Posted in: Avengers, Comics, Marvel Comics, X-Men | Tagged: blind bag, daredevil, silver surfer, Wonder Man

Comic Store In Your Future: What On Earth Is Marvel Playing At?

Comic Store In Your Future... What On Earth Is Marvel Playing At? And how can we get them to start playing a different game?

Marvel Comics has been the No. 1 seller of comics in the direct market of comic book stores for decades. So how are they suddenly getting outsold on big-name titles? Marvel still publishes a lot of comics, but more often than not, they are no longer the biggest-selling ones. While Energon and Absolute are selling millions of copies from Image and DC, Marvel is relying on gimmicks from blind bags to variant covers, and comic-based movies seem to have the opposite effect on their sales. Let's dig into all of this.

When Marvel did not have the movie rights to the X-Men, they pushed for the Inhumans to step in and replace them, but they have consistently failed to support a monthly comic. When Marvel did not have the rights to the Fantastic Four and X-Men for movies, they cancelled the Fantastic Four comic and deprioritised the X-books out of spite. And when they got the rights back, they decided they could prioritise the X-Men titles again, giving us the Age of Krakoa. But then the recent Age of Revelation seemed to throw all that goodwill away. The question must be asked, have years of mismanaging some of their best-known titles, slowly worn down their customer base?

Has Marvel's nonstop renumbering, variant covers, and its belief that comic titles no longer can have long-lasting runs meant that Marvel lost its way? Artists have complained about going years without a raise. No one at Marvel gets royalties for foreign sales at all. If you work on a Disney title at Marvel, expect nothing else ever again. Marvel movies based on their comic characters still make millions, though the creators of these characters often say they get little if anything for it. Where does the money go? It doesn't seem to go back into the characters' books that spawned these movies, whether by paying creators more or promoting the books more.

In April, the highest-selling Marvel title looks to be Daredevil #1, thanks to the return of blind bags for the first issue. A gimmick, not the excitement over the story between the pages. The issue with gimmicks such as blind bags and variant covers is that this is where Marvel spends its hype and marketing. Not on the actual story. Blind bags and gimmicks do not get people to read their comics or boost trade sales. People buy the trade collections because they want to read the story.

Marvel gets customers out of the habit of reading their comics with their nonstop relaunches.  If Catwoman, Nightwing, Spawn, Sonic the Hedgehog, Geiger, Redcoat, and so many more comics by other publishers can outlast the average Marvel title, why not read theirs instead of something that Marvel is just going to end or relaunch in a weird way? Marvel's main Star Wars title just ended with issue 10, and also ended the Imperial books early. Marvel just seems to put out miniseries now, even if it's not advertised as such. Every issue 1 is a chance for readers to jump on, but also jump off. And that's what more and more of them have been doing.

The above photo is from the Penguin Random House shipment that arrived this week. Ultimates #21. Spider-Man and Wolverine #10, Infernal Hulk #4, Inglorious X-Force #2, Rogue #2, Hulk Smash Everything #3, Psylocke Ninja #2, Iron Man #2, Punisher #1, and more that are all in single digits. The Ultimates is the highest numbered title and, guess what, it's ending in April, along with their publishing bright spark, the Ultimate Universe.

The photo above is of my Lunar shipment from this week. Absolute Wonder Woman #17, Absolute Manhunter #9, Phantom of the Opera #1, Justice League Unlimited #16, Hyde Street #10, Detective Comics #1106, Gun Slinger Spawn #51, Superman #35, Flash #30, Void Rivals #27, Harley Quinn #59, and Green Lantern #32. The average is much higher in terms of number and longevity as a series than Marvel's releases on the same day. People who want to get into something that lasts longer will be picking up something other than Marvel. Black Cat, Daredevil, Iron Man, and more have been relaunched so many times that some would say it is a sign Marvel can't sell its big-name characters. Even Todd McFarlane has worked this out.

In the Golden and Silver Age, some publishers preferred not to put early issue numbers on the covers of their comics, as they believed it discouraged people from picking up a comic that was so new. A higher issue number indicated that it had stood the test of time, as some comic books "inherited" their numbers from other series. And how The Incredible Hulk got to over #100 when it had only published a handful of issues.

Marvel needs to do more to hype their storylines and interior artwork, rather than just the cover, inside or outside a blind bag. Get people wanting to read what they are putting out, and people want a monthly Marvel title that they know isn't going to end next month, just because it is a Marvel title.

Also, Marvel too often lets the tail wag the dog, letting movie and TV series set the tone, content, character, and looks for its comic storylines to attract those mythical crossover customers who have seen their movies and read their comics. Or at least they make a half-assed attempt. Killing the Silver Surfer off in the Death Of The Silver Surfer limited series, so the new Silver Surfer would be a woman, like the film, did nothing saleswise. Possibly because in the film, Galactus simply flies by and beams her up, and then she is his herald, no dramatic "I will be your herald if you spare my planet" speech. There was no attempt to show what she is giving up or character exploration beforehand; viewers didn't get to learn what makes the Surfer so special, and Marvel didn't even bother to follow up on the comic book. The one creative TV highlight of late, Wonder Man, is only getting a comic book next month. And then a new Black Wonder Man to match the TV version, even later than that. And let us not speak of Madame Web. It's one thing to try and make your comics match the TV and film, but Marvel just seems to do it very badly, giving us the worst of both worlds.

I've only just remembered the mess with the Thunderbolts New Avengers comics, as well as why we have a Red Hulk everywhere now in the comics, when everyone else has tried to forget it. So, how do you reckon they'll mess up Doctor Doom this year?

Marvel needs to get out of the habit of doing what they have been doing for many years now and push themselves to break their comic-book publishing bad habits. Because right now they are boring. Be exciting, be daring, get more new talent, be the Marvel that was so popular they called their customers Marvel Zombies. A strong Marvel makes for a stronger comic market. And for a stronger comic book shop, too.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!