How to promote comics? Can comics be branded?

[Vger7]

There should be FCBD at grammar schools

 

Hook them in at an early age

 

I've always thought they should do this. I realize that FCBD is designed to both bring in new readers and support brick and mortar stores, but getting these books into the hands of elementary school children at their actual schools would be a big step for the industry to hook new readers at a young age. It would expose more children to them than just relying on parents to bring them to a store. Brick and mortar stores could still stamp the books with their information or sponser the giveaway.

 

Do elementary schools still have book fairs? Scholastic Books? If so, the publishers really ought to strike up agreements with Scholastic about having their wares added to the Book Fair offerings.

 

My kids discovered titles like Bone, Amulet and the Babysitters Club through their school book fair. Unfortunately, no Marvel or DC material.

 

The story lines in most Marvel and DC books are geared towards children any longer are they?

 

Definitely not. Marvel and DC are too busy catering to us older folks. I think current stories are just as good, if not better than what they were. But, the audience has aged, and are much more literate today.

[Vger7]

Another big issue with current comics is the deconstruction/decompression way of writing. You can't go buy an issue and get a complete story. Most stories need a minimum of three months, and sometime multiple titles before they get a full payoff. To get younger kids they need to be able to pick up one book and get a full story. You need a patient kid and a parent willing to pay, to run out every month looking for the next issue. This of course is in direct opposition to established readers who usually want the more complex or involved stories.

 

The solution would seem to be go back to how the Golden Age printed comics. Cheaper 52 page or longer issues, where anyone can pick up a comic and get a complete story. I am not talking graphic novel format here. I am talking a low quality stock, cheap, reprint. So bookstores, etc are not carrying monthly issues but quarterly low cost reprints.

 

Comics are also expensive for what you get. Lets face it. $3 to $4 for 15 minutes of entertainment is very high. So these cheap reprints need to be around $3.

 

I hear you brother! I recently purchased a box of new books which had a lot of issues from the Futures End and Convergence story line. So I figure... might as well try and complete the sets. Big mistake. With all the various titles and variant covers... it was way more effort than it was worth.

 

I too love the pulp paper stock. Not only is it lighter when carrying around long boxes, not only is it cheaper which should help to bring down the price of comics, but I think many of us have a deep connection with it's association with ephemeral print collateral from back in the day.

 

As well, with current print technology, they could do some wonderful things on newsprint. Seems like a win/win to revert back.