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RSSConsider the following:
--The U.S. comic book business (publishing only) was approximately $550 million in 2005. -- Marvel Entertainment publishes approximately 70 different comic book titles per month, primarily distributed to consumers through three main channels -- direct market retailers, mass-market retailers, and through subscription. Revenue is also derived from the sale of advertising within the core comic book product of approximately ten pages -- specifically, three glossy cover pages (the inside front cover and both the inside and outside back cover), and seven interior non-glossy pages. (And did I mention that gross profit margins in the business are in the mid-50% range?).
--Virgin Comics retains an 86% male, 14% female readership, with a median age of 23 and age concentration from 16 to 29, with a median household income of $50.69k. Some of the brands that have used comics to deliver their brand message include Dannon, Coke Classic, L'Oreal, and Nautica (not to mention the usual suspects Nokia, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, etc.).
--John Woo, Guy Ritchie, Rosario Dawson, Dave Stewart -- just a handful of the celebrities who have taken to using this form as a way to create new vehicles for more traditional media channels.
The purpose of most publishers is to license titles for new distribution platforms, like movies. And if you think that these movies are just for "fans," well, let the box office speak for itself: Marvel Entertainment alone, through titles such as "Blade," "Spider-Man," "X-Men," "Elektra," "Fantastic Four," "The Hulk" and "Daredevil" generated over $4 billion in eight years over 14 films. And you don't build an audience like that without a base -- a base that is simply, the comic book reader.
Now, I don't mean to generalize or oversimplify, but this is truly an untapped market. From ad-sponsored digital versions for the PC and wireless handsets to merchandising to new or celebrity-based Web-based-only titles -- this is truly a market that is experiencing a renaissance. And lest we forget, I am not talking about the U.S. market alone here. I am talking about worldwide audience potential that translates into worldwide branding opportunities for multi-national advertisers. Just imagine the possibilities. Think I have been reading too many manga books? Perhaps. But any comic genre that commands $5.6 billion worldwide has my attention. Does it have yours? You tell me.
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I certainly think we could well do to widen the spectrum of comics in the US, and are on our way to doing so. Japan's created quite the spectrum with their manga, targeting a number of niche categories. However, it's worth noting that a number of their most popular authors are women. I think as the appeal of the medium widens, so does the appeal of a career in the medium, and it's a self-perpetuating cycle.
When we have people working in the comic industry that represent varied backgrounds and interests, we'll likely see a broader spectrum of mainstream comics here in the US (I specify mainstream because while we have a number of varied graphic novels, but their popularity I do not believe has penetrated the mainstream).
I'm guessing we'll see a wide mainstream market for "comics" (likely in digital distribution - just my added guess) in the US within four to five years. Any takers?
When in fact, many of them are the longest running stories in literature, have brillant artwork, and are pointed social commentaries.
Have you seen the NBC series, Heroes? It also has a comic book element in it and is doing quite well.
France has a well developed taste for comics -- The Rabbi's Cat is an excellent new comic. Israelis are using comics to address important social issues. And others are using them to better illustrate the ups and downs of life in the army.