FF. I haven't read the New 52 or whatever Marvel's relaunch is called.
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