Are Indy Superheroes Worth It...?

Wow...on one hand, I can't believe how woefully absent these articles have been throughout this calendar year. But then again, if you're following me on my OTHER media channels, you know this year has been one of the most dynamically productive of my career. So, after much ado and long awaits -- UnConventional is BACK! For those new to me, "Hi!" I'm Victor Dandridge -- The Hardest Working Man in Comics and UnConventional is my thought exercise space for various ways to positively impact the comic book industry. I truly hope you venture through my previous entries and invite you to comment, like, and share with any and everyone you know...if that's not too much!

This one is a bit of soft launch...a way for both of us to reacclimated. So, without tarrying any further, let's jump into it!

The other day, I was watching a wonderful conversation hosted by The Comics Pals podcast and they posed a most brilliant question: Who Cares About Non Marvel & DC Superheroes?

As an indie publisher, who has built a shared universe of superheroes, I had a visceral reaction, as well as a vested interest in the subject. I took to Twitter and jotted out a few thoughts. But then I thought -- it would make a great return article for my UnConventional series to DECOMPRESS those views a bit more.

1.) Should Indies/Indys do superhero books (when the #Big2 do them so well)? In a word -- YES! But, as with all things, there are some caveats to consider.

One of my first UnConventional articles focused on how I believe in the future (and it's getting ever nearer), that Marvel and DC should join forces, with their place in the industry, to serve as entry and growth points for comic readers. They would still be TWO distinguished entities, to be sure, but would focus on readership groups based on age and execution. DC Comics, with their more iconic characters and longevity, would be the starting point, targeting readers ages 3-10. Marvel, whose roster features more stories with shades of gray (in morality and context) would pick up the baton for readers, aged 11-18.

Indies would fill the opposing niche for each company. Want a gritty Superman-esque story -- there's an indy for that! Want a sublimely kid-friendly Spider-Man read -- there's an indie book for that too! It would create a rather healthy ecosystem of storytelling, with those companies that are more IP-minded to have their base, untainted or disrupted by new ideas of edginess and cool.

2.) Are you doing something different? Not cool. Not better. But DIFFERENT. Those other two determinations are soOo subjective. What I think is cool, you don't; what I think is better...let's not even get into that. Different is objectively QUANTIFIABLE.

WHY you're creating matters just as much as WHAT, in my opinion. Particularly, because it speaks to and builds towards the marketability of the project. Audiences today invest in authenticity, so being explicitly honest in your motivations is a great place to ask new readers to meet you. Now, there's the risk that if your motives are more subjective than not, then you risk alienating and ostracizing your audience. Making a "SUCCESSFUL" comic is hard enough; no need in adding difficulty levels if you don't have to.

3.) WHERE that difference is matters too. A superficial change (in race, gender, etc.) that does NOT significantly impact the context of the story falls FLAT.

This is pretty self-explanatory, right? (If it's not, or you just WANT me to explain, let me know in the comments and I'll make that a future article.)

4.) But a bigger caveat (pun intended) is the SCALE of the stories you're telling. An indy Superhero Ongoing series has to work 2x as hard to get 1/2 as far as #BigTwo titles. And the kill point for indies is razor thin. A single lackluster issue could be the end of the imprint.

This becomes a bit of a prickly point -- SHOULD companies like Image and Dark Horse qualify as independent? Neither are openly corporate funded (though Dark Horse's publishing of Netflix originals and Skybound's partnership with Hasbro tow that line), but they are structured with similar distribution channels and market recognition -- enough so that claiming the #BigFour of comics would include them. Honestly, I can see merit in arguments for and against, so let's take a more macro position. I find the BIGGEST obstacle for indie publishing is CONTINUATION. For many smaller imprints, getting more than one book out in a year is a Herculean feat. And many come into this with ambitions of grand opuses, with dozens of issues needed to tell it. It runs the risk of creators never making good on their endeavors, or having lost the audience from extensive waiting, along the way.

5.) This is where I think Hellboy success -- even OVER Invincible (a series I ADORE). The character presentation (and development) is over a series of stand alone stories. Easy to complete (as a creative) and even easier to discover (as a reader)!

By all means, make YOUR superhero universe, but do it in a way that is objectively unique, and contained enough to be completed in a reasonable amount of time. The barrier of entry is at an all time low, so getting into the game is easy -- staying in AND making the splash you want is the true challenge, and arming yourself with as many pluses will give you a boost over those who don't.

Thanks for reading -- let's not make it so long before I have another entry for you!

V.