If you read any social psychology or eastern philosophy
texts they will tell you that the future is unknowable and that humans are
actually poor predictors of what’s to happen. I believe this to be true, as life has taught
me that the only constant is change. I do however, feel that sometimes we can
predict trends based on current events. It’s quite evident that the comics
world is not only growing, but evolving in ways that previously wouldn’t have
been considered. It’s an exciting time to be a cartoonist, as new platforms for
exposure and sharing of work pop up every day. At the same time though, it’s
daunting, as a larger group of artists compete for the same resources, such as
publishing opportunities. Below is a list of my top 7 predictions for the
future (at least near future) of the comics world.
1) Micropresses will expand (viva la floppy).
In the past few years we have seen
a proliferation of “micropresses” pop up. I’d define a micro press as a small
publishing company that predominately publishes “floppies” or shorter form
comics without hard covers (this is not always the case though). Furthermore,
many of the artists put out are traditionally up-and-comers, newer artists,
those who prefer shorter-form storytelling, and well… fellow cartoonist friends.
Yes, they can be insular at times, but they allow for a greater diversity of
stories being put out and are often strengthened by publishers being cartoonists
themselves.
Some of the reasons that
micropresses have expanded are because more people are making
minicomics/floppies, they need an avenue for funding and exposure, and
well…more people are reading them. Another reason is that the tools of the
publishing trade are now more than ever accessible to the “average person”. I think
micropresses are a fantastic addition to the publishing world, where we often
see the same “established” cartoonists being published by the same larger companies.
I’m all for publishers building enduring relationships with specific artists,
but I like how many micropresses are taking chances on who they publish. I’m
not saying that a micropress is the most lucrative or sustainable business, but
I foresee the number of them expanding in the next few years.
2) Comics will become more diverse.
As the general population becomes more
diverse and different demographics of people start to read comics more, the
material being put out will have to accommodate this. This is not just about
having more comics geared towards women or racial/ethnic minorities, but to
people living all sorts of lifestyles. And the process for this happening is
two-fold. Cartoonists from different demographics will start telling their own
stories and finding their own means of producing and distributing them, such as
through self-publishing or starting their own presses. Second, if current
publishing companies are to stay relevant they will need to expand their idea
of what is marketable and publishable. This is already happening, but it will
only continue to grow.
3) Older “classics” will be lost to the new
generation.
This is not a new thing, but yes, as time
goes on, younger cartoonists will not be as familiar with who/what are now
considered to be ‘classic’ cartoonists, comics, and graphic novels. Of course
there are exceptions, including taking comics history classes or actively seeking
out older materials, but younger artists will gravitate to more recent works
and if they look back at older ones it will be with a different lens than that
of older generations.
4) There will be more cons than cartoonists.
Yes, this is an exaggeration, but you get
the point. There are more and more cons every year, not only in large cities,
but smaller ones both domestically and internationally. I think this speaks to
the fact that there are more cartoonists and material out there, there are
markets for comics in places that people would not have expected, and that
comics people are taking the initiative to set up these festivals.
This is great news for cartoonists, as it
makes it more convenient to get to local cons (the opposite could be said if
you are overwhelmed by the options) and to sell newer work with less lag time
in between production. It allows one to build readership more readily. And most
importantly, it allows cartoonists to continue to build a community of other
artists, industry professionals, and fans.
5) Digital copies will thrive but so will print
comics.
With digital comics marketplaces such as
Comixology or Gum Road growing in popularity, many have predicted that print
comics will go the way of the dinosaur. Yes, digital comics will continue to
grow in popularity given the elevated use of technology and physical
convenience of reading something on a computer or tablet, but there’s something
to be said for print copies that will continue to make them indispensable. With
digital you lose out on the tactile nature of reading as well as some of the
visual nuance. I’m not saying one is better than the other. I’m just saying
that they will not be in competition, but rather complement each other.
6) Tumblr, Twitter and other social media platforms
will become the center of comic criticism.
There has been much debate recently about
the state of comics criticism. Some believe that it’s in the hand of a select
few that are of the older, white male demographic and that there are few
younger and more varied critics out there. I disagree with this to an extent.
Yes, I think that these aforementioned critics may be the ones running some of
the bigger sites and they might be more ingrained in the “industry”, but there
are plenty of “amateur” reviewers running their own blogs and sites.
More reviewers and critics means more
variable quality, but it also means more variety in writing styles and
analysis. Tumblr is one of the best places to see this and I believe that it is
now at the forefront of comics criticism and discussion. Tumblr and whatever
future online platforms develop will continue to support the evolution of
comics criticism.
7) Comics will become a more respected medium.
Sometimes when you’re so immersed in comics
culture, it’s hard to see that many outside of your bubble do not think as
highly of it. In fact not only do many not see it as a legitimate art form, but
they are unaware or even misinformed about comics in general.
I do think this is slowly changing however
as the diversity of cartoonists and work expand, as comics become more
accessible for some via digital and online platforms, as bookstores start to
develop their comics and graphic novels sections, and as academic institutions learn
the value of using comics as teaching
tools.
I’ve always seen comics as a valuable medium
and in fact a deeply complex one that takes much effort to thrive in.
Cartooning utilizes art, math, storytelling, design and PATIENCE among other
things. And if you decide to promote your work, it means developing business
and networking skills as well. We should not expect the outside world to fully
understand this, but rather to appreciate the fruits of the cartoonist’s labor
and honor it as a real profession just like any other.
-Whit Taylor
