By Michael Climek

The comics blogsphere is not always an adequate barometer of what is selling in the direct market. Often times books that are championed loudly by the small comics blogsphere sell extremely poorly, even though if you look at the very small comics blogsphere it seems like ‘everyone’ is reading them.

The blogsphere expresses concern over worthy books as their sales figures continue to shrink. Sometimes, positive buzz causes the publisher to continue publishing a book and to give it more of a chance. Other times fans create in-depth programs to save their most favorite books. The Spider-Girl fans are notoriously well organized and campaign strongly and loudly to keep Spider-Girl on the racks in all it’s glory.

Admittedly I started buying Spider-Girl because that kind of passionate support made me think there really must be something special about the book, so I started buying it at the most recent re-launch. That and I felt their pain, I know what it’s like to lose a wonderful book, and I wanted to make sure they didn’t have to go through the pain I’ve felt when books like Outlaw Nation or BKV’s Swamp Thing got canned.

So here is my idea. I think we, the comics blogsphere, should organize behind our most favorite title and make pledges to each other individually. This is based on the honor system of course. I think we should pledge to buy someone’s favorite book, if in turn, that same fan will pledge to buy our favorite book.

What exactly do I mean?

I love Blue Beetle. Love it. The most recent story arc with The Reach was frankly one of the best comics I have read in years. It was pulse pounding action, good vs. evil, cameo’s galore, with an active and loveable supporting cast. I f*&ing love this book. I know, beyond all shadow of a doubt that this book is accessible and enjoyable. I’ve tried out the first 3 trades on occasional comics readers (the trade-only, borrow-only crowd) and they’ve universally responded positively. Blue Beetle is the strongest book to hit the super-hero world in YEARS.

Its sales figures however, do not reflect this. It still lags behind books that are not as strong.

There are other books that create a similar sense of passion in fans, notably Spider-Girl, Atomic Robo, and the Vertigo series Scalped.

All of these books have low sales figures. Though the internet buzz about Scalped caused me to pick up the 1^st trade in a half-off bin (that and I loved The Other Side, and That one issue of Wolverine that scribe Jason Aaron wrote) but I’m not buying Scalped as a monthly because I don’t love it like other people love it.

But that’s too single minded, and frankly it doesn’t account for my fellow comic-fan and their pain at a lost book.

So here is the proposal to any Scalped fans willing to take up the challenge: If you buy Blue Beetle I will start buying Scalped.

It’s an honor system thing here. But we can create a network of this, one fan at a time, until it has an effect.

Do you love Scalped so much that you’d do anything to see those sales figures go up?
Then buy Blue Beetle. I will in turn buy Scalped.
BAM! – The sales figures went up by one!

Do you love Atomic Robo enough to try out Blue Beetle for a few months? Well if you buy Blue Beetle I’ll buy Atomic Robo! Instant solution! Sales figures go up by one!

Admittedly the argument would be more powerful if I wasn’t’ already buying Spider-Girl (cause those guys are dedicated). But dang it, come-on you Spider-Girl fans, try out Blue Beetle the book is right up your alley, those books are way more similar than you think.

I’m open to other suggestions as well. If you buy Blue Beetle, I’ll buy whatever book it is that you’re trying to save. Moot point for books that do not have low sales figures just so we’re clear.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 5th, 2008 at 11:37 pm and is filed under Comics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.