Over on the always informative comics blog
THE BEAT, Heidi covers discussions on the format crossroads the US industry has come to, spurred by some
OGN creators musing on ramifications of that process vs monthly production (specifically in terms of revenue generation), which then spurs all kinds of thoughts and speculation on where we're heading...
Is this the death of monthlies?
Are Graphic Novels/
OGN/
TPB/
Manga and the bookstore market the future?
Is it digital?
Digital to trade?
Hop on over and check it out
HEREand again
HEREThere are some very interesting points and views shared.
As for my thoughts an independent publisher in the direct market?
From what I'm reading, seeing, and hearing around the industry, the market is definitely less promising than it was even 2 years ago, and new approaches are fast becoming the norm, as opposed to first starting out with monthly serialization via comic shops.
More and more are forced to start out via the
internet, or trade, as selling in the low range of distributed independent publishing is simply not viable.
And I muse more and more on a hybrid of the trade first approach...
Smaller collections, or page counts, somewhere between a monthly and a trade.
The pros of which would be yielding a higher price point (and conversely fewer runs at a printer) than a monthly, but also yielding more frequency in the market than the straight-to-trade approach, thus allowing for more chance at revenue and exposure than publishing less frequently.
Something I've not really seen anyone doing.
To me, with Diamond's thresholds being set at about where a moderately successful
indy can hope to distribute, that is around 1k in distribution at the current 3-4$ cover price, it behooves one to go for the higher price point of the trade, at a 10-15$ cover to find a better chance at success.
So why not try something in between, say a 2-4 issue length collection/format (anywhere from 48-96 pages, as opposed to 120-200), priced in the 5-10$ range, that one could release about twice a year (as opposed to every 12-18 months)?
A lower price point than a trade for readers to try, with a higher price than a monthly (and less runs at a printer) to allow for more opportunity for profit in sales.
(This would also make it easier theoretically for a self/small-publisher to maintain schedules, a huge challenge for those attempting serial publication in this position)
Which of course, as with straight to trade, could still be serialized first via the web.
Or, another variation a friend mentioned they were attempting with their next
OGN, don't start serializing on the web until your work is complete (or at least enough for a collection), so you can offer the print version to the web readers immediately, and potentially capture more sales from readers not wanting to wait out the serialization? (The
opposite of the current popular approach of collecting as you go)
Just a couple of ideas on future format/approach to publishing comics I've not heard discussed...
What do you think?
I know I'll be getting myself the hardcover...
My story is quite a departure from what I do in Super Real... (or is it?)
Check out Thom's works and comics HERE
Santino can be reached at this email: cuentadesanti@hotmail.com
The thing I really keyed in on the second time was the soundtrack. Both RR's Planet Terror score, masterful 80's synth echoing that blistering theme throughout, and of course QT's best soundtrack since the remarkable Pulp Fiction collection. I bought the Death Proof soundtrack, and can attest it's really great (I'll have to pick up the Planet Terror too).
Josh Howard
Cameron Stewart
Grant Gould
Cristian Navarro
Lubasa
Machete by Carlos Lerma 
The Babysitter Twins by Don Ramon Sierra 
Dakota (aka Doctor Block) by Cameron Stewart
Lee (aka The Cheerleader girl) by HC Noel
Despite views to the contrary, and waning interest, I think Lost is beginning to hit on all cylinders again.
RAZOR KID #1 - RoninStudios: Written by Marcus Almand, pencils by Jeffrey Cruz
devised his own prosthetics, that not only give him the functionality he's missing, but much more.
Steve Lawlis is well suited to Erik's style, as it feels much like a mash-up of 3 cartoon network shows; Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls, and Dexter's Laboratory. In fact, after a fun intro that feels like we're going to be treated to a nice cartoon inspired yet adult focused tale, things spiral into the all-too-familiar, with Lawlis being the macho stand in for Bravo, directed by the mayor to fend off outlandish threats to the city ala Powerpuff Girls, and alongside and up against evil/crazed scientists and situations born from their mischief, that would be Dexter's Labortory. Now, I don't think Meredith was actually going for that trifecta, but in hindsight that's what I found. I wish I had better things to say here, I wanted to like this, but it just seemed uninspired, and I really don't need to hear anyone quote Charlton Heston's key line from Planet of the Apes (you know it), EVER. AGAIN. THANKS.
Empowered is the 243 page black and white artwork collection of shorts centered around a sexy/cute female member of the Superhomey's, named Empowered. She's a superchica with self confidence issues, who, thanks to the trickey powers that her skintight suit endows, is perennially being bound and gagged by the supervillains she goes up against. Along the way the book builds on these funny slice-of-life skewed superexploits and our heroine gains a henchman boyfriend, bad girl best friend, and one entraped essence of space demon that lies around her apartment bitching. The book is full of creator Adam Warren's trademark art and scripting. 
Warren has one of the most unique voices in comics, an imaginative mind and skillful touch with dialogue make his efforts always a joy to behold. Emp vol 1 is no exception. At first, the volume feels a bit lacking, as it was born from a series of shorts with no grand scheme in mind, empty bits to get our heroine in distress gradually build a world, relationship/s, and story that is totally immersive.
volume things pick up considerably, and leave even more to explore for the next of what are hopefully the many planned volumes to come.
First up is the latest work from Super Real friend, Edward Pun. Edward you may recall turned in the slick variant cover of participant number 3 for issue 2, and also contributed 5 pages to the recent Super Real Special. In the meantime Edward put the finishing touches on his first issue of BETSY MAE BITE, a full size black and white comic featruing a mysterious farm girl, her cow, ufo's and men in black.
Next we have a heady concoction from James Stokoe, SNACK COMIX issue 1.
for and eager to see)
