Recently, I read an article on Newsarama discussing the issue between Big Apple Con and New York Con, and the two shows being scheduled at the same time.

I didn't really think much of it, because quite honestly, I don't care about comics all that much anymore, nor the absolute fucking joke the industry has become in the last ten years. I know some people may feel insulted by that, but seriously, it's true (and I'll explain why in a moment).

However one part of the article did get my attention.

The mentioning of Hollywood Celebrities and Baseball players at the conventions.

Baseball players? Are you fucking kidding me?

Fuck a bunch of baseball players.

Will that piss some people off? Probably. Do I care? Not really. Sorry, but boring-ass baseball may be your cup '0 tea, but it's not mine. If I want baseball players I'll go to a baseball convention, not a comic book convention.

This problem, I blame quite a bit, is on the entire Hollywood crossing over with Comic Books phenomenon. Hollywood has always had some interest in comic books, going all the way back to folks like George Reeves (probably further, but I'm tired right now, so there). Decades later the relationship continued with the likes of Linda Carter, appearances of Batman and Robin on Scooby Doo, and more.

The relationship continued with movies such as Batman (the Tim Burton version), and the X-Men cartoon (remember the one from the 90's....probably the best X-Men cartoon ever done).

And today that relationship between Hollywood and comics, continues. But now days it's taken a really awful turn for the worst (which by and large is why I don't have all that great of an interest in the industry anymore).

Now days, it's about who can strike a deal to get some crappy indy comic they've concocted, sold as a television pilot or sell the rights to it so it can be made in an already watered down movie industry.

Creators now days are more concerned with what they can do with their potential comic book ideas, than the comic books themselves.

And while people are allowed to do whatever they want with their creations, personally, it disgusts me.

John Doe makes a crappy indy comic. But because it's considered "cutting edge" because the art has some crappy abstract feel to it, he then is able to sell a pitch to Hollywood Man. Rumors abound on the internet about how this small indy comic Just made it big and it's selling has made John Doe a success at least in some aspect. Rumors continue on the internet for roughly a year or two, the Hollywood deal either falls through, or makes it and the movie or TV pilot ends up usually worse than the comic (certainly not always, but it does happen often). John Doe is a success now, regardless of how shitty his work was, and he gets offered good jobs in comics, while actually talented people who have worked their asses of for years, are forced to sit on the sidelines, because let's face facts, there are only so many jobs out there.

Does that make me sound bitter or jealous? Probably. Am I? Maybe a little, but not so much so for myself, as I am for friends in the industry who are extremely talented, yet are constantly overlooked by potential editors simply because they aren't friends with so and so, or because this other person, who has all the talent of a sack of diapers, made a slight name for themselves because some jack off in Hollywood thought they could get a "hip new cool" idea, and it turned out to be crap.

Me personally, I've become so jaded by comics, I doubt I'll ever have that love I once had when I was a teenager. And honestly, I'm not all that worried about getting a good job in comics anymore. Many creators still hold onto that dream, but personally the entire comic book industry can take their "test pages" and shove them up their collective asses and it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference to me.

I've worked every aspect of comics imaginable. I've done freelance art and writing, I've self-published, I've worked retail, I've hassled with Diamond on behalf of myself while self-publishing, I've hassled with Diamond on behalf of retailers I've worked for, and so on and so on.

And there is not ONE SINGLE INDUSTRY that treats those who make it possible (the fans) worse, and there is not ONE SINGLE INDUSTRY that treats those who keep the industry running (the creators) worse.

Really, can you name any other art job out there where a would be editor who isn't going to pay you anyways, because they think a percentage of the profits is more than fair, when we all know what a joke that concept is, will make you do 2 to 3 days worth of work to "test you" before even giving you a job?

I can't.

Can you name one other industry, where it's common place, to have various talent insulting each other to look "cool" on the internet to other people (most of whom they've never even met, and most of whom don't even give a shit)?

I can't.

Can you name one other industry, where it's various talent insults it's fans on a regular basis because it's funny to make fun of the "geek" or "nerd" that really resides in all of us (be us comic book fans or not), even though it's that same talent and those same fans that could potentially make that person a shit ton of money one day?

I can't.

And I blame all of these things on the relationship Hollywood has with comics. For some odd, inexplicable reason, a vast majority of creators out there have their heads so far up their asses, they believe because they have a keyboard and internet connection and the ability to make themselves appear to be a "high-roller" when they really aren't, they're allowed to treat their peers and fans like shit. Many of them have this odd way of thinking, that because they've hung out on a message board for a certain length of time, or because they're friends with so and so (or at least hey THINK they are, or want people to believe they are when they really aren't), that they are better than their peers or fans and that it's OK to treat them so deplorably.

The odd line of thinking that Hollywood has had for so long in how it treats it's talent and fans has infected the comic book industry to it's very core.

And I'm not even talking about mainstream comics. The way we trash each other and treat each other like crap and think we're God's gift to pop culture has infected us all the way down to the average guy doing his own DIY small press books even.

Just like Hollywood.

Do I think comic books should stop being adapted into cartoons and movies and TV shows? Of course not! It's a great form of entertainment, and what fan doesn't fantasize about who is going to play which role?

Do I hate indy creators or even just other creators in general now? Sure. Some of them should go fall off a fucking bridge for how they treat other people. I could name names and all that, but then people will say it's "un-professional" or some stupid shit. Personally I don't care as I've done well for myself thus far following my own rules and probably will continue to do so in the future. The only reason I don't is I don't feel like dealing with the fucking drama. you'd be surprised how many so called comic book artists and writers there are that don't have an ounce of talent but thrive on drama because it's the only way they can get their name out there.

That doesn't mean I don't like everyone though. There's some really good talent out there that's humble and just want to tell good stories as opposed to trying to fool the world into believing they're savvy business men or "movers and shakers" in a specific industry, when really, they aren't.

Am I leaving comics and never working on them again? No. I still have a few stories I want to tell. I have no false preconceptions though. I know my work isn't going to be read by millions or anything. While that would be nice, I'm perfectly content entertaining those who currently enjoy my work.

However, how the industry has evolved and the way it works now, in comparison to how it worked before is blatantly obvious now.

A lot of people say comics are dying, and all that. Do I think so? I didn't used to. Now I can't see any future, but for comics to die. Virtually no effort is put into bringing in new fans. Virtually no effort is put into bringing in young fans. Instead people want to put up an act like their story is sophisticated or some non-sense and they think that because their crappy 5 page back up story in some shitty self published anthology indy book made it, they're doing their part to bring in fans by having their crappy 5 page story make it to Hollywood one day.

Good luck with that.

Yes the industry is dying. Hollywood has always had a relationship with comics. But just like smoking cigarettes, you don't know the cancer is there until it's too late.

In the mid-90's there were lots of comic shops. Most were replaced with baseball card shops, or baseball card shop owners gave up on comics and quit selling them.

And now, rather than do more fan interactive stuff at conventions, or open up more space for creators to showcase their work, we instead get more Hollywood and Baseball at conventions.

These are no longer comic book conventions. Sure, they are by name, but in reality they are very quickly turning into just celebrity conventions (unless you're attending a small convention).

There are many many many problems with the comic book industry. And every time someone tries to point them out, they're usually ostracized by their peers, made fun of, told how wrong they are and to lighten up, blah blah blah.

But the fact is, if creators don't step up and do something about these problems now (like learning to treat each other better, bringing in new fans, bringing back old fans, and stopping ourselves from being overshadowed by Hollywood and sports big names) then the industry will not be here in 20 years.

Do you think I'm wrong? Then name me one news organization that reported about San Diego COMIC Con this year about COMICS.

You can't.

But I can name several that made fun of comics, it's fans, and I can also name several that interviewed celebrities and asked said celebrities, "What are you doing here???"

So what can we do to make comics stronger?

A. Stop treating each other like shit. So somebody posted some art on a message board or somewhere that you don't like. So fucking what. Give them some good advice on how to improve, or stay the fuck quiet. It's a lesson we all learned as children. We're adults, so learn to act like it.

B. Stop acting as if our shit doesn't stink. Whoopedy Doo! You're self-publishing some half-assed rag. Don't come to creators demanding they do test pages and all this and that. Hey fuck you. I can go make ten times as much money doing ad layouts and I don't have to do test samples at all. And I start getting paid from day one. Instead, be glad you have someone willing to help you with your self-publishing aspirations and goals. If a person's portfolio is good enough, then that should be all there is too it. While you're demanding me to do test page after test page, this guy over here is willing to pay me REAL LIFE MONEY to do work. Which one do you think I'm going to devote more time to? In other words, stop asking artists to prove themselves to you, when you have yet to prove shit to anyone that you can publish or be published.

C. Start making comics accessible to kids again. Fuck these giant company cross-overs. Kids can't get into that crap. Are the stories good? Sure some are. And some aren't. But regardless of how good they are or aren't, if a kid doesn't know what the ll is going on because it's like walking into a movie that's two thirds of the way over, the kid isn't going to be all that inclined to sit through the rest. Playing a video game is easier. Furthermore, your story doesn't have to have tits and shit in it non stop, nor does it always need the kind of language I'm using in this blog. If I found my ten year old reading half the crap that comes out now, I would go nuts. Brian Michael Bendis' run on Ultimate Spider-man was done perfectly. It wasn't written for kids or adults. It was just well written. Stop doing the whole "shocking" thing and instead just concentrate on a good story.

D. Just like example C, ditch the cross-overs if you want fans to come back. I can't count how many people I've met that used to collect comics but gave up on them simply because they didn't want to buy 15 different titles to get one solid story. If you want fans to come back, tell a solid story in one title (maybe two at most), and market the shit out of it.

E. Stop catering to Hollywood , and good God, PLEASE stop catering to fucking baseball. Should we have Hollywood celebrities and what have you at conventions? Sure. Who wouldn't want Partick Stewart to sign a Professor X action figure or get their picture taken with Linda Carter or Dean Cain? But stop making the conventions about them. The conventions are about two things first and foremost before ANYTHING else. The fans, and the comics....IN THAT ORDER. They aren't about some dickhead who's starring in a new movie and he's being showcased at the convention because he was in a comic book flick 5 years ago. In that same tone, stop hiring Hollywood to create your comics.

So Mr. Hollywood over here directed some big budget comic book adapted move. And now you want him to write the X-men or Superman comics? Are you fucking insane? Hollywood fucks up enough comics as it is just making movies. We certainly don't need them fucking up the actual comics books. And the fact is most of them don't even know HOW to write a comic book, let alone a good one.

Dear Mr. Editor,

If you want someone to write good comics for your company, here's some advice...

HIRE A FUCKING COMIC BOOK WRITER!

Sincerely,
The Average Fan.

So those are my thoughts on the industry and long and drawn out as they are.

Am I wrong on some of the stuff?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Are my ideas of fixing the things that wrong, worth while?

Maybe. Maybe not.

But I sure as hell don't see anyone else coming up with anything.

I used to love comics. Now I'd much rather play video games and watch TV and go hiking and traveling with my wife and kids for fun, than sit down with a comic. I'd much rather make money doing commercial art for logo design and what not or concentrate on my going back to school for my Bachelor's to make money, than trying to prove my art is good enough to some dick on a message board who isn't going to pay me anyways (and if they do, it probably wouldn't even equal to being over minimum wage either).

I used to love comics, but now, I just don't give a shit any more.

Hopefully this industry (as well as some of the creators) will one day pull it's head out of it's ass and make me, as well as LITERALLY millions of others care about it once again.

At least I still have Fables and Walking Dead trades to look forward to.