Kids today and the future of comics

[Mister_Comics]

After seeing a whole slew of costumed HULK's, Spider-Man's, Batman's, Superman's, and even a Wolveine, a Wonder Woman and a Captain America yesterday, all out trick n' treatin'. Do the young kids of today really know about comics? Or is it from the movies and TV that they know about superheroes. If kids today are not reading comics, like so many say on these boards, then why are there so many kids interested in suerheroes?

[delekkerste]

If kids today are not reading comics, like so many say on these boards, then why are there so many kids interested in superheroes?

 

Cartoons, movies, videogames, licensed merchandise (e.g., Halloween costumes, lunchboxes, pajamas, etc.) and word-of-mouth. Kids remain interested in superheroes. They are not, however, interested in comic books for the most part. DAM60 is writing a great piece (that hopefully will be published) detailing how the characters/intellectual property remain as valuable as ever, but comics themselves are on a slow slide into oblivion. Sad, but true. Today, the overwhelming majority of people want their superhero fix on DVD and PS2.

 

Don't get me wrong - I'm a huge comic book fan - however, any belief to the contrary of the above is simply delusional. If everyone would get out of denial, perhaps we could collectively find a way to preserve the hobby we love so dearly for future generations. It's not going to happen if everyone thinks the status quo is just hunky-dory, however.

 

Gene

[Aman619]

If kids today are not reading comics, like so many say on these boards, then why are there so many kids interested in superheroes?

 

Cartoons, movies, videogames, licensed merchandise (e.g., Halloween costumes, lunchboxes, pajamas, etc.) and word-of-mouth. Kids remain interested in superheroes. They are not, however, interested in comic books for the most part. DAM60 is writing a great piece (that hopefully will be published) detailing how the characters/intellectual property remain as valuable as ever, but comics themselves are on a slow slide into oblivion. Sad, but true. Today, the overwhelming majority of people want their superhero fix on DVD and PS2.

 

Don't get me wrong - I'm a huge comic book fan - however, any belief to the contrary of the above is simply delusional. If everyone would get out of denial, perhaps we could collectively find a way to preserve the hobby we love so dearly for future generations. It's not going to happen if everyone thinks the status quo is just hunky-dory, however.

 

Gene

 

How many future generations would be enough for ya?

Comics are safe for a couple at least. After that, the medium will be close to a 100 years old in its current form. About time for a change right? It wont be seen as a failure...just "progress". And there will still be "comics"....just not superheroes. We've been over this.. Its Chinatown, Jake!

[aardvark88]

I handed out 12 comic book day comics to trick or treaters. The parents & kids were quite impressed. Probably the kid's 1st Batman comic & less sugar to boot.

[BronzeBruce13]

If kids today are not reading comics, like so many say on these boards, then why are there so many kids interested in superheroes?

 

Cartoons, movies, videogames, licensed merchandise (e.g., Halloween costumes, lunchboxes, pajamas, etc.) and word-of-mouth. Kids remain interested in superheroes. They are not, however, interested in comic books for the most part. DAM60 is writing a great piece (that hopefully will be published) detailing how the characters/intellectual property remain as valuable as ever, but comics themselves are on a slow slide into oblivion. Sad, but true. Today, the overwhelming majority of people want their superhero fix on DVD and PS2.

 

Don't get me wrong - I'm a huge comic book fan - however, any belief to the contrary of the above is simply delusional. If everyone would get out of denial, perhaps we could collectively find a way to preserve the hobby we love so dearly for future generations. It's not going to happen if everyone thinks the status quo is just hunky-dory, however.

 

Gene

 

I started a thread long ago looking for ideas and brainstorming my own, but most everyone replied as to why it wouldn't/couldn't work... instead of offering ideas that may. If you were entrusted with the task of preserving (rescuing) comic collecting/reading going forward, how would you market the product to this generation that is occupied with Video alternatives?

[comicartfan]

Kids remain interested in superheroes. They are not, however, interested in comic books for the most part

 

I have found that the short time that I have been in the hobby of collecting comics (3 years) that it isn't kids that are at conventions, comic stores and buying $1000+ books...it's adults. and it's these adults that are going to keep the price of comics and the interest in comics alive. To think that a Green Lantern 76 9.4 that might be worth $1500 now is going to be worth $10.00 in 15 years because there are no kids involved in comics....or comics are a long dead hobby. Now, I don't have the finance background that Gene has, or the insight that Bruce may have , but I do know that it only takes two BSDs competing against each other to drive the value of a book upwards. And to think that in say 20, 25 years there aren't going to be people interested in collecting High Grade Comics is crazy.....I also know that the actual population of people collecting and buying comics out there goes beyond the 12 people on these boards that make up 75% of the posts on here. I think that will be people that will leave the hobby and those that enter.....it's hopefully somewhat equal, although the ideal would be to have more enter than leave....I think comics will always be published and they will continue to be geared towards the adult audience.

[delekkerste]

If you were entrusted with the task of preserving (rescuing) comic collecting/reading going forward, how would you market the product to this generation that is occupied with Video alternatives?

 

Well, I hope it is not too late to save the hobby, but it may already be too late. Historians 200 years from now may look back and view comics as a 20th century phenomenon...not that they won't continue to be published for decades to come, but, looking back, it's possible that they will be viewed as having slipped into complete irrelevance next to the ascendancy of the Internet, DVDs, etc.

 

That said, if the hobby is to go down fighting, I would echo the sentiments of several people (including myself) on this Board who have advocated making comics more accessible and less collectible. I think that probably starts with a shift to a more durable, portable format (re: TPBs) that is marketed and distributed outside of the traditional direct-sale channel, priced affordably yet at a high enough price point to entice retailers to carry them. Compromises may need to be made - cheaper paper quality, for starters, and increased external advertising (which could be a more interesting proposition if comics are (a) more widely circulated and (b) made less collectible so that comics are actually read and not immediately stored or sent to CGC for slabbing). I am also fully in favor of innovative measures such as comics for teachers, comics on the Web, comics on DVD, etc., even if the ready accessibility to the content keeps back issue prices depressed.

 

I get the sense that people are in denial about the state of the industry and fear progress because of what it would do to the comic collecting world. It seems as though many would rather see uneconomical pamphlets continue to be produced and distributed solely through the direct market even if it means a slow contraction of the overall readership over time. Personally, I would rather see the readership expanding and the hard-core collector, speculator and dealer bases shrinking over time, not vice versa (that's not to say that these parties can't still profit in the new world order, but I think on balance it will be more difficult). That may not be the most popular thing to say on the CGC boards, but if I were to put my own self-interest aside, I think that is the best remedy for the comic industry as a whole.

 

Gene

[Mister_Comics]

They are not, however, interested in comic books for the most part.

 

Totaly agree!

 

But how do we explain the kid in the Captain America costume that I saw?

[Amazing_Bag_man]

I handed out 12 comic book day comics to trick or treaters. The parents & kids were quite impressed. Probably the kid's 1st Batman comic & less sugar to boot.

 

This is one way of spreading the word or in this case the books to young readers for superheros' comicbooks. I believe a good step in the right direction is to make it affordiable because it's no sercet that buying comics today than in the past is almost bankrupting the kids piggy bank, if they were to collect more than four issue from the likes of (Spider-man,Batman and Superman, etc..) and many more if they choose to increase their readership. The cost of producing comics today are going through the roof with the quality of paper, colors and inks etc.

 

Both D.C. and Marvel did issued inexpensive issue to draw new readers with I believe a Hulk, Batman and I think a Fantastic Four that was sold cheap at 25 cent comicbook in their respacted lines. This was a good lure for young comic reader to follow a superhero line. Why couldn't they continue this approach and build their fan base this way???

[fantastic_four]

I give it 30 to 60 years before new comics are no longer published, and a lot longer than that before the seminal titles drop significantly. As everyone is pointing out, the characters will probably continue to project into the latest media of the day if Marvel and DC can manage to stay afloat, and since the heroes started on the printed comic, that's where many fans of those heroes will choose to direct their disposable income.

 

As much as I like to collect them, I don't see the dying of the comic book as negative at all. I prefer movies and video games myself! I always did, even as a little kid. I bought comics for the same reason most people in developed countries do...we crave at least several hours of leisure/fun a day. Movies only fill a few hours a year (less than that, really, since most years we haven't had superhero flicks), and video games maybe a few days or weeks, but we still have dozens upon dozens of comics every month to give us as much superhero fix as we're able to take.

 

That's why I give comics at least another 30 to 50 years...it'll take that long before computer graphics are good enough--and more importantly, cheap enough--to fulfill the volume demand people have for superhero fiction. The fact that superheroes can only be done economically in the comic book format is supported by the almost total demise of comics being "funny" books...humor is cheaply and easily done on television, in movies, or even in person in plays or stand-up comedy, so there's little need to do it in a comic book format.

[Aman619]

...I think comics will always be published and they will continue to be geared towards the adult audience.

 

Do you know any adults who started reading comics as adults and never read them as kids? I dont. The industry today relies on adults, sure, but 99% of them have been reading since they were kids...or are back to reading comics again after taking tears off after childhood.

 

Thats why if no kids are reading them now for enjoyment, no adults will be reading them in 20-40 years. Cause todays kids will BE tomorrows adults.

 

As to how to get todays kids to like comics??? Beats me. Try getting them to eat spinach, drink milk, not smoke cigarettes. They will do what they want even in the face of massive advertising campaigns, which is one of the ideas always pushed to "save" comics. Times change. Tastes change. We are a dying breed...and we never numbered all that many to begin with.

[Aman619]

If kids today are not reading comics, like so many say on these boards, then why are there so many kids interested in superheroes?

 

Kids dress up as superheroes because the 'concept' is still viable.... but reading them isnt. You can pretend to be a superhero without caring about the particular adventures wrtten and drawn each month. Its actually more creative for a child to pretend to BE Spidey than read a new story about the return of Norman Osborn again and again.

 

The ultimate Spidey story/experience for a kid (for anyone!) would be to put on the suit and be strapped into some Ultimate Virtual reality simulator (like The Matrix) and actually BE Spidey for an adventure OF HIS OWN CHOOSING. Sure that's far fetched now (probably forever)....but moving away from that intense level of involvement, watching the movie, or playing the computer game is a lot closer than looking at the static pictures and (ugh) reading the word balloons.

 

Comics have improved tremendously in 65 years....but the technology is getting pretty dated. I love em, but Ive been doing it for over 40 years. I dont see it having nearly the same appeal to todays kids as it did in the 50s.

[ninanina]

I read comics sporadically as a kid. I didn't buy many. Saw them at my cousins, my friends etc. Didn't start collecting them till I was 25. So, whose to say 20 - 30 years from now there are still ONLY going to be adults buying back issues at the conventions and the hobby as a whole is doomed because of it.

 

I have no idea what it was like at conventions 20 years ago - in the 80's. Were there really a lot of 8 - 17 year olds spending a few hundred dollars at conventions buying back-issues? Seems to me this is a hobby for people that have the money to spend. Kids just don't have the money. And perhaps that could be a big reason why you need to be an adult to collect comics/back issues. There is an assumption here that in order for an adult to be interested in collecting comics, he MUST have read them as a kid. You really don't have to be a regular comic reader to become a collector. I never was.

 

Wouldn't there be some appeal for the kids of today to buy the comics of yesterday simply to reflect back on the video games they were exposed to as a kid? They can't afford it now, but who knows....they could certainly afford it once their working and making more money than they would working a paper route. Right now there is a choice. Video games or comics with video games coming out on top as far as the kids are concerned.

 

I don't see too many adults playing video games, but I see a lot of them are collecting comics.

 

 

[Aman619]

I read comics sporadically as a kid. I didn't buy many. Saw them at my cousins, my friends etc. Didn't start collecting them till I was 25. So, whose to say 20 - 30 years from now there are still ONLY going to be adults buying back issues at the conventions and the hobby as a whole is doomed because of it.

 

I have no idea what it was like at conventions 20 years ago - in the 80's. Were there really a lot of 8 - 17 year olds spending a few hundred dollars at conventions buying back-issues? Seems to me this is a hobby for people that have the money to spend. Kids just don't have the money. And perhaps that could be a big reason why you need to be an adult to collect comics/back issues. There is an assumption here that in order for an adult to be interested in collecting comics, he MUST have read them as a kid. You really don't have to be a regular comic reader to become a collector. I never was.

 

Wouldn't there be some appeal for the kids of today to buy the comics of yesterday simply to reflect back on the video games they were exposed to as a kid? They can't afford it now, but who knows....they could certainly afford it once their working and making more money than they would working a paper route. Right now there is a choice. Video games or comics with video games coming out on top as far as the kids are concerned.

 

I don't see too many adults playing video games, but I see a lot of them are collecting comics.

 

 

the problem isnt the availability of grownups TODAY buying back issues. Yes, you need to be an adult to afford a back-issue hobby as we practice it. And there werent so many kids buying back issues in 80s conventions. They were there buying current X-Mens and then Teen Titans for a buck apiece...dealers blew through every issue they had from show to show.

 

The REAL problem for the industry is that because so few kids read them NOW, they will never be interested in buying back issues later. S first the industry fades away from lack of interest. Whicjh drives down the demand portion of the supply/demand equation in the future for 99% of all existing back-issues. Til only those with the highest demand (super key first appearances of historical value, not issue # 162 to complete a run that nobody is completing any more..)

 

I agree that some might actually want the first appearance of a video game character that they loved as a kid. And chances are it will still be a good "investment". Thats what Im saying.

 

But they won't want issues #2 thru 100.

[delekkerste]

Wouldn't there be some appeal for the kids of today to buy the comics of yesterday simply to reflect back on the video games they were exposed to as a kid?

 

That's about as likely as today's car enthusiasts going back to collect old buggy whips. Comics are viewed as anachronisms of an earlier age to most of the non-collecting population.

 

 

I don't see too many adults playing video games, but I see a lot of them are collecting comics.

 

I see a lot of adults buying their kids video games, but not too many buying them comic books. What does *that* say about the future?

 

Gene

[FlyingDonut]

I believe the problem lies with the marketing and public relations arms of the major comics publishers (and the minor ones as well), who have taken the "Comics aren't just for kids" concept to a bizarre extreme. M

 

As an example, my eight-year-old and his friends are RABID X-Men Evolution cartoon fans. Rabid. They are also major fans of Teen Titans, Justice League and Batman on Cartoon Network. X-Men Evolution was a happy meal toy, as was Batman. I don't know about anybody else, but at the Donut household, Happy Meals are a basic food group. At NO time were there ever ANY indications within the Happy Meal toys that there was an X-Men or Batman comic book.

 

There are millions of eight year olds watching X-Men Evolution, yet the comic book being published is aimed at 35 year olds who fondly remember Byrne. I don't understand what the marketing people at Marvel, DC, and other places are doing. There are clear ways to get the product into the hands of new consumers through an incremental build up of the audience base, yet this is just not being done.

[Aman619]

But Donut. The kids are happily enjoying the cartoons. What makes you think they need a print 'fix' inbetween airings?

[ninanina]

But Donut. The kids are happily enjoying the cartoons. What makes you think they need a print 'fix' inbetween airings?

 

I am hoping there gonna need this "fix" when they get older. First they are gonna have to grow out of the cartoon faze and then the video game faze.

 

I do believe collecting comics for a lot of these kids today could become a way of connecting to what they toyed with as kids. But...who really knows?

[fantastic_four]

I am hoping there gonna need this "fix" when they get older. First they are gonna have to grow out of the cartoon faze and then the video game faze.

 

Why's that? I was playing Atari 2600 and 5200 before I ever started collecting comics, and I still play 5-15 hours of video games a week. Can't play them all the time, though...they get repetitive.

[ninanina]

I am hoping there gonna need this "fix" when they get older. First they are gonna have to grow out of the cartoon faze and then the video game faze.

 

Why's that? I was playing Atari 2600 and 5200 before I ever started collecting comics, and I still play 5-15 hours of video games a week. Can't play them all the time, though...they get repetitive.

 

So, you were a kid who used to play video games and now collects comics.

 

 

 

 

Interesting.