Here’s the fourth and final part of our annual Creator Survey – with more snippets of news, previews and, let’s be honest, concerns about where the industry is going. Comics may not be dying but some of its traditions are. Thanks again to everyone who took the time to contribute. Read previous parts here:
Part One, Part Two, Part Three
Van Jensen, writer
2024 Projects: My novel GODFALL is going to be a TV series with Ron Howard directing, and I’ll be an executive producer on that. I’m writing a sequel, as well as another novel. I have an ongoing original series coming from IDW, and I’m also doing a Godzilla book with IDW. I’m also writing and co-directing a series of animated music videos.
Biggest story of ’23: Traditional publishers struggling. Aftershock went bankrupt. There are quite a few other publishers in challenging positions. I don’t think the traditional periodical comics structure works at a high level any more, even as graphic novels do extraordinarily well.
What will be the biggest story of 2024? I can’t begin to guess. I’ve been so busy outside of comics that I don’t have a good handle on what’s happening within the industry.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? I’m hoping the sixth volume of the X-Men omnibus series comes out next year.
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? I’d love to see the traditional periodical-first comics publishers experiment more with format. I love floppies, but younger readers don’t pick them up, even though they read voraciously.
Tea Fougner, Editorial Director, comics, King Features
2024 Projects: Excited to be working with Mad Cave on a whole slate of Flash Gordon books alongside Dan Schkade’s Flash Gordon comic strip
Biggest story of ’23: The absolute destruction of twitter and search for a new social media home base for comics.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? I had a baby in late 2022, so I’m looking forward to ever getting to watch a movie in a single viewing again. Still haven’t seen Barbie or Across the Spider-Verse
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? I want to see progress in labor organizing for comics professionals!
Jerry Craft, Author Illustrator
2024 Projects: A new, three book graphic novel series that has nothing to do with New Kid. But the details have not been released yet. :(
Biggest story of ’23: Book banning and Dan Santat winning the National Book Award
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? That more teachers start to consider the graphic novels to be real books
Rick Lowell, Retailer, Casablanca Comics
Biggest story of ’23: Declining periodical sales and distribution disruption
What will be the biggest story of 2024? Ongoing corporate mergers
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? The Rolling Stones tour
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? More editorial oversight in comics periodical publishing.
Tom Akel, Publisher
Biggest story of ’23: I’ll go with the death of comiXology and the birth of DSTLRY (if I’m spelling that correctly).
What will be the biggest story of 2024? Without anything to support this other than tea leaves, I think we’ll see something interesting happen at DC.
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? I’d like to see that discussion move forward in ways that are more productive and recognize how comics are and always have been evolving. Beyond that, how wonderful would it be for all publishers to publicly post their standard contract terms and a sample agreement so that creators can better understand what their options are and what to look out for?
Jimmy Aquino Producer/Host – COMIC NEWS INSIDER Podcast
2024 Projects: Continue doing the weekly podcast COMIC NEWS INSIDER, attending conventions, conducting interviews, hyping comics and more.
Biggest story of ’23: A non-Hollywood SDCC? End of ComiXology? Which social media site the comics community will stick with? Superhero fatigue in movies/tv/streaming?
What will be the biggest story of 2024? The continued fight against AI.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? More KPOP!
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? Creators getting paid more!
Rob Salkowitz, journalist
2024 Projects: Continuing coverage for Forbes, ICv2, and occasionally PW
Biggest story of ‘23: Superhero fatigue at the box office rippling back to publishing
What will be the biggest story of 2024? Culture wars chill graphic novel market growth for younger readers
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? Neal Adams artist edition.
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? More transparency across the distribution model to make it easier for retailers and publishers.
Terry Nantier, Publisher
2024 Projects:
GOOD
From the Amazon Jungle to Suburbia and Back
FLuX (art, writer), David Good (writer)
This is the story of the incredible journey of David Good, the son of an American anthropologist father, and indigenous Yanomami mother who calls the Amazon rainforest her home.
Overlapping the story of what David’s mother’s early years were like being raised in the rainforest, the book follows David from childhood to adulthood as he searches for identity, love, acceptance, and the one thing truly missing from his life, his mother.
Growing up in a predominantly white population of the US without a mother or a deeper connection to his South American roots, David struggles with issues of identity and relationships. His and his mother’s stories intertwine in a heartbreakingly beautiful climax when they are reunited in the jungle.
Beautifully illustrated and co-authored by award winning artist and storyteller, FLuX, Good is a vivid and breathtaking visualization of a highly unusual life’s journey.
PROXY MOM
My Experience with Postpartum Depression
Sophie Adriansen (writer), Mathou (art)
The first graphic novel that explores postpartum depression. A story of reconstruction and resilience.
Marietta and Clovis, madly in love, are expecting a baby. But childbirth marks the end of the fairy tale. Zoe’s birth didn’t go as Marietta imagined, and the maternal instinct is slow to manifest itself. While she no longer recognizes her body, Marietta feels herself losing her footing in the face of this vulnerable baby for whom she is now responsible.
Will she manage to feel like a mother? to love her baby? to stop thinking that a proxy mom would do better than her?
A humorful but realist viewpoint on a problem experienced by a significant number of new mothers, with an insight on how to overcome it.
KIDS ARE STILL WEIRD
And More Observations from Parenthood
Jeffrey Brown
A sweet and charming collection of comics about how strange and funny kids can be, New York Times bestselling cartoonist Jeffrey (Darth Vader & Son, Jedi Academy) Brown chronicles his life as a parent while his children speak brutal truths and make unintentionally hilarious observations.
Biggest story of ’23: The usual hair-tearing over the pending demise of the Direct Market.
Those retailers who understand they are comic bookstores and not comicbook stores will do just fine and the DM along with them.
What will be the biggest story of 2024? The success of comic bookstores.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? Being two years away from being in this business for 50 years (and maybe doing a little pioneering along the way).
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? Further widening of themes, subjects, categories covered by graphic novels and the resulting increased penetration of and acceptance by the American public. I always knew comics could do it.
Nat Gertler, Publisher
2024 Projects: More unexpected newspaper strip reprints, more new old graphic novels, and some interesting underground material.
Biggest story of ’23: The targeting of graphic novels by anti-library forces
What will be the biggest story of 2024? Mergers among mid-tier publishers
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? Hearing the “I shoulda gone to the theater” laments when The Marvels hits streaming.
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? More adult fiction graphic novels
Danielle Corsetto, cartoonist
2024 Projects: I’ll be starting the second half of my graphic novel Elephant Town in early 2024 after taking a long break from it. I’m also continuing my 2023 resolution of making a little daily comic every morning over tea for my Patreon people! I’ve also got a secret side project in the works, but shhh, it’s secret.
Biggest story of ’23: I was about to say Kate Beaton’s Ducks so that tells you how plugged into comics news I’ve been. (Despite The Beat keeping me up to date, thank you for that!)
What will be the biggest story of 2024? Non-cartoonists start producing comics that are written and drawn in the style of us working cartoonists using an AI image generator, and they’re frustratingly GOOD. One of them wins an award and gets a book deal.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? Putting way too much time into my garden, and way too much time into sitting around thinking about my garden.
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? Some miraculous way for young/new webcartoonists to gain a following online.
Katharine Kan, Librarian, Adult Graphic Novel Selector
2024 Projects: Continuing to order graphic novels for my library system.
Biggest story of ’23: Book bans spreading across the country are affecting the comics industry as well, as more comics and graphic novels for all age levels are being challenged by close-minded people. So many school systems and public libraries are deeply affected, and teachers and librarians have had to face accusations and threats, not only to their jobs, but to their personal safety.
What will be the biggest story of 2024? Unfortunately, I think the book banning trend will continue and will affect sales of graphic novels to libraries and schools.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? I would love to take an actual vacation just for fun.
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? I would like to see greater recognition among the so-called traditional comics industry publishers and fans that trade publishers are publishing graphic novels that millions of younger readers enjoy. Comics publishers need to think about being more flexible with creating more content for these eager readers, and comics stores should find a way to be more welcoming for families to come and shop there.
Barbra Dillon, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
2024 Projects: Fanbase Press will be venturing into the crowdfunding space with its very first Kickstarter campaign! We’re excited to become even more interactive with the Kickstarer community and look forward to sharing details about the campaign with everyone in the new year!
Biggest story of ’23: I think that the solidarity demonstrated by the comics industry for the striking WGA and SAG-AFTRA workers this year was truly remarkable. The overall willingness by both creators and fans to learn more about the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, to be open to listening to colleagues about why the strikes were happening and how they could demonstrate solidarity – it truly broke down barriers and allowed us to acknowledge the power that we possess as workers.
What will be the biggest story of 2024? In the aftermath of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes and following the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, I think that we’re going to see some major changes in the entertainment industry across various mediums: movies, TV, comics, video games, etc. Studios may be stingier with the number of projects that they are greenlighting, and that may have a direct impact on comic book publishers, as not as many original IPs may be optioned (which is where the greatest amount of money is made). That may, then, limit the number of series and books that publishers can publish.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? Honestly, I look forward to interacting more in person with comics industry folx and readers! As aspects of the pandemic continue and having become a mom to young twin girls, I’ve been homebound for so long that I miss in-person events.
Jazzlyn Stone, Marketer
2024 Projects: I’m taking a hiatus from freelancing in 2024 to accept a role with a yet-to-be announced production house. Getting to play in the publishing space alongside a team of creatives I’ve admired for years has been exhilarating.
Biggest story of ’23: Penguin Random House launching InkLore imprint
What will be the biggest story of 2024? At least in America, the 2024 presidential election will have a lasting effect on printing, publishing, and the business side of art.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? How larger publishers grow their business models to accompany a changing landscape.
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? I want more companies and established creators to invest in new talent for the good of the ecosystem overall. We can’t keep relying on the same few story tellers forever.
Anonymous Agent (by request)
What will be the biggest story of 2024? Has the comics-based blockbuster movie trend passed its use-by date?
What will be the new access points for comics and graphic novel discoverability?
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? A much greater expenditure of money on direct marketing to consumers by publishers
David Witting, Publisher
Dean Haspiel, Cartoonist
2024 Projects: I’m planning to launch a few more crowdfunded comix including: The Red Hook X Dean Haspiel, Covid Cop #2, and Chest Face, while writing a new play (or two) and, possibly, converting a previous play (or two) into graphic novels. Also, look out for a young adult Fantastic Four story I wrote & drew (plus, other projects just waiting to be announced and released).
Biggest story of ’23: JHU Comics closing their Manhattan store. I know that may not seem to be the biggest story (what with #ComicsBrokeMe, etc.) but it’s not a good sign when Marvel, DC, Image, Raina Telgemeier and Dav Pilkey can’t pay the city rent no mo’. And for a guy like me who often trucks in webcomics and, more recently, Kickstarter comix, I know that we NEED our retailers. Otherwise, the world of comix will become a rudderless wild west (and east). A kind of cosmic shake-up that COULD prove positive in the long run.
What will be the biggest story of 2024? This may sound controversial but I think there may be a downsizing of memoir aka “trauma porn,” as dubbed and declared by some editors I’ve had personal parlays with. True life stories are super important but authenticity can also be found in emotionally true genre-oriented comix.
And, believe it or not, a creator has more latitude to “be seen” through the guise of fiction. Also, Young Adult comix may rule supreme but Ithink a robust effort to produce more comix for “mature readers only” will equally match adult interests.
What is your guilty pleasure for 2024? More independently produced genre-oriented comix and bootlegs.
What do you want to see change the most in the comics industry in 2024? Better pay and stronger incentives (and participation) for franchise work. More independent creators unifying into like-minded posses; sharing business concerns and burdens. A monetized version of ACT-I-VATE, the webcomics collective I founded in 2006 (RIP) but with 2024 savvy and hindsight.
