Multiversity’s history column reaches the end of its annual cycle this week with a look at the comic industry just 10 years ago, in 2012. You can get prepped for today’s column by reviewing the coverage of 2010 and 2011, then come back in January when we reset the clock for a look back at events from 113, 1883, 1893, 1903, and 1913.
The comic market was changing rapidly in 2012. DC was still enjoying their sales high from the New 52 launch. Manga, which had represented a major component of the business for the last decade, had declined in popularity. It brought in an estimated $105 million that year, down 50% from its peak in 2007. Digital sales, on the other hand, continued the sharp upward trajectory they started in 2011. Part of the boost came on Leap Day from Marvel’s first digital-exclusive comic: “Avengers vs X-Men #1: Infinite.” Just a few months later, Marvel signed an exclusive deal with Comixology.
Long-time comic writer Mark Waid felt digital comics were the future, and saw enough potential money in it to sell his comic collection and start Thrillbent, a publisher focused on digital-exclusive comics. The venture had some high profile releases (including “The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood,” which I really liked), and it raised the ire of comic shop retailers who didn’t like the tone he struck. Waid eventually responded to this continued criticism by investing in an Indiana comic shop to prove he didn’t hate print comics. Within a few years, it became clear that Thrillbent was too time-consuming to be profitable and the experiment died in 2016.
After many years of lying dormant, Valiant Entertainment returned to comic publishing with their “Summer of Valiant,” launching a new title each month from May to August. The company brought back its most popular titles in a new continuity with top quality talent. They attracted further attention by introducing variant covers like the one shown above. Readers who had smart phones (they were common, but not quite ubiquitous, in 2012) scanned the QR code and held their phone over the cover as shown. This triggered a video that made it look like the cover was speaking (view a sample here).
BOOM! and Dynamite were both working to increase their presence/prestige among comic retailers and buyers. Dynamite joined Diamond’s final order cutoff (FOC) program that gave retail accounts more time to adjust orders, which made their books more appealing at a wholesale level. Boom began their trial with pre-graded CGC 9.8 variant covers for “Valen the Outcast,” “Fanboys vs Zombies,” and “Higher Earth.” Neither effort moved the needle in terms of market penetration.
On the flipside, some retailers felt there were great titles that were being overlooked by readers. They banded together as the Ghost Variant group to create exclusive variant covers they could sell for a premium. The stunt worked as an attention draw – prices on the variants spiked. Before long, a rival group branding itself as Phantom Variants also debuted. Both were short-lived stunts, as readers lost interest after the novelty wore away.
Following the astounding success of the New 52, Marvel countered with its own relaunch in October under the banner “Marvel Now!” It was touted as being the New 52 done right, as it was a softer continuity reset instead of a hard reboot. It was also a renewal following years of continuous crossovers that began with “House of M” and culminated with “Avengers vs X-Men.” A vocal part of the fanbase claimed to be suffering from event fatigue, and Marvel Now! was a chance to really shake things up.
Of course, money’s really important to any company, and events bring up the bottom line. Marvel’s next line-wide event was “Age of Ultron” just five months later. Then came “Infinity,” “Inhumanity,” “Original Sin,” and so on. However, Marvel realized relaunches would bring in big bucks as fans bought all the first issues to see which ones were good, and Marvel Now! was followed shortly after by All-New Marvel Now, All-New All-Different Marvel, and Marvel Legacy.
On the lighter side, a lawyer for a construction firm embezzled about $9 million and tried to hide it in expensive comic books. When he was caught, two members of law enforcement involved in the case stole a box of his comics to sell for themselves at a convention. There’s a great article covering this in detail at The Verge, if you’re interested.
