THE END OF COMICS

[Mister_Comics]

Lets say for whatever reason comic book companies stopped printing comic books.

How would it affect everything comic related? Comic cons. Movies. CGC. Local comic stores. Even your collecting.

 

Just like to hear what you think.

 

As for myself I don't buy much new comics. So I think it wouldn't bother me much. Unless it would cause prices of old paper comics to go up. Then it would effect me. I'm not much for digital comics. So if prices for those went up I could care less.

 

So what's your scenario if it was the end of comics?

[ComicConnoisseur]

I always have felt the major characters will outlive their original medium.

Batman,Spider-Man,Superman, and the Marvel Universe will go on in other mediums like TV, movies and videogames.

Think of like how Tarzan, The Shadow, Zorro, and Conan the Barbarian have outlived the pulps from which they came from.

I do see the future in Digital Comics.

In 2009 Digital Comics had 1 million in sales.

In 2013 Digital Comics had 90 million in sales.

Digital comics sales at 90 million.

I also think trade paperbacks will be around for a long time.

The 3.99 monthly is in danger though. The variant sales trick can only last for so long. Eventually the audience that keeps buying the variants will get tired of trying to keep up. It`s one thing to have a variant or two, but some of these comics have 10 plus variants for 1 cover! Talk about artificially inflating sales.

Comics need more readers, not more gimmicks going forward..

[Bookery]

Lets say for whatever reason comic book companies stopped printing comic books.

How would it affect everything comic related? Comic cons. Movies. CGC. Local comic stores. Even your collecting.

 

Comic Cons: No short term-effect. Most cons aren't much about comics anyway. Vinatge dealers would still have their tucked away corners... movie tie-ins and celebrities would still dominate. Many years from now? Maybe... but there are still pulp conventions (true... only 2).

 

Movies: No effect. Few people know or care that these characters come from comics. My grandson discovered Deadpool via video games... movies will look to video games in the future to develop new characters and scenarios.

 

CGC: Unknown. There is only so much vintage stuff to be graded, and much of it already has been. It would be a blow to them on moderns... but they might expand into other areas to compensate (like they are doing with lobby cards, etc.).

 

Local Comic Stores: Most would go out of business, save for a scattered few large operations that could sustain themelves on vintage collectibles... but most of these even now are largely mail-order operations. Those it likely wouldn't affect much for a decade or so.

 

 

[Jayman]

I think if comics stopped being printed as you say, collectors would come together and celebrate the medium all that much more that it could possibly create even more interest. Non collectors/investors might be drawn in by the attention and cause prices to rise for a while. CGC would not be effected for years as there would be plenty of books still out there to be graded. And as was mentioned already, the popular superheroes have already transcended their original comic book origins and are now known to the younger generations from movies and video games. As long as Hollywood can keep these characters interesting I see no reason they would fade from popularity.

[vaillant]

Lets say for whatever reason comic book companies stopped printing comic books.

How would it affect everything comic related? Comic cons. Movies. CGC. Local comic stores. Even your collecting.

 

Just like to hear what you think.

 

As for myself I don't buy much new comics. So I think it wouldn't bother me much. Unless it would cause prices of old paper comics to go up. Then it would effect me. I'm not much for digital comics. So if prices for those went up I could care less.

 

So what's your scenario if it was the end of comics?

 

I don’t understand what do you mean by "the end of comics".

If you mean the end of printed materials, it would mean we’re either too confident in complex (and depending) technology or on the verge of some regression of thought and culture.

[Bookery]

Lets say for whatever reason comic book companies stopped printing comic books.

How would it affect everything comic related? Comic cons. Movies. CGC. Local comic stores. Even your collecting.

 

Just like to hear what you think.

 

As for myself I don't buy much new comics. So I think it wouldn't bother me much. Unless it would cause prices of old paper comics to go up. Then it would effect me. I'm not much for digital comics. So if prices for those went up I could care less.

 

So what's your scenario if it was the end of comics?

 

I don’t understand what do you mean by "the end of comics".

If you mean the end of printed materials, it would mean we’re either too confident in complex (and depending) technology or on the verge of some regression of thought and culture.

 

I took it as just a "what if" thought exercise. That said... ALL comics don't have to cease publication for his question to be valid. All it takes is Marvel and Time-Warner to decide they want to cease printed publication and put all their resources behind digital or games or movies, etc. A simple business / shareholder decision. Disney has stopped publication of their flagship characters in the past between contract negotiations with sub-distributors and deciding and un-deciding to produce their own product. Disney now owns Marvel.

 

If Mickey Mouse can cease to be in print (at least for a time), there's no reason they would balk at doing the same to Spider-Man given the right impetus or change in business direction.

 

[Senormac]

[Davenport]

I always have felt the major characters will outlive their original medium.

Batman,Spider-Man,Superman, and the Marvel Universe will go on in other mediums like TV, movies and videogames.

Think of like how Tarzan, The Shadow, Zorro, and Conan the Barbarian have outlived the pulps from which they came from.

I do see the future in Digital Comics.

In 2009 Digital Comics had 1 million in sales.

In 2013 Digital Comics had 90 million in sales.

Digital comics sales at 90 million.

I also think trade paperbacks will be around for a long time.

The 3.99 monthly is in danger though. The variant sales trick can only last for so long. Eventually the audience that keeps buying the variants will get tired of trying to keep up. It`s one thing to have a variant or two, but some of these comics have 10 plus variants for 1 cover! Talk about artificially inflating sales.

Comics need more readers, not more gimmicks going forward..

It's practically that way now.

 

For future "what if" I wonder how some (composite) paper with 'memory' and self-healing capabilities might impact collectors.

If short of burning the suckers you couldn't ding 'em, would that mean 'the end' if 'grade' were rendered meaningless?

[Kystix]

I believe humans will always want something in there hands. Will digital grow? Yes. But hopefully it will just cause more and more ppl to get into printed books. Also as long as the Variant idea works, they will never move to only digital, cause no one would by a variant cover for a digital comic.

 

However, to answer your question. Superhero movies will always be around, as long as geek/nerd culture continues to grow and or not decrease. Cons will always be around just may be smaller and moved to just Panels or Games or Publisher cons.

 

As people have said, LCS would be hit the worst. Back issues would increase in price to try and keep stores open. Trades would be printed more and more. But most would close in the end.

 

Do I believe this will happen any time soon? No, just like how books are still around too. However, Comics have a 1 up on things like Records/cds, books, Dvds, and etc. And that is that speculation and all those other forms of media, affect the price of a comic book. What new book or CD is worth the what a WD #1 or 19, or NM 98. I dont think there are many, if any.

But I could be wrong.

 

-Kystix

[Scturo]

Indies would take over

[nwpassage]

I'd love to see undergrounds and independents printed on newsprint and priced at a level a kid could afford to collect take over.

 

[Cat-Man_America]

Lets say for whatever reason comic book companies stopped printing comic books.

How would it affect everything comic related? Comic cons. Movies. CGC. Local comic stores. Even your collecting.

 

Just like to hear what you think.

 

As for myself I don't buy much new comics. So I think it wouldn't bother me much. Unless it would cause prices of old paper comics to go up. Then it would effect me. I'm not much for digital comics. So if prices for those went up I could care less.

 

So what's your scenario if it was the end of comics?

 

I don’t understand what do you mean by "the end of comics".

If you mean the end of printed materials, it would mean we’re either too confident in complex (and depending) technology or on the verge of some regression of thought and culture.

 

I took it as just a "what if" thought exercise. That said... ALL comics don't have to cease publication for his question to be valid. All it takes is Marvel and Time-Warner to decide they want to cease printed publication and put all their resources behind digital or games or movies, etc. A simple business / shareholder decision. Disney has stopped publication of their flagship characters in the past between contract negotiations with sub-distributors and deciding and un-deciding to produce their own product. Disney now owns Marvel.

 

If Mickey Mouse can cease to be in print (at least for a time), there's no reason they would balk at doing the same to Spider-Man given the right impetus or change in business direction.

 

 

1. Paper isn't going away in this lifetime, IMO (regardless of the age of anyone reading this).

 

2. Comic shops (i.e. successful brick & mortar comic shops) have been surviving and thriving on lots of non-comic sales items for awhile now.

 

3. If the big comic publishers cease publication, smaller indie publishers and trades will likely take up the slack.

 

4. Barring the upcoming zombie 'pocalypse there could be some other realignment of the cosmos (catastrophic solar flares, magnetic pole shift, etc.) that makes digital mediums less viable and traditional paper popular again.

Hey, since we're all speculating with cloudy crystal balls, why not this?

 

5, History and acceptance of the comics superhero culture as a genre has come to pass. Even if comic films start trending down as they're reasonably expected to do, it will likely be a temporary drop as all successful genres are cyclical and self-perpetuating once popular ($$$). IOW, as long as the superhero films are enjoyed, the genre in all of it's various and sundry forms will be revisited.

 

6. I take your point about Mickey Mouse, but the character didn't start it's life as a comic book so the character owes little to comics as a medium.

 

That said, you're absolutely right about Disney's focus being their bottom line. From my POV they've ruined PIXAR and there's no reason to believe they'll continue doing right by Marvel, but so far we've been lucky as most Disney/Marvel productions have turned out well.

 

[mintcollector]

Lets say for whatever reason comic book companies stopped printing comic books.

How would it affect everything comic related? Comic cons. Movies. CGC. Local comic stores. Even your collecting.

 

Just like to hear what you think.

 

As for myself I don't buy much new comics. So I think it wouldn't bother me much. Unless it would cause prices of old paper comics to go up. Then it would effect me. I'm not much for digital comics. So if prices for those went up I could care less.

 

So what's your scenario if it was the end of comics?

 

Comic book characters are quickly being thought of as multimedia characters. As someone already stated this means the original medium (i.e. comic books) will matter less and less. It could also mean that there will be less demand for the original vintage comic books in general. Given the fact we are already in a speculative bubble it should come as no surprise that prices will eventually fall at some point regardless.

 

 

 

 

[fmaz]

Stories will always be told. The medium will constantly be changing.

 

The biggest change, as the current generation grows up as one who knows the characters from the movies and not from the comics is that without the comics to keep them alive, a vast majority of the secondary characters will vanish....That is, until someone decides to unearth them and use them in a movie.

 

But in terms of our hobby...comics based on the characters who remain in the public eye will always have value, but lesser titles will surely take huge hits.

 

 

[Fanaddict-migration]

Lets say for whatever reason comic book companies stopped printing comic books.

How would it affect everything comic related? Comic cons. Movies. CGC. Local comic stores. Even your collecting.

 

Just like to hear what you think.

 

As for myself I don't buy much new comics. So I think it wouldn't bother me much. Unless it would cause prices of old paper comics to go up. Then it would effect me. I'm not much for digital comics. So if prices for those went up I could care less.

 

So what's your scenario if it was the end of comics?

 

Comic book characters are quickly being thought of as multimedia characters. As someone already stated this means the original medium (i.e. comic books) will matter less and less. It could also mean that there will be less demand for the original vintage comic books in general. Given the fact we are already in a speculative bubble it should come as no surprise that prices will eventually fall at some point regardless.

 

But how will this affect the value of my salt and pepper shakers?

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I don't think print books are going anywhere for some time. From what I've read, comic sales are up from where they were two or three years ago. Is that still true?

 

The movies and shows have heightened peoples' awareness of the medium. It has also forced publishers to up their games. Marvel and DC are both constantly trying to tell quality stories. If you look at some of the books, I really think they are.

 

At the same time, I see way more people in my LCS than I ever remember. Comic stores have figured out a way to survive while still carrying comic books. I'd imagine my store has slowly turned over to games, but It hasn't hurt their inventory.

 

I don't imagine any of us will see comics go out of print.

 

Oh and everyone swore digital books would kill print books. That still hasn't happened.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

In 2009 Digital Comics had 1 million in sales.

In 2013 Digital Comics had 90 million in sales.

Digital comics sales at 90 million.

 

I hadn't seen concrete numbers like this before. Thanks for the link.

[Bronty]

I think if comics stopped being printed as you say, collectors would come together and celebrate the medium all that much more that it could possibly create even more interest. Non collectors/investors might be drawn in by the attention and cause prices to rise for a while. CGC would not be effected for years as there would be plenty of books still out there to be graded. And as was mentioned already, the popular superheroes have already transcended their original comic book origins and are now known to the younger generations from movies and video games. As long as Hollywood can keep these characters interesting I see no reason they would fade from popularity.

 

Worked out great for pulps

[ComicConnoisseur]

I believe humans will always want something in there hands. Will digital grow? Yes. But hopefully it will just cause more and more ppl to get into printed books. Also as long as the Variant idea works, they will never move to only digital, cause no one would by a variant cover for a digital comic.

 

However, to answer your question. Superhero movies will always be around, as long as geek/nerd culture continues to grow and or not decrease. Cons will always be around just may be smaller and moved to just Panels or Games or Publisher cons.

 

As people have said, LCS would be hit the worst. Back issues would increase in price to try and keep stores open. Trades would be printed more and more. But most would close in the end.

 

Do I believe this will happen any time soon? No, just like how books are still around too. However, Comics have a 1 up on things like Records/cds, books, Dvds, and etc. And that is that speculation and all those other forms of media, affect the price of a comic book. What new book or CD is worth the what a WD #1 or 19, or NM 98. I dont think there are many, if any.

But I could be wrong.

 

-Kystix

Some books are worth decent money.

First Harry Potter in the thousands.

Harrry Potter

 

First Game of Thrones in the hundreds.

Game of Thrones

 

Also the first James Bond, Lord of the Rings and Hunger Games books have good value.

 

 

 

[PovertyRow]

I always have felt the major characters will outlive their original medium.

Batman,Spider-Man,Superman, and the Marvel Universe will go on in other mediums like TV, movies and videogames.

Think of like how Tarzan, The Shadow, Zorro, and Conan the Barbarian have outlived the pulps from which they came from.

I do see the future in Digital Comics.

In 2009 Digital Comics had 1 million in sales.

In 2013 Digital Comics had 90 million in sales.

Digital comics sales at 90 million.

I also think trade paperbacks will be around for a long time.

The 3.99 monthly is in danger though. The variant sales trick can only last for so long. Eventually the audience that keeps buying the variants will get tired of trying to keep up. It`s one thing to have a variant or two, but some of these comics have 10 plus variants for 1 cover! Talk about artificially inflating sales.

Comics need more readers, not more gimmicks going forward..

 

Absolutely. And while not a superhero per se , another excellent example is Sherlock Holmes, who is still going strong in TV and movies today.