Most comics fans think they don't have enough choices of comics they can buy. But influential voices in the comics industry have lately been expressing opinions that are hardly sympathetic to the concept of choice. Even worse, their comments are being directed against small-press independent comics, where the greatest diversity of choices exist.
Indypreviews surveys the entire field of independent comics solicited in Previews each month, and we're quite aware of what books are actually being solicited. We share the average comic fan's frustration with publishers who churn out sloppy, amateurish work; but in fact, these publishers are not the small presses, but larger, financially-secure firms who've managed to find an audience for their output.
With very few exceptions, the small presses Diamond allows in the catalog are publishing interesting and craftsmanlike books that have the potential to reach a larger audience-- often an audience that extends beyond the core of current comics fandom.
Most of these titles will fail. That is in the nature of things. In fact, one of the better self-publishers listed this month is apparently throwing in the towel after one final issue of an exceptional series.
But it is an utterly boneheaded misconception to think that because of the financially marginal nature of these titles, the comics market would be better off without them.
For one thing, the volume of small press output is hardly overwhelming. Each of the big four publishers puts out more new titles each month than the entire small press (not counting mid-sized presses such as Chaos and VIZ). The idea that small press competition is choking Image or Fantagraphics titles is laughable.
Secondly, the small press is the comics medium's laboratory for experimentation and innovation. Not all of these experiments are aimed at pleasing college professors; Kenzer & Company's KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE for example, is a casually-drawn send-up of the preoccupations of war gamers and hobbiest, and has achieved a loyal following from that crowd.
New publisher Astonish Comics is offering
HEROBEAR AND THE KID #1 this month, a title that promises to attract an imaginative juvenile readership. And publisher Ait/Planetlar's
ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE: LIVE FROM THE MOON is a hard SF series that's drawing much critical acclaim.
Finally, we all benefit from choice. A diverse market is a growing market. Many of the titles listed below can help pull into the marketplace parents and friends of the hardcore comics fan. As young fans mature, they need comics to accomodate their broadening range of interests. If those interests can't be satisfied by available comics, those fans will seek elsewhere.
Is this a call for action? Yes! Diamond currently has a relatively reasonable policy of allowing small press publishers access to their market. They even donated a page in their latest catalog to the Xeric Foundation to publicize small press comics underwritten with Xeric grants. But influential parties such as those quoted above could persuade Diamond to drastically change their policy, especially if there's no one on the other side advocating consumer choice.
If you agree with us, we urge you to contact Diamond and let them know how you feel. Contact information for Diamond is at http://www.diamondcomics.com.
Published sporadically in the 1990s, complete collections of this cult classic are rare. The 560-page TP reprint from Eddie Campbell Comics is a welcome opportunity to read the story in its entirety for the first time-- if you dare!
For example, the latest catalog has an ad for DC comics Preacher on page 215, with the heading, 'Converting new readers every month.'
If DC wants to 'convert new readers' to this ultra-violent series, I've got a suggestion:
Instead of 'slumming' in the segregated indy comics section, why doesn't DC use their influence to TEAR DOWN THE WALL! If we went back to the system where comics were listed alphabetically by publisher, DC could have their entire line mixed in with the cool indy books, and I'm sure they would benefit as much as anybody by the cross-over business.
A Silent comics ARSENIC LULLABY NOVEMBER 1999 Douglas Paszkiewicz stylishly-sick anthology! -------------------------------- Aardvark-Vanaheim CEREBUS #248 Dave Sim. -------------------------------- Abstract Studios STRANGERS IN PARADISE #28 Terry Moore. -------------------------------- Ai Lai Q Productions RES PUBLICA: THE NATION OF SPACE #1 Dan Kennedy and Jacob Minor's tale of interplanetary sabotage in what appears to be a 'hard' science fiction saga. -------------------------------- Ait/Planetlar ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE: LIVE FROM THE MOON TP Collects issues 1-5. -------------------------------- Alchemy Press BRYAN TALBOT'S BRAINSTORM Talbot's early British underground work. -------------------------------- Amaze Ink/ Slave Labor Waiting Place Vol. 2 #1 Sean McKeever & Mike Norton helm this true-to-life series about small-town life. -------------------------------- Antarctic Press BOX OFFICE POISON #16 Alex Robinson's acclaimed series about housemates and close friends may be headed for a shake-up, with two of the regulars apparently headed for the door! -------------------------------- Arrow Comics Group SPANK THE MONKEY #5 This issue, Randy Zimmerman's acerbic simian skewers the comics industry! -------------------------------- Astonish Comics HEROBEAR AND THE KID #1 All-ages tale by Mike Kunkel focuses on the adventures of a young boy who inherits his grandfather's stuffed bear. Looks like it has potential... -------------------------------- Blue Corn Comics PEACE PARTY #3 Fantasy adventure mixed with true-to-life portrait of an Indian reservation. See review of issue 1 in Amazing Montage Magazine for July! Schmidt, Dupras, & Janowsky. -------------------------------- Cartoon Books STUPID, STUPID RAT TAILS: THE ADVENTURES OF BIG JOHNSON BONE, FRONTIER HERO Jeff Smith, Tom Sniegoski -------------------------------- Colonia Press COLONIA #4 Continuing Jeff Nicholson's clever fantasy series, with time travel, talking animals, and a pirate queen! -------------------------------- Dancing Elephant Press KANE #27 Paul Grist's atmospheric noir! -------------------------------- Duality Press COLLECTIVE #1 SF tale of a utopian colony on a distant planet, by Arvin Loudermilk and Miek Iverson. -------------------------------- Eddie Campbell Comics FROM HELL TP The groundbreaking graphic novel finally collected in one volume! See featured comics above! -------------------------------- El Capitan Books STRAY BULLETS #21 Comics Noir pioneer David Lapham returns with a tale about a psycho-cop's abusive marriage! -------------------------------- Exhibit A Press WOLFF & BYRD SONOVAWITCH PACK Bargain pack collecting Batton Lash's acclaimed 3-issue saga of witchcraft and sexual harrassment! -------------------------------- Fantagraphics CAN OF WORMS An adopted child searches for her birth mother in Catherine Doherty's complex graphic novel. -------------------------------- G. T. Labs DIGNIFYING SCIENCE TP Jim Ottaviani's anthology of fascinating tales about women scientists, with art by Donna Barr, Mary Fleener, Roberta Gregory, Carla Speed McNeil, Linda Medley, and many others! -------------------------------- Happy Predator Comics FRED THE POSSESSED FLOWER tp 416 page collection with new material Nick Hardcastle! -------------------------------- Hemlock Park Press MISADVENTURES OF BREADMAN & DOUGHBOY #1, #2 Tucker, Gorski, & Pelc with superhero parody! -------------------------------- Highwater Books CATCH AS CATCH CAN Greg Cook's graphic novel is a riotous fable about cigarettes and gingerbread men. -------------------------------- Insight Studios Group LIBERTY MEADOWS #4 Collecting Frank Cho's exquisitely-illustrated newspaper strip! -------------------------------- Kenzer & Company KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #37 War gamer's satire. -------------------------------- Lazlo Press ALL THE WRONG PLACES #5 Conclusion of Tom Galambos' realistic series. -------------------------------- Mprints Publishing ERNOR #3 Adventure fantasy about odd creatures in a prehistoric forest. -------------------------------- NBM ONE BIG HAPPY-- NICE COSTS EXTRA Collecting Rick Detorie's humor strips about mischievous tike Ruthie! -------------------------------- New England Comics TICK'S BIG YULE LOG SPECIAL 2000 Christmas special superhero satire. -------------------------------- Oni Press Jingle Belle #1 Paul Dini and Stephen DeStefano with light-hearted tale about Santa's daughter. -------------------------------- Phoenix Enterprise Publishing Company KIRA Riccardo Crosa's wordless fantasy about a nocturnal predator's encounter with a demonic presence! -------------------------------- Radio Comix FURRLOUGH #83 8th anniversary of this Anthropomorphic anthology! -------------------------------- Sandberg Publishing JUPITER #4 Surrealistic satire by Jason Sandberg! -------------------------------- Scorpion Productions DIABOLIK VOL. 1 #5: THE REVENGE OF EVA Check out the comic that inspired the motion picture Diabolik, featured in the penultimate episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000! -------------------------------- Shanda Fantasy Arts SHANDA THE PANDA #26 The longest-running anthropomorphic slice-of-life comic! NAUTILUS #3 Anthropomorphic SF about social life and intrigue on a space station! -------------------------------- Sick Mind Press SHEBA VOLUME 2 #8 The final issue of Walter S. Crane IV's fascinating series about a mummified cat in ancient Egypt! -------------------------------- Sirius Entertainment POE #20 Jason Asala. -------------------------------- Slab-O-Concrete Publications SUGAR BUZZ Collecting the series from Slave Labor, by Woodrow Phoenix and Ian Carney. PUNK STRIPS Collecting celebrated punk cartoonist Simon Gane's newpaper and zine strips. MISSIVE DEVICES Full-color mini comics that self-seal and can be mailed like a postcard! Including work by Roberta Gregory, Jacob Klemencic, Peter Bagge & Donna Mathes, and Simon Gane & Rachel Browne. -------------------------------- Sleeping Giant Comics THE BROCCOLI AGENDA SC All-new 96-page graphic novel by outstanding graphic artist David Yurkovich! -------------------------------- Sunset Strips LOUIS JOOS PRESENTS JAZZ #1 Full-color 4-issue series about a white musician in the '20s Bronx jazz scene! Dorion & Joos! -------------------------------- Three Finger Prints Publishing 3 GEEKS VOL 2 TP Rich Kosowski's Einser-nominated series. -------------------------------- VIZ Communications PULP VOL. 3 #12 BLACK & WHITE #4