"Why Don't Superhero Movies Lead to More Comic Sales?" - Comics Alliance

While going through my usual internet ritual, I came across an article on Comics Alliance on why superhero movies lead to more comic sales. In the article, people from the comics industry give their thoughts on why they think it is the way it is, and it compelled me to write this post as well. Go read the article if you haven't as it points out some interesting insights about the relation of superhero movies and comics.

First of all, I'd like to share how I got into superhero comics, or comics in general. Like most male children, I watch cartoons almost everyday. I was born the 90's so my favorite cartoons back in the day were Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men, and Spider-Man: The Animated Series. In fact, I got so into them that I wanted more. I wanted more Batman, more X-Men, more Spider-Man. As a result, I asked my father for a Spider-Man comic book and that's where I got introduced to superhero comic books. However, it wasn't until I was in my late teens that I seriously read comic books.

That little story brings me to my first point - superhero movies are already enough to satisfy most people for a long time. Mike Sterling hit the nail right on the head saying, "My general belief about why superhero movies do so well, and why most comic books have a readership that's about the same as my grocery list, is that for most people in the world, one -- oh, let's say Spider-Man movie -- about every three years or so is really all the Spider-Man adventure they need. Or a new episode every week, for superhero television shows." I asked some of my friends if they ever felt the need to read the comic books after watching a good superhero movie, and most of them answered no. The most common reason that they mentioned is that the movies already contain a full story, meaning it has already ended and nothing more needs to be told, which brings me to my next point.

When you buy a comic book, chances are you bought an issue that is already in the middle of a story arc that brings much confusion to the reader. Then again, there are trade paperbacks that contain full story arcs. However, these are only small story arcs that are parts of a much bigger picture. I actually had to research and read a lot of stuff about the characters before I could fully understand some of the comics I invested in. But that's part of the fun for me, and I can't say the same for most people. The long history and continuity are part of what makes the characters great.

Another thing I'd like to point out is that comics are expensive. A single issue monthly comic book that only contains 20-24 pages of story costs $2.99 to $3.99. That is something that new readers have to deal with in addition to having to wait a month before the next issue is released. Furthermore, comics are exclusively sold at comic book stores, with the exception of the trade paperback format which are now sold at bookstores. A weekly trip to a specialty store is not something that a casual fan would do. There are other forms of entertainment that are more bang-for-the-buck that people are willing to spend their money on.

Then again, we have to understand that the movie audience are only looking for a good movie to watch. The Dark Knight is one of the best superhero movies in the industry. However, it's just another summer blockbuster movie for casual movie-goers. There are other movies out there that will have the same impact on them regardless of the genre.

Needless to say, superheroes have already become a big part of pop culture. Most people recognize them thanks to the movies and other media. Even if the superhero comics industry is struggling, these characters will live on in one form or another. Hopefully, the new generation will love the characters as much as I do and start to get into the art form in which they originated from, like I did when I was kid.