[Groop]The Mouse vs The Pen
Dalgar
dalgar@home.com
Fri, 16 Feb 2001 09:34:29 -0800
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Lurking from the many Groop SMTP missives, I have seen lots of ideas =
about Groo/Sergio and the Internet.
I have to admit the ideas are creative and interesting. However, I =
cannot help to also think about
what this means to many comic book artists. Currently it would appear =
the comic book industry as
well as other published industries have taken a hit from technology such =
as the internet. This hit has
caused loss of market share and loss of profits. In a growing economy =
with costs rising, the loss of
readers and sales only double the effect if you consider costs.
Personally, I think a website done by the Groo team would be impressive =
to be looked at. But the same
amount of time and energy spent to make and support the site could be =
used to publish another series.
I would think another series could more easily make more money than a =
website. In general, the art
and profession of comic books has been around for almost a century (if =
not more or less. Some
historian out there could correct me on that point :) ). In that time a =
method to make, market and sell
comic books has been fined tuned down to an exact buisness. I have =
watched in two decades this
buisness twist and turn. I saw mergers and bought out comics and =
transfer of copyrights and publishing
rights. I saw more restarts and #1 issues of old series than I care to =
see ( except the Groo team always
made a funny and honest joke out of every #1 they had :) ) I saw too =
many gimics. Foil covers, glow in the
dark covers, rare covers, super rare covers, collectible and randomly =
rare covers, fold in, fold out, fold up, fold down covers
and so on. It got me to a point to ask "Did anyone sell art done to a =
good story anymore?"
If it wasn't for Groo, I don't think I would have seen the inside of a =
comic book store in the last 8 years. I can only imagine
want an online Groo or comic book industry might do. The medium of all =
comics was publishing art set to a story. Sure
this could be done online. People could say that it is efficent. Less =
paper used and no space taken up in a small shop
to stock the comics would be a plus. But I think it takes away from the =
artist to see your work published only
by digital means and not on paper. You can hold it, put it on the wall, =
get it signed, collect them, show them to
others, read it out loud to your kids, and with time collect a library =
of what will be a collection of modern art
and writing mixed into one.
I also see the benefits. Heck right now I am using a benefit. I think =
the Groop mail list has been a positive
use of the internet to support Groo and other comics. It keeps readers =
connected and more informed. I think for
publishers the use of the internet to market and advertise to current =
readers is useful. I don't see it useful to bring
in new readers as much as it caters to current readers. IMHO, I think =
that is why soo many of these .coms fail
is because many put up a website and their initial users are current =
customers but by being on the internet
they do not pull in new customers and only have their old customer base. =
And many of the old customer base
will not move or use the internet. They are comfortable with the status =
quo.
I think with Fan websites, information from Dark Horse (or whoever =
publishes Groo) about schedules and release dates
could be enough for now for Groo (and other comic books). A computer or =
website will never be able to replace
the feeling of going into a comic book store and slapping down a few =
dollars (or prefered currency in your area)=20
and taking home a delightful comic with great art, good writing and =
cheese dip jokes.
(thanks for reading this far. Got more prolific than I thought I would)
--Ken
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Lurking from the many Groop SMTP =
missives, I have=20
seen lots of ideas about Groo/Sergio and the Internet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have to admit the ideas are creative =
and=20
interesting. However, I cannot help to also think about</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>what this means to many comic book =
artists.=20
Currently it would appear the comic book industry as</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>well as other published industries have =
taken a hit=20
from technology such as the internet. This hit has</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>caused loss of market share and loss of =
profits. In=20
a growing economy with costs rising, the loss of</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>readers and sales only double the =
effect if you=20
consider costs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Personally, I think a website done by =
the Groo team=20
would be impressive to be looked at. But the same</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>amount of time and energy spent to make =
and support=20
the site could be used to publish another series.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I would think another series could more =
easily make=20
more money than a website. In general, the art</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>and profession of comic books has been =
around for=20
almost a century (if not more or less. Some</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>historian out there could correct me on =
that point=20
:) ). In that time a method to make, market and sell</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>comic books has been fined tuned down =
to an exact=20
buisness. I have watched in two decades this</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>buisness twist and turn. I saw mergers =
and bought=20
out comics and transfer of copyrights and publishing</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>rights. I saw more restarts and #1 =
issues of old=20
series than I care to see ( except the Groo team always</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>made a funny and honest joke out of =
every #1 they=20
had :) ) I saw too many gimics. Foil covers, glow in the</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>dark covers, rare covers, super rare =
covers,=20
collectible and randomly rare covers, fold in, fold out, fold up, fold =
down=20
covers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>and so on. It got me to a point to ask =
"Did anyone=20
sell art done to a good story anymore?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If it wasn't for Groo, I don't think I =
would have=20
seen the inside of a comic book store in the last 8 years. I can only=20
imagine</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>want an online Groo or comic book =
industry might=20
do. The medium of all comics was publishing art set to a story.=20
Sure</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>this could be done online. People could =
say that it=20
is efficent. Less paper used and no space taken up in a small =
shop</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>to stock the comics would be a plus. =
But I think it=20
takes away from the artist to see your work published only</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>by digital means and not on paper. You =
can hold it,=20
put it on the wall, get it signed, collect them, show them =
to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>others, read it out loud to your kids, =
and with=20
time collect a library of what will be a collection of modern =
art</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>and writing mixed into =
one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I also see the benefits. Heck right now =
I am using=20
a benefit. I think the Groop mail list has been a positive</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>use of the internet to support Groo and =
other=20
comics. It keeps readers connected and more informed. I think =
for</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>publishers the use of the internet to =
market and=20
advertise to current readers is useful. I don't see it useful to=20
bring</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>in new readers as much as it caters to =
current=20
readers. IMHO, I think that is why soo many of these .coms =
fail</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>is because many put up a website and =
their initial=20
users are current customers but by being on the internet</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>they do not pull in new customers and =
only have=20
their old customer base. And many of the old customer base</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>will not move or use the internet. They =
are=20
comfortable with the status quo.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I think with Fan websites, information =
from Dark=20
Horse (or whoever publishes Groo) about schedules and release =
dates</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>could be enough for now for Groo (and =
other comic=20
books). A computer or website will never be able to replace</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>the feeling of going into a comic book =
store and=20
slapping down a few dollars (or prefered currency in your area) =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>and taking home a delightful comic with =
great art,=20
good writing and cheese dip jokes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>(thanks for reading this far. Got more =
prolific=20
than I thought I would)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>--Ken</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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