If you owned a comic book company, how would you run it?

[Stoner_Fanboy]

If I had one this is how I’d like to do it: First of all, I wouldn’t have monthly comics. I would want nothing but graphic novels. I would also like it to have two parts. One part would be science fiction and superhero type stuff that’s all in the same universe. That way they could cross over and what not. The other side would just be independent type comics. It could be anything and it wouldn’t have anything to do with the other universe. I would put out two graphic novels a month, one from each side of the company. So how would you guys, and gals run a comic book publisher?

 

[mg_productions]

Your system sounds good.But I would add a some monthly series.Only like 2 or 3.But I wouldn't have established characters.

I remember reading and interview Warren Ellis did and they asked him what his dream project would be.He replied that it would be for someone to give him 24 pages and total creative freedom.

Hence,I would have about 2 or 3 writers or artists do whatever they wanted and let that creative energy do the talking.Who wouldn't want to see Ellis do whatever he wanted?

 

[Phoney Bone]

Well I'd defineitly have a small company. At the most, only 5 comics at the start. There would be maybe 3-4 writers, about the same for artists. I'd only get the best talent for my company. I'd give them free choice, but I'd still want all the series to be close-knit together. I'd let them run as long as they needed to, even if it was doing worse than some of the others.

 

[X]

What I wouldent do to be able to own a comic book company...I would actually care about how things where done and give the fan's what they wanted, good stuff at that...

 

[0 Degrees]

I would keep my characters to one book. By this I mean there aren't 5 different Superman titles a month, there's one, ala The Flash. Thus all the truly kick ass stories are consistently delivered, and the piss poor ones never see the light of day (and the writer that suggests them gets thrown in a tank with sharks with laser beams attatched to their heads).

 

[X]

Lmao, good one 0 Degrees...

And dont you mean ill tempered sea bass?

 

[logan_weapon_x]

I would have multiple characters that can cross over, however at the same time be specific to one series, like say Daredevil. I would have two divisions. One dealing with superheroes, and the other range would be the urban range dealing with horror tales and dark crime tales. I would also own a toy company as well as a movie production company overseeing all of my productions so i have creative control, allowing cross overs on film etc.

 

[3dman27]

Originally posted by logan_weapon_x
I would have multiple characters that can cross over, however at the same time be specific to one series, like say Daredevil. I would have two divisions. One dealing with superheroes, and the other range would be the urban range dealing with horror tales and dark crime tales. I would also own a toy company as well as a movie production company overseeing all of my productions so i have creative control, allowing cross overs on film etc.

my sentiments exactly also i have plenty of cliffhanger type heroes as well as superheroes to crossover with.

 

[Nar Mattaru]

1. Complete creator control
2. No gimmicks of any kind. (covers, multipe versions, etc.)
3. No ads at all. 32 pages means 32 pages
4. $1.75 price tag

 

[War Lord]

The only way to run a comics store:

1. Provide as many variety titles as possible, but keep a balance between that and not carrying stuff that simply doesn't sell.

2. Allow regulars to custom order their comics and have a 'mail box' that holds their stuff.

3. Have a Cappuchino machine to keep them in the store wih such strong caffeine that outside of work and sleep, they must be in your store buying stuff.

 

[Mr.Furious]

like crap probably.

 

[Kevin]

I'll come up with an answer soon, otherwise, this is a bump.

 

[The Question]

Well, I haven't thought of how I'd run my own comic book company, but I sure as hell have thought about how I'd run Marvel and DC.


Marvel:

1) Cut down on the number of in cintinuity titles. Only one Spider-Man title, only one X-Men title about the core team, etc. Members of teams would be able to have solo series, but the only books they'd apear in regularly would be their team's book and their solo book.

2) Far fewer big events. Maybe one company wide cross over every few years if we get a really good idea.

3) I'd try and get the following people on the following titles:

Fantastic Four: Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly

Spider-Man: Dan Slott

Avengers: Warren Ellis

What If?: Alan Moore

DC:

Pretty much all of the same, except I'd try and shift the focus away from the "Silver Age but cool" fad we have going right now. I'd commission a new Question ongoing, written and drawn by Matt Wagner, and I'd try and get the following people on the following tittles:

Justice League: Niel Gaiman and Mark Buckingham

Superman: Mark Millar

Teen Titans: Joss Whedon

Wonder Woman: Micheal Avon Oeming

Batman: Joe Kelly

 

[Andy C.]

How would I run a comic company? Into the ground, because I don't know jack about business management.

Seriously, though, I'd try and do with my company what Dark Horse did in the early days: offer things that the big two couldn't. Superhero comics are great, but there are very very few superheroes outside of Marvel and DC that reach any sort of commercial success. Instead, I'd give writers and artists free reign over the worlds and characters they wanted to create, mostly unrelated to all the other projects going on. Trying to merge every single thing into one continuity can get overly complicated if you're wanting to do a fantasy story, but someone else is doing a scifi story, and someone else is doing horror stories, etc.

Only two or three monthly ongoings, but mostly mini-series and one-shots.

 

[Darthphere]

Effectively.

 

[PWN3R]

I'd cancel every comic.

I'd only have one comic a month. Thats it.

Nextwave

 

[Darthphere]

You dont have the rights. Sorry, youre bankrupt.

 

[PWN3R]

Shut up. Forbush Man is on my side now, haven't you heard?

Its over.

 

[droogiedroogie2]

I would have only monthlies, with graphic novels and miniseries allowed on a very restricted case by case basis, and only if the story somehow lent itself far better to the format. I would not allow non-continuity stories, except for clear Elseworlds type tales. I would appoint a continuity department to check all issues for continuity errors. Retcons would be virtually unheard of, and would only be adjustments as opposed to just straight-up rewritten history. Resurrections would have to be clearly planned and defined and explained well in advance of the reveal, and would have to be organic, necessary, and well-written. Contact with extraterrestrial life would be limited.

Everything would exist within a unified universe, but there would be an imprint for other titles. Nothing on that imprint would occur in the mainline universe, or feature characters from the mainline universe (hear me, Vertigo?)

And, of course, it would be superhero fiction.