Legendary Woodsman

I started reading comics in the middle of the spectator boom of the late eighties to early nineties. I was ten years-old, a comic book store opened up at the local mall, my friends later became interested in the Marvel collector cards; it was meant to be.

When the speculator market went bust, the publishers couldn’t continue producing the quantity of comics that they had. It’s my impression that the publishers began to focus the content of comics to the fanbase that they developed during the boom. As we readers grew older, the content of the major titles began to mature too. Don’t get me wrong, there were mature titles back then, however they were usually on the fringe whereas now, older, more complex content has become more mainstream and comics that are aimed for a younger audience are pushed to the side.

And who can blame them? If your goal is to sell, you do what you have to to sell. You adapt the story (lie), retcon comic events (cheat), and encourage people to buy as many event tie-in books as possible. Focusing on a loyal audience is almost guaranteed sales. But as the older readers begin to drop off, it begins to appear short-sighted.

Some creators have begun to step forward and offer all-ages titles to fill the void created by the evolving medium of comics. My friends at the Comic Book Diner are promoting their comic project on KickStarter and, let’s be honest, I want that set with the slipcase.

I encourage you to get in on this too because these books would make a great addition to your collection, a school library,  a children’s hospital, or a great gift to kids who can appreciate comics that are fun and exciting without having to worry about inappropriate content.

-tony