"today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

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"today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by Oxmyx »

That comment was posted on the LETS TALK SOLUTIONS TO FIX VALIANT thread and I just thought it was worth attention as a topic itself. It was posted by REDDOG who I hope doesn't mind and I am in no way calling out, except I'd enjoy seeing the topic addressed.

I myself don't know any 14 year olds really, but I have observed that Manga seems to be popular in that age group. Which doesn't help Valiant.
I've been looking everywhere for the ultra-rare Turok vs Blister issue. Anybody able to help me out?

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by TheFerg714 »

Oxmyx wrote:That comment was posted on the LETS TALK SOLUTIONS TO FIX VALIANT thread and I just thought it was worth attention as a topic itself. It was posted by REDDOG who I hope doesn't mind and I am in no way calling out, except I'd enjoy seeing the topic addressed.

I myself don't know any 14 year olds really, but I have observed that Manga seems to be popular in that age group. Which doesn't help Valiant.
Even manga isn't very popular amongst American teens. They're all about video games now, as they have been for the last ~3 decades.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by slack »

Has anyone shared proof of that assertion, or just opinions?

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by Oxmyx »

slack wrote:Has anyone shared proof of that assertion, or just opinions?
Precisely the reason I posted.
I've been looking everywhere for the ultra-rare Turok vs Blister issue. Anybody able to help me out?

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by IMJ »

slack wrote:Has anyone shared proof of that assertion, or just opinions?
I think we can consider the print numbers of comics as well as observations about comic book event populations.

Print runs have been declining over the years, and so it's clear that fewer people in general (and so e.g. also "kids") are buying new comics. And regarding events, when I was a kid the convention scene was packed with other kids and older. But now, a convention resembles a 20-somethings yuppie event padded by older guys doing some box diving. Last week at a St. Charles, IL convention the only place I saw kids was at the anime-cosplay panel along with a group of 20 somethings girls, dressed up. I think it's telling that seeing a teenage kid at an event is a standout rather than part of the cluster of fans roaming around at large.

Someone above mentioned 30 years of video gaming, but I'd say that's going too far back - that pretty much dips into the early teen years of my generation, who are mostly the guys spending money on comics now after doing it there whole lives. The "gaming" argument was being discussed even as far back as the days of the Atari. But I'd say that more recently as gaming began to intersect with social media is when video games truly started "trapping" kids, as opposed to just being another activity to do.
Last edited by IMJ on Sat Dec 07, 2019 3:49:15 pm, edited 6 times in total.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by TheFerg714 »

slack wrote:Has anyone shared proof of that assertion, or just opinions?
It's obvious. I've been to three San Diego Comic-Cons, I frequent all 5 local comic shops in Omaha, and I've been to countless comic shops across the country.

You wanna know the one demographic I almost never see there? Teenagers. Yea, there's a couple kids every once in a while, but they're usually interested in Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh cards. There's plenty of 20-somethings, a handful of women, and mostly 40+ year old nerds.

I've literally seen only a few 14-18 year olds in my entire 10+ years of being a comic fan.

This is anecdotal, but I'm sorry, I just think it's incredibly obvious that no teenager gives a *SQUEE* about comics.

EDIT: Also, just look at any random social media site. It's chock full of video game, movie, and TV show discussions, but comparatively very little comic book discussion.
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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by BugsySig »

I teach high schoolers and there’s a few who read comics and, more often, TPBs. Some seem to have gotten into the Big 2 through the movies and CW tv shows. Manga is also somewhat popular. In both cases it’s no where near as popular as when I was 14 in 1994. But then again, no comics are.
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Post by IMJ »

BugsySig wrote:I teach high schoolers and there’s a few who read comics and, more often, TPBs. Some seem to have gotten into the Big 2 through the movies and CW tv shows. Manga is also somewhat popular. In both cases it’s no where near as popular as when I was 14 in 1994. But then again, no comics are.
I remember one High School English class having a long discussion with a guy I otherwise barely spoke with. He had a copy of X-Factor in class - one of the Portacio issues that ended an Apocalypse story and had that little picture of Cable on the last page hinting that he was Cyclops' son - I think it was issue 68. We talked about that issue for a while.

This is the kind of interaction I just don't imagine seeing kids having nowadays.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by nycjadie »

I'm not convinced comic movies bring readers. Comic movies bring comic merchandise customers.

We're living in the golden age of comic movies. Comic sales are at all time lows in terms of print runs.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by BugsySig »

nycjadie wrote:I'm not convinced comic movies bring readers. Comic movies bring comic merchandise customers.

We're living in the golden age of comic movies. Comic sales are at all time lows in terms of print runs.
My students are predominantly minorities and definitely became interested in Black Panther in general, but it didn’t bring them to the comics. Many of my “nerdier/geekier” kids though are very into the Flash, Black Lightning and Sabrina and I’ve seen them with those books.
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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by jmatt »

nycjadie wrote:I'm not convinced comic movies bring readers. Comic movies bring comic merchandise customers.

We're living in the golden age of comic movies. Comic sales are at all time lows in terms of print runs.
QFT.

I have been in my LCS every week since 2012. I could count the number of people I have seen there under the age 20 on one hand.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by BugsySig »

jmatt wrote:
nycjadie wrote:I'm not convinced comic movies bring readers. Comic movies bring comic merchandise customers.

We're living in the golden age of comic movies. Comic sales are at all time lows in terms of print runs.
QFT.

I have been in my LCS every week since 2012. I could count the number of people I have seen there under the age 20 on one hand.
The LCS is not the place to look. It’s amazing any traditional LCS are still open.

My students probably get their comics at Stop N Shop (the regional grocery store), hence the big 2 books and an occasional Archie.

I do see teens in the graphic novel section at Barnes and Noble, but not many. Also some large GN sections at the local libraries, which at least allows for some sampling.

Honestly, everything is about digital and streaming these days. I wonder if ComiXology or Marvel Unlimited, etc. has a large teen readership? Would make sense that that is where they’d go.
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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by Phantom »

My observation.

My daughter draws and paints a lot, very creative art.
Some of it is Manga, she yet to purchase or even ask for a Manga comic.

All my children have access to a ton of comics, they read very few. The only ones they actively read is Horrible History Magazines which are presented in comic book layout.

When I was teaching (2 years ago), I ran a comic book club ~ and brought comics in for students to read. Out of approx 1000 students 4 would turn up, and only 2 of which would be bringing in comics that they had brought.

Don't know if they are still reading, but know of one boy at the school who still actively buys comics (he started at the school after I left).

Being in a university town we have a lot of people in the comic shop at different times of the day. Majority are University or collage students, I do see a lot of pre teen and teenagers. However I do not know what they are buying, as the shop has a lot more than just comics (forbidden Planet).

When in the comic section my kids will flick through comics, but never want any. The people in the comic section buying comics I see are University students sometimes and mostly older 35 plus picking up comics.

Maybe I am wrong, just my observation. The store workers did say the POP dolls are the biggest seller.
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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by magnus20009 »

nycjadie wrote:I'm not convinced comic movies bring readers. Comic movies bring comic merchandise customers.

We're living in the golden age of comic movies. Comic sales are at all time lows in terms of print runs.
Completely agree with this.

My daughter complains whenever I drag her along with me to the LCS. I would have been thrilled if my parents would have taken me to one.

That said I have managed to get her to read some comics. She loves Barks stories and I have been picking up all the Fantagraphic HC’s so she has been reading them (but she isn’t interest in huge another rainbow set of HCs that are in black and white). I assume she will read the Rosa HCs. She likes Usagi Yojimbo too so I let her read my Saga HCs of that. A few years ago she read all the Bone series

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by reddog »

this is a fun read

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by syzhang28 »

nycjadie wrote:I'm not convinced comic movies bring readers. Comic movies bring comic merchandise customers.

We're living in the golden age of comic movies. Comic sales are at all time lows in terms of print runs.
Facts don't support your argument. According to the numbers last year was between the best year on record and a top 5 year on record: https://www.comichron.com/yearlycomicssales.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For instance the "Estimated OVERALL North American Market size, including estimates for newsstand comics and book channel TPB sales" which is just print, not digital was the joint highest year on record (records go back 20+ years).

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by reddog »

lets see who can post the most cryptic statistic.....in april 93 400 MILLION COMIC BOOKS WERE SOLD

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by reddog »

2018 85 MILLION COMIC BOOKS WERE SOLD......most woild see that as a decline

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by reddog »

a comic (superman) that sold for 10 cents in the 40s generated $15000 or 220000 on 2019 dollars which would equal around 50000 comics at 4 bucks as opposed to 1.5 million of the 40's issue. thats the 2019 version selling at about 6% ofthe 40's version. hmmmmm

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Post by reddog »

1.5 million people interested in something as opposed to 50 thousand means more people going to the movies 70 years later

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by lorddunlow »

syzhang28 wrote:
nycjadie wrote:I'm not convinced comic movies bring readers. Comic movies bring comic merchandise customers.

We're living in the golden age of comic movies. Comic sales are at all time lows in terms of print runs.
Facts don't support your argument. According to the numbers last year was between the best year on record and a top 5 year on record: https://www.comichron.com/yearlycomicssales.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For instance the "Estimated OVERALL North American Market size, including estimates for newsstand comics and book channel TPB sales" which is just print, not digital was the joint highest year on record (records go back 20+ years).
It looks like they go back to 1997. That cuts out the most popular eras of comics sales. That a poor sample to make for comics. Limits an analysis like you're trying to make.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by nycjadie »

magnus20009 wrote:
nycjadie wrote:I'm not convinced comic movies bring readers. Comic movies bring comic merchandise customers.

We're living in the golden age of comic movies. Comic sales are at all time lows in terms of print runs.
Completely agree with this.

My daughter complains whenever I drag her along with me to the LCS. I would have been thrilled if my parents would have taken me to one.

That said I have managed to get her to read some comics. She loves Barks stories and I have been picking up all the Fantagraphic HC’s so she has been reading them (but she isn’t interest in huge another rainbow set of HCs that are in black and white). I assume she will read the Rosa HCs. She likes Usagi Yojimbo too so I let her read my Saga HCs of that. A few years ago she read all the Bone series
I hope my sons read the classics. Love this post.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by DirtbagSailor »

My 19 and 17 year olds do not read many comics.

They watch the movies, read Manga, and play video games; however, comics do not seem to capture their interest. When their teenage friends come to the house and see my artwork or comics, there appears to be a visual interest and appreciation; however, not to such a degree that they are going to run out and buy a stack of TPBs. Rather, they move on to the next new shiny object.

It's hard for them to get interested, because there are so many modern options competing for their interest that are also quality in design.

NOTE: I am also doing a few home improvement project, and had a 40 year old contractor visit my home recently to give me a rough cost estimate. He saw some of my Original Artwork and instantly became a kid from the 90s all over again. He didn't know that Valiant was even back, and remembered them quite fondly from Wizard back in the day.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by jmatt »

DirtbagSailor wrote:It's hard for them to get interested, because there are so many modern options competing for their interest that are also quality in design.
Very true, there are many more entertainment options today. And a $4 price tag per issue ain't helping.

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Re: "today's 14 year olds don't care one twit about comics"

Post by BugsySig »

jmatt wrote:
DirtbagSailor wrote:It's hard for them to get interested, because there are so many modern options competing for their interest that are also quality in design.
Very true, there are many more entertainment options today. And a $4 price tag per issue ain't helping.
It’s the classic supply and demand debate, but if publishers slashed prices—say $1.99 or $0.99/issue—for print and digital, would it promote more readership or doom them to financial failure? Seems to me they over supply already (through incentives and return-ability), but if they just produced how much people actually buy, they’d save on production and maybe actually create demand. I know that would probably be the last nail in the coffin of the LCS but, as is being discussed in this thread, those are practically dead already.
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