I love comic books – they constantly amaze me, and take me to new and impossible worlds. Now I’d like to tell you about why I had to launch a comic book publisher. Yes, why. Sure it’s enough to love something, to turn it into an expensive hobby, and let it consume a lot of your free time. But it takes a special kind of crazy to look at juggernauts like Marvel and DC and think to yourself “how hard can it be?”. Well, here are just a few reasons (and I am sure that I can think of so many more).
1. Marvel and DC aren’t all that I want
While I am more of a DC guy, I certainly enjoy a lot of Marvel stuff. I grew up with batman as my favourite, but have always enjoyed Punisher, Alpha Flight, and most recently Hawkeye. While the Big 2 put out some of the best comic books in the world, they sometimes aren’t enough to satisfy me as a reader. Imagine going to a movie theater, and only being able to watch Die Hard or its knockoffs. Things would get boring quick, wouldn’t they?
2. Image, BOOM! and others are awesome
Image Comics is awesome. I love The Walking Dead, (and did before it was so mainstream!), read many early Image Titles, and enjoy some of the quirky stuff that they put out. I really enjoy Mind the Gap, Chew, Morning Glories and more.
When it comes to BOOM!, Mark Waid’s brilliant Irredeemable is still one of my all-time favourites, and I was completely blown away by Suicide Risk. BOOM! just makes really good comics.
So, what does this have to do with me? These creative studios have proven that the industry has matured, wants more variety, and that ultimately the market will reward those with a quality product – even if it isn’t wrapped in capes and tights.
3. There are many great stories that deserve to be told
Digital comics have revolutionized the industry, and made it accessible to a great deal of talented people. 20 years ago, there are books that would have been impossible to read – no kickstarter, no iPads, and no real way to get into comic book shops without a massibe budget. Now, I can bring fellow comic book lovers hidden gems like The Kursk, or never before available in English graphic novels like Boom. I can reach out to those that miss Westerns, and War books, or have just had enough of The Avengers or Batman. All of this is due to the fact that digital has lowered costs and barriers to entry, and there are markets, like ComiXology, to discover new books. These all point to new, incredible reads that make comic books fun and new, all over again.
This is just a little bit of insight as to why I jumped into a fun, crazy and exciting industry. I am determined to make a real go of this, and turn Lucha Comics into a viable publisher that brings you awesome comic books that you won’t get anywhere else. Be sure to follow @LuchaComics, and if you know of a comic book that we should add to our catalog, get in touch!
