Article Review: The Comic Book Industry Is On Fire, And It’s About More Than Just The Movies by Gus Lubin
The article was written by Gus Lubin who is an official writer for Business Insider ( a trusted website that covers a vast amount of topics ). As the title suggests, Lubin thinks that comic book fame did not happen solely from the popularity of the movies, however it is stated that comic books have also become more sophisticated, in contrary to when they first started.
Statistics show ( as listed in the article ) that sales in comic books were a gradual build, reaching an amount of 870 Million Dollars last year. This number compared to the figure representing the year 2000 shows a definite increase. Year 2000 had a sales amount of 265 Million Dollars.
All this said, and going contrary to the article’s title, Lubin admits that one of the obvious reasons why comic book sales have gone up is because of the movies that have been released in recent years. In his opinion, the movies peaked people’s interest enough for fans to buy more. It also gave people enough of information for them to start reading comic books if they never did.
There is a rise in popularity in conventions as well. One of the most popular being “San Diego Comic-Con”. However, many of them are going corporate which is a wise idea, since they are in demand now more than ever. Being as professional as possible will set some apart from others. Conventions show a diverse range in age and therefore show how comic book popularity has spread throughout age gaps.
The increase in need for comic books has peaked major brand’s interests. Big book stores are stacking up on comic books and graphic novels, in stores and online.
In April of last year, Amazon made the decision to buy ComiXology. One of the largest online stores for comic books.
“As much as the movies and technology are helping the industry, however, even more credit should go to comic book creators.”
This was stated as Lubin thinks that ( as written above ), comic books have become more sophisticated over the past years. Now, mainstream comics have better standards and their popularity gave way for people to try out more independent works.
Movies can end up being repetitive since a lot of money are being spent on them to make prequels, sequels and spinoffs. There is a lot of room for lack of originality, and therefore Lubin suggests that because of an artists limits, he can take a lot more risks. This is because if the comic book fails on paper, cancellation of the print would be far cheaper than that of a movie series.
Some of Lubin’s statements make sense where as others might need of more confirmation. It was interesting to read his opinions as they gave new light into some aspects of comic book popularity.
Research into the movie industry’s help in the popularity still needs more investigating.
To read the full article go here.
Referencing: The Comic Book Industry Is On Fire — Business Insider. 2015. The Comic Book Industry Is On Fire — Business Insider. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-comic-book-industry-is-on-fire-2014-8. [Accessed 06 December 2015].
