This weekend I was enjoying my burger at the always excellent 8 Oz. Burger Bar on Melrose, trying to catch up on my comics without dropping any grease on them. I turned to the last page of Incognito, and realized, quietly, that I just didn't like the book.
Then, I realized, much to my horror, that I really didn't like anything Ed Brubaker has been doing lately.
Now, this is a problem. I like Ed Brubaker. Scene of the Crime: A Little Piece of Goodnight was one of the books that brought me back into comics. I have been buying pretty much everything that Brubaker has written for over a decade. If his name was on it, I would buy it. That was just what was done.
When you like an author who publishes prose books, it's pretty easy to be a fan. The writer writes a book, you read it and then you have a year or more before you are presented with another opportunity to support the author. And even if you don't pick up the book, you know there are other folks who probably will, so that author is probably going to be just fine — he or she has a deal with a publisher, bills will get paid, life will be good.
Maybe it's because we read this site and are more involved with comics than "average" readers (which, I guess, means "people who read comics but don't go on websites like iFanboy), we are more aware of just how tenuous the comic book economy is. We listen to great interviews with the creators, we get insights into what is coming next…we are very much involved with the comic book scene, and with this involvement, there is, at least for me, this sense of responsibility, to keep things humming. In a very real way, we are not only fans of these stories and of these creators, but patrons as well, ardent supporters of the people who tell these stories for us. A patron is someone who believes in the artist, who appreciate's that artist's work so much so that he goes that extra step, providing them financial support beyond just buying the work of art. Now, of course, I am not sending any creators a check, so I am using that term very loosely – I am speaking to that sense of supporting that artist, regardless of what work comes out of that support.
We have talked, many times, about this sense of obligation, of buying books because we felt like we "had" to, or out of this need to participate with the comic book scene, to keep "in the know." And as unwise financially as that sense of obligation might be, it makes a certain amount of sense. We want to be hip, we want to be part of the cool crowd and if we end up buying an issue to check something out, heck, we can always drop it and complain about it later.
But with creators it seems to be a different. Like, for me, I think about these writers and artists and I guess I relate them a bit too personally. I get that people have bad days. I get that some stories don't actually end up being as good as the writer hoped it would be. But I want to reward the effort. I want to buy the issue, both to keep the creators in business, but to maintain my catalog of his or her efforts. The parallels to music are there, the relationship fans have with their favorite bands is similarly personal, but, again, comics come out every month, so the hit is more immediately obvious.
I talked to Conor about my problem with Incognito and he mentioned that he felt the same way and had not only recently dropped Incognito but also Powers, which I had also just picked up mostly so I could honestly say that I was up to date with the ongoing book should I ever get a chance to audition for the show. Yes, I know how that sounds, and I am half-joking, but we're friends here—look, I was in a shop talking about Powers and no one in the shop could remember when the last issue had come out, you know? But, truth be told, the book has been good–like, I remember the Brat Pack issue and remembered liking it a lot, I see the images in my brain and I react favorably to them, but, no unlike Incognito, I just don't have the emotional need to keep up with it. But with Bendis, I can at least point to several other books of his that I enjoy. Even if I don't get Powers, I'm still giving him my money at regular intervals.
Not so with Brubaker, and that saddens me. I mean, I've met the guy, he's totally cool, but lately…I dunno about his comic work. I will still buy his books because of Sean Phillips, but I am at the point where I really don't find myself caring about the stories, despite my being a fan of his. Which is fine, I am sure there are many of you who have had the same kind of experience…right?
And it's not just Brubaker. I buy everything that Grant Morrison writes, even when I have really no idea of what is going on – I am still banking on a full re-read of The Return of Bruce Wayne to see if I can actually understand it this time. It happens even more with artists — I will buy every book that Frazier Irving, Paul Pope, Jerome Opeña and others draw, I just know it. But that's different, I think. I am a more visual person, and I get a lot out of character design and composition, the work is inherently more valuable to me just given my love of their particular style of art. I mean, I guess if Pope changed his style to something that I never got into, that would be one thing–but I bet I would check it out anyway.
Taking a step back, as I write about this concept of comic book fans being so aware of their role in keeping titles, let alone comics themselves, alive, I can't help but think, sometimes, that major publishers take advantage of this sense of patronage. I've been to many conventions when someone from Marvel and DC has made some kind of joke, laughing about all the ways that they separate fans from their dollars. I know it's a joke, but I look at the myriad of useless tie-ins and lackluster issues that come to our stores and I can't help feel a bit rankled…and no, I don't buy those, but still.
Which makes sense; this is a business, after all, right? They are in the business of making money, and they don't really care why you buy a book, just as long as you buy it. And the trade. And the hardcover. And we are supposed to be consumers who buy a product because it is a product that we want, that it gives us some kind of experience that we find fulfilling, worthy of investment. We should feel like an audience that the publishers need to work to keep, rather than patrons who are there to support their industry.
When are we supporting a book, a creator, an artist, and when are we just being taken advantage of? That's a question that we each have to ask ourselves individually. I totally admit that I have bought books that I normally may not have bought because I feel a personal relationship with the creator or the character, as opposed to buying it because I wanted to read that particular story. I buy some comics out of habit, I freely admit that, but I don't buy anything else like that, other than, what…toilet paper? Milk? Comics should not be a commodity!
Maybe this is just my own problem. Maybe you flip through every book and make an informed judgement on the majority of your comic book purchases. Maybe I'm one of a minority of folks that see a person's name on the cover and buy it, both because of previous (good) experiences and a sense of wanting to support that person.
One thing that I do know I need to stop worrying about is feeling like each of us is partly responsible for the fate of comics…and that's tough, because, in a way, we are. This is in many ways not a sustainable situation and I have a feeling we are going to see many, many books go away as the industry tries to reinvent itself. What we have to do, as we face change, is make sure that quality books get made and that quality creators get jobs. We are not doing anyone any favors, in the long run, by buying books that we don't love. Fans need to responsibly wield the power that we have — and make sure that publishers know they can't take us for granted, assuming that just because a certain creator's name is on a book that it will automatically sell.
Mike Romo is an actor who finds himself writing with alarming regularity. He's getting better about dropping books, really. You can follow him on twitter, drop him an email, or if you want, drop him a "Like" on his new Facebook page!
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This is actually a VERY deep question and article. Well done. I need to spend some time contemplating.
I’ve found that a lot of comics fans think that the creators of books they love are their personal friends. Maybe they met at a con, or on twitter, but in reality they are complete strangers who are just being nice to their fans. The personal attachment and personal responsibility so many feel towards the books is at times mind boggling to me. I get reminded of grassroots political campaigning A LOT when i hear fans talk about comics they enjoy. Except the stakes are a lot smaller in reality.
Whenever i hear the term “support the industry” i get irked, because its morphed into this thing you’ve talked about. Getting really personal with the comics and feeling that you are donating to a charity or supporting a great cause with your weekly pulls.
Don’t forget to have fun, its just comics. When you stop having fun you should get out. The world will go on if a book gets cancelled. Creators will figure out a way to survive if you don’t like that one issue.
See, this is why I won’t buy anything until I hear opinions on a work from people I respect/tend to agree with. I rarely buy something simply because of the name on the cover and instead go backwards and seek out older work from creators who I only recently discovered I liked based on word of mouth. That being said, my completist attitude has led to a very large library of BKV, Brian Wood, Morrison and Mignola.
This article was great, very easy to relate to. It’s definitely an aspect of the online fan community, or the convention going community, but I don’t know that it’s a bad thing. I bet for the most part, people find more that they like because of this fad than anything.
Personal note: I also haven’t enjoyed anything recent by Brubaker, and tend to blindly try anything by Christos Gage, Jeff Parker, Jonathan Hickman, Abnett & Lanning or Erik Larsen. I did drop Heroes for Hire, but the other four have unblemished records at this point.
Excellent point & article, Mike. This is definitely something worth discussing.
I feel similar with both Incognito & Powers. Same with Scarlet. I totally understand that Bendis and Brubaker have a lot on their plate. As well as that their Marvel stuff takes priority. But if they’re not able to keep a regular schedule with their creator owned projects, then maybe they should hold them back until they have enough to release a full arc. It’s not a matter of getting upset about late books or having to wait. It’s that it ruins my enjoyment of the stories they’re telling when so much time passes, that I forget what happened last chapter. All momentum is killed. Of course people are going to start dropping the books. Could you imagine if a serialized tv show aired episodes 1 every 4 months? They have a hard enough time keeping viewers interest and attention on a weekly basis. I love that guys like Bendis and Brubaker are still doing the books they love while working at Marvel. But the way things are currently going, to me they’re doing a great job at telling their audience to wait for the trade.
I will continue with the “great article Mike”s. and I too have been feeling blue whenit comes to mr brubaker. I haven’t been liking his Captain America for sometime now. It seems like he is just going through the motions.
I often feel terrible when dropping a book (unless the book really makes me mad) as i feel i’m not helping the comics community enough as I am. But as mike suggest we are patrons of the books we read, and probably more so then we’ve ever been, and I am getting to the point where if the book isn’t good i don’t want to waste my money on it. However, I am trying new books if i do drop something, thus saving the industry. well maybe not saving, but at least helping with rent.
This is, I think, the best article you’ve ever written for the site Mike. Very well done and deadly accurate with regards to Brubaker. I don’t know what’s happened to him the past year or two but I think he really needs to creatively recharge.
Comics are like baseball. Both share a fanbase that is aging and shrinking. The market is mostly aimed at adults and very few kids have time, interest (or funds) for comic books given the more interactive world of xbox, playstation, et al. Not enough influx of new readers (consumers) as the older ones taper off. Not sure I would have had time for comics when I was a kid if the internet had existed then (saying that makes me feel old). Sad to say but I believe the comic industry (like most print media) is dying a slow death. Hopefully it will morph into something sustainable but I would not wager on it. By the way … excellent article.
Fantastic article. I consider myself a fan of all super hero comic book characters. I consider myself a patron of the writers and artitsts whose stuff I will buy regardless
@crippler I know, Ifanboy keeps raving about Criminal, so I picked up the first trade (which every one says is the best) expecting something really special. I was so disappointed because it was so mediocre, I think that apart from that Captain America Winter Soldier run, Brubaker is immensely overrated.
Visiting this site lately is a bit depressing. Every other article or comment is about the “dying” industry. I have enough concerns in the world without stressing over the survival of the things I do to distract and entertain myself from those other problems as well. I understand wanting to support your favorite artists and entertainers, especially when they have a small (relatively) fanbase and you wish to ensure their continued career, but ultimately unless you are rich you can only buy what is worthy of your time and money, and if artists are to survive they must make compelling work. Brubaker was excellent on the entire Criminal series thus far as with most of his Captain America run. This latest volume of Incognito is not so hot, but I’m sure he’ll bounce back. There are a ton of great books on the market, buy those and drop the poor ones. I’m tired of hearing about the supposedly imminent death of the print media–music supposedly died in the physical media format yet there is a thriving vinyl industry (relatively speaking) that will stay on as a niche market–while I may enjoy listening to downloads on my ipod, if I truly want to experience the work I have to pick it up in vinyl for the much better sound, more interactive engagement, archival and display status, etc. Were comics to go digital and I had the device to read them on and it was worthwhile as far as cost, I could see myself reading my weekly issues digitally but still buying the nice Hardcovers and trades of stuff truly worth keeping, that will remain as a niche market if not larger so; digital has its benefits, but it certainly doesn’t replace the physical item when that item is presented in the right way. Print is going to be around, I can rarely find the academic material I need digitally and even on large, classic items that are free-to-cheap for download, if it’s something I need to return to often enough I prefer a nice, hardcover, annotated edition. @zenman, if baseball is on its way out, how in the heck can Pujols negotiate a 300million+ contract?
P.S., as much as I’d hate to lose new books I think were the market to end tomorrow yet trades were still available for purchase, I’d have enough to keep busy with, moreso than i could ever hope to afford and find time to read anyway.
@Jordan0061 –so you buy things based on creator loyalty even if you don’t enjoy the stories? So you realize that you are telling the publisher and the creator you want them to produce more of that same thing that you don’t enjoy? How is that good for you or them?
@cheesywhiz That means the other half (a lot higher than that actually) are about great comics and creators we love.
@josh–good point.
I actually still like Incognito.
Great article Mike.
I guess it’s a bit of a double edge sword for me going on this site or others. On one hand I found a lot of great titles over the years and found really interesting stuff to read. On the other hand, sometimes the negativity and/or criticisms of recent events and books made me feel a bit depressed to be a fan. I know it’s all opinion but sometimes when a book really gets hampered on that I really like it does question my enjoyment sometimes.
On regards to Ed Brubaker, I really thought Secret Avengers was bringing back his ‘A’ game. Sadly with the title really picking up steam now, he left the book and put it in the hands of Nick Spencer. I’m not sure why Brubaker just doesn’t leave comics and attempt to do film, which is clearly what he’s been trying to do for years now.
I noticed Brubakers decline years ago, and it wasn’t soon enough. Nothing he did on Daredevil was good or re-readable. I’ve permanently dropped his stuff. It has a certain bore factor. It’s almost never exciting to read.
@wallythegreenmonster. I think you are missing my point. I picked up Criminal because I value the Ifanboy opinion not because I like the creator. There have been books in which I have hated the creator but have enjoyed the stories immensely. To tackle the second part of your question, as a consumer it is not my business making life easier for publishers, I willbuy whatever makes me happy or is recommended regardless of who it is written by, however their is a select few that I will buy regardless. It is the publishers prerogative to adapt with the times. Lastly I doubt publishers even take into account the English market
I think iFanboy is a bit different than other comic book websites in that there is a fair amount of critical reviewing. Yes, creators come on and talk about their projects and neglected parts of the industry are highlighted but at the end of the day you guys review and critique the product. While that may seem standard for comic websites I have found it really isn’t. Whereas Conor, Josh, and Ron tell you what they think and also, quite helpfully, let you know what their biases are I get the sense that on some of the other big name sites I am being chastised for not buying three-quarters of the books on the stand. There is one particular big-name website that will paradoxically remain nameless where I swear nearly every book is miraculously the equivalent of an iFanboy 4 star or higher rank and every review ends with something along the lines of “if you are not buying this book you hate comics and kill puppies.” I am all for supporting the medium but at the end of the day books I have bought on internet buzz have rarely panned out whereas books I buy on recommendations from friends and real reviewers I trust are usually successful.
@Jordan0061 — i was speaking to your statement that you buy from certain creators regardless of what they put out. You’re not the first person i’ve heard say t hat, and i just find it bizarre that there is such loyalty to certain brand name creators that some will buy any and everything with certain names attached to it.
I value the opinions of trusted reviewers like ifanboy as well…thats how/why i choose new things to try.
Man have I toiled with this subject. Just like the iGuys (copyright Chris Neseman 2011) I’ve dedicated hours and hours a week for the last several years to talking about, writing about and promoting the medium I love. I’ve done it for little to no money. I’ve done it because I want people to read great comics.
BUT I understand that “saving” or “supporting” books is not my job. If saving the books I enjoy was my job I should be fired. They almost all get cancelled 100% of the time. No, my (and our) only responsibility, our only right as fans is to either be entertained, or not be entertained. That’s it. The job of supporting comics is the job of the publisher, self publisher or mega-corporate publisher. If you like a book that’s great! Tell other people about it. Not to support the book, but to pass along something to them that might entertain them like it did you.
Believe me, if you try and put the weight of the comics industry on your back, you will not be able to carry it.
To me, when I pick up a book based purely on the artist/art team, I am acting as a patron for that artist. WHen I pick up a book based off of writer or character, which is far more frequent, I am a fan.
The distinction comes up because i will drop a book like it kicked my dog when I am a fan. When I am getting the book for pure art related purposes I continue to get it for the artist’s run, no matter what I think of the story.
Love me some Brubaker.
Didn’t like the first Incognito that much and didn’t buy the second regardless of the fact that I love me some Brubaker.
When Criminal comes back, I’m buying that.
I will buy the Captain America omnibi until I get one that I don’t like.
Quality product needs financial support from buyers.
If that doesn’t happen, the product goes away.
Intelligent discussion about great books and hooking other readers and buying good books is supporting artists/writers/stores/the industry.
Wow, amazing, great conversation, everyone. I am frankly very relieved that I wasn’t the only one that thought about this kind of thing. Often, the answer to this kind of question can be just shrugged off with a “both” — but it goes deeper than that. I appreciated all of your points and think Chris really did sum up it well about trying to carry the weight of comics on your back–it’s not possible. But dammit, don’t I just feel a bit of that almost every time I walk into my shop, especially when I hear him complaining about how bad business is because of the economy, etc, etc–I feel like my purchase will help keep him — and comics — afloat.
But that’s madness. Yes, support your local retailer but support his or her’s good business sense, his customer service, her ability to get you the books you want.
(And thanks for the kind words regarding the article, I really appreciate it!)
Good stuff, everyone!
Great article Mike. I can relate to feeling a sense of obligation to buy a title, out of guilt that it’s my fault if a title doesn’t make it. I never feel it with other forms of entertainment. It’s probably due to the fact that I read articles that tend to mention the small size of the industry, and that “every vote counts” mentality enters my mind. There is sort of desperation that comes across that everything goes away if you don’t support the industry. I agree with Chris, and that’s probably the best way to approach the hobby. As for Brubaker, I enjoyed early Captain America and Criminal, while I dabbled a little with Daredevil. The good feelings those first 25 issues of Cap gave led me to keep buying the title, even when I felt the stories were no longer for me. It even caused me to try to jump back in with a couple story arcs down the line, but I eventually realized that it didn’t entertain me, and I was buying out of nostalgia. I eventually dropped it all together. My creator loyalty basically guarantees a certain amount of second chances, but not neccessarily guaranteed countinous sales.
Great article
If you’re not loving it (or rating it at least 3 stars here on the site), you shouldn’t read it and you definitely shouldn’t buy it. And don’t insult these creators by buying their stuff if you’re not digging it.
As for the useless tie-ins and lackluster issues, if there’s anything I’ve learned from Wordballoon, is that *someone* loves that shit. There is no character so stupid or no idea so lame that it doesn’t excite someone.
I kind of agree about Incognito. I mean I sure am enjoying it, but it does feel like it doesnt have that same punch as Sleeper, Criminal, or even the last Incognito series had. And Powers should have just stayed done with the last series.
This piece and the comments makes me curious about the business model of the smaller publishers … you know, everyone else BESIDES the big two. I’ve just assumed for awhile that comic books by themselves don’t turn a profit, and that Marvel and DC make their real dough on licensing and merchandising. But if that is the case, how does a Boom! Studios or a Dynamite stay in business? It occurs to me that some of my favorite books the last couple years have come from those publishers … DADOES, the Lone Ranger, Garth Ennis’ Battlefields … Would Planet of the Apes ever get published at Marvel, for instance? That is a book I’m really looking forward to. Jason Wood, if you’re looking for an article topic, this is very interesting to me … just how do the smaller publishers stay in business?
@cahubble09 Low overhead, acceptance of lower profits, and…. a whole lot of mystery.