ommmmmm….More like “koff! koff!” but the point is that I am here. I got an email from Mark and Steve about the International Comic Expo in May and the cancellation of the panel on the British comics industry.
Firstly, no I am not upset by people pulling out of the thing. It’s what I’ve come to expect. It simply means that I’ll be able to be more of a punter this year than before. This suits me fine because for the last couple decades every event I go to has been work, work, work.
Mark (Jarvis?) asked if I would have a table at this year’s Expo? No. I am only going to get tables at some of the Alternative/Small Press events where everything is much easier going and fun and not as insular as comic conventions. Will it work out? I certainly hope so.
The question of people not buying much in the way of comics has been raised. Normally, and believe me I have done the years and checked all the details, comics as a form of entertainment have managed to do well during recessions. Cinebook and other publishers are doing well in the UK and US and, as we’ve seen, Marvel and DC are not doing so great. I don’t consider D. C. Thomson worth mentioning here.
In France the BD and comic market seems to be doing very well, even though population-wise we should be doing better than them. They are even branching out into newsagents.
Now, each year I keep my eagle-eye on dealers at conventions and speak to them. So I note how sales are going and what titles they are selling out of. I’ve watched several sell out of books and make a healthy amount sales-wise -one told me last year “Everyone says it’s quiet but I’ve sold three times as much as I did last year!” There is a reason (actually several) why Independent publishers don’t want to brag about what they make -I refer to the 2009 “tax man in the building” scare thanks to Joe!
Why is Europe doing better than a country like the UK? Well, unlike France or Belgium kids do not -or did not- get encouraged to read comics and even educationalists and the Government noted kids should be encouraged to read comics to improve the literacy rate. Compared to France our attitude as a nation to comics stinks.
I am always happy to see the number of families who visit the Cinebook stand at the Expo and how the attitude of M. Cadic and his helpers is very friendly, helpful and NOT trying to hard sell. You visit some of the other tables at the event and it really is depressing…and getting more expensive.
So, if you want to do well with your comics take the Gallic attitude and don’t just sit there looking as though you are terrified of even breathing as people approach your table.
That’s me done.
I now have to get back to the temple for more meditation and chanting.
Yup, you're right - D.C. Thomson isn't worth mentioning here. But once it had a major comics empire and would've deserved a mention - not any more. That's the point. Translating French strips into English isn't going to revive the weekly comics indudtry that we used to have. That's what I was referring to, and that's what I'd like to see again - inexpensive, good quality, weekly comics for boys and girls.
ReplyDeleteAnd Terry, let's face it. The money the indie press guys make at these events probably goes to paying off their last printing bill. Anything left over probably just covers a round of drinks. Few of them will be happy with their situation and doubtless yearn for mainstream success.
Hi, Kid.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've asked various newsagents about comics and they say that, apart from parents, they don't get kids in buying them -though two thought Dr Who magazine counted as a comic!
I'd love weekly comics back! I think, if a company pushed for a fortnightly it might work but comics have been so neglected it would need a LOT of publicity and promotion and no company wants to spend the money.
I've been told that Thomson sales on Dandy fell to around 6000? I know it was over 7000 after the last change of format but 6000 seems very poor -US Indie comic sales wise.
Thomson has the problem that it just seems to have people in charge who, for a couple decades now, have been running the company into the ground. I still think its a tax dodge! :-)
I think with the UK you'd need to do a monthly and if it went well go to fortnightly. Sad but I think we lost the kids reading comics for fun battle years ago in the UK.
Gods its depressing. :-(
The only way weekly comics could make a successful return on the scale they once enjoyed would be if there were two giant publishing companies in competition with one another - and if they could keep the prices down. Also, they'd have to make their money off other kinds of publications and do the comics more as a labour of love (or possibly a tax dodge) than to get rich from them. Sadly, I don't think it will ever happen. You're right - it IS depressing.
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