And people in the UK comics industry are blogging about it. So, why the **** can’t they get a backbone and speak up on the UK industry?
Seriously, if these people took UK publishers (or what we have to call UK comic publishers) to task maybe it might make a difference?
I get some of these individuals telling me that they accept what I write about the UK industry and that it is accurate. But they won’t comment or write about their experiences or even say “Yes, Terry has hit the nail on the head” because it is rocking the boat.
Dear gods, you can’t just go around brown-nosing publishers because you might get work that way. The “I’m allright, Jack” attitude is not helping keep the industry alive for future generations and, to be honest, these people do not care as long as they are earning. Look at the UK ‘industry’.
This is not a rant. Nothing I write on the UK comics industry should be seen as purely attacking it. Only by highlighting all the negatives can you try to change and keep the industry alive.
You either dig comics or you don’t. I do. Russian, Chinese, Korean, German, Italian, Spanish -it doesn’t matter that I cannot read the language of most of them, whether they originate from big companies or even the small press. Comics are a visual medium and a comic should guide the reader through the story.
Look at the recent International Alternative Press Fair -a week of events organised by people whose enthusiasm puts UK companies to shame. And the events they organise are not just one offs -there are usually two big events per year plus smaller ones.
**** DC. **** Marvel (there go my chances). Someone needs to set up a new comics publishing company in the UK gathering all styles and genres of comic art. The French are eyeing up the UK and to be honest, any businessmen whether Spanish, Italian, German, Russian -whatever- wanting to invest in a UK company is welcome.
Olivier Cadic has shown it can be done. His company, Cinebook -The 9th Art is the UKs largest comic book publisher. But Cinebook publishes quality English language translations of Franco-Belgian BD.
Maybe UK creators need to set up a UK version of Image Comics?
Egmont UK and even D. C. Thomson could hook into the financial rewards of the comic industry and are in a position to revitalise the UK industry. However, for reasons that cannot be fathomed ( possibly sheer lack of interest?) they continue doddering on.
In five years it is very likely that the only UK comics industry will be the Independent and Small Press publishers.
Who will accept responsibility for such a situation? The answer is quite simple: everyone working in the UK industry.
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