Dork Note: Not that Sea-Lion-Books is what you would call a typical "indie publisher" but I basically see any publisher beyond DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse and more recently Boom, IDW, and Dynamite Entertainment as falling into the indie arena. The quality of the comics Sea-Lion-Books is putting out is pretty damn good, actually surprisingly good. The two series I have collected/collecting is Dark Swan and Pariah. Both series I have enjoyed and would recommend. If Sea-Lion-Books continues in this vein I think they have the potential to be a contender. However...
...their comic book titles need some work. I mean look at the title of the Dark Swan mini-series..."New York Times Bestselling Author Vampire Academy Richelle Mead Dark Swan Storm Born" The book should have been called simply...Dark Swan.
They are treating comic books like they are selling books; which they aren't. Comic book fans don't care if a comic is from a "New York Times Bestselling Author". We really don't - especially us indie-fans; which would be your main base. In fact I'd go as far as to say it's a comic book turn off.
Also we don't need the creator's name in the title unless the creator is someone who can carry a comic based solely on their name. And truthfully there are only a handful who can...Moore, Millar, Ellis, etc. When you put a creators name in the title (who doesn't carry any weight in Comicdom) it makes us indie-fans think this is a "comic version" of a pre-existing book; which it might be, but I wouldn't advertise that fact. Indie-fans tend to be more purist then most so would rather read the book then buy a comic adaptation. 
What made me pick up Dark Swan and Pariah (even though I had reservations) was the artwork; which I thought was of higher caliber then you typically see with these type of comics. Most of the time licensed and adaptations really lack quality artwork. However, these two series held their own.If Dark Swan returns I will pick it up (already bought the TPB) and I look forward to reading issue #5 of Pariah (which I will also buy as a TPB when it concludes).
1 comment:
I would think that tacking on the creator's name to a book is the safest way to avoid copyright issues. I mean, I'm sure there are more than a few properties called "Dark Swan" or "Pariah" out there...
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