In case you haven’t heard already the comic mountain’s gotten a little steeper in the last week to ten days. Diamond Comics Distributor Inc., the distributor for pretty much all of North America’s comic books and other associated merchandise is raising its minimums. Instead of the current standard whereby every item would be expected to earn the distributor $1500 before it would be offered through the direct market, Diamond has raised the standard to $2500. This equates to a significant two-thirds increase. People smarter than myself have crunched the numbers and pointed to the fact this now means for an item to justify its listing in Diamond's Previews catalogue, from which retailers order the vast majority of their stock, that item would now have to make $6250 retail. In other words OUCH!
Realistically I haven’t made a published comic yet, but while this is still down the list of issues to worry about in terms of progression, it is by far the biggest. I can honestly say it worries me no end. I’m still going to make comics and this will unquestionably make me raise my game because the stakes have gone up. It also mean though, there is no room for error and you may need lady luck on your side a bit more too. When even popular, award-winning creators and products step away from the industry due to this turn of events, it says loud and clear that there is absolutely no learning period for new creators. Got a quirky little gem hoping to find a niche? Good luck with that. With a lot more on the line every time a project is conceived I think a major concern for the industry has to be that the type of title on offer doesn’t narrow to spandex and superhero derivatives. There’s far too many of them about as it is and the loss of range in the indie and alternative comics sections would be a real disaster for creativity. Or, if you like, the potential for creativity with people thinking in a narrower mindset.
Tom Spurgeon’s article at the Comics Reporter here explains why this situation is bad far better than I can. I guess all eyes will be on the DM for the foreseeable future, to understand what exactly the changes mean and how it will affect the industry.
Showing posts with label LCS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LCS. Show all posts
Saturday, 14 February 2009
Sunday, 21 December 2008
The Economy Bites
A preferred comics retailer has this sign up.
As of today (December 8th 2008) our comic supplier has increased their prices, as such we have had to review and raise our prices accordingly.
As a gesture of goodwill to our customers, anyone who has pre-ordered their comics and graphic novels at the previously listed price will have their orders honoured at those prices, this applies to all subscription additions and advance orders placed before the 8th December.
The price increase will not be applied to existing ongoing subscription comics until March 2009, but any new titles added from now on will be charged at the new price listed.
I managed to read it AFTER buying my comics, my own stupid fault no doubt and credit to them for being good to their regular custom. But it does make you wonder when DVDs and books are becoming ever cheaper, even the new releases, and you can pick up quality trades for around £5, Brian Wood’s Northlanders for example, what will happen to the general interest in comics. I haven’t seen any figures but I’d think with the success of recent comic book movies now would be the time to capitalise on it through the floppies. Except for that pesky recession.
As of today (December 8th 2008) our comic supplier has increased their prices, as such we have had to review and raise our prices accordingly.
As a gesture of goodwill to our customers, anyone who has pre-ordered their comics and graphic novels at the previously listed price will have their orders honoured at those prices, this applies to all subscription additions and advance orders placed before the 8th December.
The price increase will not be applied to existing ongoing subscription comics until March 2009, but any new titles added from now on will be charged at the new price listed.
I managed to read it AFTER buying my comics, my own stupid fault no doubt and credit to them for being good to their regular custom. But it does make you wonder when DVDs and books are becoming ever cheaper, even the new releases, and you can pick up quality trades for around £5, Brian Wood’s Northlanders for example, what will happen to the general interest in comics. I haven’t seen any figures but I’d think with the success of recent comic book movies now would be the time to capitalise on it through the floppies. Except for that pesky recession.
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Presents
Christmas is a time of giving and being the kind-hearted loon I am, here are two comics that should give your holidays that extra added warmth.
First up is the long awaited conclusion to John Paul Leon and Brett Lewis’ The Winter Men. A fantastic mini-series throwing the reader head long into modern Russia and all its complexities through the journey of three former Soviet super-soldiers who have become ‘other things’. Though there is the smallest nod to superheroes in The Winter Men it is merely in passing, an affectation to couch the story initially on familiar ground for the reader, before shredding it amongst the intrigue and double-dealing the story sets up. The dialogue is nothing short of superb, the characters three dimensional in a way very few comics manage to achieve, particularly in such a short space of time and Lewis’s ideas shine through the script. Equally Leon’s artwork is gritty and harsh, a fitting mirror for the world being portrayed and the quality ensures you’ll quickly become engrossed. Unfortunately the series ground to a halt at #5 two years ago, so getting your hands on copies may be difficult. Hopefully with this concluding special either a trade or a re-printing will happen. Try to find them, The Winter Men is several levels above good, verging on classic under the radar.
My second secret santa tip to you is Incognito. The unstoppable duo of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips temporarily put Criminal on hold to bring us an unusual slant on a superhero story – an ex-super villain hiding out in Witness Protection, living an average, mundane life. Or in Brubaker’s own words from a September Newsarama interview:
Incognito is a dark exploration into the nature of good, if that makes any sense. It's about a completely amoral guy with super-powers forced to pretend he's a normal law-abiding citizen, because he's in Witness Protection, and how that shapes what he becomes. It's also a brutal noir twist on the super-hero/super-villain genre that delves more into their roots in the pulps, and it's going to be pretty over-the-top and action-packed.
Not only does this seem like a really interesting idea with an incredible creative team, but just the simple mention of Sleeper should be enough to raise expectations. Sleeper, in some respects like The Winter Men, was a fingertip burning espionage tale that just happened to involve superheroes and villains. If Incognito is anything close to as good, it may blow your stockings off :)
First up is the long awaited conclusion to John Paul Leon and Brett Lewis’ The Winter Men. A fantastic mini-series throwing the reader head long into modern Russia and all its complexities through the journey of three former Soviet super-soldiers who have become ‘other things’. Though there is the smallest nod to superheroes in The Winter Men it is merely in passing, an affectation to couch the story initially on familiar ground for the reader, before shredding it amongst the intrigue and double-dealing the story sets up. The dialogue is nothing short of superb, the characters three dimensional in a way very few comics manage to achieve, particularly in such a short space of time and Lewis’s ideas shine through the script. Equally Leon’s artwork is gritty and harsh, a fitting mirror for the world being portrayed and the quality ensures you’ll quickly become engrossed. Unfortunately the series ground to a halt at #5 two years ago, so getting your hands on copies may be difficult. Hopefully with this concluding special either a trade or a re-printing will happen. Try to find them, The Winter Men is several levels above good, verging on classic under the radar.
My second secret santa tip to you is Incognito. The unstoppable duo of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips temporarily put Criminal on hold to bring us an unusual slant on a superhero story – an ex-super villain hiding out in Witness Protection, living an average, mundane life. Or in Brubaker’s own words from a September Newsarama interview:Incognito is a dark exploration into the nature of good, if that makes any sense. It's about a completely amoral guy with super-powers forced to pretend he's a normal law-abiding citizen, because he's in Witness Protection, and how that shapes what he becomes. It's also a brutal noir twist on the super-hero/super-villain genre that delves more into their roots in the pulps, and it's going to be pretty over-the-top and action-packed.
Not only does this seem like a really interesting idea with an incredible creative team, but just the simple mention of Sleeper should be enough to raise expectations. Sleeper, in some respects like The Winter Men, was a fingertip burning espionage tale that just happened to involve superheroes and villains. If Incognito is anything close to as good, it may blow your stockings off :)
Sunday, 7 December 2008
Tripping to the LCS
I don’t buy a lot of comics at the moment but I did dabble a bit this week. I tried a couple of new titles I thought I might like, to go with my few regular fixes, and for the most part was pretty pleased with what I picked up.
X-Men Noir #1
I’m not an X fan but it seemed like this might be an interesting slant on a tired formula. It was never going to be a cross between Alias and Criminal but I didn’t expect the at times unnecessarily dark artwork, mildly confusing plot and slashing transitions. It felt like everyone involved was trying just a little too hard to make the concept work, losing an essential ingredient in strong noir writing, subtlety. It wasn’t all bad to be fair, the initial introduction to ‘Noir Xavier’ :) with a conversational nine-panel grid was a decent beat and the Sin City-esque glass colouring was evocative, if very familiar. Not for me alas.
Immortal Iron Fist #20
I didn’t know who or what the Iron Fist character was until I accidentally stumbled across Brubaker and Fraction’s #1 a few years ago. The obvious love of martial arts movies combined with an interesting mythology, some top-draw writing and artwork plus a title that didn’t take itself too seriously, made this my one Marvel spandex fix. With the change of writing duties and a few average one-shots to buffer that change, I wasn’t sure if the quality would be sustained. Gladly, I was proved wrong as Duane Swierczynski has continued in the initial tone admirably whilst expanding the scope and appeal of the storyline. This issue sees the three main story threads merge as the Iron Fists’ past and future catch up to Danny, setting the scene for what will hopefully be an Immortal Weapons extravaganza in the secret eighth city. Needless to say I enjoyed it.
New Avengers #47
Secret Invasion? Sorry haven’t a clue. New Avengers? Nope, got nothing. But I was told that this was a tie-in issue with a distinct Alias feel. I thoroughly enjoyed Bendis’ Alias and to a slightly lesser extent The Pulse, so even a single-issue chance to revisit that storyline was worth the outlay. Which proved to be the case as we were treated to a little trip down memory lane, albeit a pg-13 sanitised lane, with the Cages. It was a quick but enjoyable read, the transition via flashback between the current art style and Alias’ original thicker lines and less flattering, more realistic body shapes was good to see. Likewise the quick banter and humour that made Alias so strong is evident and the bookend relevance to Secret Invasion seems to suggest the possibility of more such stories to come. Fingers crossed.
Punisher MAX X-Mas Special
Jason Aaron is one of, if not THE, hottest writers around at the moment and this is a fair indication of why. After several so-so Punisher MAX one-shots and the end of Garth Ennis’ genius run with the phenomenal 'Valley Forge, Valley Forge', Aaron, having never written the Punisher before, nails it with a MAX Christmas special. The MAX run is harsh, brutal and unrelenting, all of which this one-shot has in spades. Starting with a sickening hospital incident that forces the Punisher into a series of unlikely actions, seemingly due to the festive season, the world is put back to wrongs when everyone catches up to the fact that believing the Punisher will ever waiver from his modus operandi is just plain dumb.
I also bought The Boys #25, The Sword #13, Crossed #2 and Criminal v2 #7 but haven’t got round to reading them yet.
X-Men Noir #1
I’m not an X fan but it seemed like this might be an interesting slant on a tired formula. It was never going to be a cross between Alias and Criminal but I didn’t expect the at times unnecessarily dark artwork, mildly confusing plot and slashing transitions. It felt like everyone involved was trying just a little too hard to make the concept work, losing an essential ingredient in strong noir writing, subtlety. It wasn’t all bad to be fair, the initial introduction to ‘Noir Xavier’ :) with a conversational nine-panel grid was a decent beat and the Sin City-esque glass colouring was evocative, if very familiar. Not for me alas.
Immortal Iron Fist #20
I didn’t know who or what the Iron Fist character was until I accidentally stumbled across Brubaker and Fraction’s #1 a few years ago. The obvious love of martial arts movies combined with an interesting mythology, some top-draw writing and artwork plus a title that didn’t take itself too seriously, made this my one Marvel spandex fix. With the change of writing duties and a few average one-shots to buffer that change, I wasn’t sure if the quality would be sustained. Gladly, I was proved wrong as Duane Swierczynski has continued in the initial tone admirably whilst expanding the scope and appeal of the storyline. This issue sees the three main story threads merge as the Iron Fists’ past and future catch up to Danny, setting the scene for what will hopefully be an Immortal Weapons extravaganza in the secret eighth city. Needless to say I enjoyed it.
New Avengers #47
Secret Invasion? Sorry haven’t a clue. New Avengers? Nope, got nothing. But I was told that this was a tie-in issue with a distinct Alias feel. I thoroughly enjoyed Bendis’ Alias and to a slightly lesser extent The Pulse, so even a single-issue chance to revisit that storyline was worth the outlay. Which proved to be the case as we were treated to a little trip down memory lane, albeit a pg-13 sanitised lane, with the Cages. It was a quick but enjoyable read, the transition via flashback between the current art style and Alias’ original thicker lines and less flattering, more realistic body shapes was good to see. Likewise the quick banter and humour that made Alias so strong is evident and the bookend relevance to Secret Invasion seems to suggest the possibility of more such stories to come. Fingers crossed.
Punisher MAX X-Mas Special
Jason Aaron is one of, if not THE, hottest writers around at the moment and this is a fair indication of why. After several so-so Punisher MAX one-shots and the end of Garth Ennis’ genius run with the phenomenal 'Valley Forge, Valley Forge', Aaron, having never written the Punisher before, nails it with a MAX Christmas special. The MAX run is harsh, brutal and unrelenting, all of which this one-shot has in spades. Starting with a sickening hospital incident that forces the Punisher into a series of unlikely actions, seemingly due to the festive season, the world is put back to wrongs when everyone catches up to the fact that believing the Punisher will ever waiver from his modus operandi is just plain dumb.
I also bought The Boys #25, The Sword #13, Crossed #2 and Criminal v2 #7 but haven’t got round to reading them yet.
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