Zenescope Entertainment is a company which is often overlooked by many comic book readers, but there are certain strengths the company has which should not be overlooked. Even though the sales of the Zenescope titles have not placed the company in the Top 10 in market share, its strengths should not be ignored as they could help to lead the company down the path to more success in the future. So continues my series on the strengths of certain comic book publishing companies.
Zenescope has strengths which should not be overlooked
They Know Their Niche
Most comic book publishing companies struggle for years to figure out their niche or to try to encompass every niche market possible to improve their sales. In the long run, many companies miss the boat because they are too concerned about the waters. Not true for Zenescope.
What is the Zenescope Niche?
Darkness, dark humor, playful horror, graphic violence, and sexuality are the first words that come to mind when I think about Zenescope. These make up the niche market which Zenescope has become successful with. There is a strong market for these areas in comics and the company has been able to build on its niche with titles such as Grimm Fairy Tales and Wonderland. Some readers might state that most of the titles from the publisher are under the Grimm Fairy Tales or Wonderland names, but why veer from what works? It works for Marvel (X-Men, Avengers) and DC Comics (Batman Family, Superman Family, Green Lantern Family), so why not a smaller publisher? Of course, there are other strong titles outside of these groupings such as Robyn Hood which have gained their own followings.
The Variant Market
I see Zenescope as one of the forerunners for reopening the variant market. While the variant market has been present for a long time, it took a lull for many years and is in full force now and strong then it has ever been. The Zenescope fans who would travel around from convention to convention to snatch up every single Grimm Fairy Tales variant proved that the market was ripe again for variants and that more publishers should explore the market.
On Grimm Fairy Tales
A few years ago, I wrote an article for a major website pointing out how Grimm Fairy Tales is one of the truest and purest interpretations of the Brothers Grimm’s work. Of course, many of the stories in the comic are set in a newer or varied age, but they exude the sexuality, dark humor, playful horror, and violence of the original work. Most people don’t realize that the original tales were not written for children. They were originally written for adults and then adapted for children. From a literary prospective, Zenescope is right on the mark with GFT.
Pick Them Out in a Lineup
How many times have you seen a comic book cover and automatically said “That looks like a Zenescope cover?” The sexuality and sensuality portrayed in the publisher’s covers have become synonymous with the publisher and worked as a calling card. Other publishers who use similar covers are automatically grouped in with Zenescope or compared to it.
Adaptations and Licensing
The publisher has also ventured into the licensing market with titles such as Charmed, Final Destination, and Se7en. This is significant because the smaller publisher was able to sell itself to those who owned these rights. This takes a few links out of the armor of the larger companies who wished they would have gotten the rights instead.
The Future on TV
Grimm Fairy Tales: The Animated Series, Wonderland, and The Piper are all being pursued for television deals. These are huge for a smaller publishing company such as Zenescope. If even one deal can be landed, Zenescope could be skyrocketed in market share and the company could become one which makes those at the top of the ladder nervous. I can’t wait to see what surprises the future holds for the company.
Also See:
The Strengths of Marvel Comics
