Cheap ideas for comics to sell more

[tolworthy]

I just got hold of some nice flick books and it reminded me of the flick strips on the corners of early Krazy comics. Those things must have been tricky to make, because they stopped on later issues, but it struck me that they should have asked readers to contribute them. I think they were a real selling point, and it got me wondering, what other things could comics do to add unique value to readers at low cost to themselves?

Here are some of my other ideas. Two ideas for making better use of reprints, and two ideas for making better use of new material.

2. Build up nostalgia in new readers. Remember Tuesdays in Cheeky Weekly? Cheeky would sneak into the attic to read his Dad's old comic collection, and then we would get a reprint of something from the 1930s. I loved that page! The trick is to wrap it in something that makes the new readers care enough to accept the different culture and style of the old stuff. Something to make the new reader feel that the vast lost continent of Olde Comics is worth exploring. But the reprints are cheap, so why not?

3. Encourage a personality cult around dead (and therefor cheap) creators. Most of the old fans remember the best old comics in terms of named artists, even though the artists were often not named at the time. So the idea clearly has some merit. That again gives comics the excuse to reprint stuff cheaply. As for living artists...

2. Tie stories into the Net, to save paper costs. Have the core events happen on the paid-for paper version, and have all the rest happen on the free web version. This would work best for adventure strips, particularly the superhero or 2000AD style where crossovers are normal. People read the build up and aftermath on the web, but have constant references to the paid for comic to see the climax. This has the added advantage that "cash rich" but "time poor" readers can follow the key events relatively quickly, while those with less money can try the waters before jumping in. It also encourages readers to treat each printed issue as something special, as an event, thus increasing the perceived value of comics.

5. Play to the strengths of printed comics, not their weaknesses. The success of video and Manga has led to an uncompressed story telling style that is economic suicide for western comics that, unlike manga, have low print runs and highly expensive glossy printing. Yet the unique power of the printed comic is in combining words and pictures. Why not create a comic that glories in detail, with maybe twelve pages, where each page is designed to last a long time. Obviously the individual pages would cost more to create, but this is offset by the ability to select (or re-edit) the best of the old stuff, and by low printing costs, and the ability to give away promotional free versions in other publications.

Any other ideas?

[SOS]

Some good ideas..... seems like they opt for the free gift more and more in kids mags these days - - Proper detailed ideas, like the Krazy back cover's disguise, or the Mad magazine fold-in and marginal cartoons used to be a draw for long term readers, but would maybe have a hard time these days if they were new ideas.

More detail on less pages sounds great, but harder to produce?

[chrissmillie]

Someone who's able to get top (not necessarily known) creators to work together for a profit share. Sell via comics shops using Diamond (newsagents need millionaires). Have a sustained monthly/bi-monthly schedule for a couple of years, then see if it's worked.

It's not too difficult but it's tough asking creators to work for nothing up front over a regular period with unknown finances at the end. I'm sure with the right people it would work but whose up for the commitment?

Chris