Are Anthologies The Future?

[richard_d]

With DC and Marvel planning on running back up features in some of their books to justify the increase in price it got me thinking about Japanese comics and how they are published.

Could DC or Marvel in the near future adopt a publishing schedule similar to Shonen Jump for example? One could argue DC is about to do such a thing with Wednesday Comics. Is there a time in the not too distant future where monthly comics are no longer sold individually but as a group anthology? For example instead of Batman, Detective Comics, Nightwing, Robin, etc you would just get an anthology called ‘Detective Comics’. You could even release these anthologies weekly, at less pages per story, so the publisher wouldn't have to go a whole month without a new Batman book on the shelf. The publishers could still collect the individual storylines in trades as they do with popular Manga series.

Obviously these anthologies would cost more than $3.99 but I think we would be kidding ourselves if we didn't believe comics prices will continue to rise. I’m also aware that digital outlets are probably going to have a factor in the future of comics, examples being Watchmen the Motion Comics and the soon to be released Spider-Woman.

Sorry if there is/was already a thread about this but I just had this idea and wanted to share it to see what others thought.

Thanks.

[cadgers]

I would be so down for that. While they might not be thick enough for a spine like Shonen Jump I could see them taking a 2000 AD type approach, so that you could could about 7 pages of story a week. 2000 AD is also about $16 a month for the issues.

I was thinking about this the other day and it just seemed like a cool idea. There could be a Superman and Legion of Super Heroes Comic(Superman, Action Comics, Adventure Comics, etc). Even Image could get in on it. I would totally buy a weekly book that featured Rex Splode, Robot, Immortal, and Invincible.

[miyamotofreak]

Priced right, I'd be down. It would bring comics back to the newstands as well.

[thenextchampion]

That's a very good idea. I mean having all Batman, or X-Men, or even Avenger stories in one book a month? I'm all down for it.

But that would be a very tough sell for all companies. What with money and all..

[comicbookchris]

Well they already have an anthology of sorts with the Marvel: Your Universe book that comes out each month. There's usually 5 issues worth of stuff in it for 5 bucks. It compiles good stuff also, like Immortal Iron Fist, X-Men Legacy ans so on. Maybe they can compile all the X-Men stuff into one book and all the Avengers stuff into another and sell each for 5 or 6 bucks.