Tag: comics

I seem to recall someone observing that further declines in the traditional comics market are highly probable.

Marvel managed to take lead for both sales numbers and revenue raised in terms of that marketshare. Marvel Comics had a 34.86{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed} retailer dollar share and a 36.94{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed} unit share compared to DC’s  31.79{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed} dollar share and a 36.61{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed} unit share…. However the market itself is still slumping. 2017 was down around 10{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed} on 2016. And the year to date for 2018 is down on January and February 2017 by 6.8{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed}. Not a great start.

Let’s see, a 6.8{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed} decline from $79.7 million is… $73.4 million, only $1.4 million more than my forecast. Considering the nature of the changes at DC and Marvel, we can be confident that 2018 will be down more than 6.8{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed} by the end of the year. And, in fact, year-to-date unit sales are down 15.61{a298dadb698b5d9f7b1e1aa14f0e41ed4811cd67f55ba9a1b19c355a24d2c8ed} already. But don’t worry, real change is coming… and it is off the chain. What is exciting is that more and more veteran illustrators and colorists are hearing about us and getting in touch, learning about our new, flexible business models that give them a real interest in the success of their creations, and signing on with both Arkhaven and Dark Legion.

That’s right. It has begun. Single-issue, full-color comics with at least one extra page of story for 24.5 percent less than the average price of the top 300-selling comics… and at your local bookstore.

Or you can buy directly from us. Not the ebook, the print edition. And if you’re just curious, you can even read them free if you’ve got Kindle Unlimited.

It’s just a trickle now, of course. But the deluge is coming. The deluge is definitely coming.

UPDATE: A helpful reader has worked out the US shipping charges. Apparently the best deals are to buy 2 paperbacks + 1-5 comics or 10-16 comics for $3.49 shipping, or 1 paperback + 1-4 comics for $3.99 shipping. We have no idea why it is less expensive to ship 10 comics than 6, but that is not our department. As for outside the USA, we expect to be able to sell directly to Europe and the UK within a month or so. No word on Australia as yet.

1 comic + 1 paperback $3.99 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
1 comic + 2 paperback $3.49 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
1 comic + 3 paperbacks $4.49 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)
1 comic + 4 paperbacks $5.99 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)

2 comics + 1 paperback $3.99 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
2 comics + 2 paperbacks $3.49 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
2 comics + 3 paperbacks $4.49 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)
2 comics + 4 paperbacks $5.99 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)

3 comics + 1 paperback $3.99 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
3 comics + 2 paperbacks $3.49 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
3 comics + 3-4 paperbacks $4.49 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)

4 comics + 1 paperback $3.99 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
4 comics + 2 paperbacks $3.49 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
4 comics + 3-4 paperbacks $4.49 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)
4 comics + 5 paperbacks $5.99 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)

5 comics + 1 paperback $3.49 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
5 comics + 2 paperbacks $3.49 USPS Economy (1-2 Weeks) or $4.99 USPS Priority (1-3 Days)
5 comics + 3 paperbacks $4.49 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)
5 comics + 4-5 paperbacks $5.99 UPS Ground (3-5 Days)

6-9 comics: $3.99 USPS Economy or $4.99 USPS Priority
10-16 comics: $3.49 USPS Economy or $4.99 USPS Priority
17+ comics: $4.49 UPS Ground

Will Caligan is already hard at work on SAGA OF THE SWAN KNIGHT. He thought some of you might be interested in having a look at his concept of Gil, the Swan Knight’s Son.

Some people have been asking about when they’re going to start receiving their Alt-Hero rewards. Links to download the first two digital editions will be going out in March, probably closer to the end than to the beginning. Alt-Hero #1 and Avalon #1 are both illustrated and inked, and are being colored now. Please understand that these are MAJOR undertakings, the work will not be done overnight, and we are actually making remarkably fast progress on them. I will continue to keep all the backers updated through the Arkhaven mailing list.

The reason we are releasing other comics such as Right Ho, Jeeves #1 and Quantum Mortis: A Man Disrupted #1 first is because we need to test both the digital and print processes before we publish anything from the campaign. Remember, we have never done ANY of this before. As for Dark Legion Comics, keep in mind that those publications are already-completed projects that are being brought to us for publishing. For example, all 300+ pages of Rebel Dead Revenge are already complete; we will publish the first of the two graphic novels in print when we publish the digital edition of Issue #5.

What a pity. Marvel has reversed its decision to make the X-Men the gay mascots of the comics industry:

X-Men Campaign to Help LGBTQ Tolerance in Classrooms Cancelled

Last week, Bleeding Cool ran a piece looking at the Omaze charity campaign to help fund GLSEN, an organization that seeks to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in schools.

The idea was people donate $10, and one lucky person gets drawn into an upcoming issue of X-Men. X-Men Blue, probably, a comic with queer representation in the team. The winners would also receive the original artwork from their appearance and a signed copy of the comic.

I am literally shaking. But fortunately, this deplorable decision paves the way for Rainbow of the Global Justice Initiative to claim his rightful place as the one true gay icon in comics.

When reached for comment, Rainbow was dancing shirtless to techno music in a Berlin disco. He said, “WOOOOOOOH!”

“I’ve been a baaaad, bad kitty,” he added.

If you backed Will Caligan’s Comic campaign, please check your email today. You will be receiving a survey that will permit you to cast ONE vote for the book or books you most want to see converted into a graphic novel. Simply click on the title you prefer to vote; note that a vote for The Green Knight’s Squire will take up two of the three graphic novels.

If, for some reason, you did not receive the survey by this afternoon, please email me with your backer number and your choice of the following options:

• Flashpoint: Titan
• Rocky Mountain Retribution
• Swan Knight’s Son
• Sword and Flower
• The End of the World as We Knew It
• The Green Knight’s Squire
• The Lawdog Files
• The Stars Came Back

The results will be announced here on Monday. Thank you all so much for making this happen!