Welcome back, everyone! Just a quick reminder of what our goal for each and every Saturday is: Stirring the pot is the act of causing trouble for the sake of your own amusement. So we here at Comic Booked would like to formally invite you to discuss, debate, and start some shit talkin’ about the characters, the creators, and the storylines given to us from the industry we all know and love, hate, and love to hate. So let’s quit wasting time and start the mud (or web) slinging!
This Saturday’s question: Would the comics industry survive without the “Big Two” around?
If DC went away, would Marvel survive? If Marvel said bye-bye, would DC pick up the slack? If one, or both, decided to call it quits, would the industry as we know it survive? Would companies like Image and Dark Horse rise from the ashes of the superheroes and their creators? Would web comics take over? Would anthropomorphic, fantasy, humor, and war comics finally get their time in the spotlight? Do you think one company would buy up the rights and keep the legends going strong? Or do you think something much more outlandish and creative would happen instead?
So go forth and debate! But be sure to back up your responses. Don’t be scared. And don’t give up. After all, no one likes a quitter. And you’re not a quitter, are you?
I wonder how many creative people thinks this merger stinks but since they may want to work for Disney/Marvel, they will remain silent.
I was and still am somewhat hesitant about the Disney/Marvel merger, but with Disney behind them they have a financial standing. Hopefully this doesn't lead to another bankruptcy that Marvel went through in the past with such a financial pillar, but it makes sense as well because: a) Disney can market the HELL out of any movie through all of their existing channels, so the movie lines can be done a solid; and b) Disney owns several TV networks (including ABC which just picked up Agents of SHIELD and some kids network which has a couple of Marvel cartoons on it). The main thing I don't like is that the mediums of TV and movie are beginning to overtake the comics and they have a path to merge the mediums which I don`t care for, and I think that is actually the Disney influence.
It's just too monolithic. Too much power makes them the powerful villain against the struggling masses. Those masses being indy comic creators.
I think it's a necessary evil, though. This week seemed to go off into an interesting direction that I didn't necessarily plan for. Do large conglomerate companies buying comic publishers save them, hurt them, or strengthen them? I think it's worked out well for the Time Warner / DC merger, but that's probably because they've had more time to perfect it. I have hope that Disney will figure it out, though. Preferably sooner rather than later.