Comments on: AK Comics Goes GN Only http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/ Independent Opinions on Comics of All Kinds Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:32:14 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Johanna http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/comment-page-1/#comment-35820 Johanna Sat, 11 Nov 2006 12:16:50 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/#comment-35820 There's a key thing about the two books you mention: they're not LINES, they're individual titles. They also don't sell very well, comparatively. (Astro City's unfortunate schedule complications haven't helped.) Launching a line is just a way to lose more money faster. Astro City is structured in such a way that it works very well in book form. Invincible, when I've sampled it, is written for the serial form, with cliffhangers and such. Writing for one format is different than another, so switching to collected format isn't as simple as just putting more pages on the printer. I think the market is oversaturated because superhero readers already have more books available to them than they can buy or keep up with. They don't need more. And so many of them buy out of familiarity or habit that new characters don't stand a chance. There’s a key thing about the two books you mention: they’re not LINES, they’re individual titles. They also don’t sell very well, comparatively. (Astro City’s unfortunate schedule complications haven’t helped.) Launching a line is just a way to lose more money faster.

Astro City is structured in such a way that it works very well in book form. Invincible, when I’ve sampled it, is written for the serial form, with cliffhangers and such. Writing for one format is different than another, so switching to collected format isn’t as simple as just putting more pages on the printer.

I think the market is oversaturated because superhero readers already have more books available to them than they can buy or keep up with. They don’t need more. And so many of them buy out of familiarity or habit that new characters don’t stand a chance.

]]> By: Willow http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/comment-page-1/#comment-35764 Willow Fri, 10 Nov 2006 22:31:11 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/#comment-35764 <em>There isn’t any reason to launch a new line of superhero comics in today’s market. The existing audience is already getting what they need from the genre from the established companies, and any new audience is interested in other types of stories.</em> I guess you're in a position to know. But I feel like I'm re-entering the comic world and getting caught up on characters and worlds I missed out on. I'm just discovering Invincible, for example and Astro City. But I eagerly await Virgin Comic's Devi coming out in TPB (mostly because I know how to treat books and have no idea what to do in my currently unsettled life with flimsy comic issues). And I'd have loved to see other heroes. Why do you think the market oversaturated ? There isn’t any reason to launch a new line of superhero comics in today’s market. The existing audience is already getting what they need from the genre from the established companies, and any new audience is interested in other types of stories.

I guess you’re in a position to know. But I feel like I’m re-entering the comic world and getting caught up on characters and worlds I missed out on. I’m just discovering Invincible, for example and Astro City.

But I eagerly await Virgin Comic’s Devi coming out in TPB (mostly because I know how to treat books and have no idea what to do in my currently unsettled life with flimsy comic issues). And I’d have loved to see other heroes.

Why do you think the market oversaturated ?

]]> By: Ray Tate http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/comment-page-1/#comment-35753 Ray Tate Fri, 10 Nov 2006 19:39:01 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/#comment-35753 I think the lack of exposure in a comic book shop is more of a result of the direct market and Diamond's ordering policies. After sampling the first issues, I added most of the books to my subscription list--Aya, Jalila and Zein. All of these characters are interesting and the books offer straightfoward super-heroics meandering into Big Stupid Events. Aya and Jalila are two kick ass female super-heroes, and I appreciate their adventures more so in a time when female super-heroes are so often being poorly written or worse being forced on the chopping block of misogyny. AK's move makes sense because now the books can get ISBN numbers, and they can be sold at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If anyone hears or sees AK's press, they can readily order them and not depend upon Diamond. Ray I think the lack of exposure in a comic book shop is more of a result of the direct market and Diamond’s ordering policies. After sampling the first issues, I added most of the books to my subscription list–Aya, Jalila and Zein.

All of these characters are interesting and the books offer straightfoward super-heroics meandering into Big Stupid Events.

Aya and Jalila are two kick ass female super-heroes, and I appreciate their adventures more so in a time when female super-heroes are so often being poorly written or worse being forced on the chopping block of misogyny.

AK’s move makes sense because now the books can get ISBN numbers, and they can be sold at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If anyone hears or sees AK’s press, they can readily order them and not depend upon Diamond.

Ray

]]> By: Dwight Williams http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/comment-page-1/#comment-35748 Dwight Williams Fri, 10 Nov 2006 18:28:58 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/11/10/ak-comics-goes-gn-only/#comment-35748 I seem to recall seeing one or two of their products in Ottawa. Not sure if that helps their case or yours, but there it is. I seem to recall seeing one or two of their products in Ottawa. Not sure if that helps their case or yours, but there it is.

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