Are print comics dead? Is digital distribution the only future of comic strips?

[jono_thompson]

Newspapers and Magazines are either going out of business, or moving to the digital market. And this means the medium of comics printed in the paper is slowly decreasing. I know it is almost impossible to get your comics in a newspaper in Australia (that's where I live), unless you are really established and famous, so the only future of comics I see for myself is independent publishing or digital distribution ie. webcomics.

What are your personal thoughts on the dying print industry, and the future of digital distribution, in terms of the comic medium

[AnnaLandin]

Newspapers are struggling. Comics are doing remarkably well! Just look at how Raina Tegelmeier's works dominated the New York Time's bestseller list in 2015! And by "dominated", I mean she's been on there for three straight years, and even managed to hold the top 4 spots once with four separate works.

They're not comic-strips - they're graphic novels, AFAIK - but it goes to show that comics aren't dying - they're just changing. Yes, it's a struggle, but it's always been a struggle. With new methods of distribution, we need to adapt. There are flaws that need to be fixed in the comics industry, definitely, but we just have to work hard, work together, and change the things that need changing.

I don't know what the Australian comics-market is like, especially not for comic-strip funnies, but there's a whole world out there. There's nothing preventing you from reaching beyond national borders.

[Shanny8]

In spite of magazines & newspaper sales going down, printed comics have sold pretty well. In fact the sales of printed comics have risen within the last few years(it seems digital sales may have plateaued for a spell). The fact that comics have expanded into many diff formats & genres have helped print stay alive(not to forget collected editions and graphic novels as well).

I see this as a good thing coz it would possibly be a nightmare if the whole print market crashed and everyone- professional and independent, had to make a living selling digital.

Now for a starting independent artist- digital sales/distribution is a more viable means of getting their work looked at by and sold to an audience, as how print is/can be costly. But if you have the opportunity to get a table at a con then selling printed material helps- especially if you make a printed collection of your digital material. Some fans of your work may enjoy the digital stuff, but also want a printed copy as an investment in you...you may also find new readers who discover your comics through print and continue to follow you via digital.

The door swings both ways...you just have to figure out how to make it work for you.

[PotooGryphon]

I agree that print newspaper and magazine shouldn't really be the focus for aspiring comic strip creators. If it just so happens that a print syndication wants to hire an artist to contribute some material, that's cool but shouldn't be the goal for that artist.

And just because newspaper/magazine industry is evolving to a more digital format doesn't mean that those roles for strip comic creators are disappearing. Far from it. It's gotten better for them. Many are able to approach sites like College Humor, Funny or Die, and such and either contribute or get hired to do strips for articles. And it's fantastic publicity for these artists and they're able to reach a more general audience.

Now to address the question in the thread title, "Are print comics dead?" :stern stare:

Printed comics are not dead, ie. printed books whether self-published or getting picked up by a publisher. Really for us self-publishing webcomic artists [both gag or story series] getting our work officially copyrighted, obtaining an ISBN, and approaching distributors should be our goal. With that, print copies of our work can be picked up by stores, schools [depending on the age rating], libraries and can be distributed nationally and internationally and really get infront of the general public eye. [I can rant on this for hours but it's off-topic so I'll stop here with that]

Back to the point, I think newspapers and magazine would be pretty decent publicity for an artist, but I agree that that industry is evolving into a more digital format. Which doesn't signify the end of the strip comic reaching syndication but more evolving with the industry to online opportunities.

Comics are doing remarkably well! Just look at how Raina Tegelmeier's works

:hugs you for mentioning Raina: !!! Raina is on fire and most of the mainstream comic industry has no idea who she is because she's more on the book/schools/young kids side than the superheroes Marvel/DC side of comics. YES! Raina and Dave Roman are fantastic!

[AnnaLandin]

Raina is ASTOUNDING, and she's giving me hope that there is a space for me and others in YA-comics. I'm cooking up some ideas over the summer for a more YA-appropriate graphic novel! Less bloodsoaked than Grassblades, double the amount of cool adventure. <3

[jono_thompson]

Raina

I haven't seen Raina's work before, looks really good - from the minimal stuff I just researched then.