COMIC book publishers are facing a growing crisis: Flagging interest from readers and competition from digital entertainment are dragging down sales.
Hoping to reverse the trend, publishers are creating their own digital platforms to directly connect with readers and encourage more engagement from fans.
The goal is to reach readers who may not live near a comic book shop but want to keep up with the Avengers and the Justice League. Experts say the direct-to-consumer model also helps compete with streaming services like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video.
“They all look at Netflix and say, ‘Why do I need an intermediary?’” said Milton Griepp, chief executive of ICv2, an online magazine that covers the industry.
“That is where this battle is being fought.”
One of the biggest direct-to-consumer efforts is DC Universe, a platform from DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Digital Networks that will offer streaming content, including original and classic television series.
DC Universe is “a huge opportunity” that offers “ultimate creative control”, said Jim Lee, a co-publisher of DC Entertainment.
“It allows you to look at wider adaptations of the source material.”
Taking advantage of that freedom, DC is planning six new series, starting with Titans, a dark tale about a band of young heroes. Also in the works are the horror-themed Swamp Thing and two animated shows, one featuring the character Harley Quinn, a fan favourite.
Several movies and TV series from the Warner Bros. library will be added to the lineup, including the four Superman movies starring Christopher Reeve, Wonder Woman with Lynda Carter and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.
“Within the app, there will be different kinds of content aimed at all ages of fans,” said Lee.
DC announced the details on Thursday at Comic-Con International, the annual comic book convention in San Diego, California. Membership will be US$8 (RM32.50) a month, roughly in line with other stand-alone streaming services, and includes access to digital comic books and exclusive merchandise.
The initiative comes at a challenging time for the comic book industry.
The market declined 6.5 per cent last year, according to estimates by ICv2 and Comichron, an industry analysis site. Total sales of comics and graphic novels in the United States and Canada were US$1.015 billion last year, down US$70 million from 2016.
Faced with sluggish sales, comic book publishers can use the di-rect-to-consumer efforts to create a stronger relationship with their readers, said Griepp.
“They present their brands and their content directly to these fans and expand their brand footprint.”
Fans, in turn, can find a space to interact with each other and the writers and artists of the comic books, said Lee of DC.
“We want to build a gold standard.”
Griepp said DC had tested the waters with DC Super Hero Girls, a franchise that included streaming animated shorts and an array of licensed merchandise like books, clothing and toys.
He sees a similar move from Marvel Entertainment with Marvel Rising, a new property about the next generation of Marvel he-roes, including animated shorts, a TV movie and comic books.
The Walt Disney Co., which owns Marvel Entertainment, said last year that it would create a streaming platform that would include Marvel movies like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Griepp said that could mean Marvel would end up with a platform of streaming content of smaller properties.
Marvel declined to comment on its plans.
Smaller comic book publishers are testing their own direct-to-consumer platforms. Image Comics, the publisher of popular titles like The Walking Dead and Saga, started a direct-to-consumer platform in 2015 to sell comic book subscriptions and apparel.
“While there are many incredible brick-and-mortar stores, unfortunately not everyone is lucky enough to have one in their area,” Corey Hart, director of sales at Image Comics, said in a statement.
“Image Direct was built in order to reach those exact readers.”
This month, Dark Horse Comics announced its service, Dark Horse Direct, which would focus on high-end products, like statues.
Access was important, Griepp said, because some comic book shops would not carry expensive merchandise.
“The strategy is to make sure there is no unfilled demand in a rural area or small town.”
Comic book publishers are quick to point out that their initiatives are intended to augment retail sales, not cannibalise them.
In fact, DC recently announced a deal to reprint comic books and sell them in more than 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide.
Dan DiDio, the other co-publisher of DC Entertainment, said that if the programme was successful, he hoped to broaden it to include other retailers.
“We want to find a way to put these in the hands of folks who do not have a chance to read them other ways,” he said. NYT