While the form originated in 1933, american comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of action comics, which included the debut of the superhero superman. Brett schenker did some fancy facebook fooling and compiled a few statistics about the people who selfidentify as comic book readers. Marvel comics, american media and entertainment company that was widely regarded as one of the big two publishers in the comic industry. It allows businesses to not only market to their specific target audience, but to actually engage with them. Target age of comics yes, there are comics that are designed for adult audience. This book is an insiders guide to how the comic book industry works. Apr 04, 2017 marvel superheroes arent just for white men true diversity could boost sales. I believe that comics are targeting a young adult to new adult demo. Ive enjoyed superhero stories from both major players in the comic book industry, but, in all honesty, i prefer dc to marvel. The new wave of graphic novels after ignoring half the market, publishers are targeting women readers with the next generation of booklength comics. The comic strip is essentially a mass medium, printed in a magazine, a newspaper, or a book. How to define a target audience for your marketing plans. Archive for the target audience category superhero nation. Mat nastos has been a filmtv artist, director and writer since the early 1990s.
Youll learn how comic book superheroes are created and the deeper meanings they represent. Youll follow the development of sequential art storytelling from caveman wall paintings to modern manga and cinematic techniques. Image comics publisher eric stephenson talks direct market. Young kids love superheroes and older viewers grew up with these characters. What are the best ways to market my self published comic. Marketing to your audience every year hundreds of thousands of comic book fans come out in droves to attend comic con. A prophecy says that in the comic book industrys darkest days, a hero will come to lead the people through a plague of overpriced floppies. Understanding demographics allows you to better market your. I can similarly promise you that people of colour are not entering comicbook shops and turning their noses.
I dont agree with everything in this article about the publishing industry. You will find the right people for your book, learn to see things from their. Refine your target audience and start marketing your book in all the right places. To ensure a healthy comic book industry in the future, we need to know who. If comic book sales are down, theyre the ones who can change that. If there were only some way of finding your target audience, youd be able to reach out and get your novel into their hands or ereaders this post will lay out a method on how to identify a target audience. While the geographic distribution of comics and graphic novel sales via. New comic book industry careers are added daily on. How to do social media for comic book stores giraffe social media. What she is seeing is a young marketbut only in certain sectors. Wave 2 is defined by a niche approach narrowly focusing on a target audience of committed fans and collectors. What age group of viewers is the target audience for the. The comics industry has one of the most loyal fan demographics, and printing another deadpool variant for the sake of selling it feels like theyre taking advantage of that loyalty. Sep 29, 2014 what a cmo can learn from a comic book.
Selling through bookstores, book fairs, mainstream retailers. What you need right now is a simple straight forward marketing plan which outlines what your comic is about, what your demographic and target market is, and how you plan on marketing your comic book to that target. Surprising new data shows comic readers are leaving. Still, with a pinch of toad, a wing of bat, and some legitimate research into the trends and data, lets see if we cant project a few scenarios about the future of the comic industry. This was followed by a superhero boom that lasted until the end of world war ii. Superman deadly legacy became the first of several comic books designed to address the hazards of landmine remnants found in. A big wave of imported japanese culture is finding a hungry and growing reading audience. This is the second month of my independent publishing professional. Most of my content applies to fictionwriting in general, but i also provide articles specifically about superhero stories i dont agree with everything in this article about the publishing industry, which compares the average professional publisher to an abusive husband, but it might be really interesting. Competition is fiercemany talents, many books, small audience. Almost everyone at this convention has heard of warner bros, but that doesnt stop them from utilizing the opportunity to create more brand awareness and maintain their wellknown brand identity. May 02, 2016 the comics industry has one of the most loyal fan demographics, and printing another deadpool variant for the sake of selling it feels like theyre taking advantage of that loyalty. Feb 04, 2014 a slightly older audience can actually afford to buy the comics and then maintain an interest in coming back a month or two later for a new issue. Its primary audience was both male and female children.
The national comic book store industry saw a percent drop in 2010 with comic sales down about 5. When the comics went onto the big screen their target audience was teenagers. The comics industry should be focused on writing good stories, and this practice feels like a thinly veiled moneygrabbing tactic. As a label, the american comic book industry conceals a great deal of. This post will lay out a method on how to identify a target audience. Yet the maturing of comic book customers and the direct market that targets only them is also a concern for the future of the industry. The comic book industry is on fire business insider. The lowstress way to find your next comic book industry job opportunity is on simplyhired. Studies reveal that the comic book medium can be an effective teaching tool, but its use requires incorporating research about the target audience during the development phase of the. Marvel superheroes arent just for white men true diversity could boost sales. The evolution of the american comic book industry sfu.
We show you a simple 3step system to find your core readership. The survey results are not a reflection of all comic book readers or the broader audience for graphic novels. Not only is it a direct and inexpensive pipeline of information, it can be performed more quickly than almost any other method. For instance, lets say that my new comic book is about a psychic vampire hunter. Marvel are saving the comic book industry, and the misogynist. Marvels diversity strategy targets new audiences south china. Comics and graphic novels one of highest growth categories in. Aug 04, 2016 dont you feel like your book could be a massive hit, if only the right people knew about it. Comic book sales up 6% in bookstore market in past 12 months, and 37% women. Like i said, you can write one of these plans for your comic if you like, but its more than you will need for this endeavor. This is the comic book industry, not the superhero industry, and if we want to.
However, in comic book stores, that rises to 72% male, and an older audience. I provide advice about how to write novels, comic books and graphic novels. Yet the maturing of comic book customers and the direct market that. This is the comic book industry, not the superhero industry, and if we want to stick around for the long haul, we need to recognize that and capitalize on that, because as much as i fond as i am of the superhero comics i read when i was younger, the full scope. How to identify a target audience for your book in 3 steps. The annual gathering of comic book and scifi aficionados and cognoscenti. What many marketing experts recommend is to put the selling on hold and start instead with engagement being visible, connecting with people in the industry, participating in conve. Im sure no comic book editor not sure that profession as practiced by stan lee, archie goodwin, or julie schwartz even exists any more. It wasnt until the mid80s that the us industry which dominates the international english. An american comic book is a thin periodical originating in the united states, on average 32 pages, containing comics. If there were only some way of finding your target audience, youd be able to reach out and get your novel into their hands or ereaders.
This is the comic book industry, not the superhero industry, and if we want to stick around for the long haul, we need to recognize that and capitalize on that, because as much as i fond as i am of the superhero comics i read when i was younger, the full scope of what comics are and what comics can be is what will ultimately bring the world. However, even as someone firmly in the target audience, i wasnt. Envato elements in this tutorial, youll learn the definition of a target audience and why knowing your target audience is important. The beat delivers comics and entertainment news for fans, creators, and pros in comics, graphic novels, books, movies, television, games, and more. After the previous successes, eastern employee harold moore proposed a monthly comic book series.
I can similarly promise you that people of colour are. A well defined target audience can be used to tailor messages to your audience and to find avenues where they can be reached. Learn about marvel comicss characters and prominent writers and artists. May, 2016 competition is fiercemany talents, many books, small audience. Is the average age of comic book readers increasing. A slightly older audience can actually afford to buy the comics and then maintain an interest in coming back a month or two later for a new issue. The idea isnt to be negative about the industry, but to take the first step toward addressing the issues by exposing the problems. Mar 28, 2020 by the mid90s, diamond gained such a stranglehold on the comic book industry, the federal government couldnt deny something seemed fishy about their business practices. Also, the overall us comic book market has grown in recent years. This week i wanted to get more specific and identify discrete problems and the possible opportunities therein that were facing. Comic book sales up 6% in bookstore market in past 12.
There is a whole new audience emerging for comics and graphic novels. Although comics and graphic novel sales didnt drop off as sharply in. Image comics publisher eric stephenson talks direct market at. What are the best ways to market my self published comic book. Thats tricky because, frankly, our target audience is anyone who reads the english language. Yes, most comics, even ones that are not targeting an adult demo are a big more mature. First, lets examine the present state of the industry, particularly among the big 3 players. Aug 25, 2017 a target audience is a group identified as the focus for communications, media, entertainment, information or advertising. Diamond comics distributors, the company that acts as middleman on sales of almost all comic books in the current industry, released its 20 list of the topselling 1,000 comics of 20. Shes spoken at events like geek girl con, new york comic con, and comic book city con, wants to get a batwoman tattoo and write a graphic novel, and one of her canine teeth is in backwards. Posted in comic book marketing and tagged audience, comic, comic book, ego, goals, idw comics, promotion, target audience, target market, touchy feely leave a comment. The industry has its bestselling month in nearly two decades.
It wasnt until the mid80s that the us industry which dominates the international english language. Mar, 2016 still, with a pinch of toad, a wing of bat, and some legitimate research into the trends and data, lets see if we cant project a few scenarios about the future of the comic industry. Joe scarnicigetty images one obvious reason for comic book gains. The overall target audience is anyond who watches pg movies, from age 6 to 96. Marvel superheroes arent just for white men true diversity. Viewership of marvel superhero movies by age group in the. The future of the comic book industry nerds on earth. Viewership of marvel superhero movies by age group in the u. The comic book industry is on fire, and its about more than just the movies. The contents of comics we already discussed that the target for most comics appears to be ya and why its a good demo, but its important because of the contents of the actual comics as well. Image comics publisher eric stephenson talks direct market at comicspro. Theyre still largely considered the domain of kids. Comic book franchise impact on the decision to see a superhero movie by age u. Dont you feel like your book could be a massive hit, if only the right people knew about it.
Dc comics nielsen survey results are in, they are interesting. They are reaching a group that is old enough to not be babied, yet not always so old as to be fully adult. A target audience is a group identified as the focus for communications, media, entertainment, information or advertising. Its parent company, marvel entertainment, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the disney company. Last week i wrote about how we can build a better comic book industry.
Jul 11, 2016 is marvels diversity strategy paying off. Each film or tv show has a different genre slightly that tries to make the mcu accessi. Target audience definition will be the foundation of your marketing efforts. Comic book sales up 6% in bookstore market in past 12 months. Comics is a market in transition publishers weekly. Oct 12, 2017 comic book sales up 6% in bookstore market in past 12 months, and 37% women. Youll follow the development of sequential art storytelling from caveman wall. Different types of comics and their target audience. Jan 16, 2014 diamond comics distributors, the company that acts as middleman on sales of almost all comic books in the current industry, released its 20 list of the topselling 1,000 comics of 20. Graphic novels are sold in the direct market and also to trade book stores, with consumer sales tracked through the book industry standard.
Well also explore techniques you can use to discover who your target customer is. With comic con, marketers seek out geeks as trendsetters. The definition of comic strip as essentially containing text inscribed within balloons inside the picture frame aspires to a certain orthodoxy in the united states, but it is unworkable and would exclude most strips created before about 1900 and. Marvel destroying comic book industry says walking dead. Angry white men are trying to shut down diverse comics female thor and muslim ms. A twitter search can easily pinpoint folks in your target audience. By the mid90s, diamond gained such a stranglehold on the comic book industry, the federal government couldnt deny something seemed fishy about their business practices.
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