Leading Questions: DC Comics Really Aren't For Kids Any

That article is too recent, find something from 2012.

that Bizarro mini was for kids

>>84780802
But this goes into a further point: Comics are not entirely for children. Sure, there are certain comic runs specifically made for children, but not since the '60s has the industry’s major demographic been children. The average comic book reader is over the age of 18, and very often older than 35. The industry has catered for a long time toward this demographic, with more serious and story-driven runs like Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” or Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns.” The simple fact of the matter is this: Just because there’s a superhero in it, does not mean it’s for kids.

>>84780802

DC does publish comics for kids though. The Scooby Doo books for one. Kids just don't give a fuck about comics anymore

>>84780802
Most of comic book reader are over 40, then i dont think kids really like to read Scott Snyder comics.

>>84780867
>DC does publish comics for kids though
Not the batbooks.

>>84780802
To buy a comic you have to go into a special store and fork over $2.99, never mind DC's sales strategy that's the main reason kids don't buy comics.

>>84780802

If I'm honest I always hated the comics that were aimed at kids even when I was one

>>84780802
Comics haven't been kid appropriate in decades. This article is written by someone with zero understanding of the realities of the comics market.

kids have a lot of stuff they can do … other than reading comics,"

The Killing Joke," told CNBC that while DC still has a wide range of content available to ages 13 and under, comic books and the movies they spawn are clearly being skewed to adults.

>>84780977

Let's all conveniently pretend Lego Batman doesn't exist

Comics haven't been aimed at kids since like the 90s.

supersons and Damians Teen Titans are for kids and teens ..

>>84780906
Haven't they been more Teen level since 80s+?

>>84780802

Why is this being laid down at DC's feet? They seem to do more kid stuff than Marvel

>>84780977
What about the Lego Batman games and movies?
Or some of the less Based On Alan Moore or Frank Miller stuff like that JLA Adventure Trapped In Time

>>84780802

>Every two weeks in a new installment of “Leading Questions”, the young, lantern jawed Mark Stack will ask Comics Bulletin’s very own Chase Magnett a question he must answer. However, Mark doesn’t plan on taking it easy on Chase. He’ll be setting him up with questions that are anything but fair and balanced to see how this once overconfident comics critic can make a cogent case for what another one obviously wants to hear.

>So without any further ado…

>>Why don’t more adults stop reading superhero comics and why don’t more kids start reading them?

>Mark, while I normally might chastise you for asking two questions, I’ll give you this one because they share an answer and I’d rather not repeat myself. That answer in its entirety is a complex thing composed of colorful personalities, decades of history, and shifts in the comics market (both financial and aesthetic). However, it boils down to something rather simple:

>Superhero comics aren’t being sold to kids.

>It’s worth starting by narrowing this very big question just a little bit so this answer doesn’t get picked apart for the sake of semantics. In this instance, we’re talking specifically about the North American market for comics. Japan doesn’t have any problems selling superhero comics to kids. Just look at the sales on series like the superb One-Punch Man and My Hero Academia. These put the numbers behind even the most successful series coming out in America to shame.

>>84781301

>I’m also going to narrow my scope in America to two publishers: Marvel and DC Comics. There are superhero comics coming from others. Image and Dark Horse are releasing superhero series like C.O.W.L. and The Paybacks, respectively. Yet they don’t sell nearly as large of numbers as their “distinguished” competition and aren’t really targeted towards kids. The former example focuses on labor relations and the latter on repo men. If anyone is going to shifting the age demographic for capes comics in any meaningful way at this exact moment, it’s going to be one of those “Big Two” publishers.

>So with our focus sufficiently narrowed, what do I mean when I say that superhero comics aren’t being sold to kids. There’s no Comics Code Authority attempting to obfuscate the sale of this corrupting influence to minors anymore. There doesn’t need to be. The sales strategies being undertaken by both Marvel and DC are doing a fine job of keeping kids out of the market in an effort to maintain or grow sales from adult readers.

>My primary backup for this assertion lies on the shelves of every comic book store. Marvel and DC are publishing more than 100 superhero series currently with a strategy comparable to carpet bombing. They’re filling as much space as they can with as many series as they can. Those series reflect a variety of strategies as well. There are loads of crossovers, consistent reboots and events that “change everything”, lots of focus on adult-oriented subject matter, and a price point that rarely reaches below $3.99 and keeps aiming higher.

>>84781309

>You might look at that list and think it’s the same old list of complaints that are trotted out by comics fans on a biweekly basis, and you’d be right. But those complaints are lodged in the truth of the market. Just because the same people complaining continue to buy all of the things they’re whining about doesn’t mean that stuff doesn’t exist. It just means they’re helping to perpetuate the status quo. That the status quo is often maintained by the very people complaining about it helps to explain why all of these deterrents for young readers are considered a solid strategy at Marvel and DC Comics.

>The comics market isn’t large right now, but it’s big enough to sustain itself and Marvel and DC continue to tower over their competition. Even after a pretty terrible year that has left anyone paying attention questioning how Dan Didio is still co-publisher, DC Comics still pulls in more than twice the revenue and moves more than twice the units of its closest competitor. It’s good to be the king and neither of these groups appear ready to risk that status. They know what their sure thing is and they’re going to bet on it.

>Unfortunately, that sure thing is anathema to growing an audience of kids. All of the shit that keeps an aging audience of superhero readers and occasional new recruits engaged with buying lots of their comics looks like, well, shit to someone who doesn’t even have a high school diploma. Crossovers and continuity may have attracted some readers in the past, but look how many people actually read these comics. For many, it’s just a lot of crap that’s not worth digging into Wikipedia for when so many other forms of storytelling are vastly more accessible.

>>84781318

>Then consider how events, reboots, and crossovers look from the outside. Just as you’re getting really into characters and subplots a secret convergence of infinite wars comes along to tell you a different story altogether, temporarily end the series, or force you to buy things you didn’t care about to understand what’s happening. This doesn’t even take into account the consistent changes in creative teams that can often turn great comics into an absolute slog overnight (*cough* Catwoman! *cough*). It’s hard to imagine wanting to try and follow this when you can call a duty or guitar hero and know exactly what level of quality you can consistently expect. What? I don’t actually play video games, sue me.

>Anyway, you take all of these reasons for a young person to not want to dig into superhero comics and slap a $3.99 or $4.99 price point on about 20 minutes of reading (optimistically), and you’ve got a pretty damn good set of reasons to not give a damn. Those prices make perfect sense for grown ass men who will buy Batman or Amazing Spider-Man even if they hate what’s happening. It’s a guaranteed sale even when the price of these books outpace inflation or start to double ship.

>You can’t blame the folks in charge of these publishers for not taking risks on lowering the price or pursuing customers with a lot less cash to spend when they can rely on income from the same set of adults who want a very specific scratch itched.

>Of course there are exceptions to this, but it’s a broad question looking for a broad answer. Comic series like Ms. Marvel, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, and Batgirl are clearly made to appeal to an audience of all ages. They’re pretty successful too; all three of those examples are well made and entertaining without excluding any potential readers based purely on age or life experience.

>>84781331

>>But what portion of their readers do you actually imagine are kids? You can certainly recommend them to kids. I know I have. Some kids are certainly reading them. I’ve seen little ones flock to their creators tables at cons. Yet how many kids are discovering these comics without a parent or mentor who’s already a comics fan? How many of them are willing to spend their allowance on these books instead of video games, toys, candy, or whatever it is that kids like today?

>My suspicion is that the comics being published by Marvel and DC that are suitable for kids are reaching their intended audience, but in much smaller numbers than we might like to believe. I’m inclined to say that they have a very vocal fanbase, but the vast majority of their readership still lies amongst adults. Hell, even comics likeUnbeatable Squirrel Girl contain a LOT of humor and references that are going to fly well above the heads of a 10 or 12 year old.

>When you look at the few series that are targeted specifically at a younger demographic, like Art Baltazar and Franco’s delightful Itty Bitty Hellboy and Tiny Titans, they don’t sell in impressive numbers. It’s not that there isn’t a market for superhero books or comics in children either. Look at how a comic like Raina Telgemeier’s Smile or some of the illustrated DC books do at book fairs. They’re impressive sellers, but floppies don’t come close to those numbers at the comic shop or on digital platforms no matter their content.

>The reason we don’t see more kids reading superhero comics has nothing to do with kids themselves. Having taught comics to different levels of public education for a few years, I’ve never seen anything to convince me that kids don’t like comics or superheroes. To the contrary, I’ve primarily witnessed a lot of love for both the medium and the genre.

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>>84780835
And the idea that an entire medium should be targeted at children is really regressive and dismissive of what comics are capable of.
This seems to be a common American attitude, same way they're obsessed with animation being solely for children.

>>84781339


>Yet superhero comics are not being marketed to kids nor are they easily accessible or affordable. The business model that Marvel and DC Comics have created doesn’t target children on any significant level. It’s based on milking as much money from a proven audience as possible. They focus on proven quantities, craft schedules based on their most profitable customers (e.g. collectors and obsessive fans), and keep raising the price on a good that seems to be price inelastic for some. Some (read: Marvel) are doing it better than others (read: DC) right now, but their strategies aren’t dissimilar.

>It’s possible that one day we’ll see an American comics market where kids scoop the things off of a newsstand (or its digital equivalent) again. Japan maintains a massive readership of its various manga magazines amongst children, and the things can be found at pretty much any major train station in addition to specialty shops and apps. I don’t know what it would take to make that happen though. It’s not simply a matter of marketing, price point, or accessibility; it’s a combination of all those factors and more. I’m sure we’d all love to see more kids scooping up capes books, whether they resemble the American Ms. Marvel or Japanese One-Punch Man, but it’s not likely to happen as long as publishers continue down their current path.


I posted the full article for others.

>>84781331
>for grown ass men who will buy Batman or Amazing Spider-Man even if they hate what’s happening. It’s a guaranteed sale even when the price of these books outpace inflation or start to double ship.
that makes me laugh

>>84781362
thanks for posting the full article. It is quite insightful as to whats going on.

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>>84780910
When I was a kid, the comics my friends and I read were pretty much solely Sonic and Star Wars because they were sold at grocery and drug stores and you didn't need to read 50 other series and events and shit to follow their plots.
That, I think, is the Big 2's problem, regardless of what age group they target: You can't just pick up Ms. Marvel or New Superman where you normally shop and easily follow the plot.

>>84780802
What kid these days even has money to buy comics on a regular basis?

>>84781392
Nigga, that's bullshit, I got into X-men in the middle of X-cutioner's song. I don't fucking understand this "I need everything spoonfed to me" mentality, part of the core appeal and addictive nature of comics is the fact that there's so much you need to find and read.

Only adults go autistic with their "well I can't fucking start at #38, I must have #1 to get the whole story!" mentality. Kids do not give a fuck as long as they enjoy the comic.

>>84781392
i only buy Sonic the Hedgehog these days. I am just tapped out and exhausted when it comes to Marvel and DC. All the reboots, the politics, and the progressiveness. I'm sick of it.

>>84781392
Does nobody go to book stores any more? Barnes N Nobles, Books-a-million, etc all have a comic rack. Along with trades and anime.

>>84780802
He could have at least phrased the article as a question.
Also, why do I care about your blog?

>>84781389

It made me sad. But at least DC has dropped their prices

>>84781392

When I was a kid I had the Beano, Sonic The Comic, Simpsons comics and then I moved on to 2000AD. If they weren't sold at the corner shop and supermarkets I would have never got into comics.

>>84781467
General audiences don't want to have to find and read a huge amount of material.
And expectations from serial media have changed. People used to be accustomed to jumping into stories in the middle in screen media, but the advent of Netflix and cheap home video changed that.
People don't want to read half-narratives anymore, nor should they.

>>84781484
I do, but I doubt many normies go to brick and mortars anymore.

>>84781530
Same. You can't expect people to make an effort to introduce themselves to comics when movies, books, and TV series are so much more visible and easily available.

>>84780802

Kids don't buy comics anymore. Even the ones that want to (there aren't many) are savvy enough to find them for free. And they aren't likely to have gained the respect for the medium that causes people like me to go out and buy singles. Most wouldn't have the money anyway.

The content maybe but they have lowered the prices on there books thats the exact opisiote of a business strategy that keeps children out.

I'm a comic fans because the dami movies .
Batman: Son of the Demon this is an old comic from my dad. I read it today.. Mike W. Barr writes a good batman.i .wish we had a new batman writer like him .

>>84781564
Someone must because I see them around still and they continue to have a dedicated comic/anime section along with random comics in the magazine area. And then their is toy area like bobble heads and what not.

>>84780867
The problem is in a way we are still recovering from the effects of the cca we have recovered content but the ratings that have been created ensure that a story that would be for kids in the 40s will get a teen rating now.

So children are left with boring schlock the only good childrens comics are idw girls titles now and there flagship mlp spent a few years pumping out some of the worst comics ever published.

Kids want a lot of the same shit we want in the end have you read green lanterns #2 what child would not love that.

>>84781636
my Favourite lantern is Hal :)

>>84781651
Baz drove a fucking van construct into a brick wall kid is that not awesome

Still my condolences for what they are doing to your favourite

>>84781636

>Kids want a lot of the same shit we want in the end have you read green lanterns #2 what child would not love that.

I'm also >>84780911 and I would have loved that as a kid

>>84780835
Except capeshit is a stupid, vapid, childlike medium, you clown. All comics are doing is creating manbabies who live in their mother's basement and get rickets. If you were a TRUE ADULT WHO IS FUCKING GROWN UP you wouldn't read childish garbage, irredeemable trash, dumpster fire BULL-SHIT like superhero comics, you fucking nerd. You mouth-breathing neckbeard fedoramonger.

>>84781730
>hal.

And yet OP implies that only DC publishes comics for adults, when THAT is the industry standard. Even Archie publishes comics with blood and F-bombs now.

>>84780802
comic books are for manchilds. kids don't read

>>84781362
> Some (read: Marvel) are doing it better than others (read: DC) right now, but their strategies aren’t dissimilar.
>Pushing Standard Price Up
>Constant Events and Crossovers
>Better
Did I read this right?

Can you lame them though? kids much now rather play videogames or watch tv and movies since the late 90s they need a way to survive. I would love if the big two tried making more big budget videogames.

The money just doesn't add up anymore for kids being able to get into comics. Comics are fucking expensive and there's no good alternative besides theft or patience, two things kids are pretty bad at. It all comes down to the ease of access.

Let's say you go into a comic shop and you have five dollars so you can only buy one comic. You of course go for your fave from the movies. So you take your Whatever-Man home and read it and it was kind of weird. It's in the middle of a story and there were a lot of words and Whatever-Man wasn't doing cool stuff. How likely are you to go back to the comic book store? Maybe comics just aren't for you.
Cut to you in college, you're browsing 4chan and you see a board called /co/. You go on there and you start asking about comics because you've never really read them. Everyone calls you a newfag and you quietly fall in line with the lurkers or you leave. The companies don't make money, you weren't happy, the people who like the stuff don't seem to be enjoying themselves. Nobody wins.

>>84781978
This. Comic books are almost exclusively for enthusiasts now. There are better ways for these companies to sell their IPs to the mass market nowadays.

>>84780802
It's interesting that the article says the Big 2 aren't for kids and you edit it to make it about DC.


Are you a shit poster good sir?

>>84781343
Books, film, video games, music, they all have no problem with having kids be entertained by a large swath of their existence. That comic books can only attract people in their 40's is a genuine problem for the medium, and a large part of why readership is only a couple hundred thousand people.

>>84784431
yup.

>>84781731
Says the true adult browsing a monogolian macrame image board...

>>84784431
>Books, film, video games, music,
because they're easily available and marketed except for books which has been on the decline for years

But the best comics are still aimed at kids.

Gotham Academy is my crack and it's aimed at 13 year old girls.

>>84780802
>Batman 66 and its crossovers
>Wonder Woman 77
>Bizarro mini
>Batmite mini
>Teen Titans Go (2014-)
>Gotham Academy
>Looney Tunes
>those two Scooby Doo books
>Teen Titans Go (2004-2008) reprints

And that's not getting into books they've done in the past like Young Justice, Young Justice tie ins, Batman Adventures, Batman and Robin Adventures, Tiny Titans, The Batman Strikes, and every other TV show tie in.

DC needs to have an official list of this shit on their site so people will stop with this meme that they don't have all ages stuff

>>84780867
Archie, Sonic, and maybe a handful of Boom! and IDW books are all that's really aimed at kids. Kind of wish America would take a page from the UK start making weekly/bi-weekly kid friendly anthologies like The Beano or The Dandy

>>84780802
Neither are Marvel. Every comic now has a gay in it.

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>Comics Really Aren't For Kids Anymore

Apologize!!

>>84781153
90% of its readership is gonna be shotafags and fujos.

>>84781392
My first comics were Ultimate Spider-Man vol 3 Double Trouble and Kraven's Last Hunt

>>84788603
I now remember that my first comic was an USM book where spidey is hanging out with the x-men in pajamas and his mask and just talking about some psychic eurotrash kid in a helmet the entire issue and there's something about a placenta

thanks bendis you made me a fan for life with that (not)

This is the WWF Alttitude Era strategy all over again

>>84781911
Yeah I think it's clear from reading this that the writer just prefers Marvel. Also keep in mind this was written in February so I'm not sure Rebirth was even announced, let alone taken into consideration for this article.