Comics after the Pandemic

[Tjm86]

Considering that the state of the industry was 'fragile' to say the least even before the current pandemic, I do wonder about what will emerge at the end.  The slow and steady rise of American imports has been brought home far more starkly over the last couple of years here in the UK as exchange rates have become less favourable as a result of political decisions.

This does not seem to be helped by some of the publishing decisions we've seen recently.  One of my 'guilty pleasures' , for example, has been the X-men.  Admittedly in the last few years this has been more of a labour of love and fervent hope that they might find their footing once more.  House of X / Dawn of X seemed to offer prospects although in many places there were worrying signs.  There were interesting prospects in the line-up of titles but it was a bit of mixed bag.  What has balked though is the publishing schedule on some of them.

Quite a number of the titles seem to have had a fortnightly schedule.  So a Darwinian process definitely applied especially considering the higher costs.  Here though the dangers of a critical evaluation become far more apparent.   If I'm trying to work out whether it is worth keeping spending money then it raises the whole question of whether it is worth keeping on with any of the titles.

That was before all of this kicked off and put a real pause on availability.  What is the publishing hiatus going to do?  Several months without could well be enough to bring years of reading to an end.  Now that might not be much of an issue to Marvel but it will be to my supplier.  That's another customer gone at a time when attracting new ones is already an issue.  How widespread is this likely to be?

It's ironic that cinema has popularised many of these characters and brought them into far wider consciousness than ever before.  That has pretty consistently failed to translate into greater readership.  I just wonder though if one of the casualties of Covid-19 may well be the comics industry here in the UK.  Or am I just being unduly pessimistic?

[IAMTHESYSTEM]

I think the comics industry will take a severe knock, whether that means the end of all Titles I doubt, but some will fall due to the fact they were low sellers. There might be Digital only formats for a few, and even 2000AD might, in the end, decide it's had a good run, and the readership isn't getting any younger so no more Print stand version of 2000, or the Megezine. Children's comics like Transformers, Marvel should continue, they tend to sell well, and with reasonably good sales their survival is all but guaranteed. It's the niche market for comics and magazines that will take the brunt of the cuts that look inevitable in both the short and long run.

[Colin YNWA]

While I have no real insight I reckon the big two will be fine, as long as their global parent companies want them to be. The real risks is at the edges and the greater diversity of comics, specifically via the direct market, which is where the real danger lies? Mainly as the smaller stores are going to struggle. One would imagine some will survive, some will not. The same will be true for smaller publishers I'd imagine.

What that would lead to I'd suggest an even smaller direct market and can an even smaller direct market sustain itself? Diamond, damaged and reduced? Fewer stores? Fewer publishers?

Mind will this just be accelerating what was happening anyway. So will the digital market replace the gap left in the physical market. Will the growing market (?) in bookstore and from mainstream publishers increases its share and become dominant - if they aren't in reality already? Its all a bit worrying for us diehard old school types BUT this is an industry full of smart, creative folks and so while we may well see a changed industry after all this will it be for the better? Or will energy and ingenuity be used to reset the norm after all this - that seems hard to imagine but if smarter folks than me want to sustain the current status I'm sure they'll find a way. The question is would the want to?

Folks will still want to read comics, folks will still love to produce them so comics aren't going anywhere. How we consume them - well that's still up for grabs.

[Richard]

There will still be a direct market for subscribers and for online purchasers. Rebellion will still get most of its profits from computer games, so even if the comic becomes unprofitable during the lockdown, Rebellion may still decide that it's worth subsidising it in the meantime. They have only just started the Treasury of British Comics, after buying all the necessary rights, so they're not likely to want to give up on that too easily.

I am worried about comic shops though. The FCBD will have to be cancelled or postponed this year. Maybe chains like Forbidden Planet will be okay, but some traders will have a tough time.

[Richard]

* Sole traders.

[Tjm86]

I am worried about comic shops though. The FCBD will have to be cancelled or postponed this year. Maybe chains like Forbidden Planet will be okay, but some traders will have a tough time.

I do think that is the bigger issue.  The market doesn't really seem to have ever fully recovered from the speculator bubble of the late 80's / early 90's.  It does seem as well that the back issue market is being dented by digital. 

I don't think eBay has helped either.  If anything its stranglehold and high fee model seems to be doing more harm than good.  A lot of scalping and flipping going on.

[IndigoPrime]

There might be Digital only formats for a few, and even 2000AD might, in the end, decide it's had a good run, and the readership isn't getting any younger so no more Print stand version of 2000, or the Megezine. Children's comics like Transformers, Marvel should continue, they tend to sell well, and with reasonably good sales their survival is all but guaranteed.

ABCs for children's comics are all over the place as well, and I've noticed a number of subtle format shifts to claw back costs. Some have arguably been for the good (Hey Duggee, e.g, switching from plastic tat to stickers only as covermounts), but that sector is also finding it tough.

My hope would be the key British titles will survive for various reasons. Rebellion will almost certainly want to take a hit or put 2000 AD on hiatus rather than cancel the comic entirely. The Beano, I imagine, will be in the same position. The Phoenix is heavily geared towards subs-based sales, and so that should also be OK. But once you head towards the more fragile end of the spectrum — Panini titles; Titan — you do wonder how many will get through unscathed. (Although, frankly, Titan can bugger off, given the appalling customer service I received of late, where they refused to send me what was owed on my subscription, on the basis that I cancelled said subscription. Nice.)

[sheridan]

Companies such as DC and Marvel will want to continue publishing some of their titles - if only to keep the rights for use in other mediums (games as well as the obvious film and TV).  I'm going to hazard a guess that IDW will also be in the same position as they're getting in to TV as well.  Is Dark Horse still an omni-channel media producer?

[IndigoPrime]

Sobering story from Press Gazette: https://pressgazette.co.uk/traffic-uplift-no-compensation-for-loss-of-ad-revenue-says-head-of-mag-publishers-body/

Publishers looking at an ad revenue drop of between 20 and 95%. But also, sales are getting a kicking. Printers are still running, but we don't know for how long.

In short, if you have the interest and the means, and had been flirting with subscribing to a magazine or comic, now would be the time. Get The Phoenix or The Beano for your nipper. Take the plunge with 2000 AD. Buy Stuff or Wireframe or whatever else floats your boat in magazine world. Loads of these have some great special offers for the first few months, and you can always cancel later.

Obviously, people shouldn't do this if they cannot afford to. But if you can, keeping the things you love earning money would be a very smart move right now.

[Keef Monkey]

I literally just took out a subscription to my regular monthly games mag (Official Xbox) because I pick it up every month and wanted to be able to get the digital copy during lockdown, and almost immediately read the news that the mag has been shut down. One of 6 by that publisher apparently (Future Publishing?)

I know print media has been on the ropes for a while but this seems to be the killing blow for many. I've been digital with my comics for years now but that hardly matters if print sales/ads are dropping this much. Grim times.

[IndigoPrime]

Future's on a mission. That mission appears to be to protect profitability. It's axing freelance left and right, and titles that were on the brink are being shown no mercy. Computer Arts has gone, which was for many years a flagship Future brand. OXM and Windows Mag have been killed off as well. I've no idea what the other three are.

[Colin YNWA]

Interesting article in the Guardian - though of course uses the word 'comics' when it means US direct market comics and doesn't take the golden opportunity to highlight the stirling work of Tharg and The Phoenix, Cinebook and so many others (please add your examples in the Lockdown Comics thread in these parts) who are keeping so many fine comics still in circulation. Still interesting,

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/apr/20/great-depression-will-comic-books-survive-coronavirus-marvel-cuts?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&fbclid=IwAR1iSMvZUDgNoj7KNH6oM2ReX6QiWzVCUJwZ_zEQ8HcYKzulHSxTIc69XM8

[Colin YNWA]

Well things seemed to be slowly returning to normal and then DC dropped the bombshell that they are ditching Diamond.

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/dc-comics-quits-diamond-for-good-for-ucs-lunar-what-about-uk/

Who the heck knows what that means - but apparently it doesn't look good for DC comics in the UK.

[Professor Bear]

Since updated with a Q&A from DC Comics: https://bleedingcool.com/comics/dc-comics-qa-on-quitting-diamond-after-25-years-exclusivity/

The DC spokesperson states that the new distributors will be shipping outside the US.  Diamond is - infamously - an illegal monopoly that the US trade department just can't be bothered prosecuting - however that works - and a more competitive market is a good thing for customers.

[sheridan]

Since updated with a Q&A from DC Comics: https://bleedingcool.com/comics/dc-comics-qa-on-quitting-diamond-after-25-years-exclusivity/

The DC spokesperson states that the new distributors will be shipping outside the US.  Diamond is - infamously - an illegal monopoly that the US trade department just can't be bothered prosecuting - however that works - and a more competitive market is a good thing for customers.

A agree a more competitive market is a good thing, but where are the competitors going to come from?  I can't imagine there are any distributors clamouring for the niche comics market.  Fingers crossed though!