Here's a questionnaire for you all about your comic buying habits in these tight economic times.
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Comic Books
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
d) Cable TV
e) Music
f) Internet
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
i) Eating Out For Dinner
* note: only rank what is applicable
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
a) $3.00
b) $3.50
c) $4.00
d) $5.00
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
d) Page Count --> less pages
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
a) A little
b) A lot
c) I think it's been blown out of proportion in the media
13. Optional: Your gender/age
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeletei buy in trade and will just wait on some or visit the library.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Medication and Medical Procedures
b) Internet
c) Music
d) Comic Books
e) Movies
f) Eating Out For Dinner
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
yep, but also just to gain space in my tiny brooklyn apt
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
focused good books and cut the filler crap like dead on arrival minis
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
$3.00 or $3.50
though i am done with the floppy trend. so this is not really relevant to me.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
no. i have drastically rearranged how i read comics in the recent past and will still enjoy comics in tpb or at the library. all the while though thanking those who are subsidizing my reading enjoyment.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
i would be 1st in line.
i am sick sick sick of the space comics take up and now only buy/keep what i will likely ever reread. and get rid of everything else. i wold love to feel have the ability to not feel more trees to keep up with line wide events that are interesting.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
all the above
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
in that i have bought hard covers of some of their books rather than wait for the tpb, i'd sadly have to say yes.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
other than mocca, i have not been to a convention since i was in jr high. and i plan on mocca again next year, rise in metrocard pricing be damned!!!
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
no idea
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
d) a whole fucking lot.
lets just say i would not be surprised to see soup lines within the next year.
13. Optional: Your gender/age
male/34
1. I tend to just buy three titles a week, sometimes more if the situation demands it, but I'd probably just stick to the three-a-week system for now, in particular meaning if more than three comics come out that I want to buy, I'll just save them for next week or download them.
ReplyDelete2.
a
i
b
f
3. I've been trying to sell some collectibles, but mostly because I don't really want them anymore and don't have the space for them.
4. Lower prices. Bring comics back down to $2.50 or even $2.00
5. $3.50. It's ridiculous how some companies charge four dollars for 22 pages of story. Look, I work at a Barnes and Noble - regular magazines that have over a hundred pages of content can range anywhere from $3.00 to $6.00, but even with the advertisements in them it's still more for your buck than what you get at most places.
6. Drastically curtail. Probably switch entirely to downloads, with the exception of Blue Beetle since I want to support it as best as I can.
7. Oh hell yes. It's one of the reasons why I like the fact that my own comic, Revolution of the Mask (subsequently, Val, did you ever receive the review copy I sent you?), is available for only 72 cents. Sure, it's uncolored, but manga and Showcase editions and whatnot prove that people will still buy uncolored material (though it will be colored for the trade).
8. Oh hell yeah, cut a-c. If the cheaper paper was good enough for people in the past, it's good enough for us. Coloring I hate to see take a dive but I can live with it. And what kind of a loser buys a comic ONLY for its cover? You might as well just find a picture of it online and print it off. Less pages is not the problem and I wouldn't want to see that cut.
9. I have never understood the logic of following a creator simply because they're doing it. It means the story will be competently executed (well, most of the time), but if the story is uninteresting to me why should I bother?
10. Erm, I don't know how it is in other places, but actually the economic state has caused gas prices to LOWER here in Minnesota. Yesterday gas was at $3.07 for the most basic gas at our local station!
11. Possibly DC, I fear, with numbers continuing to steadily decline.
12. A little. I don't think things are nearly as bad as people think, but things could get a lot worse.
1.Couldn't tell you. I know what I wouldn't drop: Spidey, Cap, Hercules, FF, the Avengers books, Uncanny X-Men, the Superman books. Pretty much anthing else is fair game.
ReplyDelete2. First to go from last to go:
Collectibles
Video Games
Music
Cable TV
Eating Out For Dinner
Comic Books
Movies
Internet
That's not really fair as I spend less on comics than eating out, and less on music than movies. More likely is a gradual cut back of a few things rather than a cold turkey.
3. No.
4. Good, stand alone stories.
5. I'll say (c) $4.00, as I currently pick up some IDW at that price. But if DC or Marvel put prices that high, I'd be dropping them in droves. Probably.
6. Curtail monthlies, like I said.
7. Honestly, I don't think online reading will ever fully replace the feel of a comic in my hands - the medium is too different for me right now. So no, probably not.
8. Paper and Cover Artist - I'm happy with interiors matching covers and lower quality paper to a certain extent.
9. No. If prices rose, I'd drop some but not all - as above.
10. No, I won't be travelling to any anyway. NYC in Feb for me and that's it.
11. Difficult to say, but I'd look at smaller players like Antarctic and Avatar before the big 4.
12. A lot - but these things are cyclical. I'll be surprised if the markets don't start some kind of recovery by mid-2009.
13. Male & 33.
1. I've already cut down my hold list and will likely do more cutting in the future. I don't buy very many Marvels at all so cut mostly DCs. I cut the whole "Batman R.I.P." junk, the FLASH, JUSTICE LEAGUE, and others that I can't even remember now! Mainly, they were cut because they weren't very good and I didn't feel that I 'HAD' to read them.
ReplyDelete2. Video Games
Music
Collectibles
Movies
Internet
Cable TV
Medication
Eating Out
Comic Books
3. Yes, and probably will have to again soon.
4. It's simple: tell really great stories. Not rejects from a S&M horror movie. Just good comic book stories.
5. I will pay $5 if the story is really good. (Notice a trend here?)
6. If they were $4 and no better than they are now, I would probably only buy no more than 10 comics a month. That's a significant cut for me.
7. I don't read comics online. I'm old so I like to HOLD the comic when I read it.
8. Paper. But I could sacrifice any of those if needed.
9. They're not instant buys but I will check out their books. They're enough to get me to buy an issue or two but that's not enough to hold me beyond that if the book isn't good.
10. I've already stopped going to out-of-state comic shows and conventions because of travel costs.
11. Either BOOM or DDP.
12. A LOT!
13. 45 yr old male.
1. I haven't needed to pull back on my comic book expenditures, as my growing disinterest in the Big Two has had me dropping titles regardless of the economy. When it comes to DC/Marvel, I try to stick with trades, whose shelf life allows me to buy them at my leisure. I've always felt I can take or leave indies as I pleased, so economics sometimes play on whether I'll give a new title a chance.
ReplyDelete2: Essential to inconsequential.
a) Internet
b) Eating Out For Dinner
c) Comic Books
d) Movies
e) Music
f) Medication and Medical
g) Video Games
h) Collectibles
3. I'm not a big eBay guy, so I haven't sold anything in years, but I'm not averse to it.
4. I've always read comics, and always will read comics. Whose depends on my persona enjoyment. I've found the number one thing that ruins that is editorial mandates. Writers write, artists draw, and editors need to work in their service, not meddle endlessly.
5. My absolute limit I'm willing to pay for a single 22-page comic book is $4, and that's becoming increasingly rare. Only "Final Crisis" qualifies, and I expect it will be my last. I buy no IDW, BOOM! or Avatar comics because of their indefensible price point.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 ea, I would buy trade paperbacks exclusively. I started at $0.50 and drew the line at $3 years ago.
7. I have no problem paying for digital comics at a drastically reduced price, specifically if direct from the creator, depending on the delivery system. Work for Hire needs to be cheap, or else I have much less of a moral issue with black market activities. I'd still want trade paperbacks, though.
8.: Least concern to deal breaker.
a) Coloring
b) Cover Artist
c) Paper stock
d) Page Count
9. I am not especially willing to pay a premium for a "hot" creator. I harbor animosity toward people like Warren Ellis who gear their output toward companies like Avatar, forcing me to pay obscene premiums to follow their work. I have not, and I will not. See also: Neil Gaiman at Marvel. No sale.
10. I haven't been to a convention in years, because most everything I want, I can get online cheaper. I haven't been able to justify the expense since the internet rose to dominance, and cons are a hassle.
11. My publisher dead pool would include Bluewater Productions, Platinum Studios, and Radical Publishing. I also have some questions about Aspen and DDP's continued viability, but that's more a long view, with plentiful room for course correction.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble."
b) A lot
13. Early 30s male.
Here's a questionnaire for you all about your comic buying habits in these tight economic times.
ReplyDelete1. I Can't answer that (I'm from colombia and dc/marvel doesn't come here, I've gathered the whole sin city trade paperbacks, 300, 2 issues of the avangers, 24 spidermans, 3 x-men, 1 starwars, 1 planetary, and others, and I'm currently trying to get together Transmetropolitan (I have V.0, V.1, V.3 and V.4) If I had to cut back I'd do so in the marvels
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
d) Cable TV
c) Collectibles
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
b) Video Games
a) Comic Books
i) Eating Out For Dinner
f) Internet
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
e) Music
* note: only rank what is applicable
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
No
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
cheaper, higher quality issues (quality as in writer/drawer/colorist talent, not in the equipment used to manufacture the issues)
also, as random/unsure data, I think that during the last great depression, pulp fictions sells actually went up
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
c) $4.00
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
yes
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
sure, economic AND Ecologic
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
Only Frank miller, but it's not an "Instant Buy" it depends on the comic and the money I have at the time, I'm actually more of a warren ellis guy at the time
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns? I never do
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Don't know, I certainly hope it's not vertigo or black horse
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
13. Optional: Male/17
Hi Val-
ReplyDeleteI will fill this out later, maybe on my own blog.
I work in Market Research, and I would suggest using a free trial survey on Survey Monkey for this if you end up doing more with it.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnswers:
ReplyDelete1. I already have, and I only purchase my "essentials" -- Daredevil, Green Lantern and 1-3 other comics a month that I really want to read.
2. I've actually already dropped Internet and would drop cable if it weren't for my other half insisting we keep it. Video games, collectibles, music, eating out and movies were dropped a while ago. Comics are the last to go.
3. I recently sold hundreds of comics for extra cash.
4. Better "bang for a buck"- a better product (i.e. good storyline) and low cost.
5. c) $4, depending on the book.
6. Drastically curtail.
7. Yes. While there are some titles that I must purchase (see #1), others that hold my interest I would considering purchasing in an electronic format.
8. I'd say a, then c.
9. No, probably the opposite. I'd be more willing to pay for an "unknown" creator than a big name. I'd rather take a gamble.
10. Yes.
11. No idea.
12. C
13. M/25
1. Batman, because I can't understand the ideas GM is trying to sell. This isn't the Invisibles.
ReplyDelete2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Comic Books
e) Music
g) Medication and Medical
f) Internet
d) Cable TV
i) Eating Out For Dinner
3. Nay.
4. Start printing readable stories that don't make it so hard for me to follow without having cliff's notes.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
d) $5.00, but it'd better be DAMN GOOD.
6. drastically curtail
7. Yes
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
cheaper stock
simpler coloring
Cover Artist-artist of book
9. No
10. Never been to one.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
c) I think it's been blown out of proportion in the media
To what proportion, I'm not sure, but the business I see where I work does not lead me to think people are feeling a crunch. Maybe the rich are getting less rich incrementally, and this worries them. Normal people I see are living day to day like they always would.
13. Optional: Your gender/age
M-39
1. I bum comics from my friends. I buy the occasional trade; read more on loan.
ReplyDelete2. WHAT! NO BOOKS OR BOOZE?
3. Nope; do people still own collectibles that are worth money?
4. I buy what I like. Make more I like.
5. I only buy floppies in special circumstances.
6. Yikes!
7. Eh. Can they come out near the time of a trade?
8. c.
9. A little; Morrison & Gaiman have shown they can bring it.
10. Yes!
11. I don't know enough about the biz to guess intelligently.
12. a
13. 29, m.
1. Already dropped all singles in favor of trades and collections. More story for my dollah dollah billz y'all.
ReplyDelete2.
Internet (I do lots o work here)
Medication and Medical Procedures
Eating Out For Dinner
Movies
Comic Books
Video Games
Music
Collectibles
Cable TV (already dropped)
3. No luck with eBay generally. Probably should try it again though.
4. Stop with the GIGANTO UBER MONDO events and tell a good story in one issue please. Then maybe I'd try floppies again. Otherwise, it's trades and indy graphic novels for me.
5. $3.00, which is generally why I've dropped the floppies. Well, I will pick up an occasional floppy, but it has to be really amazing!
6. $4.00 pushes me even further towards trades.
7. I would not pay for comics online. There are too many great webcomics out there that are brilliant and awesome and free. I support them by buying their merch which often times includes book collections. I s'pose I'm a trade whore.
8. Oh, it's a travesty to say this as a former colorist, but I'd take out some of the production values like coloring and fancy cover arts. And now I shall burn in comic hell.
9. There are creators that are certainly instant buys for me. I would probably pay more for something they work on, but it all depends.
10. Flying really sucks these days so if I can avoid it I will. But the holidays are coming up which means lots of travel so comics will have to take a back seat for the season.
11. I think the floppy format will be increasingly more difficult to sustain. I have a feeling that they will be the next to fall.
12. A lot. Already I have friends getting laid off.
13. Male, 31.
1. Mouse Guard, Mice Templar, and Echo. All are near the chopping block anyways and the long wait between issues on the Mice ones are killing my interest in them.
ReplyDelete2. g, d, a, f, h, i -- Though my medication and medical procedures are mostly covered.
3. No.
4. Just put out well-written books in a timely manner.
5. Probably $4.00 but in rare cases (if special circumstances warranted it) I might pay $5.00 on occasion.
6. I would probably drop a couple books.
7. Some of the books I'm collecting I'd be okay doing that. Others, I'd prefer to have the paper version to hold on to.
8. Definitely C.
9. I think Joss Whedon and, to a lesser extent, Peter David would be the only two that come close to "instant buys" for me and even they aren't 100%. And no, I wouldn't pay more just because it's them.
10. I've never travelled for a convention and won't for the forseeable future. But it's not due to gas prices or economic concerns.
11. I'm probably not qualified to answer this as I don't know the smaller companies too well.
12. B
13. Male, 32
Fun, I love Polls! And very timely, I just bought a house and have had to tighten up the budget a bit.
ReplyDelete1. If I had to this instant, I'd drop most of the secret invasion tie ins. After that most DC books, and then after that a lot of the extra X-men books. Maybe just picking up Uncanny or something.
2. from last to first...
f) Internet
a) Comic Books
d) Cable TV
i) Eating Out For Dinner
h) Movies
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
e) Music (who pays for music?)
3. Nope, when my collection needs to be thinned out, I'll usually donate the books to some kids I know, or the local boys and girls club.
4. same things they have to do in a booming economy. good story, goood art.
5. $5.00 (but I'd buy way less)
6. at 4 dollars an issue I would probably go from 25 books a month to around 20.
7. I Hate reading comics on-line, I wouldn't switch unless they stopped printing them.
8. Paper, Paper, Paper, Paper. I actually prefer the older cheaper paper. I don't like the way light shines off the glossy stuff. Makes it harder to read.
9. Instant buys for me aren't big name creators. I don't think any company is going to start charging extra for an Adam Pollina drawn book.
10. never been to a con, probably never will. Although I hear the seattle one is cool, since that's where I live I should probably go.
11. no idea
12. A little (I work for a wine distributor and so far we saw a way bigger drop in sales the weeks that followed 9/11 than we have this past month)
13. Male, 32
If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeletemost of them actually. I could just go to my buddie's house and read his floppies until the trades come out.
Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) medication
b)internet
c)movies
D)music
E)comics
f)eating out for dinner
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Nope but thats a good idea!
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Make better books. whatever that means.
What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
3 dollars
If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
Probably. Why? what did you hear Val?
If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
Yes. It'd suck for brick and mortar stores though.
What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag
All the above
Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
No and no.
Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
Don't travel to many conventions anyway but yeah.
Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Smaller amount of titles for Image and wildstorm.
"The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
A lot.
13. Optional: Your gender/age
Male/ 21.
1. Whatever I wasn't sure would get a TPB collection.
ReplyDelete2. Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
Internet
Cable TV
Eating Out For Dinner
Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
Video Games
Comic Books
Music
3. No; too much work.
4. The "industry" can't do anything, but my favored creators need to make sure to get their stuff out on schedule. Out of sight, out of mind and probably getting put back on the shelf when it finally arrives.
5. $3.50
6. I'd switch to TPBs for the stuff I really like.
7. No; when it comes to leisure reading, I'm a devout print guy.
8. Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
9. Not usually.
10. I'm not planning to go to any conventions, not even ones here in NYC.
11. No idea.
12. A lot
13. Optional: Male, 39
1. Well, I have a very short pull list since I buy most of my books in trade, so I would not drop anything there. But the trades that are on the backburner are new Judge Dredd stuff, and the GTO early years ones...
ReplyDelete2.
a) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
b) Internet
c) Comic Books
d) Music
e) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
f) Eating Out For Dinner
3. Nope, but I would love to. But being in sweden makes it hard.
4. Write interesting stories that I miss when I don't read them every month.
5.
c) $4.00
BUT I could go higher if it is a limited series that I know I won't be collected. I pay a lot more for some backissues.
6. Yes, I would. All the titles that amuse me but not more would be dropped in favour of trades. Oh, wait... i did that already!
7. YES! As long as the trades comes out afterwards. I LOVE my paper, but I don't love my floppies. Online is good for the quick fix each month.
8. Paper, coloring, cover artist... absolutely NOT the page count! I have no issues with black and white comics.
9. I won't pay more. I pay if I want the story, that's what matters. I do have some insta-buys, like Jaimie Hernandez, Pat Mills and Rick Veitch. Jamie Delano is almost there, and Morrison, Giffen and Moore used to be until they started mixing so many duds in with the gems.
10. No conventions in sweden!
11. Wildstorm.
12. A lot.
13. Female/37
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say thank-you for participating, and that if you would like to use these questions on your own blog & answer them there, that's fine too.(I'm sure it would make a great topic).
I'm not doing this poll in any official capacity, I'm just curious. Though if you are from a publisher and want to do a bit of impromptu market research, this might not be a bad thing to read, at least as a start.
No problem, Val. ^^ I'm actually thinking I'll post my "three things the industry can do to fix things" soon enough. Also I reiterate my question about if you received the review copy I sent you - the e-mail I had was from back when you were planning on doing Comics Spirit so I'm not sure how up to date it is...
ReplyDelete1. I actually have a very short pull list, so I think what would happen is I'd stop buying first issues of miniseries and new monthlies. If it turns out to be worth the money after all, I'll wait for the TPB.
ReplyDelete2. Internet, cable TV, movies, video games, eating out, music, comic books.
3. No, but then, I doubt I have anything in my collection worth selling.
4. Oh dear. Price reduction, more quality control, more diversity in terms of content...
5. Even $3 is pushing it.
6. I'd stop altogether, most likely.
7. Absolutely. There's a lot to be said for comics that don't take up space on the bookshelf, or require a ridiculous amount of money due to printing costs. You'd never face the dreaded "sold out" at your LCS.
8. Paper.
9. Hmm... that's a tricky one. On the one hand, yes, there are a few writers whose work I consider "instant buys". On the other hand, there's a limit to how much more I'm willing to fork over per week when it comes to comics - if it got to the point where a new Ed Brubaker comic cost 5 dollars, I'd have to pass.
10. Not really the convention type, but if I were, those would definitely be factored into the decision.
11. Probably Marvel MAX, or Wildstorm if this latest reboot doesn't work out.
12. A lot.
13. Female, 31.
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteI currently get my pull list for free, which is nice because it gives me the option to try titles that I hadn't known about beforehand. If things get tighter, no more browsing for new gems and no more buying trades. If I lose the free pull, I'll be dropping everything except Four Eyes, Secret Six, Elephantmen and some upcoming Oni titles.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
g) Medication and Medical Procedures
f) Internet
d) Cable TV
a) Comic Books
i) Eating Out For Dinner
e) Music
h) Movies
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Not yet.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
I don't think there's much the industry can do as a whole, honestly. The titles I'd be willing to hang on as long as possible to are mostly a matter of appreciation for the creative teams, not the company putting them out. I suppose if Marvel stopped twitting about in regards to their homosexual characters, I'd at least consider buying some of their books again, but fat chance there.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
b) $3.50
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
Stop it dead in its tracks.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
Absolutely.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
It's a toss-up between coloring and paper; I favor the idea of cutting both in terms of quality and essentially using the monthly as an advertisement for the trade, but I'd ultimately go with coloring...hell, take us down to black and white.
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
With the exception of Mr. Gaiman, all of the above are more likely to be turn-offs for me when it comes to picking up a book.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
I only ever go to one a year anyway, but yes.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
I'm not sure. DC's manga line has a non-existent presence in any of the four shops in my area, so that's a possibility.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
13. F/29
1. Once their current arcs are done, I am converting to trades for all but two comics on my pull list(20 titles): Conan and Invincible. Both books are really good and don't have ads.
ReplyDelete2. A)medicine, b) internet; c)movies; d)eating out for dinner; e)comics; f) music
3. nope
4. produce better quality stuff(the only DC I read is Vertigo)
5. under $4
6. I would move to all trades all the time.
7. I prefer to hold what I am reading. (with the exception of news periodicals)
8. cheap paper is fine by me.
9. No.
10. I don't go to conventions now. don't plan on starting anytime soon.
11. Vertigo?
12. like a persistent cough that turns out to be a lung tumor, the economy has been ailing long before now.
13. male/30s
1. I'm mostly a trade buyer, and even the ones I buy religiously (Scott Pilgrim, Powers, etc) don't come out often enough to "drop," so Not Applicable.
ReplyDelete2.
Medication and medical procedures
Internet
Comics
Eating Out for Dinner
Movies
Music
Collectibles
Cable TV
Video Games
3. Yes. Multiple times, usually for education.
4. Bring the trades out regularly. Nothing makes me forget about a book more than when it's six months after a run or story arc is over and there's still no TPB, and more expensive hardcovers (when available) push the TPBs back further.
5. What comes before "A" ?
6. I doubt it would affect the fewer than ten singles I buy each year.
7. Yes. I'd pay for my trades (and a little extra) in advance if I could read them online as they come out as issues. Would love to keep up, but I don't need that extra paper in the house.
8. Never cared about c, but I'd be equally willing to give up a.
9. I would pay more for my favorite creators (just as I'm willing to pay a premium to hunt down back issues/oop works from them), but I'd imagine most of them aren't "superstars."
10. I've never been to a comic convention, but I do hope to go to one in the next six months. Finances are and would be a factor, yes.
11. I'm not familiar enough with the business plans of specific publishers to know, but I'd imagine that belt-tightening at the larger publishers... fewer experimental works, even less chance-taking on new talent would be the next thing to watch for.
12. b.
13. Male. 32.
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteI mostly buy trades and archives from Amazon.jp or have a few monthlies sent to me by friends, family and well-wishers. But even though I'm in Japan, I'm cutting back and not planning on buying anything until around Christmas time.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
b) Music
c) Internet
d) Eating Out For Dinner
e) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
f) Cable TV
g) Collectibles
h) Comic Books
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Since I'm in Japan, I've often thought about seeing if I could start an eBay business selling Japanese collectibles to Westerners. But now I dunno...
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Depends on what element. I generally only buy trades. I've largely given up monthlies and especially mainstream genres like superheroes. The quality of writing and art I expect just isn't there in mainstream superhero comics for the price tag, and even if those were cheaper I'd probably ignore them anyway. Indies still give me more aesthetic bang for my buck. That said, I really think monthlies are overpriced.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
a) $1.50
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
Depends on the quality. There's not a DC or Marvel book I would even pay more than $1.50 for currently.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
I would probably be more willing to give DC or Marvel product a try under those circumstances.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
I think there must be cheaper paper alternatives. I don't need all this glossy stuff.
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
None of those are. Instant buys for me are Mike Allred, Mike Mignola, Steve Rude and Los Bros Hernandez, Koike Kazuo, Takahashi Rumiko and Yazawa Ai. To a lesser extent, Alan Moore, P. Craig Russell, Adam Hughes and a couple others.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
Actually, I was thinking about trying out a convention or two here in Japan but personal economics forbid it!
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
This I don't know enough about to even speculate.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
Oh... about prices. Not counting ones I get as gifts, I sometimes pay about 5 bucks for a comic here in Japan. So I have to be very selective.
ReplyDelete1. I would go to trades for everything. There is no title on the racks so unique and/or compelling that I feel the need to spend extra money to support it or consume it immediately.
ReplyDelete2. Dropping first: Collectibles, Video Games, Music, Movies, Cable TV, Eating Out, Internet, and then Medication. Note that most Music, Movies, Cable TV, and Comics can be gotten illegally through the Internet, so I only really lose them when I lose my broadband.
3. No, not for money. It was more just to clean out some space in the closet.
4. Tell compelling stories that would interest someone like me (a well-read adult geek) so much that I would be unwilling to not know how they turn out immediately, rather than wait for the trade. It is arguable whether the genre (superheroes) is even geared for that.
5. $4.00, but that is really pushing things, and I'd probably drop all but a couple of titles at that price.
6. Yes, I can only think of two titles I would pull individual issues for at that price. And the only reason I would pull them is for the creative teams, not the characters, so my interest there is finite.
7. Yes, big-time. Especially if the companies encouraged and supported their artists and writers to embrace the medium, tailoring panel layouts and story pacing to fit reading from a laptop or mobile phone screen.
8. Willing to sacrifice (in order): paper, cover artist, coloring. If the page count decreases, either stories will become even more decompressed (meaning the trade becomes more attractive) or become simplified to fit the new shorter medium.
9. Some are, yes, but none of those names. And the only creators that get me to buy a book are writers - artists are almost inconsequential for me now.
10. No, the economy has not affected my travel plans.
11. I have no idea... TokyoPop maybe...
12. A lot, but my generation (Gen X) has been trained from birth not to expect much from the future, so we are well-prepared for what is to come.
13. Male, 37
1. My first cut would be titles that I'm not currently enjoying at the moment, but I'm still reading hoping it'll turn around.
ReplyDelete2. c) Collectibles
e) Music
d) Cable TV
i) Eating Out For Dinner
b) Video Games
a) Comic Books
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
f) Internet
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
3. Not really. I probably would sell my older comics more for getting space back than for money.
4. Compelling stories, and cutting down on the event spinoffs and such. Just concentrate on core titles and maintaining readers, and perhaps make it easier to bring on new readers.
5.
d) $5.00
6. It wouldn't impact my purchasing
7. I'd do it in a heartbeat for equal price just for the fact that I wouldn't have to have to store the comics physically.
8.
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
9. No, a decent artist that can depict the story well is good for me.
10. I only hit NYCC, so I doubt I'll cut back at all due to the economy.
11. I think the comic publishers are going to trim the low performers to concentrate on the more central titles.
12. b) A lot
-- Although perception is just as bad as reality when it comes to economics.
13. 31/M
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteI'd probably drop any floppies at all, which I barely buy. Or titles that I REALLY wasn't too into much into.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Comic Books
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
d) Cable TV
e) Music
f) Internet
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
i) Eating Out For Dinner
* note: only rank what is applicable
I'd drop music first, which I mostly have anyway, then movies, then going out, then insurance, then internet/cable. I don't play video games or do collectables.
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Yes, though it's mostly to clear up space.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Stop fucking trying to "force" major events to draw readers in, especially convoluted and expensive events like Final Crisis.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
a) $3.00
b) $3.50
c) $4.00
d) $5.00
c
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
I generally don't read floppies that much so a price change wouldn't affect me TOO much.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
Depends on the tech requirements. I'm not tech-savvy. Also, depends on the title, if it's something I REALLY love I'd shell out the money on occasion for a trade, but I'm sort of old-fashioned.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
d) Page Count --> less pages
I don't know...uhm... "c".
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
I like some blockbuster writers but nothing's an instant buy for me. I'll save to invest in a book I like regardless and try to find samples online to see if it'd be worth it. I'm not a major name-attraction reader.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
n/a
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Top Cow.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
a) A little
b) A lot
c) I think it's been blown out of proportion in the media
I think aspects have been blown out of proportion and misdirected. Because no one talks about the freelance industry, no one talks about the cost of health care when you fall between the lines of "poor" and "middle class", no one talks about how we're sick of taxes not paying for schools but for things we've never heard of or will never see.
13. Optional: Your gender/age
I'm male and 25.
As promised responses are on my blog with a few extra notes on the site
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foot2mouth.com/wordpress/?p=847
And below:
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
On my blog if you so desire you can see what I’ve bought for the last several months. Though I may have missed a week here or there. Dropping comics is very difficult as I feel there are so few Direct Marked (DM) readers left that if I abandon the DM the worst-case-scenario of comics ceasing to exist could occur. This is a very real fear for me so it does inform my buying habits.
However, recently I’ve been cutting out mini-series that disappointed after 1 or 2 issues. This also is difficult as comics fans (or maybe just me) tend to have a very strong drive to finish a mini-series. After all if it’s only 4,6, or 8 issues long and I’m already 2 in, I may as well finish it right?Also before we continue full disclosure I’m a predominately DC buyer.
Recently I’ve dropped some Mini-series that I was not enjoying. Batman Gotham After Midnight, Two-Face Year One, Batgirl, The Stand. I may drop any Non-Main title. (Keep Batman, but drop Outsiders)
In order to keep expenses low in the future I will simply not buy mini-series and opt for the wait for the trade approach if the ‘buzz’ about the book is good I’ll buy the trade later. Perhaps then companies will switch to direct to trade for certain books which I think would be a good move for many titles.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Comic Books
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
d) Cable TV
e) Music
f) Internet
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
i) Eating Out For Dinner
* note: only rank what is applicable
I think a lot of people who answered this did not factor in the asterix* of applicability, or maybe I’m ignorant of how many comics readers don’t have health insurance through work which freaks me out. I do have it though so I’m taking that off the list. Here is my ranking:
1. Internet (my window to the world. I literally cannot live without the internet, I think I would have an aneurism)
2. Comic Books (my whole life is comics, I could sooner give up breathing. But admittedly I can cut down on comics)
3. Video Games (I work in video games, so I don’t really want to play video games much at home, I deal with them enough at work)
4. Movies (cut this out now that summer movie season is over and DVD’s are overpriced)
5. Collectibles (stopped buying toys a few years ago, collectibles are mostly pointless though I do buy new DC Direct Martian Manhunter figures)
6. Eating Out For Dinner (actually did just cut this out, due to recession and a big purchase I just made that I’ll get to later)
7. Cable TV (I haven’t had cable TV since high school just don’t see the point. I watch anything I want to see online or via DVD)
8. Music (I haven’t bought music in years, I find people who do buy music to be strange, I haven’t stolen it either just have no desire for new music I think I out grew it – also it’s all on YouTube as is)
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
I have. I have some items on Ebay right now.
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/oswegocomics_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ
To be fair I’m not hard up for cash. I’m turning to Ebay for two reasons. Yes, I have a fear of the coming recession and therefore would like extra cash. And also I just spent a lot of money on a once-in-a-lifetime original art piece. I just bought the original art to One Punch. I won’t say how much I paid for it, but just note that I do have to curtail extraneous spending for a while. So this purchase also drove me to Ebay.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
What a loaded question. I’ve talked a lot with my friends who run a small comic store in Upstate NY and pondered this quite a bit. I think the Big 2 need to accept that a comic book is a luxury item and sales will drop during a recession. Acceptance of this key factoid is step 1.
Next the Big 2 need to simply publish less books. Less pointless mini-series. They need to employ less people (sorry) and put out less books. That way ideally the only books that are being published are good books – because lets face it some books are crap, eliminate crap.
The final step is to reorganize cross-overs. DC has already done this and I think it’s working well for them. Cross-overs need to be very contained to specific titles and not be company wide cross overs. Buzz from retailers is that Secret Invasion is getting some people to outright leave comics. If you’re a completeist SI is causing you to not pay your bills or heat your house, or buy food.
Whereas smaller cross overs such as Sinestro Corps War, Batman RIP, Final Crisis, and arguably 52 are all proving very successful, the sales back me up on this. They are contained and accessible. Countdown, which was sort of company wide, was a failure (it was also poor quality but that’s another topic)
So publish less books, and publish more contained cross overs, no line-wide crossovers.
And on a related topic DC needs to let Wildstorm die but put Ex Machina somewhere safe.
Wait……….I just realized this question was also about me personally as a reader, and I sort of answered for an overall how the industry can survive thing. So how can comics keep me as a reader? It’s not hard. I really truthfully want to keep reading DC comics. And I will barring a full breakdown of my mental capacity and job loss. But they can sweeten the pot by making a legitimate effort to develop and care for their characters, and treat them with less violence and cruelty. Develop a character or let them go off to Limbo rather than kill them needlessly. I truly do think of the characters in the DCU as my family I feel offended and disgusted when they are hurt unnecessarily. I didn’t really know much about Wendy and Marvin, but I was offended by how callously and disgustingly they were treated. I would appreciate a concentrated effort to revive characters who have been killed in the DCU’s recent obsession with disturbing bloodshed. Particularly I’d like to see J’onn J’onzz back. Hell I’d buy the entire line if J’onn came back. Recession or no. But please note that’s me personally and does not reflect the entire comic reading public.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comic book?
a) $3.00
b) $3.50
c) $4.00
d) $5.00
Again this is a loaded question. Avatar books are 3.99 but they have no ads, and the publisher is small so I feel like it’s a fair cost. Avatar also has strong talent.
But a Big 2 book has plenty of ads and not always strong talent. But they do have the precious characters.
I will go up to $4.00 for some DC books so let’s say $4.00 is the limit and elaborate more in the next question.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
I would not stop but I would curtail my spending yes. Frankly I don’t believe the people who say they would stop. If they’re the kind of people who comment on comics websites they must be dedicated enough to spend 4.00 for at least a few things.
If it went up to 4.00 across the board I would drop the very few Marvel books I buy; so no Captain America, Spider-Girl, Iron-Fist, Iron-Man, Dark Tower, and maybe their Warren Ellis books.
As for DC I would revaluate all titles and only stick with strong creators, and any appearances by favorite characters such as Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Starman, Booster Gold, or Blue Beetle (though I’m not reading any Titans titles despite Blue Beetle, those books disgust me right now)
I would not stop buying comics outright. I love the comics too much to stop. But even I, the guy who buys almost all of DC’s output would cut back drastically. And I make decent money to. I have a good but I do have spending limits.
One final caveat- I’m also a Warren Ellis junkie and buy everything he writes. But at $4.00 I would think twice about a lot of those Marvel books Warren puts out.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
Please prepare yourself, sit down if you’re standing, for I’m going to have an opinion that is not popular with a lot of people, especially with OS readers. I do not think online sales would work and frankly they would not appeal to me. I feel strongly that I am not alone in this as print volumes of online series seem to sell very well. Just look at Warren Ellis’ current disbelief at the amount of people wanting to order Freak Angles as a trade. Lots and lots of people want to BUY Freak Angels as a book even though they can read the whole damn thing online for free.
My opinion however may be informed by geography. I live in NYC and therefore have a long non-active commute each day due to public transportation. So I have about 1.5-2 hours of spare not-at-home time every single weekday. I get most of my comics reading done at this time. Sans internet you see and laptops aren’t really applicable on crowded trains.
Another shocker- I’m not reading Freak Angels despite what a huge Ellis fan I am. I tried to for the first few weeks but I just kept forgetting about it, or being busy on Fridays, until finally I just stopped totally. I also think comic fans are very used to the 22-page cliff hanger rather than the weekly one. A 7 page weekly isn’t enough story to get us to want to come back for more, that’s just how our brains are wired from decades of floppy reading.
I also like having a comic around. I grew up in the bad 90’s where speculation was rampant and that may still be present slightly in how I view comics.
And, though again this view is not popular, I just really like collecting and organizing things. I always have, I’m a pack rat by nature and comics are my greatest and most long lasting love. The stories are what really matter but there is a secondary joy in storing the damn things and then looking at them later. Judge if you want, but I’m not ashamed of it, I’ve learned to accept it. So no online for me I will stick with actual comics.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
d) Page Count --> less pages
I was not joking about the stories being the most important thing. So I could sacrifice a lot of this stuff except the page count.
The cover artist is inconsequential and I would totally sacrifice that for lower costs. Does that really increase cost? Let’s eliminate this practice. I like covers by Brian Bolland, Adam Hughes, and Alex Ross but I don’t buy books because of those covers, that seems silly.
I’m reading a lot of 80’s book right now and the simple coloring worked then. I’d be willing to bring it back. I could also put up with cheaper paper stock. Why not?
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
Absolutely. I think you knew the answer to this question already. High quality talent absolutely can justify a higher price. I will buy anything by Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, and Grant Morrison. Name your price, I will pay it. Especially Alan Moore if he wrote some DC characters again I’d pay vast amounts of money for that; 22 dollars for 22 pages? I would honestly consider it.
Artists don’t have as much pull for me, but I’m very partial to Kevin Maguire, Alex Ross, Brian Bolland, and George Perez. I’m not sure if I’d pay more just for them but I would consider it.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
For the past few years I’ve only attended NYC cons- and I live here. But yes, gas prices and poor economy have kept me from Charlotte and Chicago. And San Diego is so expensive that it seems like an impossibility.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Wildstorm will mercifully disappear soon, and then a few smaller places will fold. I don’t read much outside the Big 2 and I think DH, Image, and Avatar are doing okay. So I’m not sure who will go next.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
a) A little
b) A lot
c) I think it's been blown out of proportion in the media
I’m going to go with A lot. We’re in a lot of trouble. It’s time to circle the wagons and drastically change our economic policies. The current ones aren’t working at all.
13. Optional: Your gender/age
Aren’t we friends on Facebook? – Either way I’m Male aged 26.
1) Minis (which I've already started), Black Panther (dead after SI), Thor, Ultimate titles, X-Force, Young X-Men, Titans, Squadron Supreme, War Journal, Wolverine Origins, Thunderbolts, Hulk, Eternals, Cable, Avengers and some others.
ReplyDelete2)I, D, F, A, G
3)No, but I do have a ton of crap and duplicate comics I have to get up there yet, and it would be nice to turn SOME kind of profit (but highly unlikely).
4)Stop decompression and offer more story per buck.
5) For ONLY 22 pages? $3 is it. Unless the book is SUPER good, as soon as the monthlies start hitting $4 or more (which I hear rumors they will come December and thereabouts) I will cut my list to only my favorites, become a TPB guy, and spend my excess money on back issues I KNOW are 100x better than modern crap.
6) Drastically cut modern collecting, begin filling in my back issues via discount bins and sales.
7) If I absolutely needed to keep up with a book, maybe. But if I can get away with Wiki updates, I'd rather hold a book in my hands. The online experience is cool if they do what they did with the Marvel CD comics back in 96, but I sincerely doubt that.
8) All but D. Yeah, comics are all pretty nowadays, but ya know what? They weren't ugly back then. A return to simpler times might be a kick in the ass most of these books need. And page count? Forget it. This writing for the trades crap makes 22 pages feel like 5 as it is. I remember when comics used to CRAM tons of story on ONE page. Then, the books were absolutely WORTH their price.
9) I honestly find a lot of the big names to be meh names. I follow a lot of the lesser-known guys a bit more intently, and while I'm more inclined to try a book they're involved with, in the end it all depends on how it grabs me on the shelf.
10) Unfortunately, being in charge of the local branch of my comic organization, I feel it's my responsibility to go to as many conventions and represent as possible; moreso to be an example to my colleagues as I'm not much of a salesman and I really have nothing to display or push of my own.
11) I see a lot of the Marvel all-ages books about to be curtailed. The last Franklin Richards was $4and was the standard fare. Not a good sign.
12) A lot, and I hope the idiots who voted Bush TWICE feel as dumb as he looks.
Ah, crap, misread #2...read my answer in reverse.
ReplyDelete1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteThis is my current pull list:
Marvel Universe:
Spider-Girl
Spider-Man Family
Avengers: Initiative
Captain America
New Warriors
Nova
She-Hulk
Thunderbolts
X-Factor
Ultimate Spider-Man
DC Universe:
Action Comics
All-Star Superman
JSA
JLA
Green Lantern
Booster Gold
Brave and the Bold
Secret Six
Other:
Dark Tower
Fables
Jack of Fables
Ex Machina
Fallen Angel
Age of Bronze
Jack Staff
Wildguard
The Boys
Girl Genius
Forgotten Realms
Dragonlance
If I had to start cutting, the titles that would be the first to go would be New Warriors, She-Hulk, USM, Green Lantern, and Brave and the Bold.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
g) Medication and Medical Procedures
f) Internet
a) Comic Books
d) Cable TV
i) Eating Out For Dinner
e) Music
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
I do it usually more to clear space than for the cash.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Stop insulting me by telling me that my opinion doesn't matter and that they don't need the sales of readers like me to keep their publishing line healthy.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
a) $3.00
b) $3.50
c) $4.00
d) $5.00
Depends on the comic. There are a few books on my pull list that I would hang on with even beyond those prices.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
Probably not drastically, since I'm already pretty picky.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
Nah, I personally couldn't see paying for a comic that I can't physically own.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
d) Page Count --> less pages
Um, I guess cover artist, though I don't know how much that would chop off the price of the book.
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
Nope. I'm more likely to support writers and artists that aren't "blockbuster", since their work isn't as likely to get collected and remain in print for a long time.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
Meh. I live in NY, so the NYCC is all I really need anyway.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
I don't think any smaller companies are at immediate risk, but I predict Marvel and DC will have to restructure future events and put out fewer tie-in miniseries.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
A Lot.
13. Optional: Your gender/age
Male, 28.
1. Titles that I know will be collected in trade.
ReplyDelete2. g, f, d, a, h, b, e, c
3. No.
4. Keep putting out books by writers I'm a fan of (Brubaker, Ellis, Ennis, Morrison, etc.).
5. I have paid $3.99 but would refuse to go substantially higher, so I'll go with c.
6. I would switch almost completely to trades, in that case.
7. No, I prefer paper.
8. I would say coloring, I guess.
9. Yes and yes.
10. I don't go to conventions (and don't have a car) so that's not an issue.
11. Wizard would be an obvious choice. And how many more times will DC revamp Wildstorm before they give up?
12. I think a big part of the reason for the hand-wringing is that rich people are getting nailed. Having said that, I do think that the economy is in trouble and would answer b), but not to the extent that a depression is possible in any way.
13. Male, 39.
I'm only just entering the comics world, actually, so I'll answer those that actually apply.
ReplyDelete2. Most to least important:
a) Internet (mostly because of my blog)
b) Video Games
c) Eating Out For Dinner
d) Movies
3. Unless I truly, utterly have lost an interest in collecting or having something, absolutely not. I'd sooner work extra hours at a side job than sell off anything I'm even a little attached to.
4. Pretend like nothing's any different than usual. If the comic is worth it, people will find the money to buy it, or else will go after it once the recession's over. Lousy comics will have to shape up or never again ship out when people start spending their precious monies on something better.
5. Seeing as I only buy such comic books if they are very, very special to me, I'd cap it at $5.00 because I so very rarely buy them and I don't mind shelling out the extra cashoola if I really want it.
8. c) Cover Artist. We can still get the same art that would be on a cover in the form of posters or prints from the artist (provided he/she is the distributing type), but the paper and coloring have no substitutes and the only way around a shorter page count is to be forced into ultimately buying more books.
10. I only go to one convention a year, if even, and because it's such a big event I make whatever cuts to my daily/weekly spending that are necessary to make it happen, unless I'm living without any luxuries and am still struggling to keep a roof on my table and food over my head... or however that goes.
12. I can't answer this because I really don't know. Because I'm (thankfully!) unaffected by most of what's going on because of my particular line of work and various other factors, I'm inclined to say it's being blown out of proportion by the media, but I'm close to people who are strongly feeling the effects of the crisis, and now I'm hearing about how the rest of the world is being affected, so...
I'm gonna say d) a jar of almonds.
13. Male.
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteThis is a scary question, because it's going to make me ask why I buy what I do buy every month. But -- everything except Ultimate Spider-Man and Fables would be on the chopping block, depending on how satisfied I've been with whatever title.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
d) Cable TV
f) Internet
a) Comic Books
i) Eating Out For Dinner
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
e) Music
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Not eBay, but may years ago, I did sell my entire comic book collection, but it wasn't strictly for financial reasons. Stoopid.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Cut out the crossovers and big events. Keep to a schedule because I've already dropped Powers because when a title only comes out every few months, I lose interest in what's going on in it.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
b) $3.50
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
Yes.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
Yes.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
a, b, & c
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
No.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
I only go to Charlotte, and it's not far away, so I guess my answer is -- no.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Wildstorm
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
13. Optional: Your gender/age
Male/50
1. I would dump all floppies and buy trades directly from the US via Amazon. Even with the massive shipping cost, it's cheaper than getting them in Australia
ReplyDelete2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
I don't eat out, see movies, buy music (because of my location), and in Australia medication and medical procedures are cheap. I would drop video games first, then cable, comic books next and internet never.
3. No, I only sell titles I don't like or want to keep.
4. Keep prices low, keep core titles accessible so that you can just follow a single title rather than having to follow 10 and giving up on all of them.
5. I already pay $6.25/book or more (in Australia)
6. N/A
7. Not until on-screen readers improve drastically.
8. I would sacrifice any of the above - cover artists are over-hyped and glossy paper is unnecessary.
9. There are a few comic writers who are instant buys, but none from your list.
10. Gas/petrol prices are already high, I am not travelling because I have work.
11. Mainstream titles will be severely cut back rather than companies collapsing for a few years yet.
12. The US economy is in major trouble; it is yet to be seen how this will affect better-regulated countries. Oil is a problem for everyone.
13. Female, 33.
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why? The first thing I would stop is my impulse shopping on slow days. If I JUST stuck to my pulls it would cut my total monthly spending in half. After that I could drop anything that wasn't a joy to read.
ReplyDelete2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
1.Medicine and Medical
2. Internet
3. Cable
4. Eating Out
5. Movies (netflix or rentals)
6. Comic Books
7. Music
8. Collectibles
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
No. I can't imagine anything being able to bring enough money to justify getting rid of them.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Put out a quality product at a price reasonable for what is being offered.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
Probably $5, but not on a regular basis.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
I might reduce my purchases a little, or move to getting trades through Amazon more than floppies from my LCS.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor? I like owning a thing. If I could download and read comics and keep the files Then I would be all for it, any other system gets a slightly less enthusiastic response. I don't mind on-line comics at all though.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
sacrifice in this order:
1.Cover Art
2.Coloring
3.Paper
4. Pages (although I like good paper too)
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you? Few things are instant buys. I might pay a little more, but not a lot if I could help it.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns? I plan to go to 2 or 3 conventions a year. I am already planning to go back to Heroes and SPX. I will probably hit Baltimore next year as well.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block? I really don't know.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
a) A little
b) A lot
c) I think it's been blown out of proportion in the media
A lot. I hope we can weather it, though.
13. Optional: Your gender/age
m/39
who would be insane enough
ReplyDeleteto buy comics instead of medicines
and food?
on another note Val you live in Usa
is not like you`re living in third world country I envy all of you.
1. Well, I started that practice a year ago. I don't buy comics that i don't care about. If I don't care about the story, i don't buy it. If I don't think :I can't wait to read..." I leave it. Beyond that, I would rank my top 10, and get those, then get the smaller companies' (which aren't many books i buy anymore) then DC. Marvel trades one can find regularly for bargain basement prices.
ReplyDelete2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
d) Cable TV
f) Internet
e) Music
a) Comic Books
c) Collectibles
b) Video Games
i) Eating Out For Dinner
Covered medically, and I get free movies since my girlfriend and best friends work at theatres, dvds, eh.
3. Yes, I bough a DS this way, and paid for christmas this way.
4. Create stories I can't miss. Basically, doing what they always have to do. They couldn't afford to drop prices.
5. $3.50
6. Yes.
7. This will eventually occur, but i would begrudgingly buy them this way. Its fun to have a stack, physical trade. Buying programs with no packaging saddens me deeply. but to save the world, why not?
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
9. They are not instant buys. I don't buy Batman, I didn't get the Eternals initially. I didn't buy Justice or Project superblahblahblah, I don't but anything Frank Miller. But understanding the question, I would not be willing to pay more for mainstream books by famous creators. There should not be a disconnect between the other books. If Grant Morrison wrote a Metamorpho comic, and it cost $4.99, would anyone see this as anything but gimmicky? Of course not. DC/Marvel books need to be the same price across the board.
10. No. I go one comic convention, and one anime convention a year, I will not be cutting these.
11. Devil's Due Publishing, Icon, Tokyopop
12. b, and has been for a long time. Finally, its getting attention it deserves.
13. Male/ 25
2.) I'd drop a,b, and c in that order. I think switching to cheaper paper would be a good idea - comic books are printed on cheap newsprint in Japan, and they are taken much more seriously as an art form there then they are here.
ReplyDelete1. I only buy Criminal on a monthly basis, so I'd just hop to the trades with that. For most of the bigger stuff I buy in trade anyway, but would try to make space for things like Grotesque where I could.
ReplyDelete2. a) Medication/Medical Procedures
b) Internet
c) Movies
d) Comic Books
e) Music
f) Eating Out For Dinner
g) Videogames
3. I haven't, but would consider it if money got really tight. But at that point it wouldn't just be comics getting jettisoned...
4. Cut the damn prices, and/or get a wiggle on offering actual value-for-money digital alternatives to the increasingly-costly print editions. If money's tight and I have $9, and I can pay $1.50 an issue for current issues of six different series, I'll most likely spend at least some of that $9. No way in hell am I spending ~$4 on ONE issue of something that I may turn out to hate.
5.Limit is $4.00, but I expect decent production values and professional-standard writing/artwork at that point, not to mention the comic being full-colour. For B/W or small-press, it drops to $3.00.
6. Damn straight, I'd be either tradewaiting or dropping titles completely if the cost of the trades goes up enough.
7. I've been dying to be able to buy digital comics for a couple of years now, partly because of the reduction in cost (which I expect to be passed on to me) and partly because of the ease of storage. I don't value the artifact aspect of comics, and would happily spend $1-1.50 on stuff I might only read once or twice.
8. I know it's a potential entryway into the industry for a lot of people, but those OTT covers would be straight out the door if I had my way. After that, maybe paper quality....if the drop wasn't too bad.
9. I follow certain creators, but if buying their material is going to cost more I'll still have a look before buying. Hell, Frank Miller is enough of a warning against having a buy-on-sight policy for any creator...
10. Travelling to conventions would be close to the top of things I'd stop doing to save money, yes.
11. I'm slightly worried DC will cut down on Vertigo and/or Wildstorm (although I'm more concerned about the former TBH). to an extent they dropped the ball with the Minx, Humanoids and 2000AD imprints, and Vertigo's had a wobbly couple of years with a few promising titles cut short, but it's also a pretty good imprint in terms of quality. I hope it doesn't go south.
12. I agree a little, but I think the problems are mostly for people who're used to making far too much money anyway and they're trying to figure out how they can keep on making too much money by raising costs for everyone else. How much they get away with remains to be seen.
13. Male/26 Years old.
1. What the Amazing Spider-man /One More Day/Brand New Day taught me is that I can drop any comic title from my pull list and never have to worry about it again. Even the titles where I have compiled in a zombie-like fashion 300-400 issue runs.
ReplyDelete2.
a)Medication and Medical Procedures (thanks to the Canadian health system this isn't a huge worry but, along with food and rent, always THE priority)
b)Cable TV
c)Internet
d)Eating Out For Dinner
e)Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
f)Comic Books
g)Collectibles
h)Music
i)Video Games
3. Yes but only to take advantage of high market prices not because I needed the extra cash.
4. Produce good comics. Stop the variant cover madness. Produce good comics. Stabilizie creative teams for more than 3 issues. Produce good comics. Deliver them on the promised fequency. Produce good comics.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
c) $4.00
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
No.
7. I would be cool with it but nothing beats having the physical copy in your hands. It would allow me to sample a number of titles that I don't buy now which could in turn lead to future purchases.
8. c) Cover artist. I can count on one hand the number of books that I've bought solely because of the cover artist.
9. To pay more for? No. The drop a title to be able to afford that 'instant buy'? Yes.
10. No. I plan on actually attending more conventions next year including (hopefully) the Lucca con in Italy. I have adjusted my budget and savings plan to be able to do this but gas prices and economic concerns were not a factor in these decisions. It was more like "what do I need to do in order to be able to attend these shows in 2009?"
11. Don't care to speculate on specific companies but there probably will be more companies 'go the way of the dodo' in the next 6 months. Smaller companies that require financing from Financial Institutions will find the new lending policies extremely tough.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
13. Male/38
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteNightwing – Already have had to drop, story has gone little if next to nowhere since Infinite Crisis ended.
Blue Beetle – After the “Reach” storyline, stories have felt lacking, the title isn’t horrible now, but after my “Countdown” mistake I am a bit trigger happy with so/so comics
Batman – Grant Morrison, guy can write All Star Superman like nobody’s business but I can’t understand much if anything from his current RIP storyline
Birds of Prey – I love the title, I really do, but after Simone left I just don’t see the point in buying singles anymore, when I can just wait for the inevitable trades.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
- Internet
- Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
- Comic Books
- Video Games
- Music
- Eating Out For Dinner
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
-Once. Ebay is a wasteland wherein there is no gain for the seller, and all the gain for the buyer. Currently I have gotten rid of 10 or 12 short boxes at a local comic shop.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
-Less ads. I don’t wanna pay upwards of 4 bucks on a “Marvel Knights” comic, only to have 3/4s of the damn thing filled with ads. Indie publishers, least have the decency to shove all that crap at the back of the issue 9 times outta 10.
-Cheaper pricing – Fell was 2 bucks an issue and it was awesome, this bullshit about “special paper” and whatever else comics companies use as excuses for jacking up prices, are just that, excuses.
-Online distribution. I’ll gladly pay 20 bucks a month for new comics every week from Marvel thru some kinda online distribution. I like the feel of paper, don’t get me wrong, but money is money and it eliminates me having to scan sections of a comic for a blog post related to said comics as well.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
c) $4.00
and it’s gotta be something REALLY special.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
I’d just start getting trades and likely download them off various sources. If comic companies wanna charge me an extra buck for the same damn comic, 3/4s filled with ads, then they can freaking BITE ME.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
Yeah, see answer to #4.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
Easily the paper, . I couldn’t really give a crap if the paper is GLOSSY. Save the glossy crap for trades maybe.
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
Brian K. Vaughan, Geoff Johns, Warren Ellis, Ben Templesmith; if any of these guys is attached to a comic, it pretty much has my attention. Frank Miller….no. Grant Morrison not unless it’s All Star Superman. Neil Gaiman, I’ll generally just wait for the inevitable trade.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
Yes, I am pretty broke right now and maybe I’ll go to EmeraldCon or HeroesCon next year but even then, that’s pushing it. Living in KY aka the state without decent comic conventions, going to any con costs a decent amt of moolah.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Dynamite & Ape.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
a) A little
Our dependence on gas, and inability to keep bright/innovative US citizens working within the states has slowly been killing our economy. Add to all of this mess this continuing policy of helping other countries out. I’m all for spreading peace and aid to other places but the US needs to help itself before lending help to others, otherwise we become a third world country that I can assure you nobody will come to the aid of.
13. Optional: Your gender/age
Male/26 going on 50.
I'll second Algeya's comments. Although Canada isn't quite the third world, as recessions go, this isn't so bad. I'm originally from a part of Canada where near double digit unemployment used to be considered the norm, and although unemployment in my old home province is now comparable to that of the US, it's largely because so many people have left the place, myself included. Say what you will about runaway health care costs in the USA, it's still faster than what's on offer in Canada. You want to know what a single payer Canadian style health care system is going to be like? Go down to your local DMV or VA hospital.
ReplyDelete1. I have not had a pull list in a bit over a year. I bought All-Star Superman and Rasl Saturday. That was a birthday indulgence. My comics spending money really has to be dedicated to making my own comics and covering convention and promotional costs. A comic needs to be pretty great for me to justify spending money since I have two daughters that always need new shoes. That being said, I do pick up the occasional Archie digest. I'm very fortunate that minicomics creators send me books for free. Very, very fortunate.
ReplyDelete2. I dropped everything on that list except internet, cable and medical expenses around the time my 2nd daughter was born. Dropped my pull list around that time too but I'm still very active in comics. Out of what is left, cable would be the first to go. (Could go any minute now.)
3. Oh yeah. If I can't do that there may be no Christmas.
4. Big thick cheap quality books. Shonen Jump and Archie digests appeal to me because of the bang for the buck. Production values are meaningless to me. I'd like to see a totally black N white cheap ass newsprint paper comic sold dirt cheap. Even the cover should be black n' white newsprint. Screw the gloss and color. I just want some good cheap comics to read. I think Marvel and DC should cut their amount of titles by about 75% and make bigger thicker books on crappy ass cheap paper. Give me one 80 page Spider-Man book each month. One 80 page Bat-Man. One 80 page Supes etc. Each book would have several stories from several crators. Anything goes. Continuity be damned.
5. $3.00
6. Hah!
7. If they do it right. If the reading experience is pleasant without a lot of zooming and scrolling. If the comics are good. Sure! The only thing for me is that the internet experience is better for comic "strips" than comic "books". I do most of my introneting at work during down time and it is extreme multitasking. Many many browsers open. I read a lot of one page webcomic strips everyday and enjoy them a lot. That however, does nto mean I would take the time to read a long 22 page (or 22 screen) Spider-Man story no matter how good it was. It's just different. It's more like reading newspaper strips. I can read the Sunday funnies and eat breakfast at the same time but I would not dig into Jimmy Corrigan. I love them both. It's just different.
8. Like I said, give me the cheapest paper, the cheapest covers, pack it full of ads... whatever. Just make sure the comics are good comics.
9. Mmmmm... only if the book itself comes off as a work of art that I need to own and hold in my hands for years and years. I used to be a collector and a completist but now, I don't need to own everything. I'd rather try new stuff from guys I'm less familiar with. I'd rather have 100 books by 100 different creators than 100 books from my favorite creator.
10. I had to eliminate my SPX plans because of the cost of gas and milk and bread and shoes etc. I hope it gets better. I want travel to at least four shows next year. I only did two in 08'.
11. Guys with all their eggs in one basket. I think indie graphic novel publishers will be okay. Each book is kind of it's own niche. It's companies that put out genre series floppies that will be hurt. I suspect Marvel and DC will drop some more titles but hey, the need to.
12. We have plowed head first into the iceberg. We have given wall street all the life jackets and the life boats have left. Now we rats are just listening to the band play on as the water gets closer and closer.
13. I'm a 35 year old grown boy.
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteWell, I just dropped Moon Knight but not entirely for financial reasons. Chances are that I'd start with eliminating miniseries. It's easier to say what I'd hold onto until the bitter end--Captain America, Green Lantern Corps, the new Secret Six series.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Medication and Medical Procedures
b) Internet
c) Comic Books
d) Cable TV
e) Collectibles (just action figures, which I do love)
f) Music
g) Video Games
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
i) Eating Out For Dinner
I can't imagine anyone not having health-related expenses at the top of their list, so I assume you've known someone who didn't? Also, this is all what would be my personal choices--in reality my husband and kids would have something to say about it as well.
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
No. I've purchased items on eBay but the idea of selling kind of scares me! :) Also I am a bit of a packrat.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Well, it would be nice if they'd stop assuming that I have infinite stores of cash to spend on extras (events and minis), but I don't expect that. Really I'd be happy if they'd just hold the usual price steady for a while.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
I don't know that there is an absolute limit--certainly back in the days when I was paying a dollar a book, the idea of 2.99 would have been ludicrous to me. Right this minute, though, I would be disinclined to pay much more than $4.00.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
I would curtail it, but I'm not sure by how much.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
That depends--do I get to actually own the files and store them on my computer? And just how much cheaper?
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
d) Page Count --> less pages
Anything except (d). In particular, the cover artist is meaningless to me.
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
No and no.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
I don't go to conventions anyway, but we've certainly cut back on travel in general.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
You know, I have no idea because I don't really follow the independent companies. However, I'm pretty sure it'll be one of them. :(
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
a) A little
And I couldn't help but notice the absence of an "I don't agree" choice there. That's discrimination against the delusional! :)
13. Optional: Your gender/age
Female, 46.
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteProbably any miniseries that I'm currently getting, and just get the trade. Also any series that doesn't need the monthly sales from me to survive (e.g. Ex Machina, JSA), and again wait for the trade.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Comic Books
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
d) Cable TV
e) Music
f) Internet
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
i) Eating Out For Dinner
* note: only rank what is applicable
I've already stopped eating out. I rarely go to the movies, so I could give that up. I live in a college dorm, so my cable and Internet is included, so that's not an issue. Comics are basically my only luxury that I directly pay for, so it would take a lot to make me give them up, though I would if money got really tight.
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Not yet, but I've considered it.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Do your job, and give me good stories. Seriously, that's it. If you're going to charge me $3 a month per installment, that story better be pretty fucking good.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
b) $3.50, $4.00 if it's got really good production value.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
Yes.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
Absolutely. In fact, when I was living in England last year and the price really was formidable to my American bank account (and knowing that my pull list was still being filled back home wating for me when I got back) I did less-than-legitimately download my titles each week. Reading comics on my computer is not a barrier for me. And I do think it's absurd that Marvel does not put up its new issues right away the week, or even the week after, they come out.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
d) Page Count --> less pages
I could sacrifice cover artist easily. And I could let go of the paper quality, though that would probably affect coloring anyway.
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
Those are more the guys I will wait for the trade for, actually, just because given their previous work, I know that I will probably want something of theirs to fit nicely on my bookshelf. My "instant buys" are more the tier just under them: the Gail Simones, the Warren Ellises, the BKVs (though he's starting to crack the top tier for me)
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
Well, since the furthest con I was thinking of going to was NYCC, and it still only costs $15 to get there by bus from Boston, I don't think that will be the barrier. But if my friend who lives there suddenly couldn't house me and I had to get a hotel, that would completely kill those plans.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
I think a lot of the smaller Image creators (and other back-end profiting companies) will probably put their projects on hold. The economy problems will also probably hasten the manga bubble burst.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
13. Optional: Your gender/age
Female/21
Whoops, looks like I misunderstood #2. My responses I think are backwards.
ReplyDelete1. If I had to save money I would drop what few DC titles I still read.
ReplyDelete2.
a)Meds
b)movies
c)comics
d)internet
e)games
f)cable
g)music
h)collectibles
i)eating out
3. not yet
4. give me a good story and not just shock value
5. $3.50
6. yes
7. yes
8. cover artist (remember the 90's)
9. only Neil Gaiman
10. no
11. IDW the transformers and Dr. Who comics they are putting out are not very good. the same thing happened to dreamwave years ago. Dreamwave had lisecenses and they started out great but the quality of storytelling started to fall and so did the company.
12. some people are in big trouble with the economy. a few of us won't feel it but others will soon be brought down to our level and they will have to deal with it.
13. I am a 25 year old male and I lost my job a few months ago and I still have some big ass student loans to pay off.
"who would be insane enough
ReplyDeleteto buy comics instead of medicines
and food?"
It's not food, it's dining out. It costs me alone at least $5-8 each time I get fast food, and $15-20 for something more respectable.
As for medicine, welcome to the American madness. I'm uninsured, so a trip to the dentist runs me anywhere from $250-$2000, and I've avoided ever going to the hospital, which starts at about $800 here. I probably spend $500 or so a year on comics, averaging $10 a week. If I cut out comics for 2+ years, I could maybe afford a minor procedure.
Damn, read mine in reverse on No. 2
ReplyDelete1. I download everything except for trades I read at my local library.. If I buy anything, it would be trades, and manga. Manga is priced very well.
ReplyDelete2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Comic Books
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
d) Cable TV
e) Music
f) Internet
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
i) Eating Out For Dinner
* note: only rank what is applicable
f
b
d
a
c
h
e
i
3. Haven’t had to do this, or have tried. However, I am trying to sell some of my video games, to get rid of some of the games in my collection that I don’t want anymore.
4. I don’t know what they can do. I guess cheaper books.
5. a) $3.00
This also seems too high at times.
6. I would maybe buy monthlies from independent companies, but never from DC or Marvel.
7. I download my favorite books for free, and would be very open to buy the books online for cheaper than the store price. I wouldn’t pay for a subscription because I’d like to own the comics I buy.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
d) Page Count --> less pages
I really like the coloring and paper quality of today’s comic books, and I don’t want to give it up.
9. I do read All Star Batman for Jim Lee’s art, as I’ve always loved his art. Otherwise I don’t care that much for if a superstar artist of writer is on a title. I care more about the characters than the creative teams. As long as the writing and art are at least good I’ll enjoy the book.
10. No, as the only convention I think I’ll attending is Wondercon in San Francisco in February. I take a train to attend, and it’s not that expensive for the three day pass, or the train tickets.
11. I’ve read rumblings of a couple of manga companies in trouble, but no American comic book companies are going under.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
13. I’m male and 25.
1. I'm already dropping Runaways and Astonishing X-Men.
ReplyDelete2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
a) Medication/Medical Procedures
b) Internet (I'm a student)
c) Cable TV
d) Movies
e) Comic Books
f) Eating Out
g) Video Games
h) Collectibles
Music (free from library)
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Nope - but I've sold concert tickets.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Produce quality books worth reading. More creator controlled books by decent writers and artists willing to stick around for more than six issues.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
a) $3.00
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
Curtail collecting for sure. I'd only buy the books I didn't want to wait for the library to purchase.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
- I like reading paper (comics, books, etc). I'd be willing to throw down a reasonable amount of money if archs were collected and distributed in tpbs ONLY.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
- Alex Ross is up there but the book content plays a factor. I don't really like Miller or Morrison, and I'm not familiar enough with Gaiman. But for my favorite writers, I tend to follow their works through purchase or library.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
I really only hit up the Portland convention, but I did cancel a trip to Seattle recently for their con due to $$ issues.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Image maybe.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot AND I think it's been blown out of proportion in the media.
1. I've already cut back because most titles leave me cold, and I am sick to death of mega crossovers. But I would probably drop JLA, because it's boring, and Robin, because, even though I like it because I've only been reading a year or so. I would keep buying Nightwing, because that is the only thing I have a complete run of; and JSA, because I like the Golden Age heroes; and of course Usagi Yojimbo and the Star Trek titles because I am still a Trekkie.
ReplyDelete2. Collectibles, videogames, dvds, comics
3. doing it now.
4. Make interesting comics. It has gotten hard to tell one book from another. Even Looney Tunes books are tough to get into.
5. $4
6. Stop buying comics
7. Online comics are cool, but are hard to read when I am laying on the sofa.
8. I miss news print. Cut back on the paper. And the multiple covers.
9. No
10. N/A
11. No clue.
12. A little of a and a little of c. It is the media's current crisis of the moment.
13. I am 45 and male. And now embarrassed.
2.
1. if i had to, "kick-ass" i guess, it's too hit or miss. i'm lucky in that i don't read too many titles. "el diablo" as well, kinda fun read but not a must have.
ReplyDelete2.
e) Music
f) Internet
h) Movies
a) Comic Books
i) Eating Out For Dinner
d) Cable TV
b) Video Games
3. nah, i don't have anything worth all that much.
4. make cheaper comics?
5. three dollars for new comics.
6. yes.
7. i've tried reading comics in pda format, i'm not a fan. online comics work because they're not a lot all at once. i don't like to read pages of anything on the computer.
8. a) probably should be done
b) i'm a fan of older styles of colouring.
c) cover art means little to me, it probably should be done by the inside artist
d) warren ellis proved with "fell" that you can have a compelling story with only sixteen pages.
9. i don't think their comics should be more expensive than anyone else's. i am usually more compelled to check out things by writers i like than try out new writers though.
10. never been to a convention.
11. don't know enough about business.
12. b) A lot
13. male 23
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteDOKTOR SLEEPLESS would be tossed only because it'll likely read better in trade paperback. I'd also give up on the ancillary FINAL CRISIS series (except, maybe, SUPERMAN BEYOND). And no more MARVEL HANDBOOK-like impulse-buys.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
c) Collectibles
e) Music
b) Video Games
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
a) Comic Books
i) Eating Out For Dinner
d) Cable TV
f) Internet
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Yes, I have. My leather slipcase WATCHMEN and KINGDOM COME editions.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Deals. My LCS offers the first and last volume of a tpb series at a steep discount if you purchase all the volumes in between; further, those in-between editions are still marked down to compete with Amazon.
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
d) $5.00 (or more -- but this would have to be an exception)
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
I would curtail it, yes.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
It would depend on the creator, frankly. Silly company crossover events are still best experiences while on the subway or kicking back in bed; wacky postmodern stuff by Morrison or Ellis, though, would be fine on screen.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
While Frank Miller specifically is not enough, yes, certain superstar creators certainly are, to me.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
No, I am likely to cut back (and have been in 2008 already).
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Oni?
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
13. Optional: Male, 31
1. Everything but JSA, because while I also love the Ultimate Marvel books, JSA is a step above. It is like making love to the Mona Lisa. I simply could not wait for the TPB to come out.
ReplyDelete2. Meds
Internet
Comics
Eating Out
Movies
Music
3. I sold my extensive collections of D&D books and Magic cards for pennies on the dollar...so yes.
4. Stop ruining good books with "new directions", like they did with The All-New Atom after Gail Simone left. Also: no more lame superheroine softcore. If they're gonna use sex to sell books, I want full-on XXX-rated orgies, not impossible figures and butt-shots.
5. $3.00. $5.00 if it's a Geoff Johns book.
6. See answers 1 and 5.
7. I would go for it even if gas were 20 cents a gallon, and the stock market were soaring above Olympus. Digital comics are as a gift from the gods, which I would pay for if allowed the option. Print is for books, not 22-page pamphlets.
8. A, then C, then B. Not D.
9. Geoff Johns and Alex Ross, but only on DC books. Marvels is the only Ross work I dug that wasn't DC, and while Johns is a great writer, outside my mythology of choice, his work doesn't interest me.
10. I was planning to attend a few. I'm definitely going to have to reduce the number to just one.
11. There are comics other than the main DC line and Ultimate Marvel?!
I kid, I kid...I have no idea.
12. We were just forced to give 840 billion dollars to the people who got us into this in the first place, and it did nothing to help. I'm just glad I have a state government job, because I predict a 73% chance of breadlines in our future.
13. Trans/23
1. If you needed to pull back on your comic book expenditures a little bit, what titles would you drop from your pull list and why?
ReplyDeleteNightwing and Teen Titans. Neither are following a direction I like.
2. Rank the following in the order of (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first, if you had to save money:
g) Medication and Medical Procedures (assuming you aren't covered for them, includes dental care)
f) Internet
d) Cable TV
i) Eating Out For Dinner
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
a) Comic Books
e) Music
b) Video Games [only have a PS2]
c) Collectibles [don't buy these anyway]
* note: only rank what is applicable
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles on eBay in order to scare up some extra cash?
Yes
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Provide alternate methods of delivery (i.e., better digital delivery/accessibility).
5. What is your absolute limit in terms of how much you are willing to pay for a single 22-page comc book?
b) $3.50
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page issue across the board, would you stop or drastically curtail your collecting?
Yes.
7. If reading a lot of the comics you are following now could be done online and for a drastically cheaper price (either per-issue or through a subscription), would you be cool with that? Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
YES and yes.
8. What quality in your comic books would you be willing to sacrifice most, if it meant a cheaper price tag?
a) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
b) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
c) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
Depends. Neil Gaiman, yes. The others you listed? Not alone.
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
Nah. Not a convention-goer. And I live right near where Wizard World is held.
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
No idea.
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree with this statement?
b) A lot
13. Optional: Your gender/age
Male/35
1. I'd buy more trades from Amazon. I'm moving more to doing that anyway, for anything I'm reasonably sure I'd
ReplyDeleteI'd drop Trinity completely for sure. Weekly book that is varying the parallel world concept too much.
2. I don't spend hardly anything on music and movies. I'd drop medicine last, and comics somewhere in the middle.
3. Yes, but less lately. More to get extra cash to buy more crap then emergency money.
4. Good core books, less big company arcs. No more weeklies
5. Standard comic? $3
6. probably.
7. Nah. I'd rather they switch to trades entirely than read online.
8. I'm willing to go back to 4 color newsprint, frankly.
9. Alex Ross, yes, since he does art that costs more to reproduce. Not for writers though.
10. Not a comic-con goer.
12. yes. we're in trouble, but many things will be fine.
13. Male/40
1. I have actually dropped pretty much everything because i was tired of having to dispose of paper pamphlets (give away, resell, use as wrapping paper). I still get Morrison, Brubaker, and Fration titles in floppies plus lots of trades. I now pirate copies most of my comics but i would pay for digital copies legitmately if they were made available.
ReplyDelete2.
f) Internet
e) Music
d) Cable TV
h) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
a) Comic Books
i) Eating Out For Dinner
b) Video Games
c) Collectibles
3. yep! in process of slowly selling off all my 60s marvel.
4. make good comics that are worth reading. more chraacter based tales less crossover.
5. d) $5 but it really depends on the creators involved. Id pay $30 for 22 page Dan Clowes book.
6. N?A already started abandoning floppies.
7. I would love to be able to buy online comics of my favorite titles. I love the pirated ones just wish i had an easy way to pass on my money. Ireally dont want any more boxes of comics.
8. c) Cover Artist
9. Yes I'd totally pay more, I primarially follow writers. Morrison, Los Bros Hernandez, Clowes, Lutes, Moore, Fraction, Bendis, Brubaker.
10. No, but i only go to local shows anyway.
11. Boom Studios
12. b) A lot
13. 31 y/o male
1. A few...
ReplyDelete2. I'd have trouble dropping any of the Movies/Comics/Music/EatingOut bunch, though I could see myself cutting back to various degrees. I haven't been to a doctor in years, and my internet access comes entirely at work or from when I find an open network I can mooch off of. So, er... None of the above, I guess?
3. Yes.
4. A few things, I guess... Make books that're good and/or fun. (The two aren't necessarily synonymous.) Low-priced intros tend to help me get interested, and once I'm hooked, I stick around. Good graphic design for covers tends to draw me in for a closer look (though when it bears no relation to the interior content I'll just throw it back on the shelf 9 times out of 10). Really, just try new things. No more generic dark super-hero books, wankfest autobio "meaningful" books about boring people, or rehashed genre titles that all blur together... If you can't put a good spin on something, just don't do it.
5. Depends on the book, really.
6. I might switch to buying more issues as one-off tasters, and waiting for the trade if I like what I see... Though that's already a trend in my reading habits.
7. Nope. E-comics, e-books, whatever... I don't care. I read mostly late at night, or when I'm out somewhere, and I'm not gonna pull out a laptop over dinner or in the park or wherever. Paper rules, storage issues be damned. (And hey, I pay for objects. I don't buy mp3s or video downloads either.)
8. Ditch the cover artist scam... Give me some idea of what's inside. I also don't really care about paper stock quality, if it's a good book I'll probably pick up the collected nice edition later anyway.
9. Depends on what the project is. So, er... Maybe.
10. I've only ever been to cons here in NYC, I can't see my financial situation improving enough to allow traveling to any cons in the near future, but I do plan to attend NYCC and MoCCA again this year.
11. No idea. I expect a good few will go belly-up by year's end, tho.
12. The economy is f***ed.
13. Male, 30.
1. ... pull back on your comic book expenditures ...what titles would you drop?
ReplyDeleteWe dropped all pulls on monthly floppies with the exception of Steve Rude's Nexus, which comes out infrequently enough to justify any cost on. We buy trades & GNs now when we can.
2. ... to save money: (top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first:
a) Medication and Medical Procedures (even when you're "covered" you still need to budget for your end. sigh.)
b) Internet
d) Eating Out For Dinner (we do more of the "we're out working and have to eat something" eating, not "hanging out/drinking" type eating)
e) Movies (either DVDs or going out to theatre)
f) Music
g) Comic Books
We don't buy collectibles, video games or cable.
3. Have you ever turned to selling some comic books or other collectibles ... [for] extra cash?
Yep.
4. What, in your opinion, do you think the comic book industry has to do in order to hold you as a loyal reader in the case of a recession?
Stop the mainstream megacrossovers. Those are not "special events" anymore, and it's lost them more readers over the years than they realize.
The cost of producing comics is way high (something a few indie publishers never calculate fully up front). But if I recommend cutting costs there, it means artists will be paid less for their time -- and that is just depressing, and we can't live off that. Many of us already know first hand how difficult it is to live off of making comics, (even full time) especially for pencillers.
On the other hand, there are basically no contemporary (DC and Marvel) floppies that inspire us to buy them anymore, so in my opinion that's squarely a lack of vision in the editorial direction of the books.
5. ...your limit ... willing to pay for a single 22-page comic book?
c) $4.00. And it would have to be by a beloved creator I'd want to make sure could publish a trade later.
6. If comics went up to $4.00 per 22-page[s] ... would you stop or ... curtail ... collecting?
N/A. Basically already dropped collecting floppies.
7. If reading ... [the] comics you're following now could be done online ... Would you see that as a legitimate alternative to buying paper, considering the economic factor?
The comics I read online for free tend to be by creators not signed with anyone, and who I hope may someday collect their books into trades so I'd buy them then, so I'm not interested in online subscriptions.
8. What quality ... would you ... sacrifice ... [for] a cheaper price tag? [(top) would drop last to (bottom) would drop first]
a) Page Count --> less pages
Although the Warren Ellis "slimline" model is cool so I respect that ($1.99 for 16 pages of art inside a 24 page book including cover)
b) Paper --> from more expensive to cheaper stock
Though the last time I checked the crappy grade was more expensive, so it may make no diff.
c) Coloring --> from very elaborate to simpler coloring
The final print never looks like all the work the colorists put into it, so may as well save them considerable time.
d) Cover Artist --> no "high ticket" cover artist, unless artist of book
Seriously. I always hated the awesome cover artist/not the same interiors fake out.
9. Do you like blockbuster artists and writers like Frank Miller, Alex Ross, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman enough to be willing to pay more for a comic book that they are involved with? Are they "instant buys" for you?
Nope. Not these guys -- but I'm not their audience anyway -- except for Gaiman. My favorite creators generally are not considered "blockbuster names".
10. Are you more likely over the next six months not to travel to as many conventions due to rising gas prices and economic concerns?
N/A
11. Over the last few months we've seen Virgin Comics & Minx go the way of the dodo. In your opinion, what might be next on the chopping block?
Minx I was sorry to see go. It's not a floppy imprint, so that simply wasn't given a realistic window of time to get its "sea legs".
I expect other imprints within the mainstream biggies, and the smaller not fully financed indies. (but as to specifically whom, I'd have to take a look at who's in now printing what. I've been out of the loop since we dropped getting Previews.)
12. "The Economy Is In Trouble." How much do you agree ...?
I think we're in serious trouble from professional gamblers (read: non-investors) trading in junk backed by nothing. They've screwed up the legitimate order and confidence in our investment in each other and in our potential as business people.
Then c) I think [this all] has further been blown out of proportion in the media, so they elicit panic without solutions. It's irresponsible.