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otterchild
Apr '16

Hey everybody! Recently the Outhouse ran an article documenting a small survey about why people read indie comics. You can read it here5, it's great. Unfortunately, their sample size was really small. So what I'm asking is that everyone answer the survey below and put the following questions as a survey in their own comic if they create one (in the comments or as a page, your choice) Count up and post your results on this thread and I'll collate what I get from everybody; we may find some pretty cool stuff out. Also, would anyone like answers to any other questions?

  1. Which of the following are you?
    a. comic creator
    b. comic reader

  2. Do you read indie comics often? yes/no

3.How many indie comics do you buy per month?
a. 1-5
b.5-10
c.10-15
d. 15 or more

4. Reasons why you read indie comics. Select all that apply
a.because a friend or loved one works on it
b. because a reputable source recommended it
c.You wanted to purchase something that was alternative.
d. You backed a kickstarter you found interesting.
e.You prefer original content.
f. They are cheaper than other comics.

5. Reasons why you read mainstream comics. Select all that apply
a. because a reputable source recommended it
b.Because you've been reading it a long time and like it.
c. Because the work is high quality
e.You prefer the content.
f. They are something you can talk about with friends.

6. Do you find yourself purchasing more indie comics than others? Yes/No

7.What genres appeal to you? Select all that apply
a. Superheroes
b.Fantasy
c. Sci-Fi
d.Horror
e. children's
f. Crime
g. Gag a Day/Comedy

8. Do you back kickstarters for indie comics? How often?
a. never
b. 1-3 times per year
c. 1-3 times per month
d. more than three times per month
9.
Where do you buy your comics?
a. Have a pull list at a shop.
b. Buy Digitally from ComiXology etc.
c. Purchase directly from creator.
d. Other sites

10 What draws you to indie work?
(open ended question, optional)

11. What are you hoping to see more of in the indie comic scene?
(ditto)

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AnnaLandin
Apr '16

I'm thinking it might be easier for you to collect the results if you did this as a Google-survey? Also, when I say "indie comics", I also include webcomics in that. Anyway, here goes:

1. Which of the following are you?
a. comic creator
b. comic reader

A: both a and b.

2. Do you read indie comics often?
Yes

3. How many indie comics do you buy per month?
a. 1-5 (sometimes less; I live a long way from any comic book store, and my budget doesn't always allow for monthly purchases)

4. Reasons why you read indie comics
a.because a friend or loved one works on it
b. because a reputable source recommended it
e.you prefer original content.

5. Reasons why you read mainstream comics.
b.Because you've been reading it a long time and like it.
c. Because the work is high quality

(note: by mainstream, I'm not sure what you mean? Are we JUST talking about comics published by DC/Marvel? Because I don't normally read those; I'm Swedish, so I've kind of grown up without thinking about superhero comics as the norm. In answering this question, I take "mainstream" to mean "published by a big publisher", so I count Hellboy and a bunch of the manga I own).

6. Do you find yourself purchasing more indie comics than others?
Yes.

7.What genres appeal to you?
Sometimes a, but mostly b, c, e, sometimes g.

8. Do you back kickstarters for indie comics? How often?
b. 1-3 times per year.

It would be more often than that, but when I back a kickstarter, I like to get things in print as my reward, and cross-Atlantic shipping is insanely expensive - sometimes costing even more than the book itself - and my budget for backing kickstarters is v. limited.

9.Where do you buy your comics?
c. and d. - I don't have a monthly pull-list at a shop, but I do go in and buy TPBs as often as my funds allow.

10. What draws you to indie work?
The fact that it isn't bound by any real genre-conventions, and the fact that there isn't 70+ years of continuity to wrap my head around. I'm a completionist kind of reader: if I read something, I want to read all of it. And with superhero comics and their mixed up continuities and reboots and events and whatnot, that just simply isn't possible.

11. What are you oping to see more of in the indie comics scene?
More of all the things. More weirdness, more romance, more all-ages stories, more adventure, more quiet introspection, more characters and creators of all colours, shapes, genders and sexual orientations, more epic fantasy stories, more existential scifi, more fun.

More comics, basically. I want indie comics to rise up higher, and I want the wider reading public to start reading comics the same way they read novels.

.

I notice that a bunch of these questions are formulated with American survey-takers in mind, as it assumes that we a. think of "mainstream" as being DC/Marvel and their business model, and b. all consider buying monthly issues as the basic pattern of comics-buying. I'm Swedish; while it's possible for me to have a monthly pull-list at my local comic book store - and by "local" I mean "in another city 40 miles away" - I don't, because I've grown up with a different kind of comics-buying system, and also prefer to buy graphic novels whenever I can.

SethJH
Apr '16

Which of the following are you?
a. comic creator

Do you read indie comics often?
yes

3.How many indie comics do you buy per month?
0

4. Reasons why you read indie comics. Select all that apply
(a).because a friend or loved one works on it
(b). because a reputable source recommended it
(e).You prefer original content.

5. Reasons why you read mainstream comics. Select all that apply
(a). because a reputable source recommended it

6. Do you find yourself purchasing more indie comics than others?
N/A. I have not purchased any comics.

7.What genres appeal to you? Select all that apply
(a). Superheroes
(b).Fantasy
(c). Sci-Fi
(d). Horror

8. Do you back kickstarters for indie comics? How often?
a. never (not saying I never will, I just haven't yet.)

9. Where do you buy your comics?
N/A. Have not bought any comics yet. I read some mainstream comics at the library.

10 What draws you to indie work?
Indie comics aren't moderated by publisher rules and mainstream market tastes, so they tend to feature interesting and unique subject matter that is often more enjoyable to read.

11. What are you hoping to see more of in the indie comic scene?
I'm still new to the comic scene, so I haven't developed an opinion on this yet.