How will the CoronaVirus affect the comic industry?

Discussion in 'Comic Books and Graphic Novels' started by Omegashark18, Mar 12, 2020.

  1. Omegashark18

    Omegashark18 Combaticon turned Autobot

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    In light of everything that is happening, how are comic books going to get impacted? Between how they’re sold, their price, the people who make them, etc.

    We haven’t heard much in regards to this particular field.
     
  2. SouthtownKid

    SouthtownKid Headmaster

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    I just got an email from SDCC saying they're canceling the upcoming Museum event, and they might end up cancelling the San Diego Comic Con itself. That's pretty huge.

    A guy from the CDC said they are nowhere near having a vaccine, and Corona could take 3-6 months to run its course at the soonest, in which case the convention will likely not happen. Not to mention the NBA suspending its current season while they evaluate options. This is going to cost a lot of people a lot of money.

    The people who make them mostly work from home, so that part shouldn't be impacted. But as far as distribution, retailers and whatnot goes, I have no idea. Another point in favor of digital.
     
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  3. Deathcatg

    Deathcatg Well-Known Member

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    I gotta agree, comics themselves probably won't be impacted much due to how the system works, and those that are die-hard enough to stick to floppies will probably still take time to go to their LCBS on Wenesdays, but the loss of conventions and the impact on underpaid creators who make supplemental income there will be huge.
     
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  4. prowl07

    prowl07 Well-Known Member

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    I'm expecting Gem City Comic Con to get cancelled next month. Would have been my first one.
     
  5. Tekkaman Blade

    Tekkaman Blade Professor of Animation

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    Most comic artists and writers work from home anyway. The only issue that may come up is at the printers.
     
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  6. Deathcatg

    Deathcatg Well-Known Member

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    Speaking of creators who expect to make money making commissions at cons, the SDCC blog provided a list of them with social media links that intended to make the now cancelled WonderCon Artist Alley for the intention of online support.
    WonderCon Online 2020 - Artists' Alley
     
  7. TheLastBlade

    TheLastBlade Well-Known Member

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    Well, the comic industry is already in the red. I can only imagine how much it’ll affect it as much as other businesses.
     
  8. Tekkaman Blade

    Tekkaman Blade Professor of Animation

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    Your not kidding. Went to my local comic store looking for paint since I'm working from home and will have a little extra time to work on small projects on the side, they had been sold to a new owner changed the store name and now are 75% an RPG store over comics. They used to have 3 stores in the area as of this time last year, I'm told there is only one left and the owner is looking to sell it. On top of that they stopped carrying the paint brand I like with the best flesh tones. So I'm going to have to order it off amazon. Making the trip mostly worthless. (They were busy with a lot of RPG players in a tournament though) I dropped my pull list about a year ago now, so haven't been back much.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2020
  9. Novaburnhilde

    Novaburnhilde Local assistant deity

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    I doubt it will have as much of an impact on the industry as the horrible writers, artists (and often just horrible people in general) who are in positions of power and work for these companies have already impacted it.

    It's not like the Comic Industry is exactly doing amazing at the moment anyways.

    The pandemic is just gonna add to an already shitty situation, if anything.
     
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  10. TheLastBlade

    TheLastBlade Well-Known Member

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    Maybe it'll go up now that toilet paper is impossible to find :/
     
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  11. Rodimus Prime

    Rodimus Prime Sola Gratia, Sola Fide TFW2005 Supporter

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    I can see it killing a lot of stuff like comic books.
     
  12. Drangleic

    Drangleic Banned

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    WB and Disney will shut both comic divisions down. The only comics that they'll print are collector/anniversary editions and TBs of older stuff for Amazon and other etailers.

    Curiously, people will still buy Manga.
     
  13. TheLastBlade

    TheLastBlade Well-Known Member

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    This goes to show how flawed the comic industry was and is now that they didn’t plan on something like this.
     
  14. Omegashark18

    Omegashark18 Combaticon turned Autobot

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    NO ONE planned on something like this.
     
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  15. SouthtownKid

    SouthtownKid Headmaster

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    Seriously. What kind of responsible business plan doesn't take into account the fact that some people overseas eat bats? People starting a business should discuss that before they even decide on a name for their company.

    What are you smoking?
     
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  16. TheLastBlade

    TheLastBlade Well-Known Member

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    Considering that the comic industry was already fucked and is beyond fucked now, it was only borrowed time at this point.
     
  17. Issy543

    Issy543 Well-Known Member

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    DC Offers Online "Kids Camp" for Coronavirus Shut-ins

    [​IMG]
    Today DC launched DC Kids Camp, a fun new program to help parents engage kids at home. Parents can follow DC Kids social channels—Twitter and Instagram—to download kid-friendly, superhero-themed activities and previews of past and upcoming DC middle grade graphic novels to enjoy at home. The DC Kids social channels will also feature entertaining videos from all-star authors and artists for parents and kids to watch together.

    With DC Kids Camp, kids will learn how to draw their favorite DC Super Heroes, gain inspiration and skills to make their own comics, and unlock their creativity with fun, off-the-wall how-to videos like draw-alongs with Agnes Garbowska (DC Super Hero Girls), origami tutorials with Gene Luen Yang (Superman Smashes the Klan), make-your-own Green Lantern ring demonstrations with Minh Lê (Green Lantern: Legacy), and many more captivating activities!

    Activity sheets, coloring pages, blank comic book pages, middle grade graphic novel previews, and additional downloadable content will be shared daily to parents across DC Kids social channels. Parents can also receive DC Kids Camp content directly in their inboxes on Mondays and Fridays by signing up for the DC Family newsletter.

    Families can also tune in Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m. PT to the @dccomicskids Twitter and @dckids Instagram channels to watch fun, interactive videos with DC authors and artists together. The first installment, "Make a Green Lantern Ring with Minh Lê," debuts today, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. PT.

    The first week's author/artist video schedule includes:

    Wednesday, March 25, 2020 – "Make a Green Lantern Ring with Minh Lê"
    Thursday, March 26, 2020 – "Superman Origami with Gene Luen Yang"
    Friday, March 27, 2020 – "Make Your Own Superhero with Dustin Hansen"

    Additional books and DC author/artists to be featured via DC Kids Camp include:

    Franco Aureliani, Art Baltazar (Superman of Smallville)
    Meg Cabot (Black Canary: Ignite)
    Matthew Cody (Zatanna and the House of Secrets)
    Amanda Deibert (DC Super Hero Girls)
    Shea Fontana (Batman: Overdrive)
    Agnes Garbowska (DC Super Hero Girls)
    Dustin Hansen (My Video Game Ate My Homework)
    Shannon Hale, Dean Hale (Diana: Princess of the Amazons)
    Thomas Krajewski, Jennifer Muro, Gretel Lusky (Primer)
    Minh Lê (Green Lantern: Legacy)
    Demitria Lunetta, Kate Karyus Quinn (Anti/Hero)
    Michael Northrop (Dear Justice League)
    Ridley Pearson (Super Sons trilogy)
    Kirk Scroggs (The Secret Spiral of Swamp Kid)
    Brittney Williams (Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge)
    Gene Luen Yang (Superman Smashes the Klan)
     
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  18. Omegashark18

    Omegashark18 Combaticon turned Autobot

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  19. Issy543

    Issy543 Well-Known Member

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    The question is...will either of them want to do it? Especially since it appears DC is undergoing some massive changes with Generation.

    I hope this event does happen so that, at the very least, the crossovers both companies did earlier can be available for a digital release.
     
  20. SouthtownKid

    SouthtownKid Headmaster

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    I love to see DC doing stuff like this. I hate that it took a pandemic to get it going, but they should be doing stuff like this to hook the next generation of readers (not to mention normalize the idea of comics with kids' parents) ALL THE TIME.
     
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