What's The Future Of Comic Books?

Frankly Nerd News #2

The Evolving Face Of Media

Hey Toyrats, Frank Hyden here.

I'm not here to argue specifics about the current state of comic books. I've seen stories saying comic book sales are in the toilet and other stories saying that comic book sales are stronger than ever. I don't own stock in Disney or Warner Bros. Discovery or any of the other companies so I'm not particularly invested in sales figures. What I know for sure is that sales aren't what they were in 1991, when X-Men #1 sold over 8 million copies.

It's a vastly different world today, though. There's so much more entertainment these days, so many more things vying for our attention, compared to 30+ years ago. The internet has completely changed how we consume things, for the better and for the worse. We want things faster and better than ever, and it's also easier to sail the high seas and download anything you want.

There's also the problem I would call the permanence of media. "Problem" is relative because I mean the fact that nearly all of the entertainment that's been made in the last several decades is still available to be consumed. This issue isn't exclusive to comic books, I would argue that this is part of the reason why most of the media today is down in terms of sales or viewers.

Why take a chance on a show you may not like (or may get canceled) when you can watch a great show from decades ago? Same with that book or movie or video game or comic book.

I'll keep this focused on comic books, though. What's their future? I actually think the future of comic books is good. I don't think we'll reach the heights of the past but the metrics are different now than they were back then.

Yes, I said we because I'm coming out with my own comic books. 4 different books, to be precise, all set in my superhero universe. I'm currently targeting early 2026 for the release of Phase 1 and I can't wait to share more details with you all in the future. Stay tuned for the books Cerulean, The Adventures of Tantalum and Saikō No Joō, Warden, and Vanguard Vogter!

So I'm clearly very positive about the future of comic books but that doesn't mean that I don't think there's room for improvement. What can comics do better?

In my opinion, I think one of the fundamental problems facing the comic book industry today is creators treating it like another industry. For instance, writing a comic book like you're writing the screenplay for a television show. Those are two completely different things. I've read entire issues of comics that had very little or no action.

I don't just mean fights, though that is my favorite kind of action, I mean anything exciting at all. If you have a 22-page comic, where 20 pages of that is talking heads, that better be the most interesting writing you can possibly imagine. It would be extremely hard to keep that up over multiple issues so, in that case, you're doing the artform of comics a great disservice.

To me, comic books have always been about doing what you can't do in the other mediums like movies or TV. To be fair, you can, it just costs a lot more money to have incredible special effects that can match what you can put into a comic book. That's out of reach for most of us, so we use comics to create the fantastical worlds of our imaginations.

Why you would want to make a comic book done like a TV show puzzles me. Every medium has advantages and disadvantages. That's what makes them all beautiful and wonderful.

One advantage comic books have is that it essentially costs the same to have a group of characters sit around a table and talk for 10 pages as it does to have those same characters spend those 10 pages fighting aliens in outer space, or trying to stop superpowered beings from destroying the planet, or some other thrilling scenario.

One major disadvantage that comic books have is the lack of sound. Lack of movement is another. Those are both things that TV and movies excel at. Why do you want to compete against TV and movies when they have the high ground on you, so to speak? That's hard enough to do even while maximizing every advantage you have, and even more so if you don't.

To be clear, I firmly believe that you can definitely make compelling comic books that don't feature a bunch of fights. However, I do think that probably requires utilizing another advantage that comic books have over other mediums. One in particular that I think is vastly underused are thought bubbles.

What better way to show a character's duplicitous nature than to have him or her say one thing while having a thought bubble showing them thinking something else? Granted, you can do a voice-over in TV or movies but that's also being used less in modern entertainment.

Maybe I'm an old curmudgeon but I think comic books should be done like comic books, not movies or TV shows or books or video games, etc. There's so many wondrous things about all of those mediums but they're all different from each other. I think that the best way to move forward with comic books is to look into the past, except for one key area.

AI is an extremely controversial topic. Some hate it and any aspect of it will draw a reaction of total revulsion from them. Others embrace it, some too fully, and seek to use AI to help or create every aspect of a comic book or other form of media.

My personal belief is that as long as AI is used as a tool, that it's acceptable to use. I'll use myself as an example. I used AI to create character reference pictures that I sent to the pencilers I hired to draw each of my comics. I could have tried drawing the reference pictures myself but they wouldn't have been much help because I can't draw. Or I could have sent them pictures of celebrities but that didn't feel right either.

I wouldn't use AI to create a page of any of my comics. However, I don't see an issue with using it as a tool to try to make the best product possible. By that I mean using AI to create concept art or reference material. I understand that some might disagree and I would love to discuss it with anyone if they wanted. I'm always interested in hearing what others think and I enjoy a good discussion.

Speaking of trying to make the best product possible, I would like to encourage all of you to check out the AIP Program at www.thetoyrat.com/aip-program!

The Adapted Intellectual Property (AIP) Program is designed for creators who own an IP and want to co-develop it with us.

We'll work with you to expand your IP into an entire universe of products, including statues, action figures, apparel, collectibles, and more!

We'll work together to ensure that your vision remains at the core of everything that's done.

Perfect for IP owners who want to grow their creations with a trusted partner!

Don't want to join the AIP Program but still want professional support to turn your idea into a market-ready product?

No problem, you can hire our team directly to develop your idea or strengthen specific stages of your project.

Whether it's product design, 3D modeling and prototyping, manufacturing guidance, or branding and packaging, we're here to help!

Stay playful, — Frank Hyden, Chief Editor- Toy Rat Enterprises