2017 may be a rough year for comics retail and the industry–or not

>Are comics sales slipping or stagnating as we enter 2017? Some signs point to yes, as you can see from the November sales figures released earlier today. While the sales decline earlier in the year has been reversed to a net positive thanks to the Rebirth surge, there is a sense of worry out there.
>So what’s going on out there? Asking around a few factors came up. First off, comics sales definitely dropped in an election year, as they have historically. While one might expect cheap escapist entertainment to do well in our current landscape of political doubts, Wall Street and corporate America are also looking for the economy to boom once more under our new president. Ironically, comics do well in times of economic hardship and badly in a boom time. (1996, the last time comics failed, came during the first dot.com boom, and it was shocking how everyone else was bathing in champagne while comics were huddling over a trash fire eating canned beans.)

comicsbeat.com/2017-may-be-a-rough-year-for-comics-retail-and-the-industry-or-not/

>Everything is a lot different from it was 20 years ago, though, so no telling how the wider picture will affect comics, but trade tariffs would definitely affect foreign printing (most comics are printed in Canada or China) and rises in the minimum wage have already affected some small comics shops.

>Moving on to The State of the Industry, while a lot of people have been pointing the finger at Marvel’s tepid numbers for Marvel Now! 2016-17, it is not the only culprit. But it is certainly one of them. As Field starkly stated above, “#Comicmarket could use a monster hit right now.” Marvel’s big tentpole events, including Civil War II and, previously, Secret Wars, have run way behind schedule, so much so that the tie-ins come out before the actual issues. Not exactly reader friendly. Enthusiasm for Monsters Unleashed is non-existent, and The Inhumans becoming a sales smash is a fantasy worthy of J.K. Rowling.

>Over at DC, Rebirth is obviously settling in to “standard attrition” numbers butover all levels much higher than a year ago. DC has also been avoiding rolling out too many bells and whistles aside from boutique mini brands like Young Animal and Hanna Barbera that have, thus far, performed much better than expected. The problem here is not as obvious: with the $2.99 pricing for most books, retailers are making less per title. Even though they are selling more, profits are lower.

>The talent exodus from the Big Two to indies and well funded start-ups is part of the issue. Marvel has a pretty reliable pipeline of hiring talented but relatively little known indie creators, putting them on books that have middling success, and then watching them graduate to their own franchises at Image. The emphasis on writers over artists is particularly at play here. Tom King hit it out of the park with The Vision (Which is a hit in treades) and Sheriff of Babylon (which sells less than 6000 copies a month), two books that fit his own worldview precisely, but could he give, say, Inhumans the boost it needs? The days of no brainer decisions like hiring Grant Morrison or Mark Millar to reinvigorate a character are over. Warren Ellis coming back to Wildstorm is the closest thing we’re seeing to that, and it will do well out of the gate for sure, but there’s only one Warren Ellis and that’s a very specific situation. Likewise, the jury is out on Bendis’s return to Jessica Jones.

>At Image, sales have leveled out. While top names getting to put out their dream projects will continues to sell, it’s settled down from steak money to beer money for new titles by established but not superstar talents.

>Despite the retailer problems, this will probably be the second biggest year ever for comics. Many stores are having top five years. Sales volume is way higher than it was and the industry has grown appreciably. The problem is that margins are still razor thin and all of these cuts and nicks to the bottom line hurt.

>Finally, as the cuts and nicks happen, it goes up and down the supply chain. While the Hastings backruptcy was predictable, and Diamond did what t could to insulate itself, it wasn’t negligible. I’m told that Diamond has been cracking down on some delinquent accounts and that is doubtless part of why Field foresees store closings in 2017. While a handful of store closing, 5 or 6, would be sad, more than that could be bad for everyone.

>This is an ongoing situation that is going to unfold over the next few months. And it’s not a doomsday scenario. There will be consolidation and the strong will survive. We have a strong industry. The annual ComicsPRO meeting takes place this February and I’ll be looking closely to reports coming out of it.

2016 was a disaster. I bought less new book because there is really few book I like. I even downloaded less.

My pull list is Sonic, Sonic Universe and Superman and Action Comics. That is all. I would buy Megaman is these cunt at Archie didn't canceled it.

But I bought a lot more of OLD comics book, like the JLI ominibus, the Suicide Squad Ostrander run and other old DC book. But no Marvel.
I went the whole 2016 without ANY Marvel book. It is just trash. Maybe I will buy Vision when the second TPB is out. That is all.

If they want better number, they need to do worthwhile book.

>Sonic, Sonic Universe, Megaman
Mah nigga

What a shitty headline.

I hope comics die within the next 10 years
Or at least capes

>My pull list is Sonic, Sonic Universe
>>Sup Forums

Mah nigga too. I just love these Sonic book. I started mthese book when World Collide started and I am still reading them. I bought Megaman trade since the first one.

Shut up, Yuri. You're drunk.

So basically Marvel is destroying the industry like we all knew while DC is the last bastion barely holding this sinking ship a float. No surprise there.

>Megaman was canceled

Still bitter. It wasn't even that unsuccessful compared to the dozens of duds Marvel keeps strapped to life support!

I am not even sure they will release the remaining trade to end the run.

We are leaving in a world where Squireel shit is selling more than Megaman. This is truly the darkest timeline.

>it's a "Sup Forums raids Sup Forums" episode

>muh comics/capes must die maymay

pathetic

>The Inhumans becoming a sales smash is a fantasy worthy of J.K. Rowling.
Shithumans and their fans BTFO!

How does this involve Sup Forums?
A good chunk of Sup Forums don't read comics and are ignorant of how the industry is

>Inhumans
>having any fans left at this point

There are some genocide apologists at cbr forums

It's the current year! Never blame the writer or the product! C'MON!