1) Advertising is a good idea. Let's not go nuts--that money could be better spent increasing the salaries of the artists and writers, which will increase the quality of the books simply by virtue of allowing them to quit their day jobs--but it's important to get the word out. Advertise in college newspapers as a first step, and take real advantage of the free press provided by comics-related movies by muscling in on the trailers.
2) The bookstore market is the future. Alternative publishers like Fanta have known this for years, ever since they saw creators like Art Spiegleman and Chris Ware do very well in the bookstore market and began publishing their collections themselves. Manga (Japanese comics) publishers freaking clean up in B&N and Borders--their comics are now the most popular in the country, largely without any help from comics-only stores. Marvel has begun increasing the amount and quality of their collected editions--whether this precipitated or was precipitated by the increase of quality in their writing and art over the last three years or so is a refreshingly positive chicken/egg question to answer. When comics are no longer primarily sold by fat bachelors in their 40s to teenage Slipknot fans with Vampirella in their mitts and nary a girl, let alone a woman, in sight, we'll have made progress.
3) Sometimes I feel like this is the most important: Quit talking about how much comics needs help! Even though it's a dumb slogan, comics are cool. There are big famous superhero comics that are really entertaining right now; some of them, like New X-Men and Daredevil, are beyond entertaining and into great. There are amazing indie comics by people like Phoebe Gloeckner and Joe Sacco and Dan Clowes and Chris Ware coming out month after month, in collections people can easily buy and read. And there are gems in the middle ground, like Hellboy and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, that are ready to burst into the spotlight thanks to upcoming movies. Comics are cheap, visceral, enjoyable entertainment that rival literature for descriptive power and film for depictive power. They're increasingly available in big stores in little towns. And they've maintained just enough of an air of "danger" from their days as juvenile-delinquent bugaboos, underground rabblerousers and hypey Hollywood next-big-things to make them edgy. Why bother accentuating the negative when there's so much positive to talk about? Simply act like comics are popular, important, and (yes) cool already. Enough comics fans start doing that, and soon enough, they will be.
Article comments
1 - Bill Sherman
Totally agree with you on this 'un, Sean: a great screed!
2 - Phillip Winn
I used to read comics, as a kid. I suspect there are lots of people like me, who put away what we perceived as childish things when we grew up. And still, at least once every couple of months, I daydream about a certain Fantastic 4 storyline that kept me up nights way back when...
The sad part is, I'm even a geek who would have no trouble being seen with comics and so on, and I work right around the corner from a comic store. Guess how many times I've been in there. Go ahead, guess.
That's right, none.
What's my problem? I'll swing by this week. Thanks for the kick in the pants. :)
3 - Phillip Winn
To my shame, the comic store is closed. I guess I should have gone sooner.
4 - Barry Buchanan
Here's my idea of a slogan for the
the new ad blitz:
I picture it like those imposing billboards...
"Buy more comics or I'll turn off the sun!"
-God