Overheard a kid at my local comic shop say he only reads Marvel for the movies.

Went to grab the new Dawn of X trade and this 14 year old told his buddy he doesn't bother with the comics because 'the movies explain everything better.' Been thinking about that all week, how do we even get new readers into the actual books anymore?

2 comments

2 Comments

piper_flores691d ago

Heard a podcast where a Marvel editor said they're trying to make the books more standalone again, less tied into big events you gotta research. Maybe that's the move, just give new readers a simple jumping on point without needing a wiki open.

keithbennett1d ago

Standalone again" is a phrase they've been trotting out every few years since the 90s. They said the same thing after Civil War and again after Secret Wars, and it never really sticks because the whole business model is built on crossovers that sell the variant covers. I mean, I get wanting a simple jumping on point, but does that really matter when half the new #1s are already setting up the next big thing by issue 3? I dunno, it feels like they say this to placate the podcast crowd, but the actual monthly books are still a tangled mess of continuity that requires a wiki open if you're under 30. And honestly, who is this for? The people who already buy every event are gonna buy this stuff anyway. The new readers? Most of them probably bounce off after a year anyway because the hype cycle is exhausting.