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After the recent releases of Black Adam and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, film-loving superhero fans are beginning to turn there attention to comics once again. After all, there's no better way to know which directions the DCU or MCU might take going forward.
Reading comics isn't as easy as it looks, though. They can be confusing and hard to manage sometimes, and just trying to figure out how they work can be a challenge Many collectors struggle with a few universally harsh truths of being a comics reader.
Comics Are Expensive
Comic fans tend to be of two mindsets: Backreaders and modern readers. Backreaders collect old comics, which can mean sifting through comic stores and paying obscene amounts for the first appearance of any character, major or minor. After all, Marvel's first superhero comic books can cost tens of thousands of dollars in floppies and hundreds in collections.
For modern readers who try to stay up-to-date with the recent events in comics, Marvel and DC are charging between $4 and $5 for single issues. It makes affording comics practically impossible, as keeping up with everything in comics can cost hundreds each month.
It's Difficult To Store Comic Books
For comic readers who enjoy collecting physical comics, finding something to do with their collections can be difficult. After all, comics take up a lot of space, and they can't just be stacked on shelves like the average paperback. Floppies need to be stored in long boxes or binders.
It's another expense when it comes to reading comics, and it's one that also makes it feel like a struggle just to keep reading. Many fans try donating comics when they finish them, which is a great way to offset this harsh reality that collecting comics can really be an issue.
Major Comics Events Change Little In The Long Run
Marvel and DC regularly feature massive line-wide events that promise to change everything going forward. Yet, no matter how many changes they promise, the Big Two rarely allow massive or fundamental changes in their universes. After all, why would they?
Even the best Marvel or DC comic events always bring characters back to their starting points. The X-Men will always be hated and feared, Batman will always be the dark and brooding hero of Gotham City, and Superman will always be a beacon of hope and justice.
Comics Characters Are Often Poorly Adapted
Fans of comics are usually incredibly excited to see their favorites appearing on-screen for the first time. But, while the best movie adaptations of comic book characters do an extraordinary job of bringing the essence of the characters to life, others fail to get even the basics right.
After all, Moon Knight's Steven Grant personality was entirely changed, and Kamala Khan's powers were completely different between the comics and the show. Heroes like Batman can be made into a killer, and Superman can be portrayed as a gritty hero without much life. It's certainly disappointing for comic fans.
Comics Are An Unpopular Medium
One major harsh reality of being a comic book fan is that there just aren't very many fans. While comic book movies are incredibly popular, the books themselves aren't. In fact, most people just prefer to watch the movies without ever even flipping through a single floppy.
It's disappointing because it means that fans have few people to actually talk to about the books. It's easy to discuss the movies, but critique or speculation about comics is limited to message boards or Discord servers, which can be pretty limiting.
Many Comics Series Are Canceled Quickly
Unfortunately, comics are often operating at the barest possible margins, which can make things difficult for comic fans. After all, they may be in the middle of an excellent modern run, only to find that the book was canceled two issues after a major twist, and the consequences can't be explored.
Beloved comics like X-Factor (2020) or Teen Titans Academy (2021) desperately needed more space for a conclusion but were unfortunately stonewalled along the way. It was disappointing for comic fans, who wanted nothing more than to see their favorites continue shining.
Some Legacy Comics Characters Never Get To Shine
Unfortunately, because the Big Two focus on shared universes that have been ongoing for decades, they often feature the same lead characters without any hope for change. Fans love heroes like Bruce Wayne and Wolverine, but that doesn't mean that change should never be allowed.
After all, there are many legacy characters just waiting for their chance to shine. Tim Drake, Laura Kinney, and the entirety of the Young Justice and Young Avengers teams are all waiting for their moment in the limelight. Unfortunately, they rarely get the chance, as leadership positions in teams like the Justice League just aren't available.
Comic Book Timelines Are Confusing
The Big Two have featured ongoing universes for decades. Unfortunately, that means that fans have absolutely no idea how to identify how the timelines work at all. Marvel's sliding timeline means that characters like the New Mutants are now the same age as their teachers, while DC's multiple-universe model is incredibly confusing.
Casual fans struggle to remember which universe is currently accepted canon in the DC universe, while Marvel fans get headaches just trying to figure out how old the characters are. Even just figuring out the many dark future timelines has become impossible.
Superhero Teams Are Often Forgotten
Because of how many years the Big Two have been ongoing, there are some flash-in-the-pan teams that still have loyal fan bases. Unfortunately, teams like Extreme Justice or Alpha Flight have been ignored by Marvel and DC, even if some of those forgotten teams are cooler than the Avengers.
Fans of those teams can be happy to see little more than a cameo, but there are no hopes at any true revival. It's disappointing, but comics tend to default to the same few popular teams like the X-Men, Avengers, or the Justice League. Fans of obscure teams will rarely get content.
It's Hard To Discover Indie Comics
Unless comics explode in popularity, it can be difficult to actually discover indie comics. After all, they don't have nearly the same marketing support that Marvel and DC too. It's a serious problem in the comic book world, as fans only know about books like Invincible and Saga, while more obscure comics like Last Flight Out get little attention.
Fans looking for books that aren't hampered by annual events would likely prefer indie comics. Unfortunately, they're just difficult to find, which can mean that they never get discovered at all. It's also hard for them to build sizable fan bases, which is why many serve as little more than minis and never get the chance to become established ongoings.