Thread by @ComicPerch

People who question Marvel's current publishing strategy, and why the creators seem so determined to stick to it, should understand that the company is not being illogical; they are responding to the data they have. And one of the biggest sources of data is Cons. #ComicsGate 1/18

I've been going to cons as a vendor or attendee for 20+ years. Cons have changed a lot, but the biggest change is NOT what most people always point out... that media has taken over the Con. That's true, but the big change is in the people who go, and why they are there. 2/18

Con attendees are not the day-in, day-out comic buyer. Con attendees are by and large more casual fans of the actual books, even though the cosplay may trick you into thinking they are "super fans". They are "super-fans", but of the idea of comics far more than the titles. 3/18

I'm not saying these fans are "fake". The community is better to have all of these voices, but if we are talking about comics and what sells or not... the Con attendees are not your best gauge of what will work and what won't. Many of their interests are the exact opposite. 4/18

Con people are observers, families, people looking to experience pop culture and lapsed fans. All of these are real people, but again, most don't regularly buy books. And those who do tend to be more obsessed with continuity and details and not reflective of the mass-market. 5/18

Why does all that matter? Because if you work for Marvel and you want to get exposed to your fanbase, where are you going to do it? At a Con. And the fans you're exposed to may be rabid, but they aren't necessarily the people buying your books and keeping shops afloat. 6/18

If you listen to this group the result is a very skewed perspective of what people want. Titles like America, Gwenpool and others test really well at Cons. Fans are into it, cosplay exists and you would walk away with the impression that THIS is how you serve your market. 7/18

In addition, Editors at Marvel don't have tables... so they wander the floor or do panels. These experiences are extremely confined and controlled. They hear from people they want to hear from, or people who struggled to see them. Those people are the happy, true believers. 8/18

This is all very important, because if you're a Marvel creator what are you more likely to believe? The hundreds of people you saw at the Comic Con, dressed up as your characters, who clearly like your work... or some guy on YouTube that roasts your book and calls you names? 9/18

The sales figures don't make any sense when you are presented with this data. So of course they must be wrong on some level. Digital must be huge. Or trades. Or Scholastic. Or something! Because the in-person input is suggesting that the current stuff is what you should do. 10/18

Of course, this is wrong. Easily disproved by visiting a comic book shop on a regular basis. But even there you have a problem, because the LCS, desperate for business and publicity, will treat the comic creator great. They are being hospitable... like a good owner should. 11/18

For for the creator, it reinforces the bubble. You are awesome! What you do is awesome! The people on the internet attacking you must be insane, racist, sexist, bigot, creepy losers. That's what the internet is! Allowing honest feedback to lead to self-reflection is hard. 12/18

Now strong creators, creators with good business sense, or creators who have lived in the industry for a decade or more and experienced the ups and downs of the market know better. They know that to survive they need to get closer to the content and the buyers. 13/18

DC is currently doing a better job than Marvel at fan interaction and producing material for the fan buying in shops. Check out the age and experience of the DC creators compared to Marvel. Notice anything? A LOT more people who have been in the business more than 10 years. 14/18

Now, of course age and experience doesn't always lead to wisdom. Exposed to the fawning, fake reality of Cons is addicting. Ego trips are unavoidable... and having people line up breathlessly to give you money and say how great you are for days in a row is a BIG ego trip. 15/18

So what does that mean to all of you? Well, maybe it's not so mysterious and weird that creators act the way they do. They get input that encourages who they are. And knowing this, perhaps it's easier to engage with them. They DO want to please fans. Just a different set. 16/18

For Marvel, they need to rethink how they engage. DC has a far better Con reputation... why is that? What does it mean to get closer to fans, and how can Marvel rebuild their connection to the people who buy their books? This is what CB was intended to do, but can he? 17/18

Culture change is hard, but understanding goes a long way. If not for the creators, for your own sanity. There is a rhyme to the reason. Thanks for listening, #ComicsGate. 18/18