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About Comic Book Companies

Comic have long held a fascination for children and adults alike. There are more than a hundred comic book companies and then there are those which are defunct too. The explosion rate of comic book companies is quite amazing. So is the rush to distribute, produce and advertise them. Companies try to find that one character or characters that would have instant appeal with the masses. But you do have companies that are underground and not looking to cater to the masses but to a completely different section of the society.

If the character in such comics is accepted then they go on to become mainstream comics. Here the character of the story is one with whom the public can relate too and is believable enough for people to like. This is important because the survival of the comic book is dependent on the acceptance by the targeted readers. If the opposite happens where the readers are not able to relate to the character and activities then the comic book fades into oblivion. There is a lot of work involved in making a comic book and if the readers don't accept it then it's a whole lot of effort wasted. If there is no perseverance and dedication towards getting out a good piece of work then the readers are not going to pay any attention to your work.

This non acceptance is evident from the list of defunct comic book companies that one can see. But then failure is to be expected especially in the heavily competitive business world. There is a comprehensive list of these defunct companies available and the reasons for why they are defunct are easy to see.

Paid readership is very essential for the survival of any comic book company. Paid readership means sustained readership which is essential for the company to move on. The age old economic theory of supply and demand holds true for comic books. At present the two very popular and probably the largest among comic book companies today are Marvel comics and DC comics. Of course there are a lot of independent companies too.

Gaining credibility is difficult and once the company in question does get a foothold they are able to increase their repertoire of characters and take another step into the market. It's the comic figures that represent the company. Marvel has a lot more of villains and cosmic heroes than DC who is its main competition and DC has an entire troupe of characters from outer space.

But in this world of comic books there is another player and they are those who use licensed figures like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Wars to name a few. Dark Horse is the third largest comic company and it belongs to this genre. In the world of comic books, using characters that are long established on TV is a common feature and the market for these characters is already there so there is relatively less to do in terms of promotion of the comic.

Todd McFarlane brings a comic artist's eye to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Best known for creating the Spawn comic book franchise, Todd McFarlane is no stranger to the world of video games. While his chain-wielding anti-hero has appeared in a handful of games, McFarlane himself has worked in a limited capacity on titles like Soul Calibur II and McFarlane's Evil Prophecy. With Tuesday's Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, McFarlane has finally taken the creative reigns as ...

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT's DAVID FINCH Welcomes a New Writer

For artist David Finch, his goals for the success of Batman: The Dark Knight are being accomplished in two steps: 1) Get the comic out on time.2) Get an acclaimed writer on board who can take the book in the direction Finch envisions.The first to-do item on Finch's list has been firmly met, as the Batman: The Dark Knight has hit its deadlines ever since September's relaunch.And beginning in June ...

Comic book artist dreams of breaking the barriers

BY CHUCK O’DONNELL Correspondent Erica Schultz pushes her sunglasses up on top of her head to keep her dark hair out of her face and leans back against the black leather jacket draped over her chair. While nearby customers with venti caramel macchiatos in hand browse the titles on the shelves, Schultz is spending this Sunday morning reflecting on her dream of someday writing the Great American ...

Comic book musical spoof being staged by children’s theatre group

STOCKTON — A comic book musical spoof offers singing superheroes, dancing villains, and lots of laughs in KUDOS’ production of “Adventures of a Comic Book Artist”.

Al Rio, Animator and Comic Book Artist, 1962 - 2012

Animator and comic book artist Al Rio has passed away on January 31, 2012, in an apparent suicide by hanging . Rio's artistic career began with illustrating books at a local English school in his native country of Brazil. After a stint with the... Read More