For What It's Worth: Random Thoughts on Comics

Saw a sarcastic post this morning (not calling anyone out by name though, so don't ask) saying that since a major pop culture staple was on the way out (Funko Pops, though I don't agree, still see them all over the place), maybe the next comic book store trend to save the LCS should be... comic books. 

It's a great thought, but let's be honest. Comic books, particularly monthlies, will never save the LCS until there's a major overhaul in several things:

1. Distribution 
2. Cultural perception (IP mines, either for kids or for "mature" as in dirty, not as in regular adult-focused literature)
3. Format to make them more evergreen (which manga and big primarily non-comic YA and tween pubs are doing well)
4. Getting over the reliance on the serial model of monthlies
5. Cost-to-value ratio (see comment about evergreen above)
6. Getting over the "sell for a college education one day" collectible mentality

Appreciating and building devices for digital comics as an equally valid way of enjoying the books.

Now, I know a lot of folks who still see comics the same way they did in the Silver Age and early Modern Age will disagree, but sorry, the world has changed. The landline is dead, replaced by pocket communication computers. Let the old way of doing comics die and be reborn as something better too. Don't let nostalgia get in the way of the medium being able to grow from Homo Sapien to Homo Superior (to borrow the X-Men metaphor).