"Mainstream American super hero comics and manga are the same medium--they're comics. ... I think we could actually take manga out of the equation and ask why women and girls make up a significantly larger percentage of the comic-reading audience than the Big Two comic-reading reading audience--and unfortunately, I don't think there's a pithy answer. Probably the biggest hurdles to new readership, period--gender aside--are continuity and current distribution models. Take a potential new reader of either gender into a comic shop and watch their eyes glaze over. It's impossible not to be overwhelmed. Where do you even start? Say you have an interest in a particular character--okay, but there are four, maybe five titles that feature that character and current issues on display are number, what? 603, 24, 12, and 3 (of 5). Huh? New readers literally need a guide.Conversely, point them in the direction of the manga or graphic novel section at their already-familiar local bookstore and neatly arranged in rows are books with already-familiar series descriptions printed on the back covers. You find a title that sounds interesting, read the cover and, if you like it, buy volume one. Easy peasy. Overcoming the fact that manga titles read backwards is actually easier than overcoming 50 years of character history and comics culture."
~ Kelly Sue DeConnick (@kellysue), from her "Woman of Marvel" campaign interview, appeared in Marvel Comics issues dated 6/2o1o
@JonGorga
No comments:
Post a Comment