As comic book collectors and readers, we cannot forget the importance of encouraging young comic book readers. If we do not take steps right now to encourage another generation of readers, we are condemning our favorite entertainment medium.
The State of the Industry
The next time you walk into a comic book store, take a look at the other customers and note their ages. A majority of the customers will be between the ages of 25 and 45. Many of the modern comic book customers grew up in the 1980s and 1990s when comic book reading was peaking. Of course, there are readers who are much older, but there are not many who are younger. Our industry (probably due to the crashes in the 1990s) missed an entire generation of readers. We need to make sure this does not happen again and encourage potential young comic book readers.
Encourage young comic book readers
Importance of Young Readers
Younger readers help to ensure the future of the industry. They are the ones who will be filling the stores in a decade or two if we can tap into their potential. They will be the ones who are going to g new money into the industry and help to ensure mics are still being printed well into our golden years. Personally, I want to continue to read new issues of Batman and The X-Men when by body is too decrepit to do anything else and encouraging young comic book readers is one of the ways I hope to do so.
The Joy of Encouraging Young Comic Book Readers
My daughter is 5, and looks forward to new comic books to add to her growing collection. I can guarantee she knows more superheroes than kids ten years older than her. Not only does she have an entertainment medium which does not involve technology, she has figured out another connection with her Daddy. She knows her Daddy loves comics and superheroes, and has allowed herself to be exposed to comics to get closer to me. As her father, I want every possible connection to her I can get.
Don’t Forget
As of this writing, Free Comic Book Day is only a matter of weeks away. The special day takes great measures to encourage young comic book readers and to invite more readers to the industry. This focus should not be forgotten throughout the rest of the year as it will help to grow the industry and ensure a future for the industry we have grown up with.
