Give the public what they want -- NOT!

topic posted Fri, January 26, 2007 - 2:36 PM by  Yul

I've been told my numerous people that the only way I'll be able to successfully sell my comics is if I give the comic-reading public what they want. because apparently the way I do comics is not what the public wants. In other words, my comics present unpopular imagery as well as unpopular ideas. Now I fully understand the reasoning behind that. But I still reject the "normal" way of doing comics because (1) I live in a free country where freedom of expression exists and (2) I live in a world where the human population is over 6 billion.

It may be true that I wont make money doing comics the way I want. But it is also true that I have a consitutional right to produce comics the way I want. That also means I have the right to produce comics that are unpopular and unprofitable. As for the population of 6 billion issue, there is a lot of diversity amongst such a vast and inconcievably high population. Therefore, people who have the mentality to appreciate my comics are very likely to exist. The only problem here is the extreme difficulty in finding such people. Other than that, I should -- in theory -- be ale to do comics the way I want and find a small yet substantial number of people who can appreciate them.

Of course there's a good chance that many of you will disagree with my position here. Whatever. But in any event, I still believe that I should do comics my way whether they meet the public's approval or not. Life is already boring enough as it is.
posted by:
Yul
offline Yul
Michigan
  • Re: Give the public what they want -- NOT!

    Fri, January 26, 2007 - 4:29 PM
    I believe you have a roughly ten percent share of any market interest just for being involved in it.

    In this instance you have the potential to have ten percent of the comic buying public interested in your work simply for the sake that it is a comic book...

    as you pointed out, reaching those people beyond the regular enthusiasts of the medium is part of the untapped potential of each new creator. And a tough challenge.

    For me Its a good thing to take all of the various strengths comic book artistry offers, including mass appeal potential, and draw on that aspect of communicating to the audience as much as one can within the scope of a stories integrity.
    • Re: Give the public what they want -- NOT!

      Sun, January 28, 2007 - 9:57 AM
      Another problem with giving the public what they want is that it often interferes with creativity. Because, in general terms, the public is only interested in what's popular. And what's popular tends to be what's been done to death. Therefore if a new idea is presented to the public, there is a very good chance it will be rejected. Of course that's not always the case. But like I said before, I'm speaking in general terms.
      • Re: Give the public what they want -- NOT!

        Thu, February 15, 2007 - 11:32 PM
        "The public" is a pack of drooling morons. I highly recommend doing your stuff exactly how you feel it should be done, and if your ideas are *really* challenging, I endorse, and will if at all possible support, your work. My favorite works are not mass-appeal pieces, at all. The most highly praised creators are *not* herd-followers, ey.

        Put out a book that is good. If it's great art, then it doesn't matter if it blows up or not - it's incumbent on you, the artist, to push as much of it as you can manage down the public gullet, like some kind of castor oil, and damn them if they choke on it. DAMN THEM. Some good stuff survives - The Spirit, Grendel, Hellboy, the Vertigo line - it's not a *given* that good-but-crazy will fail (it's just very, very likely (do it anyway or god gets mad)).

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