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I talk a lot about what “needs” to change in comics. Those magic, idealistic ideas that “if only they would change this one thing” then the entire world would embrace comics. I don’t think I have any answers that are unique. I’m sure every thought I’ve had about it has already been explored by everyone from my fellow bloggers to the presidents of Marvel & DC. But it’s a subject that I enjoy talking about. My love of comics and background in marketing lends itself to “trying to solving the problem” that is comics. And I hope to move soon from just “talking about the problems” to “testing the solutions” as I get further into the industry.

But there are many great, amazing things about the comics industry and with all this talk of problem solving, I wanted to take a break to talk about the things that don’t need to be fixed.

I recently hosted an internet discussion on the subject with Josh Flanagan (iFanboy), Paul Montgomery (Fuzzy Typewriter), Chris Neseman (Around Comics), Angela Paman (Comic Addiction), and Ron Richards (iFanboy)) where we discussed the 3 areas that I feel the comics industry gets right:

1. A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
I’ve been reading comics on and off for over 15 years now… more seriously over the past 2 years. And lately, I’ve become a part of the comics online community. There is an honesty and an odd mix of humility and pride to comic readers that I haven’t found anywhere else. It is a group of people proud of their interests, brought together by those interest, but that connect over personalities.

Online forums, comic conventions (from the 100,000+ in attendance San Diego ComicCon to smaller indie cons such as Alternative Press Expo), blogs, & podcasts all bring this community together and gives everyone an equal voice.

What is it about comics that draws people, not only to the books themselves, but to the community surrounding it?

Angela: I think it’s because the community gives a common ground to talk about comics because more or less there isn’t anywhere else really to talk about them.

Ron: I think that it’s based around the shared experience of comics. Be it going to the comic shop and talking to the staff there or other comics fans, or going to cons and talking to creators and other fans, or just going online and talking on message boards. There is something deep in the comics experience that is highlighted by not only reading and enjoying comics, but by talking about them to other people who enjoy them.

Chris: Comics are like any other niche interest. When you find other people that have a similar interest in something outside of the mainstream there is an instant connection between them.

Josh: And really, comic books are fun, but that fun is magnified multiple times by sharing it with others, whether that’s being excited about comics, or even having spirited arguments about the events in comics. Having people around who care about comics like you do just make them that much better.

Paul: Perhaps the niche nature of this art form and this hobby necessitates a level of care and appreciation for contributions made by peers. Perhaps it’s a mentality of us all being in this together. We head to the shop each week to support the retailers and often to bond over favorite titles. It’s maybe a not-so-secret society in the modern geek-friendly culture, but it’s still our underground. Our catacombs. We know what the other guy doesn’t, that some of the best storytelling and some of the gutsiest experimentation is going on in the funny books. So, that’s a clubhouse situation. That’s a knowing nod to the stranger on the subway reading a copy of Scalped.

All of you host podcasts, how did you get involved in that? What drew you to that form of communication?

Chris: We like to hang out, drink beer and talk about comics. It’s a fairly inexpensive way to broadcast your thoughts and opinions on comics, and it’s fun.

Ron: iFanboy got into podcasting simply because we were curious. We had been doing the site for a few years and podcasting emerged in 2004/2005 and we were listening to the early first podcasts and really enjoyed them. Around 2005, we were talking about podcasts and I looked into how to do them, and found that it wasn’t that difficult, so to satiate our curiosity, we just started doing it. We didn’t know what to expect and were shocked that people were listening and enjoying it. It’s been such a fantastic experience, and we’re super lucky to be podcasting for almost 3 years now…

Josh: It’s funny, because it’s much easier to get my point of view and personality across on a podcast than I ever did in writing. For some, it’s too much chance that you’re going to say something wrong, or you can’t edit yourself, but for me, that’s part of the fun. You’ve got to constantly be interesting, and have something interesting to say. If you’re writing, you can edit and take your time. But even though the audio shows aren’t “live” perse, what you hear is mostly what you get. Unless it goes horribly wrong. The video shows were just a logical extension of that, and I didn’t expect to like them as much as I did, but it makes sense, because by having someone actually see you talking, you can communicate that much better. Plus, it’s a visual medium, so you get to see the actual books we’re talking about. It’s a lot of fun really. And that’s outweighed the hard work so far.

Paul: I’ve been messing around with audio recording ever since I got my first computer in high school. In fact, the hobby probably predates that, going back to Home Alone II and the TalkBoy recorder. I liked creating characters through voice. I used minimal equipment and played every role in those digital radio dramas. I could start and finish these projects by myself, and that felt like a big accomplishment. So when podcasting gained popularity, I was thrilled to see a new venue for sharing audio projects. I began listening to several shows, most notably iFanboy’s Pick of the Week. iFanboy’s web presence includes a discussion forum, and the networking opportunities and support system I found in that community provided all the guidance and all the confidence I needed to attempt Fuzzy Typewriter. That community continues to be the most fertile ground for feedback and development for FT and the bulk of my creative projects.

Angela: While I was contributing for Comic Addiction, Chris Partin, editor-in-chief of comicaddiction.com, started doing a podcast. He was getting to a point where he wanted to change the format and asked the people who contributed to the site if they were interested in doing a podcast with him. Paul Steven Brown, Robert Tacopina, Antony Ellis and myself answered his call and the rest was history.

What drew me to the form of communication is the fact of its versatility. Not to mention that it is free. The fact that someone can speak up and say their opinion without having anyone suppress them is a very good thing in today’s society.

Paul: Coming from more of a storytelling rather than a journalistic background, I see podcasting as an inexpensive outlet for dramatic fiction. But it’s also a great way of reaching a wide audience. Having found a co-host in Wormwood’s Dave Accampo, I’ve also started experimenting with more academic discussions of storytelling and pop culture. I’m particularly drawn to this communicative form because it’s built around a DIY model. Most podcasts are produced out of sheer enthusiasm and passion for the subjects they discuss. I’ve met so many dedicated and creative podcasters in the past year and everyone rallies together to publish the best shows possible.

Has it changed your perspective going from someone who reads about comics to someone who talks about them?

Ron: I don’t think its changed my perspective *that* much. If anything, it’s made me get a bit more intelligent about my criticisms about comics. If I don’t like something and talk about it on the podcast, it’s not enough to say “bah, it sucks.” Why does it suck? What is it that I don’t like specifically? It’s this added critical eye that I’ve had to work on, but ultimately, my enjoyment of books or dislike of them is the same, regardless of where I talk about them.

Angela: It has changed to where I try to be as objective as possible when reviewing something. As much as possible I try to open myself to reading things that I don’t usually pick up on a regular basis. For example, I am not going to give a bad review just because I didn’t suit my standard of reading comics. I’m going to review the book on whether or not the book met its objective of what it had to do as an issue.

Chris: It’s changed my basic knowledge base more than anything. When you’re a fan of something for 20+ years you have a tendency to think you know more about something than you actually do. Our early episodes are laughable in how much I thought I knew and really had no idea about. In the two and a half years of doing the show I feel like I’ve forced myself to learn more about the medium and the industry than I did in the prior 20 years. This is mostly due to the fact that we want to be able to back up our thoughts on the show and speak intelligently about whatever subject we’re discussing. Learning about EC, pre-crisis DC and about various veteran creators has been a fantastic journey. Just now I’m starting to understand that between the amount of content being produced today and the huge amount of comics history, I’ll never know it all. And that’s OK. I’ll always have new and undiscovered material to look for.

Technology and the internet seems to have brought together legions of readers who would normally have no interaction with each other. How is this changing the industry? Do you think this is a key to growing the industry?

Angela: Technology and the Internet go hand in hand. They provide the comic industry with updated news and give platforms where people can interact with one another.

Ron: Technology has definitely helped fans of comics come together on sites like iFanboy.com and others out there. I think on one hand, it’s fantastic and definitely great for the industry, but on the other hand, I think it can be a bit dangerous in that it can be limiting and cause the industry to, while connecting people wordwide, become a bit more inclusive and harder to approach for new fans. The fact that there is a ton of information and communities around sites and podcasts, but I worry about the negative stereotype of comic books stores being inaccessible to new readers being applied to the use of technology. But ultimately, I think it’s a great thing…

Paul: I think there’s a prevailing stereotype that comic readers are aloof, socially awkward mole people who only venture out of the basement to pick up their weekly books or wait in line for the next franchise film. But if my experience is any indication, a lot of comic readers are thrilled to discuss their favorite books on an intelligent level and to collaborate with like-minded people. The internet has opened up a new venue for interaction. Whether it’s through a discussion forum or a creative collaboration through e-mail. And not a day goes by where there isn’t some kind of discussion about a convention meet up.

The industry is evolving in more ways than can be fully realized in the wake of all this social networking. I do think that it’s mostly positive because the lines of communication are open and new talent is afforded increased visibility. New books are also privy to increased attention, opening up the potential for new readers and better sales.

Josh: It’s not that comic book readers are necessarily loners or outcasts, but it is that they’re rare. There aren’t a lot of us, so there’s a good chance you don’t know or live near anyone to talk about comics with. The internet changed all that. Thanks to podcasts and message boards, people suddenly have comic book friends when they didn’t before, and of course, that makes you want to read more comic books.

I think, in a way, it’s been a real boon to the publishing industry, and I’m not sure they know it. It’s solidified their audience. We’ve had lots of people tell us they’ve come back to comics because of our show, and things like that keep them coming back, which is pretty cool. Smart creators and publishers know that there’s value in these shows, and they’re run by dedicated people who want the best for comics.

Going forward, the key will be getting more people to know about all this supplemental free content out there for the taking. Also, as the field of podcasters grow, the competition will become more fierce, because creators and publishers will have to choose where they spend their time and energy. So to get noticed, people will have to do a good job.

Chris: I don’t know how much it’s actually “changing” the industry. I think the sales impact is there, but to what extent I don’t think we can judge. Independent comics have the most to gain through internet marketing and message board “word of mouth”, but I think we may overvalue the impact of what is probably much much less than half of the active comics readers.

One very tangible impact is how new creators are using the internet to break-in to the industry. Writers like Gail Simone and Matt Fraction both started as internet writers.

Do I think it’s a key to growing the industry? Of course, but it’s only one part. The impact of movies and TV are probably more effective as a driver to the source material than internet communities if you’re thinking of ways to grow your market.

2. ACCESS TO CREATORS.
I’ve been involved in both the movie & music industries, and I think it’s safe to say that in no other industry will you find creators who are more willing to converse with you, give advice, or lend a helping hand more-so than comics. In comics, I’ve felt embraced by a number of creators who are more than willing to not just acknowledge me, but genuinely want to help.

Why do you think so many comics creators are willing to not only depart wisdom, but go above and beyond to help young creators?

Paul: You’d think that such a small industry would inspire a certain cutthroatedness, but my experience in the comics community has been extremely positive. It’s hard to publish a comic, but there are venues open to those willing to put in the work. And given the support system inherent in the fan community and the opportunities afforded us on the internet, the line between reader and creator is getting thinner. There are rock stars and vets, of course, but by and large, the guy or girl on the other side of the table in artist alley is only one or two lucky breaks removed from you. Sophomores and seniors.

Josh: This was one of the best things I ever discovered about comics. They guys who make them are right there. They’re a convention or an email away. Not good for potential stalkers, but excellent for polite fans. Personally, I never know what to say to anyone outside of my show, so I never took as much advantage of this as I probably could have. But, in the media as we know it today, comic creators must be the most accessible sources of talent we have. Seriously, ask Dan Slott to come over to your house, and he probably will. Getting him to leave though….

Ron: Most creators I’ve met are terribly thankful for their success and their spot in the industry. I think alot of creators see a bit of themselves in young creators and therefore like to provide advice and to help out up and comers. This is speculation, but perhaps one creator was helped out by another creator, and therefore they want to keep the cycle of giving back going.

Chris: In my limited experience, comics creators are also comics fans. They enjoy good comics, and they love seeing the medium grow and change. That and I’ve found that comics creators are really good people. We’ve talked to A LOT of people in the last two years, and I can honestly say I haven’t had one bad experience with any creator.

I would also like to challenge readers to pay attention to what younger creators are being helped along by established writers, and check out their work. Brian Reed, Matt Fraction and Josh Dysart are just three people that you should have your eye one.

As the industry grows, do you think this is something that will disappear?

Ron: I really hope not, and if the past few years of growth are any indication, I don’t think it will disappear. As the industry grows, its also getting smaller in some ways (sadly) and I think the publishers and creators understand that their relationship with fans is very important.

Chris: No. Because I don’t think the industry is growing. Maybe bulging a little, but it’s not like 2 Million people are buying X-Men or anything. I think comics are actually settling into a comfortable zone. There’s a rabid yet manageable fanbase of comics readers, and the movie and TV industry is seeing the value of comics as a sort of Lab to develop concepts. I actually enjoy the fact that comics are a niche entertainment.

Josh: Going forward, the big names are getting bigger though. You can see it at conventions. Try getting 5-10 minutes with Geoff Johns, and you’re in for a struggle. But overall, that’s a great thing. This pseudo celebrity only makes comics more attractive to the rest of the media. They thrive on notoriety and celebrity, so if we have that as well as great content, there’s a better chance comics will get more coverage, and have a chance to show its stuff. If that leads to more people reading, then I’m thrilled.

3. AN INDEPENDENT SPIRIT.
I love the idea that to make a comic book, all you need is pen and paper. Anyone can do it. That kind of independent do-it-yourself spirit is one of the things that makes comic so great. I liken the comics industry to an underground music scene.

On the one end you have me at age 14 spending hours upon hours writing and drawing my own comics in my room that no one will ever see, and on the other end, you’ve got Joss Whedon writing an X-Men comic for Marvel. And everything in-between. And it’s in that in-between area where the real creativity happens.

What is it about comics that makes it feel so independent in spirit?

Paul: Well, for one, they aren’t as popular as they should be. And every word in that last sentence was chosen for a reason.

Chris: Because there aren’t very many of us that read comics when you look at the big picture. That’s what makes conventions so fun… and weird. It’s a fantastic experience being in the same building with thousands of other people that wouldn’t think twice about hearing a conversation like “I think Wally is a better Flash than Jay or Barry because…”. Well, there are a lot of Barry and Jay fans out there, so it could get ugly saying that.

Ron: I agree with aspects of the comics industry being like the underground music scene (Which I’ve spent most of my life in..) in that there is a strong Do It Yourself ethic. You have an idea for a comic? great - do it. You can make your own comic book simply by drawing on paper and photocopying it at Kinko’s. The underground music scene has a similar ethic where if you have a band, you don’t sit around waiting for a label to come to you, you just get off your butt and do it. Good talent will rise to the top and then reap the benefits of that talent. But it’s at the end of the day, anybody can do it and be successful if they’re good and work hard at it.

Josh: I feel like comics are stratified. There’s certainly an underground quotient if you want it, but mainstream comics feels a lot like mainstream anything. There’s big money to be had, and the competition is fierce. But the line between indie and mainstream isn’t that big. In fact, I’d say that music is actually becoming more like comics as access to audiences and technology makes it easier to get product out there. A band can become big on the internet or touring, and don’t really need a label. Someone can make comics for a living without ever working for Marvel or DC as well. It’s tough, but it’s done.

Angela: It is independent in spirit because it is a versatile medium. It is one using art to tell a story. That story can have a message or just express one’s emotion.

Anyone with a pen and paper can make and distribute comics. How does this affect the comics industry as a whole? Push creativity? Create a wider or thinner gap between the amateur & professional?

Chris: It effects the comics industry as much as amateur film makers on Youtube effect Hollywood. Take that anyway you want to.

Angela: I think it gives an inspiration for people to be creative. I don’t think it creates a gap between amateur and professional. You don’t even need pen and paper. You can have a computer with some programs and make web comics also.

Josh: If you want to make comics, and you’ve got the chops, you just do it. It doesn’t cost anything. Then you take them to a convention, or put them on the web, and cross your fingers. If it’s good, it’ll catch on somehow. Music pretty much works the same way now, but it’s a bigger field to stand out from, obviously. But I love that the main component in either is just that you have to do the work, and it has to be good. Find the passion, and hope for some luck, and you’re there. You can’t beat that for a fair playing field.

Paul: When compared to filmmaking, I think the affordability of resources for creating a comic make it a much more viable storytelling option for a number of people. But both of these forms require a lot of thought, dedication, and luck (creative and professional relationships + charisma). If you really want it, it’s attainable. There’s a part of me that says every great story will get told regardless of the obstacles. There’s nothing that stop the combination of great idea and great dedication. But it is a very difficult and competitive world and there are a lot of talented people in it. The easier it is to produce and distribute content. If that means an increase in crap, so be it. The quality material will rise to the top.

Ron: Well this is a tough paradox. I’ve a huge believer in the DIY movement, in both music and comics. But as it becomes easier to make comics, the number of people doing it increases and it’s hard to separate the signal from the noise. If there are thousands of creators, it becomes harder to find that next great talent. But I do believe that good talent rises to the top and then from there can be developed by publishers and editors. Its like an inverted pyramid, with everyone doing their thing at the top, and as each level goes lower, the number of creators gets smaller, but the quality goes up. Ultimately it just makes it that much harder for publishers to find good talent, and it makes it harder for creators to get noticed. But as you mentioned, it pushes creativity for those creators and if they really want it, they have to work for it and that hopefully creates better comics.

Do you think there is a certain amount of confidence for young creators to try and “make it” in the comics industry, where the movie or book industry comes off a little too daunting?

Angela: I think today they go hand in hand. You see people from the movie or book industry writing comics and vice versa. I think it is because companies see that they have experience in writing so they hire them. Brad Meltzer was established as a novelist before writing his first comic. Cecil Castellucci always wanted to get into comics and got her break after writing young adult novels.

Chris: It all depends on your definition of “Making it”. Does that mean you want to create for Marvel or DC? Produce your own graphic novel or have an indie success? I don’t think there’s any fast money in comics, and what I’ve found is that most creators fall into the “love of the medium” category when they say why they do it.

Ron: I’m not a creator, so I can’t really put myself in their shoes, but I know alot of people who are working at making comics, and I don’t think its any easier to make it in comics than it is to make it in movies, music or books. In all mediums there is an system in place and a creator needs to, at the same time, hone their craft and learn that system. The single biggest piece of advice that I’ve heard from professionals across all of those industries is simple, “Don’t be annoying. Don’t be a jerk” If you can figure out how to get your foot in the door, be as polite as possible and give someone who’s “higher” than you a reason to like or respect you and hopefuly they’ll want to help you. I don’t think that’s different in comics or movies or books. It just takes alot of hard work, both creatively and in developing relationships. No one is going to come to you to put out your comic or book or movie. You have to go to them and show them that they absolutely have to be in business with you.

Thanks to Angela, Chris, Josh, Paul & Ron for the great discussion and to YOU for choosing to take the journey with us!  Please comment below with your own “things the comics industry gets right.

So, I watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull last night and I enjoyed it. No one has action scenes as fun as an Indiana Jones movie, and they captured that magic again in Crystal Skull.

I thought the cast was great. I’m a big fan of Shia Labeuf and he didn’t disappoint. Harrison Ford was spot on for the most part. He was different, but it fit. I felt like he was channeling Sean Connery a little bit, which didn’t feel like Indiana, but it made sense.

A lot of people complained about the alien angle, but to me it fit. The archeology behind the Mayan culture and Crystal Skulls is (in some theories) entwined with aliens. Every other Indiana Jones movie dealt with the supernatural… I don’t see why aliens are any different from the Biblical supernatural world surrounding the Arc and the Grail, or the Hindu supernatural world surrounding the Sankara stones. It might have something to do with the fact that I just watched a documentary about the Crystal Skulls so I understood the link they had to aliens and to archeology.

I liked the ending, was torn on the beginning, and was appalled by the Shia as Tarzan bit, but I enjoyed the movie as a whole… with reservation.

I felt there were some major flaws that could have made it great and it wouldn’t have taken much work to fix it in the script stage:

1. Higher Stakes
So, Irina Spalko wants to return the Skull from where it came in order to gain some sort of power where she wants to control every mind in the world? Very communist, it works. But Indy didn’t seem to care about this. In fact, after his experience with the skull, he wanted to return it (for no apparent personal reason), just as Irina did! So, where’s the conflict? The good guys and the bad guys want the same thing? It didn’t even have a “we’ve got to get there first” vibe that could have worked. I never got a sense that there was anything to lose by their returning it. They could have fixed this easily with my next point:

2. Make it Personal
The whole movie hinged on two characters we didn’t care about. Ox & Mac. We have this whole history of characters to pull from and they make up two disposable new ones. The whole journey takes place because of Ox being kidnapped and leaving clues. Why not make this someone we already know and care about? Apparently Sean Connery didn’t want to be involved, so Henry Jones Sr. out. Denholm Elliott died in 92, so Marcus Brody is out. What about Sallah? Or the more obvious suggestion: Abner Ravenwood! It was rumored that John Hurt was going to play the character of Abner - Marion’s Father and Indy’s Mentor who was thought to be dead in Raiders. This turned out not to be true, but it would have made the movie so much better if it was. It gave a reason for Marion to be there. It gave a PERSONAL stake for Indy being there. To go on this entire journey. You could make it a journey to save Abner’s life or maybe his soul. Something that would MATTER to Indy.

Secondly, Mac seemed to be the character that was morally questionable. We had the moment at the end of the movie where Indy tries to stop and save him, but he’d rather have the jewels. We’ve seen this kind of scene before, but who cared about Mac? We’ve got somewhat of a back story for Indy and him, but as an audience we weren’t connected. Why not make Mutt the one that’s obsessed with personal gain? It’s a lesson that Indy teaches him just as Indy learned the lesson in Temple of Doom.

3. More Conflict
Indiana and Marion see each other, have one squable and then they are perfect and happy together. Where’s the tension? Same thing with Mutt. From the very first moment, they are best buds, even when he finds out it’s his son, no tension whatsoever… everyone’s a happy family for the rest of the movie. The things that made the first movies so great was the tension between Indy and his leading ladies… the tension between Indy and his sidekicks. Where was it here? They had so much great opportunity to explore that here and went for happy family adventure instead.

Liked it? Hated it? Other ways to fix it? Comment below.

Comic Foundry is my new favorite magazine.  I did a review recently where I gushed and drooled (the comics community really needs to rally around this magazine and get this thing on newsstands already.  The day I see Comic Foundry at my local grocery store, I’ll be a very happy boy/man)… and one of my few complaints was lack of a striking cover.  Well, while it’s not quite “there” just yet (I love that it presents a comics “celebrity” as cool and hip, but why not go farther with the “theme” and have her actually taking off the mask?  Too typical?  Maybe.  I’ll stop complaining, I DO like it.),I feel like the June cover is a certain improvement (note - not the final cover, but it is the final cover shot):

Scott McCloud, in his brilliant, highly recommended book, “Reinventing Comics”, discusses (among other things) ways of “Reinventing the Business of Comics”. It is a fascinating study of commerce and how, as the business of any creative industry grows, the quality goes down.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that when money is the driving force of production, creative energy is going to drop like a rock.” says McCloud. “…the high craft impelled by the market machine hides the ever-narrower range of styles, subject matter and themes allowed.”

The comics industry is powered by publishers, retailers, & distributers (where $$$ rules), not by the creators or readers (where quality rules). This is what happened in the 90’s with the speculation boom: Publishers, retailers & distributors realized they could make lot’s of money producing variant books of little quality to a speculation market. What they didn’t realize was that the lack of quality was pushing away long-time readers, and the readers turned elsewhere.

In the book McCloud discusses ways to reinvent the industry to get it focused back on Creators & Readers: “The connection between artist and reader is — and always will be — the one indispensable part of the comics industry”

In the 80’s McCloud (with encouragement from Dave Sim, Eastman & Laird, and others) proposed a “Creator’s Bill of Rights” to strengthen one end of that connection. Whether or not these rights have been realized is another conversation for another time.

And on the other end of that connection he proposes…

A Bill of Rights for Comics’ Readers
1. The right to know what can be bought and why to buy it.
2. The right to buy what we want when we know that we want it.
3. The right to a fair price.

To tackle these areas, I wanted to look at it through the eyes of new readers as well as established readers. My childhood friend and screenwriting partner, Lance, has just started reading comics and it’s given me a great window into the comics industry from a newcomers POV. He shared with me his major issues with the industry and challenges that might keep him from reading comics altogether.

I sat down with two smart thinkers, (and good friends) who are out there making a difference in the industry, not just talking about it, Kevin Mellon (an artist on books such as GearHead, Thirteen Steps, The Athiest, & CUPID) & Van Jensen (a writer & comics journalist who regularly contributes to Publishers Weekly, ComicMix & Comic Book Resources) to discuss these three areas in further detail.

1. THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT CAN BE BOUGHT AND WHY TO BUY IT.
Hudson: This first section, I believe is the one section that is at least somewhat covered. There are literally thousands of blogs, websites, message boards, podcasts, & magazines that can all recommend books that you would like. Not only that, but comics readers love talking comics. If you ask them for a recommendation, they’ll come back to you with a 20-page color-coded print out of books you might like and where to start. Comics has an amazing sense of community and, in my experience at least, that community is willing to take you on with open arms.

Kevin: I agree with this, but I do think we have a long ways to go before we’ve reached a sort of… movie-trailer-saturation point with people being aware of what’s out there. They’re always going to be aware of the big stuff. It’s a matter of making people aware of the indy stuff, and the slip through the cracks vertigo/icon stuff that we’re struggling with.

Van: In my experience, comics is, in many ways, a big scattered mess. Previews is the best attempt at a roadmap, but it’s essentially advertising for Marvel and DC with a largely un-navigable back-of-the-book section on SOME of the indies. So you need to read that, and you need to read all those blogs and sites, and you need to know people who know comics… When you think about the work it takes to become a serious comics reader, you start to understand why readers are so passionate.

2. THE RIGHT TO BUY WHAT WE WANT WHEN WE KNOW WE WANT IT.
I’d like to divide this issue up into two areas: A) Where to buy what you want and B) How to find it once you get there.

A) Where to buy what you want.
Hudson: Lance recently got the first volume of Y: the Last Man. He loved it. Wanted to immediately follow it up with the 2nd volume, but couldn’t find it anywhere. Like many new readers, he’s not ready to overcome the stigma and make that jump to comic book stores, so he’s searched all the lcoal BN & Borders and can’t find what he wants.

Kevin: They’re like any other store, order it at the store. A lot of those types of stores are automated in what and how they re-order. They just are not aware that the book is out of stock unless you ask them to check for you.

Van: Or go to Amazon.

Hudson: This is where a new retail strategy would come in. If comics had a great franchise, whether it be part of those Borders concept stores or an independent “pop culture” store, then the industry could make these books available in a non-threatening environment. In the case of the independent pop culture stores it could even turn into something new and cool, creating a community around them.

Kevin: Maybe, but the audience isn’t there. We can only do our jobs well enough, and hope that that influx we all think is coming because of the movies actually hits. But comics are like music. even if the big chains existed in a form that made comics a viable/bigger part of the store, we’d still need the direct market like the music industry still needs mom and pop record stores. you don’t discover new bands at borders/virgin. You discover them when the cool guy at the hole in the wall store tells you whats good, puts it in your hands and even goes so far as to put the record on for you to hear.

That’s what we need more of in comics. People who aren’t afraid to put the product in the customers hands and then tell them why they’d be foolish to leave that store without it. No big chain is going to offer that experience on a wide enough scale to make a dent. They’re lucky if they get employees that even remotely have an interest in anything they sell, let alone in a specialized section of the store.

I do *want* those Border’s concept stores. I very much believe in survival of the fittest and i want comics shops to evolve and change. But I know that costs money, and right now, a lot of shops are subsisting on a loyal weekly customer base that only buys from them. It’s easy to ask for change, but creating an environment, or in our case, an entertainment medium that encourages and allows for them to have the ability to change is another thing altogether.

Van: The big trouble with starting a store like that lies in the complexity and diversity of comics. There are comics for all types of people, which means you’d have to make the store friendly to a wide variety of people. And the type of people that like indie books don’t frequent the same stores as the people who like superheroes or manga, so it would certainly be a challenge to create a retail space that is comfortable to all those groups. I’d like to see that effort made, though, because comic shops are too often very off-putting to non-comics readers, and employees often aren’t good at guiding new readers.

Hudson: There’s also the possibility of new distribution channels through existing stores. There’s no reason why Urban Outfitters shouldn’t carry Cassanova. Or why some TokyoPop books shouldn’t be available in Delia’s or somewhere like that. I think it takes some thinking out of the box.

Kevin: I agree and wish this would come true as well.

Van: Comics distributors and publishers need to get creative, no question.

B) How to find it once you get there.
Hudson: Lance read and liked Watchmen. So, he wanted to find more books from Alan Moore. He goes to BN & searches the graphic novel section, but everything is listed by title, not by author. I think that comics needs to start being an author-centric industry.

Kevin: When the industry decides to polarize and choose to deify one creative attribute over another, I’d agree with you. but until then, you’ll still have people following artists over writers. Which fucks up your thinking. We’re in a writer driven time right now, but all that is due to an across the board editorial shift. It could all change next year. Just need one joe mad/liefeld/ etc. to make it happen. It could stay writer driven for quite a long time, but when you have a team of people creating a book, it’s rather underhanded and shady to dismiss all the names after the writer.

Van: To me, this goes to one of the core challenges with comics, and that is their complexity and unfamiliarity. Like you said, Kevin, comics are an enterprise brought about by a team of creators, and arranging them by the writer’s name would be similar to arranging DVDs by the director. But because comics are so new to the mainstream, you have readers who aren’t sure where to start looking and retailers who aren’t sure where to tell readers to look. Comic shops could do a better job of having employees looking out for new people and offering advice (most employees, I’ve found, are annoyed by people who don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of comics). And big book retailers need to bring on more people who know a lot about comics, instead of trying to handle comics the same way they do other books. I really think Borders or B&N could do pretty well with comics if they hired one or two people who really know the industry and could come up with innovative ways to display comics. I do like how Amazon posts features on best graphic novels and has featured “must read” lists and makes it easy to find an author or artist’s other books. Those kind of guideposts are great for new readers, though I’m not sure how to incorporate them into a non-online store.

Hudson: Organization aside, I do think comics should at least head in the direction of creator-driven comics from a marketing perspective. I don’t think that will ever happen for Marvel & DC because their books will always be brand-name driven… they can’t get away from that.

Kevin: Spider-man will always sell regardless of who’s writing it. People die, well-branded products don’t.

Van: I haven’t read Spider-Man in years, but, again, I’m the weirdo here.

Kevin: Right, and we all have to take that into account. We’re the ones who want to get away from the brands, but in reality, the brands are what’s going to bring new readers. We just have to get them to stay.

Hudson: But there’s no reason the independent books aren’t leaning more in this direction.

Kevin: That’s exactly the reason that indy books don’t move that direction. Most guys do want a brand. They just don’t always realize that it should be them and not the product. That’s the move that hopeless and i are trying for. brand ourselves “over” the product.

Van: Good point. The guys who’ve done that — Alex Robinson, Jeff Smith, Craig Thompson, etc. — have been very successful.

Hudson: I’ve heard both Erik Larsen & Matt Fraction talk about this… where authors will start to get a name for themselves in independent comics, then they move to the big two and loose all that they’ve worked for with their name… because now they just become a part of a franchise. And that’s hurting the industry.

Kevin: I don’t know that that’s true. Erik only has the name he has because of big 2 work, and the same could be argued with Matt. The point is a valid one, but to use the Dave Sim analogy, who’s heard of him that buys big two books on a regular basis? Sure, people on the net yell really loudly, but I bet average comic fan has never heard of him. If he were to do some big 2 work? Sudden influx of fans to this “new” creator. That’s the way it always goes.

Dennis and I are functioning on the plan of “do creator-owned work to get noticed by the big 2 so we can work for them to build enough of a name and a brand so we can go back to doing creator-owned work and make a living at it. ” If i can bypass the big 2 part of that i will, but in the current model of the industry, I don’t think it will happen.

Hudson: I believe the new audience of comics are not coming to Marvel & DC… but new readers are going to the independent books that explore other genres… and one day, those books are going to be outselling Marvel & DC.

Kevin: I don’t think that creator-owned books, as a genre/medium/whatever, will outsell the big 2 anytime soon. I do think that it’s possible to sell more of them, a shit-load more, but i think that the percentages won’t really change. Just the amount of units sold.

Van: I would say that the most significant growth potential lies with indie books and the traditional book publishers that are getting into GNs, but those are also the most risky places as well. All of the big comics that have gained national attention - Persepolis, American Born Chinese, Blankets, Maus, etc. - haven’t come from the big 2, and that’s no coincidence. What will probably happen is you’ll see some more big successes like those, and they’ll further help establish non-big 2 publishers and help them to grow further, and eventually one or two will outstrip Marvel and DC. Heck, some manga is already doing this stateside. But, it’s important to note that indie books and big 2 books operate in such different markets that there’s no real point in comparing or contrasting them.

Kevin: I think that as we get more into a traditional book-seller’s mode, the big 2 will carve a slice of the pie that is the same as the one they currently have in the direct market. What most people don’t realize is that big 2 trades sell WELL in mainstream bookstores. They outsell LCS’s by a landslide. We just don’t have access to those numbers.

3. THE RIGHT TO A FAIR PRICE.
Hudson: Lance’s biggest thing holding him back from reading comics is the cost. The price per minute of enjoyment for comics skyrockets well above any other medium. You could argue that they could be viewed as art books to be enjoyed as a coffee table book, but for the most part, people read for the stories. It’s just not feasible.

Kevin: You’re placing a super-market disposable value on them. which is fine, but we don’t live in a comics world where they’re disposable entertainment. If this were japan and people were throwing them away after scanning them on the train, i’d agree with you. But as a hobbyist/escapist medium of “collecting” your thoughts don’t hold water. it’s all about perceived entertainment value. By your reasoning, 90% of the movies I’ve bought and/or seen are way over priced when my perception of their cost vs. my enjoyment of the product is factored in.

Hudson: But most people can afford maybe one trade a week?

Kevin: Depends, it’s a habit medium. If you’re buying one trade a week, that’s generally a healthy bit of reading for 10-15 bucks. it’s all about perception. If you, Hudson, don’t perceive that as being worth it, then you, Hudson, need to look for material that holds up to your standards. It’s a pop-culture medium. A niche one, but still pop-culture. The thing that you think is mindless pap, i might think is a life-changing read. That’s the beauty of it.

Van: Another point of added value with GNs is that you can re-read them. I know I’m constantly going back to my collection, and I read some books dozens of times. (I also used Frank Miller’s 300 as a portable drawing board when I was breaking down my graphic novel.) All the same, I would like to see price points come lower, and it’s because of the exact point you brought up, Kevin. Costs are OK now because comics have become a niche entertainment. But, as they try to expand (which I view as crucial to their sustained success), they need to become accessible to casual readers. That won’t happen when those readers have to drop a substantial amount of money for a relatively small book. How you lower prices, though, is a whole ‘nother issue.

Kevin: I don’t think we’re at too high of a price point for anything right now. People will pay for it if they want it. We just need more people to want it.

Van: I disagree, although it may have a lot to do with me being pretty conservative financially. I think people will pay for something if they want it, but the logic of the free market is they’ll also pay what they think it’s worth. Right now, the cost of comics in my mind is prohibitive (not by a lot) to casual readers, and I hear plenty of complaints or surprise when people learn how much comics cost.

Hudson: And monthlies are a non-issue here, in my experience new readers are not interested in monthly books, only trades

Kevin: That’s an industry problem and not a reader problem. If the singles were more… readily available across the board you wouldn’t have that caveat at all. Trades are “generally” more available, and re-stocked. plus, again, perceived value. If you don’t hold any stock in the singles, then the person you’re trying to get onto them won’t either. that’s been a hard lesson for me to learn. I still believe in the trades as the final medium, but I have learned that the death of the single issue is killing this industry before it has a chance to adapt. Plus, I’ve come around to the view point that comics should be like anything else, you should be able to get them in whatever format you choose.

Hudson: I certainly don’t want singles to disappear. I think it’s a viable form of delivery (and a needed one, as you point out). But I think it’s rare for NEW readers to start on monthly issues.

Van: If single issues are going to survive, plain and simple, the industry needs to develop some new distribution methods, which, really, means going back to old methods. I know so many people (myself included) who grew up reading comics by buying issues in the grocery store or drug store. And it’s saddening to think of all the kids who don’t have that access now, because I’m sure not seeing them in the shop on Wednesdays. For older readers who are trying to get into comics, my experience has been that a single issue just isn’t enough to gain their interest. I’ve tried starting people on issues and on trades/GNs, and not a single one of them has kept up with the single issues.

Hudson: So, how should publishers try and cut costs? Is it even possible to cut costs with such small readership?

Kevin: A lot of a publishers cost, in my opinion, is wasted time. Time costs money and i think a lot of publishers waste a lot of time. Don’t solicit until the book is 1/3 or 1/2 done. Don’t spread too thin too fast. Don’t put out more than you can afford to at one time. Don’t launch a line, launch a book. Don’t launch a book, launch a creator. don’t do more promotion to the audience than you do to the retailer. Put out only good books. Work only with people who’re reliable.

Van: The big way to lower prices, and more of a challenge, is to greatly expand the scope of the industry. If you’re selling millions of books a month, you can sell them more cheaply. I don’t know that comics can ever get back to that point, but they should strive to grow beyond their current tiny market, especially with public interest so high.

Hudson: I think TokyoPop has a fantastic pricing model in place… every book is roughly the same number of pages, it’s black and white and retails for $9.99. I do think that new readers are more apt to buy a color book though. But what about Marvel’s digest-size books that are full color trades at a $7.99 cover price or Image’s slim line, where it’s less pages per comic book, same amount of story, and a $1.99 cover price? Although, according to Fraction, this hasn’t helped the sales of Casanova at all… so who knows.

Kevin: The price point isn’t an issue as much as people want to think it is. Again it’s all about perceived value. If Cass was a 2.99 book, it would sell the same, in my opinion. It’s critically well thought of and all the right people say it’s great every time one comes out. but that doesn’t help the sales go up. If anything they just hover.

If you price something lower that looks like it should cost more, then the perceived value goes down. People wonder what’s wrong with it, they wonder why it’s lower than the other books they buy.

Van: Again, I think these issues all stem from comic book buyers being more collectors than fans. I, for one, am infinitely more likely to buy something that’s cheaper.

And that’s that. Thanks Van and Kevin for the great conversation!

I recently had a conversation with 5 brilliant, creative, funny women who are up and coming (if not already established) in the world of comics. I asked artists Rebekah Isaacs (Hack/Slash, Drafted) & Amy Reeder Hadley (Fool’s Gold, Madame Xanadu), journalists Johanna Draper Carlson (Comics Worth Reading) & Angela Paman (Comic Addiction), and web-comics creator Julia Wertz (The Fart Party) about their thoughts on the state of women in the comics industry. Everyone was very vocal about their opinions and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of diversity. I hope that this can be a springboard for more of these types of healthy conversations in the industry.

1) IS BEING A FEMALE ARTIST (OR WRITER) A NON-ISSUE IN TODAY’S INDUSTRY?

Johanna: No, not at all. The core of the American comic business — the entrenched superhero publishers — is still female-unfriendly, with a horrible track record of hiring women, either as staff or freelance talent. And plenty of areas of recognition — such as awards or gallery shows or convention guest lists — see nothing wrong with all-male rosters. It’s still very much an industry based on who you know, and many of the decision-makers are more comfortable working with guys like themselves, college buddies and the like.

Rebekah: I wish I could disagree, but there are unfortunately still preconceived notions about how women are “supposed” to draw that can affect a female’s ability to get attention or work in mainstream comics. Among these are the ideas that women draw only cute things, only female characters, children, or teenagers, only manga-style, nothing violent, bloody, or action-packed. And it’s not only men who may have these preconceptions! Fortunately, I’ve met many creators and editors who, while they may be surprised to meet a girl who doesn’t draw the way they expect, are very fair in their hiring and ultimately only care about ability, not gender. I was very lucky to get in with Devil’s Due, because they have absolutely no misgivings about putting a female artist on projects that are totally male-oriented. All that matters is your ability to do the work well and on time, as should always be the case!

Amy: I know being female is still an issue in some ways, but from what I can tell, it’s getting much better. In fact, I honestly think some of my good fortune entering the mainstream comics world came FROM being female. I’ve felt completely welcome working for DC Comics, and I think people are just so happy to see a new female creator. They want diversity. It’s good for the medium and it’s good for business.

Julia: I think it’s become less of an issue while the pool of women cartoonists grows. I think it’s still surprising to find women in mainstream comics, but the alternative comics scene has a large number of female cartoonists involved with it. So in regards to alt. comics, I’d say it’s no longer an issue. (Although we do have to deal with Cathy jokes constantly).

2) DO YOU TAKE PRIDE IN CERTAIN ARTISTS & WRITERS (OR YOURSELF) FOR BEING FEMALE OR JUST SIMPLY FOR BEING AN ARTIST OR WRITER?

Julia: I take pride only in being a creator, not in the fact that I’m female.

Johanna: What matters most is the quality of the work, but I am more interested in trying new work by women. I want to read comics that reflect my interests and perspective and life experiences, and that’s more likely to happen when creators understand what being a woman means. That’s not impossible for a male, but it’s harder for them, and they have to be willing to work at it. Many would rather not, which is understandable — it’s easier to create for people like them.

Amy: I take pride in being a female artist, sure! I like being different, and I feel like I have something to offer because I have fairly feminine tastes. Sometimes I feel like I need to apologize for my art being so feminine, since I want both sexes to like it, but I try to get past that. I mean, it’s not like I can’t enjoy masculine art.

Johanna: It’s still the case that women will read works aimed at men, while vice versa doesn’t happen as much or as easily. Probably because the male audience is used to being catered to, and they kick up a fuss when there’s any indication that they’re no longer the center of a publisher’s attention.

Angela: If you asked me this question a few years ago, I would’ve said I do take pride in artists or writers for being female. When I first started reading comics, I didn’t see or know of any female comic creators. It is different now. It is not about being female but about putting out quality work regardless of what one’s gender is.

Rebekah: I really just want to be a comic book artist, plain and simple.

3) WHAT FEMALE CREATORS, HISTORICALLY OR MORE RECENTLY, HAVE TAKEN THE BIGGEST STRIDE IN OPENING THE DOORS FOR NEW FEMALE CREATORS?

Johanna: Colleen Doran has been indispensable for telling stories of how the creative life really is for women. She’s been pilloried for it, but it takes great courage just to speak out honestly. I applaud Carla Speed McNeil for putting out an amazing self-created and self-published series, Finder, that I think is pure genius. Both have had to do a lot on their own, showing it can be done but it takes a lot of hard work. And sheer cussedness. Then there’s Alison Bechdel. Her Fun Home deserved all of the praise it received, and I think it opened a lot of people’s eyes about what comics could be and achieve.

Angela: Louise Simonson opened the doors for females in the comic book industry. Gail Simone made people aware of women being disrespected in comics with “Women in Refrigerators”. Christina Strain is a colorist who does a fantastic job on her books. Becky Cloonan does an impeccable job as an artist. Shelly Bond does a fantastic job as an editor for Vertigo and Minx.

Julia: Friends of Lulu has done a lot of promotion for women in comics. Trina Robbin’s did that book, A Century of Women Cartoonists that highlights work done by women as early as around the 1900’s. I think she’s been an outstanding voice of support for female cartoonists, although like I said before, since there are so many now, I think people are less inclined to want to make an issue of it.

4) WHAT ROLE HAS MANGA PLAYED IN BRINING IN NEW FEMALE READERS & CREATORS?

Julia: Besides bringing scores of young japanese female readers to the medium, I have no clue.

Angela: I think it’s the fact that the majority of them are compact. They are basically small enough to fit in one’s handbag. Not to mention, you get your money’s worth with it compared to a graphic novel. The majority of the Manga stories are usually self-contained and reasonably priced compared to a graphic novel.

Johanna: Manga finally showed what a big lie “oh, women and girls don’t read comics” is. It was received wisdom at the big American companies for decades, but the truth was, women and girls don’t read comics that don’t interest them. Give them something they can relate to and get lost in, and they’ll drive the biggest revolution in bookstore sales this decade.

Rebekah: I’m happy to see that manga has opened up the field of comics to many females, but it often seems that they get stuck in that niche and rarely give other genres a try. There are many exceptions of course, and I also feel that marketing is largely to blame in the case of readership.

Johanna: As for creators, I don’t think we’ve yet seen the results of that wave. People want to do what they love, so getting lost in comics as a kid or teen may fuel the desire to create as an adult. Much of the manga-reading generation hasn’t yet reached that point; when they do, watch out!

Amy: I think manga has not only brought in female creators, but also female creators who don’t have to worry about fitting in AS females. Or at least that’s how I experienced it–I started with Tokyopop, and most of the other creators I knew were women. And all I read was manga meant for girls and young women. I was in a female comics bubble! So it didn’t even cross my mind, how I fit into the comics world, until I started being approached by Marvel and DC Comics.

Rebekah: I really admire manga as an art form that encourages diversity and it’s certainly had a large influence on my style. It’s troubling, though, to see many young artists (male and female!) using the “manga style” as a crutch by simply aping the style of their favorite manga-ka without first learning how to properly draw the human figure, facial expressions, backgrounds, and props. But to be fair, this happens a lot among fans of other genres of comics.

5) DO YOU THINK THE REASON BEHIND SO FEW FEMALE CREATORS IN MAINSTREAM COMICS IS DUE TO ANY SORT OF BIAS OR JUST THE NUMBERS GAME THAT THERE ARE MORE MALE READERS? OR ARE WOMEN JUST LESS INTERESTED IN MAINSTREAM (SUPERHERO) SUBJECT MATTER?

Amy: I think it’s sort of a chicken-and-the-egg problem. If we had more readers, we’d have more creators, but we need more creators if we want to get more readers. So if the mainstream comics industry wants to expand their readership to include more women, they have to make investments in female creators and characters and stories that females can be interested in. The problem, then, is how to help women know that such comics are out there, because sometimes word of mouth just isn’t fast enough.

Rebekah: Branching off from what I said above, girls are often not expected to be able to draw the material (superheroes, particularly the male variety, and action scenes) as well as guys. And while I hate to admit it, there’s a good reason for that: how many guys out there spent their childhood drawing GI Joes or their favorite superheroes doing battle? Probably 99%. But what about the ladies? Next to zilch. Girls are typically discouraged from watching those kind of shows, playing with those kinds of toys, and definitely from reading comics (that don’t have Barbie in the title). So naturally, when those girls grow up, even if have developed an interest in “boy stuff” on their own, it usually takes them longer to develop a sense of how mainstream comics are drawn simply because they haven’t been exposed to it from birth like their male counterparts. This imbalance really has to be repaired at the root of the problem — the ridiculous gender roles our society places on both sexes during childhood. And marketing is definitely a problem. So many mainstream comics that are viewed as exclusively male-friendly would be much loved by female readers — if they had ever even heard of them!

Johanna: I reject using the term “mainstream” to mean “superheroes”. The true mainstream are those buying Fun Home or Persepolis or even junky manga series (as with any genre or medium, there’s great manga and not-so-great) in bookstores. Superheroes are a niche genre in what was, until recently, a niche medium.

Angela: I think it’s a little bit of everything. Some might be disappointed because of a bias to cater to the male audience. For others it’s probably a lack of interest in superheroes. I also think it’s a perception people have in regards to comics. Although, I do see more women in comics than I did when I first started reading them.

Julia: I think that women are just less interested in mainstream (superhero) subjects. Most women in comics do alternative narratives and I think it’s just a gender trait that can’t be blamed on societal standards or any sort of bias. Some feminists may laud at my saying this, but women are genetically more, er, sensitive? and tend to avoid the violent/superhero comics if only by default or disinterest. I read some of them, but honestly, they don’t hold my attention like alternative and autobio narratives do. I can’t speak for all women in comics, of course, but I know many who feel the same way.

Johanna: I think there are multiple reasons behind the lack of female superhero creators. One is sexism on the part of the decision-makers at those companies. Some of it’s overt — editors that believe that women can’t draw good superheroes or those who held creative meetings at the nearby strip joint. Some of it’s unconscious, shy men who don’t relate to women as anything but “the other”, something they desire but have trouble even talking to. They hire other men, those they’re more comfortable working with. (And some of the women in high-up positions at those companies aren’t necessarily supportive of others of their gender, because they’re more comfortable being “the only girl in the room”.)

Another is lack of interest. Working in comics is not a sensible economic decision, so it takes something else to drive someone to struggle to succeed in it. For a lot of men, it’s love of the characters that they’ve read since they were kids. Women, for the most part, don’t have that drive, since the stories don’t speak to them and the art is often offensive. Many women I know who have gone into that field were more attracted by the movie or TV or cartoon portrayals than the print comics.

A third is cultural pressure — women aren’t allowed to be geeks or indulge in geeky behavior, like making their own comics or attending conventions, the way men are. There are others, but those are the biggest coming to mind right now.

Amy: I have to say, though, that not only female creators can create comics that women enjoy. In my opinon, some male creators seem to get women better that most women creators do. I think that’s an important thing to recognize, because we’ll sometimes hear complaints about men creating comics for women, and how women should be doing it. It’s important for women to have opportunities in the industry, but I also think having men create these is a step forward. Normally it’s the other way around, that women embrace things geared more toward men, whereas the reverse is associated with some sort of shame. We’ve got to change that!

6) IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU THINK CREATORS & PUBLISHERS CAN BE MORE “FEMALE-FRIENDLY” WITH THEIR BOOKS?

Angela: I think if they came out with more books similar to the format like the Minx line but had topics or stories catered to not just one specific age group but for different age groups. Comics got me to loving reading again and I think to myself, “if comics got me into reading at my age, what more someone younger than me”. Publishing more books for the younger audience would also help as well.

Johanna: The biggest gap still remaining is work that adult women can find interesting and appealing. Manga is mostly teen-targeted, and many “indy/alternative” books still reflect a male perspective.

Rebekah: I truly believe that so much of what’s being published today IS female-friendly, but is not being marketed towards females in any way. I don’t believe that simply adding strong, “empowered” female characters to a book makes any difference, since women with enough good taste to appreciate a well-written story will equally love books with both male and female-dominated casts. So doing such can come across as condescending. Publishers just have to find a way to get their ads and press out there to a more diverse audience. And comics readers, suggest your favorite titles to ALL of your friends, not just the ones who also read comics.

Johanna: I don’t have a problem with superhero comics staying a genre aimed at the young adult white male, with so many other, better options out there for women and girls. My problem comes when people mistake superhero comics for the whole (or the majority) of the medium, or when they say “comics” when they only mean the narrow superhero niche.

Amy: I have a philosophy that there are things out there that stereotypically attract men, and things that stereotypically attract women, and then there are intelligent things, which will attract both sexes. It’s what binds us together. Just as a sappy, cliche love story alienates most men, action- and cleavage- filled comics alienate most women. Add intelligence to it, and more of the opposite sex can accept it.

Johanna: If publishers want to create more books appealing to women, they need to do two things: hire women, and find out what their target audience really wants. Too many decision-makers rely on passed-down wisdom about how things are based on how they’ve been, without realizing that times, markets, and possibilities have changed. I’m reminded of the stupid comments the Supergirl editor made about how his book, featuring a badly drawn, anatomically exaggerated lead character wearing next to nothing, was aiming at girls by putting in a guy who showed some chest hair in his costume. He clearly knew nothing about what female readers wanted or considered important in their reading.

Amy: When it comes to specifics, I think the most important thing creators should think about is making their female characters more human and complex. They can be sexy, but no chick’s going to identify with a girl who’s nothing but a stereotypical male fantasy.

Thanks again to Rebekah, Amy, Johanna, Angela, & Julia for taking the time to answer my questions!

Please check out all their latest work at the links above.

UPDATE: To those of you who are complaining (on other sites) that you’ve seen this kind of thing 1000 times before, I would just like to say, this interview is not for you.  I’ve received far more responses from people who haven’t thought about these issues before and who appreciate the interview.  And if just one young girl can read this and be encouraged by the women above to enter the industry as a creator or a reader, then it would be worth it.

Most major superhero comics have been around for decades. If you’ve got a story that is being told in monthly issues for decades, you’re going to have quite a bit of continuity to keep up with. I frequently talk about how much I hate this from the POV of a new reader trying to pick up a book for the first time. Amazing Spider-man is on issue #559. Batman is on issue #676. That’s a lot to catch up on.

The industry does it’s best to make stories accessible, but at the same time, the core audience thrives on this continuity. Because there is something fun about picking up a book, wondering where a character or story came from, talking about it on online forums, exploring old issues, looking it up on wikipedia… it creates this gigantic interactive world that is more than just a story in 22-pages. And with all my complaining, I actually really dig the idea of this. It’s fun and it’s on such a grand scale… something that you don’t really experience with any other medium.

However, comics history is riddled with many ideas that are (to put it kindly) a little embarrassing.

Writer Grant Morrison is kind of a master of embracing past ideas and making them new. He’s done this with the great All-Star Superman book (where he even makes elements such as Krypto the Superdog, Bizarro, & a super-powered Lois Lane seem cool) as well as New X-Men. When he was first beginning his run on New X-Men he said:

“I think everyone agrees that we can no longer afford to be bogged down by 40 years of the most convoluted continuity in comics… we have to find a way be faithful to the sprawling X-MEN mythos without being shackled by events in stories written thirty years ago, for a different world and a very different audience. My intention is to use the rich history of the X-MEN more as background window dressing and as a treasure trove of material we can recut for a new eager audience.”

I think this is the very best way to please long time fans as well as new readers and I think it should be the goal of every writer working on a decades-old property:

Don’t be ashamed or where you came from. Embrace it. Then move on.

I think this is a great philosophy in life as well. There are some definite continuity issues in my own life. I’d love to erase parts of my past that I’m embarrassed or ashamed of… from getting into a bad relationship, ultimately ending in divorce - to letting one of the true loves of my life, music, slip through my hands - to throwing up at assembly in 7th grade or farting in algebra class in 8th.

I’d love to just get rid of my 30 years of continuity and start over. But just like in comic books… I can’t. What’s done is done. It’s out there, written in stone. There’s no changing it.

So, what choice do you have?

Put yourself out there. You can embrace your faults without being proud of them. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Let people explore the “wikipedia” & back-issues of your life. They’ll either embrace it or they won’t. And if they don’t, you’re better off without them. Life is too short to spend life with people who don’t accept you for who you are… mistakes and all.

Rebekah Isaacs, a friend and fabulous artist, has recently been announced as taking over art duties on the comic Drafted from Devil’s Due. ComicCon.com’s “the Pulse” has a great preview and interview with Rebekah about the book here: REBEKAH ISAACS GETS DRAFTED

Some other blog folk have done this, so why not me

1. What was the first comic you remember reading?

My cousin & childhood friend, Ashford, had a copy of Spider-Man #1 that was my introduction to comics.  I remember flipping through it and how cool it seemed.  I was in 6th grade at the time and because of some recent rough times, I needed some escapism.  And I remember going to the comic book store for the first time shortly after to begin my own jouney into comics and I ran across New Warriors #1.  I was drawn to the young cast, to the team aspect of the book (more characters!) and to the fact that it was a first issue that I could jump onto easily.  It actually didn’t have a bad team on the book at the time: Mark Bagley on art with Fabian Nicieza on words.  I ate it up.  I stuck with the book until about issue 2… they had moved onto a new artist by then and I just wasn’t into it. Shortly after I fell in love with the Image books, and shortly after that, I dropped out of comics all together.

2. What was the first comic that made you realize that you might be in this for the long haul?

I guess I’d have to go with the book that got me back into comics.  After a 10 year break (I tried to keep up a little over the years picking up books here and there) I had heard good things about a book called Runaways.  It had all the same things in it that first interested me in comics to begin with… young characters, team aspect, first collected edition.  And it was in a cool format - full-color “digest-size”.  I liked the feel of it in my hands.

Of course all of this wouldn’t mean anything if the book didn’t introduce me to my favorite comic book writer, Brian K. Vaughan.  The story read like a fast-paced movie with real teenage emotions and clear themes.  It was fantastic.  I was hooked for good.  Not only did I start reading comics again, I knew at that moment that I had to write them.

3. If you had to make a snap decision to take one comic or one comic run to a desert island, what would it be? Don’t think too hard!

Scott Pilgrim.  It’s fun, it cracks me up, it inspires me, and it feels like hanging out with old friends.  Also, if I get bored, I can bring some crayons and color in the pages.  How’s that for not thinking hard?

“So go out and live real good and I promise you’ll get beat up real bad. But, in a little while after you’re dead, you’ll be rotted away anyway. It’s not gonna matter if you have a few scars. It will matter if you didn’t live.” - RICH MULLINS

My life has always been balanced with death.

I lost my 37-year-old father at the age of 8 to a car accident. My best friend killed himself at the age of 22. The same year, my first cousin died in a car accident. He was 27. All of my grandparents were dead by the time I turned 25.

Last night I dreamed that my 4-year-old son slipped off of a cliff and fell to his death. I spent the rest of the dream trying to find him, but everywhere I turned, I found a dead end.

The one thing we all have in common is death. We are all going to die. Maybe at the ripe old age of 80. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe right now.

For the past few weeks, months, years… I’ve been struggling with my existence. I grew up with a strong belief in God… that everything in life will work out if you trust him. Well, I still have a strong belief in God… but that bit about trust and everything working out has flown out the window. Because nothing in life is certain. Nothing is a guarantee, except for death. I don’t say that to sound bleak, it’s just a truth…. death and taxes.

I watched the movie Cloverfield last night and I feel like this was a heavy theme of the film. Throughout the film, it “flashes-back” (in a quite ingenious way) to scenes of a guy and one of his best friends, a girl, who he’s been pining after for years, as they spend a “perfect” day together. This perfect day is just waking up, hanging out, riding the train, going to the fair… simple, happy… a perfect day. This is all balanced with the massive amounts of death in the movie. It’s really quite beautiful.

I believe that the real joy in life is found in the moments of simplicity:

The feeling of finishing a great book…
…eating a great meal…
…watching a movie while holding a loved one in your arms…
…the magic of chocolate meeting peanut butter…
…choosing the right lane which zips you past a traffic jam…
…catching up with old friends…
…the wind blowing through your hair as you ride your bike down a hill…
…the pride that comes in creating a beautiful piece of art…
…being greeted with a hug…
…a child’s laughter…
…singing in the shower…
…the touch of the opposite sex sending shivers up your spine…
…being able to become a child again, and just playing…
…learning something new…
…finding a common interest with a stranger…
…a great concert, so enjoyable you can’t keep from smiling…
…the feeling of cool sand beneath your toes…
…cold air conditioner on a hot summer day…
…a warm car on a cold winter one…
…the smell of a loved one…
…the beauty of a sunset…
…exploring a new city…
…windows down, music blasting…
…fill in your perfect moment in the comments below.

I am on a journey to rediscover that trust in God. I don’t know if it’s a discovery as much as it is a decision. Maybe I’ll find it, maybe I won’t. But I do know that life is short. We will all die soon (in the grand scheme of things.) So, there is no point in sitting around and complaining. And I feel like that’s what I’ve been doing for a good long while now. So, I am making the decision to get up, get out, be who only I can be, and live life to it’s fullest. To touch, taste, feel, smell, and experience life. To spend every moment creating, living, loving, laughing… relaxing. Too much time is wasting.

I’ll end with one of my very favorite stories:

A monk is running through the jungle. A tiger is right on his tail. He gets to the edge of a cliff and he looks over. It runs down into a deep abyss. He grabs onto a vine and begins to shimmy his way down. The tiger catches up, but the monk is now out of reach. The monk reaches the edge of the vine… nowhere to go. If he goes up, he’ll be devoured by the tiger. If he goes down, he’ll fall to his death into the deep abyss.

In this moment of despair, he looks right in front of his face. He sees a small vine of strawberries. He reaches out, grabs a strawberry and takes a bite. The juices flow from his mouth as he says “this is the best strawberry I’ve ever had in my life.”

With the release of Iron Man, the summer movie season is in full swing. Summer is my favorite time of the year for movies. It’s also the time where the most movies disappoint.

I can’t tell you how many years I’ve said “this will be the best summer ever for movies.” And then been let down… pretty much every summer for the past 10 years.

Yet here I am again… This will be the best summer ever for movies.

I love “event” movies. I love big tentpole action adventure popcorn movies. Ever since Spielberg & Lucas ushered in the “blockbuster” in the late 70’s, the world of cinema has changed. Star Wars, E.T., Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones… these are the movies I loved as a kid. There’s magic in these films.

But somewhere along the way the blockbuster lost it’s luster. Movies began being put together by executives, and not filmmakers. So, year after year, you have these films that sound great on paper (Hugh Jackman fights Dracula, Wolf-man & Frankensteins monster), but lack that magic.

However, I feel like this time around I have more than just hype and excitement to back up my “best summer ever” theory. There is a pedigree of filmmakers behind this summer’s crop of films. We’re seeing a return to the auteur-driven blockbusters of the early 80’s.

1) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Director Steven Spielberg, Producer George Lucas, & Screenwriter David Koepp. All legends in their fields. They have brought us some of the highest quality blockbusters of all time. No one creates magic like these three men do. Can they do it again here? Well, there’s a lot to live up to. Indiana Jones is one of the most successful franchises in movie history.

Am I expecting this to be better than the original trilogy? No. I’m expecting it to be different. Am I expecting this to be a good movie? Absolutely. If you can leave your expectations at the door, you will enjoy this movie. You don’t get three powerhouse filmmakers like that together and make a bad film. When Spielberg & Lucas make a film, for good or bad, it’s going to be the film they want to make. And while they’ve made some questionable movies over the years… this is their sweet spot.

2) The Happening
M. Night Shyamalan is my favorite filmmaker. His movies speak to me in a way no other filmmaker’s movies do. M. Night Shyamalan is another filmmaker who knows exactly what he’s doing. When he makes a movie, it’s going to be the movie he wants to make. Lot’s of people think he dropped off with the Village and went out of his mind with Lady in the Water. I disagree.

While the Lady in the Water is my least favorite of his films, he knew exactly what he was doing with it - pushing the boundaries of what a film can and should be. He knew going into it that people wouldn’t get it… although I know he hoped they would.

Even if you didn’t like Lady in the Water, you should give the Happening a chance. One thing the failure of Lady in the Water did was put Shyamalan’s ego in check. The Happening will be the movie Shyamalan set out to make, but it will also be a movie for the masses.

3) Wall•E
Does anyone have a better track record than Pixar? Nearly everything they’ve done has been a masterpiece. I felt like Cars was a sidestep, but Ratatouille made up for it. And after seeing the trailer for Wall•E, I have no doubt that this will be a great film. It might even unseat the Incredibles as my favorite Pixar film of all time… but I imagine it will come in a close second.

Pixar is the definition of auteur-driven filmmaking. If a creator at Pixar has a vision, they will see that vision through to the end, sending it along the way through a process that ensures that vision will be realized perfectly.

Wall•E is the vision of Andrew Stanton, who also brought us A Bug’s Life & Finding Nemo. These two movies were not my favorite, but I think it was more the subject matter than the stories. Wall•E however has a delicious sci-fi world, which we haven’t seen explored in a Pixar movie before, and I can’t wait to see what they do with it.

4) The Dark Knight
I’ll be honest… I’m not the biggest Batman Begins fan. I thought it was really well done, but I don’t think it broke any new ground. I guess I just felt that this is what they should’ve been doing with Batman all along.

Chris Nolan, is a great filmmaker and Batman is a great character. WB seems to have really let Nolan run with the character and do what he wants. Even more so this time around. Success buys power. If the first film was establishing the tone and the character, then this movie should get to just run free and play. And that’s why I’m looking forward to this film so much. This is how you make great films - find filmmakers that know what they are doing, and let them do what they do best.

Great marketing, great cast, great filmmakers… it just looks like a lot of quality fun.

5) Pineapple Express

There was a big fight for this number 5 spot… Hancock, Prince Caspian, Get Smart, Hellboy II, Tropic Thunder… all of which I’m very much looking forward to. All with a great pedigree of filmmakers behind them.

However, Pineapple Express wins out for three reasons:

A) All the Real Girls is one of my favorite movies.

David Gordon Green is the director of Pineapple Express. He also directed All the Real Girls, one of the most honest looks at love and small town life I’ve ever seen. It’s also very funny, but it’s not a comedy. David Gordon Green makes the type of films that engulf you. Every time I watch All the Real Girls, I just feel like I went through the ups and downs of a year-long relationship in the span of two hours. He’s a young filmmaker, but already a master of tone and pacing.

B) Freaks & Geeks is one of my favorite TV shows.

Pineapple Express is starring Seth Rogen & James Franco, written by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg and produced by Judd Apatow. Everyone knows who Judd Apatow & Seth Rogen are now. They are the faces of modern comedy. And while I think their movies are hit & miss, they’ve do make very original & honest comedies, including the amazing TV show, Freaks & Geeks (produced by Apatow, and starring Rogen & Franco). When I heard that they were making a “pot” action-comedy, I shrugged. Not my thing… then David Gordon Green got attached and my ears perked up… then they released the trailer and well…

C) Best trailer of the year.

I LOVE this trailer. It blends comedy, drama, & action into something as cool as it is emotional. It had me laughing out loud and really wanting to know what was going to happen to the characters. We got a look at Franco, Rogen & the supporting cast (including Darryl from the Office & the very funny Danny McBride from Hotrod, Heartbreak Kid, Drillbit Tailor, & All the Real Girls). We got a hint at the tone with the brilliant music choice of M.I.A.’s Paper Planes. Just a perfect, fun little trailer.

Okay, maybe you’re like me. I’ve seen Iron Man and I want more. Iron Man’s based on a comic book, so there’s bound to be tons of stories I can pick up. I’ve never read any Iron Man comics before, but if it’s anything like the movie, I think I’d like it.

First stop: Marvel.com

Marvel.com seems to have prepared for this scenario, as there are no less than 16 ads for Iron Man related products on their front page.

Let’s start with the first thing that caught my eye: Iron Man Eras , an article detailing the goings-on of Tony Stark just over the past 10 years (not counting the 40 before it). And to be honest, it’s overwhelming. All this talk of Skrulls and Registration Acts and Illuminati… why can’t I just find a story that’s just like the movie?

The answer: You can’t.

A great help is a bio of Iron Man & a list of “Required Reading: 10 Iron Man Collections” is a fantastic reference for newcomers. If you are ready to jump into the world of Tony Stark as he currently stands in comics (which is a very different place than he was in the movie) Marvel has the resources to prepare you.

After you make it through those 10 collections, you might be ready to take on the new series “Invincible Iron Man” (from writer, Matt Fraction), releasing this week with a first issue, or even the ongoing “Iron Man” series (currently at #18). Or you could check out a few new limited series coming soon: “Iron Man: Legacy of Doom” where apparently Iron Man fights Dr. Doom (?) or “Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas”, written by Jon Favreau and drawn by Avi Granov who helped design the Iron Man movie armor. There’s also Marvel Adventures: Iron Man (currently at #4) for younger readers and Ultimate Iron Man, which I think was a limited series and is now over (?).

(I will probably pick up the Favreau mini-series and the first issue of Invincible just to give them a chance as I’m a fan of both the authors.  Maybe they’ll surprise me with their accessibility… but I’m not holding my breath.)

The point being, there is no one easy place to start. It’s a mess.

If I were Marvel, I would produce an original graphic novel to act as a “sequel” to the movie. I’d release it the same day the movie comes out. It would pick right up where the movie left off (while leaving room for the movie’s actual sequel, sure to come.) When I left the Iron Man movie, I wanted to know what was going to happen to THAT character, not a character with 40 years of history. And then, I’d follow up these OGN’s about once a quarter. Make them readily available in bookstores and market the hell out of them.

At the very least, there should be a very clear cut place to start for fans of the movie. Release a free (or very cheap) comic to comic book stores that fills