Comics aren’t dead, and they’re not resting, either!
I’m bewildered by negative online comments that suggest otherwise
I’m incredibly enthused right now by the state of the comics industry, both professional and independent, here in Britain. While it’s not without its problems - page rates, for one, for those creating comics professionally - there seems to be a good and proper resurgence of the form, driven by new sales models for mainstream comics, subscription sales proving a lifeline alongside a news stand presence.
The most recent welcome sign of that came last month, when 2000AD publisher Rebellion announced the upcoming launch of Britain’s first all-new, on-going humour comic for kids in three decades, Monster Fun, kicking off in April 2022 as a bi-monthly title… the first to be inspired by its archive of classic comics. The company has been itching to create a new title for simply ages, using the publication of various Specials to gauge interest, and while COVID may have delayed the launch a tad, Monster Fun is now on course for a welcome relaunch, with a subscription offer already in place, and a pre-launch Special on sale now in newsagents, which I reviewed here.
It should really be no surprise that it was a humour title that Rebellion went for as a new ongoing publication. while the publisher has also released various Specials featuring its classic adventure characters it owns, like The Spider and Steel Claw, and we know at the very least that there’s a further Battle Special in the works for 2022, there’s a huge fondness for humour comics here.
After all, DC Thomson’s BEANO currently sells an average 48,000 copies a week, and David Fickling Comics The Phoenix recently hit its 500th issue. Both titles are humour driven, continuing a great tradition in the UK, which began with Ally Sloper in the nineteenth century. At one time, humour comics such as The Beezer, Cor!, The Dandy, Monster Fun, Nutty, Sparky and many more were mainstays of the comics newsstand here, so it’s great to see Rebellion move to bring one of those titles back.
On the adventure comics front, though, there’s also some movement, with independent publisher GetMyComics is enjoying success for its relatively new anthology title SHIFT, a title blending carefully-selected creator-owned comics with some new material, employing both its own distribution service to comic shops, newsstand sales and a subscription model to drive up sales. Just like Rebellion, GetMyComics is also using various Specials to build its brand, one of them, Brawler, proving quite a success, comic readers attracted by the fact that it was packed with one-off stories.
We’ve also seen Panini UK reinvent its Marvel superhero comic line, offering a low-price newsstand only Spider-Man title, and while not without some issues, attributed to distribution problems, the new line seems to be getting a good reception.
In the book trade, comic collections of US comics, just as in America itself, have helped give comic sales a considerable nudge, up some 11 per cent, although quite what that means for the monthly comics those collections are based on, many now commanding quite a price point, remains to be seen.
Digital comics, everything from the online only anthology title Aces Weekly through to digital editions of physical comics, 2000AD and Commando included, help reach a wider potential readership.
Plus, let’s not dismiss the burgeoning independent, “small press”, distribution and awareness of those titles now so much greater thanks to platforms like Comichaus and others, and the incredible continued growth of crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, which have helped assist even the smallest of operations get their comics out there, including individual creators like Tom Ward and Luke Parker, with their brilliant Merrick - The Sensational Elephantman project, or new arrival Cast Iron Books, who recently published the superb fantasy adventure Candles by Lyndon White and are now promoting Hans Vogel is Dead, an anti-fascist fairytale about a World War Two fighter pilot navigating the afterlife by Sierra Barnes.
And all this without even mentioning the incredible reach of manga, not only to what you might describe as comics “traditional” market, but well beyond it, too, a success across all ages and both sexes.
All of which leaves me bemused by those still insistent that comics are “dead”, perhaps focused on traditional delivery methods. And I’m clearly not alone. Just yesterday, during the weekend the massive New York Comic Con made a welcome return in the other side of the pond, Image Comics publisher Erik Larsen kicked off a thread on Twitter, expressing similar bafflement.
Comics are far from “dead”, despite naysayers who will tell you frequently different, including social media, in groups often first created to celebrate comics, not denigrate them.
Cartoonist Lew Stringer has often said they have always adapted and evolved, a truth applicable to other medium, of course. I’m more than happy to embrace the changes, take a leaf from the success stories out there, learn, hopefully, from mistakes, and to continue to do my best to promote the form… yes, the Ninth Art, if you like.
Who’s with me?
John Freeman
Just a quick reminder that this coming weekend, I’ll be attending the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in Kendal, Cumbria, an event I’ve been involved in as part of its press team for several years, now.
For the most part, you’ll find me loitering around the B7 Media stand in the free-to enter Comics Clock Tower, where I’m more than happy to chat comics and sign stuff, although I hope that stuff includes the latest copy of SHIFT Magazine, which includes a preview of B7 Comics first title, the SF adventure, Pilgrim, which I’m writing.
On Saturday, comic artist, Smuzz will also be making a relatively rare comic event appearance at the stand. He’s perhaps best known for his work on “ABC Warriors” for 2000AD, but his current comics work includes “Crucible”, conceived and written by me, the current adventure featuring in SHIFT co-created with him). We’ll be signing copies of SHIFT together from 3.00 - 4.00pm only, on Saturday 16th October 2021. Do come along and chat!
The Festival opens with an all-day Comics Up Close event on Friday, but launches good and proper with a crazy “Balloon Debate” on Friday night. Who gets thrown out first, Asterix or Batman? The event also includes an exhibition of Martin Rowson cartoons, interview panels, book launches and live draws, and much more. I’ll be doing a virtual chat with artist David A. Roach on Sunday, and thanks to sponsor, 2000AD publisher Rebellion, we’ll be revealing the cover of the upcoming Mick McMahon Apex art book during proceedings!
(Okay, that wasn’t a quick reminder…)