Super Context: The State of Comics Journalism

Last week, I made a rare podcast appearance on the Super Context podcast, where I talked with Charlie and Christian about the state of comics journalism today.  Also on the show was David Harper, of Sktchd and Off Panel Podcast fame.  They were two separate interviews. I’ve never met or talked via voice directly to Alaska’s Favorite Son.  You’ll have to go to Twitter to see if David and I are bitter enemies, frenemies, or jovial colleagues in an industry that ought to be fun.   (I think it’s that last one.  I hope David does, too.)

My part of the podcast came out to about 45 minutes or so in the second half. You can hear me answer questions about the history of on-line comics journalism with confidence, and then fall apart on what should be a relatively simple and benign question, “Do I consider myself part of the comics industry?”

 

The Big Question

It’s been a couple weeks now since we recorded the interview, and I’m still not sure I know the answer. Am I a part of the comics industry?

Like I said on the podcast, I tend to think of people who are involved in the creation or publication of comics to be “in” the industry.  I’m a lone wolf outside who talks about the industry. I don’t have a large thought-leading website or podcast with relationships with all the publishers and many of the creators.

Heck, this site’s been up for over and year and I still get people every month who have just discovered I’m not at CBR anymore.

This is not my full time living.  It’s a nights and weekends and lunchtimes kind of thing. Heck, I don’t even get out to conventions anymore.

My Patreon brings in enough to keep the lights on and pay for a couple review comics along the way, for which I’m immensely thankful.

 

So am I a part of the industry?

I don’t know.  I’m here. I do this thing. I hope you all like it. In a couple of years, I hope I can prove out my belief that Euro-Comics are a growing thing and that this website will help lots of people learn and make buying decisions in the not-so-far future.

Does that make me part of the industry?

If I think comics journalism is a part of the industry and I’m a practitioner of comics journalism — these days mostly as an advocate/reviewer — then the rules of logic would say I am.

Maybe it’s not up to me to decide. Maybe it’s your call. Maybe it doesn’t even matter.

Whether I am or I’m not, I’m going to keep on doing this thing over here that I do.  I hope you’ll join me.

But, really, it’s a good podcast episode.  Go take a listen.

 

About that “Rare” Appearance Thing…

Just putting this out there — I’m available to talk comics if you have a podcast.  My schedule is likely a nightmare to work around. If we can work the timing out, though, I’d love to talk comics. It’s not like I have my own show or anything right now…

If you want to talk about European Comics, all the better.  I don’t know it all, but I’m learning fast.

If you just want to talk about comics in general, comics journalism, comics in the 90s, the not-quite-lost art of letter hacking, lettering, the sad state of comics today, or something else — I’m game.

Thanks to Charlie and Christian for having me on their show!  It was a lot of fun…