I just read a article in the Washington Post about the disconnect between the mega hit movies like “Iron Man” and the “Dark Knight Returns” and the monthly comic books.
Here’s my take on the whole situation the comic book characters have always transcended in popularity the medium which created them. Everyone from a 9 year old boy to a 70 year grandmother knows about Superman or Spider-man. Ask those same people if they have ever read a Superman comic book and the numbers will drop like a rock. This isn’t a problem that’s exclusive to comic books. Ask the average person on the street if they have heard of James Bond or ask that same group if they have ever seen any of the James Bond movies. In both cases the vast majority will say yes. Ask that same group if they have ever read the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming that the movies are based on. I have a hunch most people will say no.
The problem is that film or television is the prefered form of entertainment for most people not the written word. That being the case comic books sales will never mirror the popularity of a movie with the same characters. If you believe that they should at least see a trickle down effect then I agree with you. Now, let me tell you why you dont even see the trickle. Two reasons, the average person doesn’t know where to find a comic book and the comic industry is geared toward its current customer base (who have an investment in decades of continuity). Publishers aren’t going to change their whole strategy to chase a few movies fans who may stumble into a comic shop.
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Posted under Fanboy Rants
This post was written by Lobo on August 24, 2009
