Today at ComicsAlliance, I put on my thinking cap and try to reconcile the fact that webcomics are steadily growing in readership while print comic readers are dwindling down to nothing by asking a pretty simple question: Why aren’t Marvel and DC making webcomics?
It seems like a pretty easy step that could potentially lead to millions of new readers, so what’s holding them back? I have no idea, but as usual, that doesn’t stop me from writing a couple thousand words about it.
Oh! I know! I know!
Because they’d be spending money to create a free product that competes directly with the product they are trying to sell!
And the number of web comic makers whose work can support them professionally is pretty dang small. Most do it for fun or passion and earn a pittance.
However there’s one interesting number I’d love to know, does anyone have any idea how many copies of each book are read online (including piracy)? Could that be found? It’s possible that some comics do have a circulation of millions, as long as they are digital, as long as they are free. That’s a number publishers should be very interested in.
Just to add, this is a great column and a great question. I think there are valid reasons for DC etc not to do webcomics but they should be thinking about it hard.
Something that ties the universe together and spills over into the pay comics (like Countdown but good) could work. Basically the whole thing would be an add for the rest of the DCU.
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“And the number of web comic makers whose work can support them professionally is pretty dang small. Most do it for fun or passion and earn a pittance.”
Well, I’m sure a webcomic Starring Superman would make earn a little more attention than your average webcomic starring .
“Because they’d be spending money to create a free product that competes directly with the product they are trying to sell!”
It’s not an interest free affair: They would get money for their clicks, and it would help bring in the audience. Think of it as a demo. Plus, making a comic doesn’t exactly cost a gazillion dollars. Though I’m no expert I would dare say it probably costs more to publish it in paper, ship it, sell it etc. .
Who says they even have to spend money on it? Open it up to spec submissions from writers and artists trying to break into the Big Two.
Very well-written! Print is a dying medium – not just for comics but in general. I know there’s always going to be people who prefer print when it comes to comics and novels (me included) but everything is going digital – that’s just how it is.
Companies that refuse to change with the times get left behind and eventually die. I work for a phone book company for cryin’ out loud! That is…until September when my job gets outsourced. (Yay Corporate America!) My company is about 10 years behind trends in advertising and they’re bankrupt because of it.