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Artist Jerry Bennett's avatar

I think you are on to something with your thought. Contemporary comic readers need contemporary writers telling contemporary stories. The books from fifty years ago, even if they were repackaged and reprinted, really won’t sell as well as solid new reimaginings, like you suggested. I suppose it may be one reason why Marvel brought back The Ultimate line.

But I’m also ready for new stories, which is why Phenomena is such a great thing. New world, new stories, and fantastic art.

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Andrew D's avatar

I came very late to comics and the problems you have identified are spot on. I read both mainstream and manga comics and, manga is much more accessible and self-contained. I do not read Marvel or DC because I am 50 odd years behind with all the back stories. I have found publishers such as image much more accessible as there are so many franchises that I could access from the ground floor. Books such as "All the Marvels" helped in identifying the main narrative threads, but too much is published too frequently to catch up. Reading guides make it worse by listing reams of volumes I need to read to understand the current iteration.

I'm not sure what the solution is. But if the industry wants to attract new readers, it has to do something different.

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