ComicsPRO president Joe Field looks to the future

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — ComicsPRO president Joe Field said that despite a down economy and the growing digital format, there’s no reason print-format comic books can’t continue to thrive. Field spoke to gathered retailers on Friday morning at the ComicsPRO annual members meeting.

“Comics today are more ubiquitous than at any time in the last 25 years,” Field said.

“We’re not going to get lost because there is a new kind of comics medium on the way,” Field said. “No medium has ever completely replaced the one that went before it. ”

Field said comic books have been “left for dead” by supposed experts many times throughout his career, but direct-market retailers’ resilience have kept the medium going. Now, Field said, huge numbers of people are interested in the type of material available in comics. Field said other media featuring those characters and concepts can be competition for comics, but they can also be commercials for comics.

“There is an incredibly bright future for our market if we are willing to make it happen,” Field said.

- Matt Price

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