#Comicsgate - The Culture Wars Hit The Funny Books!

[AnOminous]

The only comic book stores I can think of that will really survive are those that sell other things on the side, or those that cater to fans of the medium and have stuff you will never find in any other store, though those are generally only found in big cities.

Unfortunately, outside of big cities, the only such stores that really stand a chance market-wise are general stores that hawk nerd gear to normies. Comics are just one of many things there, along with walls of Funko Pops and other worthless garbage.

 

[Judge Holden]

And this right here is the irony of the REEEE crusade against comicsgate.

The industry is dying, its fucking terminal.

It probably has no way of being salvaged beyond the IP being used for movies/cartoons/games, but instead of trying to reverse or even merely halt this decline, or even try to ensure the death of the industry is a dignified one, industry personalities and bigwigs alike are dedicating EVERYTHING to a pointless jihad against dissident fans and creators with the hope of permenantly silencing them and thus maintaining hegemony of the wasteland they ruined.

Like fucking comicsgate could be adcovating shit like "we want all comics to have child rape and puppy flaying" and it still would be utter stupidity to focus any effort on "combating" them at such a time when everybody should be pulling out all the stops to stop the industry going belly up, and yet these fucktards are straight up shitting on their already piss poor comic lines solely to have superheroes nobody gives a shit about say "comicsgate is bad mkay? if you support comicsgate u r a bigut mkay?" and have various personal enemies of the creators be portrayed as hideous nazi rape monsters, which is about the surest way possible to turn off everybody who doesnt give two shits about a goddamn flamewar* and does nothing to silence anybody.

Basically its like if a fucking asteroid was going to wipe out humanity in a few years, and instead of doing anything to knock it off course or preserve some last vestage of human life, world governements started nerve gassing their own people in order to wipe out manspreading. All the industry has done is ensure that when it inevitably dies now, there will be a whole bunch of people pissing on its corpse

*i.e. effectively the entire audience and potential audience

 

[RodgerDodger]

This! For some insane reason the Comics Industry has seemingly decided that their only course for survival is the jettison all of their existing customer base, in a manner that insures that those many decades long customers will never ever do business with them again. And then attract some mythical new customer base unicorn. Millions of genderfluid dangerhairs forking over $10/book for 20 pages of flat pastel colored soy people snarkily saying nothing to each other. They are actively driving away rich professional nerds in favor of a new audience of homeless couch surfing hobos who use what little discretionary spending funds they can beg borrow or scam, for meth and hormones. As you might guess, this is not a formula for success. What makes it even more absurd is many of those trying it here are the same failed Video Game insiders who tried the same trick there. It’s like watching “the problem isn’t Communism, it’s just nobody has ever executed it right!” Play out on a micro scale. They never fucking learn.

 

[AnOminous]

What makes it even more absurd is many of those trying it here are the same failed Video Game insiders who tried the same trick there. It’s like watching “the problem isn’t Communism, it’s just nobody has ever executed it right!” Play out on a micro scale. They never fucking learn.

One difference is vidya makes tens or hundreds of billions every year, and comic books just don't. The market cap for all comics is pretty small, especially once you remove manga from that, since they're essentially different industries even if they have customer base overlap.

People in the boardrooms of AAA vidya studios could have more or less utterly ignored all of GG.

Comic books could literally cease to exist without many people noticing, though.

 

[RodgerDodger]

One difference is vidya makes tens or hundreds of billions every year, and comic books just don't. The market cap for all comics is pretty small, especially once you remove manga from that, since they're essentially different industries even if they have customer base overlap.

People in the boardrooms of AAA vidya studios could have more or less utterly ignored all of GG.

Comic books could literally cease to exist without many people noticing, though.

People in the boardrooms of AAA vid ya game publishers largely did ignore GG. They produce what pays. And their few attempts at “Get Woke” have almost universally “gone broke”

The Videogame Press however managed to set itself on fire. Driving off readership and advertisers at rates that resembled a plague outbreak.

 

[damian]

YaBoi found us a very interesting looking hillbilly:

"Marvel has a few good books, COMICSGATE DEBUNKED!":

Spoiler: Description:

Spoiler: Comments

This guy seems to plainly believe that the industry is doing just fine. It's pretty hard to listen his words because of the gay background music. He doesn't take into account the increase in prices and number books coming out when he starts debunking the lowering sales argument, he's looking only at the dollar figure. The shops closing argument he blames on comic shops not being exclusively comic shops. "Closed shops don't take stock." He argues that because the industry made $1 billion that there are enough stores to warrant a combined $1 billion in orders. I have no clue where he got the $1 billion figure, because the figures I can find say that the industry barely breaks the $500 million mark:

He literally says "comics are OVER PERFORMING", I literally just covered shops in danger of closing their doors for good.

He also made another video about CG previously. He's pretty funny, he obviously has no clue what he's talking about. He thinks Meyer is suing Waid because he doesn't like how the Marvel characters were being written badly and that he was dropped by AP because he made videos critical of the comics industry when he should had stayed quiet:

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[RodgerDodger]

YaBoi found us a very interesting looking hillbilly:
View attachment 631995
"Marvel has a few good books, COMICSGATE DEBUNKED!":
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rUUfs_wTFLQ

Spoiler: Description:

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Spoiler: Comments

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This guy seems to plainly believe that the industry is doing just fine. It's pretty hard to listen his words because of the gay background music. He doesn't take into account the increase in prices and number books coming out when he starts debunking the lowering sales argument, he's looking only at the dollar figure. The shops closing argument he blames on comic shops not being exclusively comic shops. "Closed shops don't take stock." He argues that because the industry made $1 billion that there are enough stores to warrant a combined $1 billion in orders. I have no clue where he got the $1 billion figure, because the figures I can find say that the industry barely breaks the $500 million mark:
View attachment 632008
He literally says "comics are OVER PERFORMING", I literally just covered shops in danger of closing their doors for good.

He also made another video about CG previously. He's pretty funny, he obviously has no clue what he's talking about. He thinks Meyer is suing Waid because he doesn't like how the Marvel characters were being written badly and that he was dropped by AP because he made videos critical of the comics industry when he should had stayed quiet:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Es84XyBrK1s

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Spoiler: Comments

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I’m sorry, no. This dude is a colorful and mildly amusing idiot. His throwing back of “that’s your opinion and I have mine” when presented with actual hard facts, be it legal facts regarding Meyer v Waid, or actual numbers and what they mean, simply peg him as an opinionated loser. To quote the late Senator Moynihan, “everyone is welcome to their own opinions, but not their own facts”.

I hope this clueless Soybilly has someone to take care of him and see that he is fed. He seems a nice and quite affable dude. But he would argue the current weather as a matter of opinion. I’ve dealt with enough of these type idiots in my life to recognize them instantly.

 

[Charlie Delicious]

While I do think forced diversity and in your face hyper leftist politics isn't helping, I think the days of having comic book stores in every City are over due to the heavy competition for your attention.

Comics now have to compete with Netflix, YouTube, PC gaming, consoles, Twitch, mobile games, Twitter, Facebook, kiwifarms, etc. It's getting harder to fight for that "muh spare time" dollar.

Physical comics will survive. But they better find a better way to get them into the buyer's hands.

 

[AnOminous]

Physical comics will survive. But they better find a better way to get them into the buyer's hands.

Publishing ones people actually want to buy is the issue. If they do that, people will figure out a way to buy them. If they don't, nobody will bother.

 

[The Doktor]

I’m sorry, no. This dude is a colorful and mildly amusing idiot. His throwing back of “that’s your opinion and I have mine” when presented with actual hard facts, be it legal facts regarding Meyer v Waid, or actual numbers and what they mean, simply peg him as an opinionated loser. To quote the late Senator Moynihan, “everyone is welcome to their own opinions, but not their own facts”.

I hope this clueless Soybilly has someone to take care of him and see that he is fed. He seems a nice and quite affable dude. But he would argue the current weather as a matter of opinion. I’ve dealt with enough of these type idiots in my life to recognize them instantly.

That clown's twitter account is really funny. 16k followers. Almost no engagement. Fewer impressions than me with only 700 followers. He's like the perfect example of what a purchased follower count looks like.

 

[damian]

That clown's twitter account is really funny. 16k followers. Almost no engagement. Fewer impressions than me with only 700 followers. He's like the perfect example of what a purchased follower count looks like.

The truth is sadder than you expect:
https://www.twitteraudit.com/MARVELspank

(Although I'm not sure how accurate this tool is.)

 

[Judge Dredd]

https://twitter.com/maxbemis/status/1079260920721879040 http://archive.fo/4zXcb

I guess we know who Zoe's slept with.

It's like Joss Whedon all over again.

On a similar vein, Chuck Rozanski (Mile High Comics) thoughts after having to close one of his stores EDIT: http://www.milehighcomics.com/newsletter/010219email.html http://archive.li/6AUcq

Whenever I see failing businesses resort to "get out there and show your support" type messages I'm reminded of Ayn Rand and an old Jordan Owens video. Instead of relying on collectivist jargon where people have to continuously pay for your fuck ups because reasons, you should instead appeal to people as individuals and give them a reason to want to buy the thing you're selling.

I know this is basically a more wordy way of saying "make comics good and people will buy" but when someone is asking for me to "show my support" and I ask "why" and the only answer is "because this place that only sells things you hate will go away", what am I supposed to say? Because me saying "goodbye" is considered rude.

I know it's not feasible, but I agree it would be great if comic shops started turning away books that won't sell. It would be even better (though not realistic) if they mailed them back to Marvel so they had massive stacks of shit turning up day after day. I bet that would make them hesitate to ship "free" copies of bad books to boost sales figures.

 

[The Doktor]

The truth is sadder than you expect:
https://www.twitteraudit.com/MARVELspank
View attachment 632243
(Although I'm not sure how accurate this tool is.)

Jesus... how do you get that low of an impression count with that big of an ostensibly “real” follower count? That’s absolutely pathetic.

 

[Least Concern]

Ya Boi, literal Nazi, praises Archie 1941, despite it having been co-written by Mark Waid. His lawyer probably would have preferred he didn't cover anything involving Waid, but… Interesting premise; Archie signs up for the military during WWII goes off to fight Nazi-adjacent Vichy France in northern Africa.

(TW: No Luna)

 

[gobbogobb]

Comics aren't coming back until they're sold in drug stores, supermarkets, and terror of terrors --- Walmart.

Kids aren't even attempting to convince their parentsto go into some nerdstore. They're buying stuff at Barnes and Noble when mommy is getting her soywater. They're begging for toys at wally world while Dad is stocking up on buckshot and kools.

They know who Spiderman is, but they aren't even really concious of actual comic books.

Why?

Because they never see them.

Get good capeshit into kids hands and watch the market start to heal. It's never going to be what it was, but relying on collectors to buy a product marketed solely to collectors is doomed.

Example: https://www.royalsreview.com/2018/1/31/16748278/whatever-happened-to-baseball-cards-topps

 

[Grimm]

Ya Boi, literal Nazi, praises Archie 1941, despite it having been co-written by Mark Waid. His lawyer probably would have preferred he didn't cover anything involving Waid, but… Interesting premise; Archie signs up for the military during WWII goes off to fight Nazi-adjacent Vichy France in northern Africa.

(TW: No Luna)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=w5oTHpA6FiI

The saying goes "Separate the art from the artist".

I wonder if Mark Waid's lawyer would actually try using Zack's reviews of Waid's books as "evidence" of harassment?

 

[Least Concern]

Comics aren't coming back until they're sold in drug stores, supermarkets, and terror of terrors --- Walmart.

Watch Peter Simeti of Alterna Comics on YouTube. He publishes videos weekly talking up the new comics Alterna is putting out that week in a manner that comes off as both passionate and professional - even a non-comics person like me can't help but get enthusiastic for his products. One of the other things he talks about is how, while he loves LCSes, he's still trying to expand distribution of his books to bookstores (IIRC, he already has a deal with Barnes & Noble), newsstands, and other places where you'll find stacks and stacks of magazines, but not comic books for whatever reason. Heck, at my local grocery store, I can get a magazine about kittens or guns or word searches, so why not Spider-Man? It does seem like he's trying to find ways to get comics into more markets, and I wish him the best.

I wonder if Mark Waid's lawyer would actually try using Zack's reviews of Waid's books as "evidence" of harassment?

Oh, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Zaid, Ren, and fwiends start reeing on Twitter (tweeing?) about how this review just further proves what a monster Meyer is.

 

[Rebis]

So I went to the local Books-A-Million the other day. Back in the day, the comics used to be part of the magazine section. Now, they’ve been relegated to an increasingly small seperated section where half the stuff is on sale. But somehow, a small selection of comics had made their way back over to the magazine section. I was surprised to find they weren’t Marvel or DC - they were Alterna. Simeti has got hustle man.

 

[gobbogobb]

So I went to the local Books-A-Million the other day. Back in the day, the comics used to be part of the magazine section. Now, they’ve been relegated to an increasingly small seperated section where half the stuff is on sale. But somehow, a small selection of comics had made their way back over to the magazine section. I was surprised to find they weren’t Marvel or DC - they were Alterna. Simeti has got hustle man.

That's good news at least. I'd have never read comics as a kid if they weren't sold in the grocery store where I could grab one or two cool looking ones every week.

 

[Steamboat_Bill]

Comics aren't coming back until they're sold in drug stores, supermarkets, and terror of terrors --- Walmart.

Kids aren't even attempting to convince their parentsto go into some nerdstore. They're buying stuff at Barnes and Noble when mommy is getting her soywater. They're begging for toys at wally world while Dad is stocking up on buckshot and kools.

They know who Spiderman is, but they aren't even really concious of actual comic books.

Why?

Because they never see them.

Get good capeshit into kids hands and watch the market start to heal. It's never going to be what it was, but relying on collectors to buy a product marketed solely to collectors is doomed.

Example: https://www.royalsreview.com/2018/1/31/16748278/whatever-happened-to-baseball-cards-topps

I keep trying to tell people this, but God knows they're not listening...

Then again, comics haven't been made for children for years.