Todd McFarlane Ready to Save the Comic Book Industry

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Todd McFarlane's Plan to Save the Comics Industry


Spawn creator Todd McFarlane has laid out a rather unorthodox plan to save the comics industry, stating that if he was in charge, he'd want more consistent messaging across the industry.

"I think the industry needs a consistent message. Whatever that message is, right or wrong, we need to be consistent, even if we have to adjust it." McFarlane told Forbes. "But we really need to speak with one voice, not four or five different publishers running four or five different programs and methodologies."

McFarlane went on to say that if he was in charge, he'd want Marvel, DC, Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics, which make up 90% of the comics market, to stand as a united front. He also proposed free digital downloads of top-selling titles to hook new readers as well as keep old ones engaged.

"Then, once this is over, we can do 3-5 events to give people a reason back into stores." he continued. "Maybe we can coordinate the timing for once, so each company gets a turn in the spotlight."

Many publishers have halted their digital downloads of titles due to Diamond Comic Distributors shuttering production in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While McFarlane's plan is unprecedented, it could potentially work if publishers were willing to implement it.

McFarlane Disagrees With Stores on Digital Releases During Shutdown


"I don’t agree [with retailers]. Doing nothing can’t be the answer," McFarlane told Forbes. "If we all stand still and hold our breath, how does that improve what we’re doing now? If I put Spawn out digitally for free or at discount for a few months, does that mean customers won’t buy those issues at retail? Maybe not. But I say to the stores, don’t worry about getting issues 307, 308, 309 that come out when you’re closed and can’t get printed copies anyway. Fans will come back for #310 when things reopen."

In response to Diamond Comic Distributors announcing it would stop shipping new print titles, many publishers and creators have launched charities to support retailers struggling from the economic impact, including Image Comics. For McFarlane, the need to keep readers invested is one that he feels is important during the lengthy self-isolation.

"We don’t want our customers to break that habit," he continued. "Consumers will be filling their time somehow. Why let a competitor fill that with streaming media or games? We need to fill it. We as the companies have the power to make that happen. Remember, back in 2011, retailers didn’t want digital comics to come out on the same day and date as print comics, thinking it would doom the industry. They were wrong. It helped sales! We have an industry that’s built around weekly gatherings – conventions- where people come to the conventions and get their books signed, not their iPads. They need something physical. That’s never going away."

Todd McFarlane’s Urgent Warning To The Comics Industry: ‘We Can’t Just Sit Here And Do Nothing!’


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