An Unlikely Choice Made All the Difference...
When it was announced that Marvel would be making a movie about Iron Man many fans were worried. Iron Man was not a bankable character and the movie was viewed as a potential flop. John Favreau casting Robert Downey Jr. was looked on as risky. The actor was known more for his erratic behavior and over the top personality than his acting at the time. No one actor in modern times was perfectly cast and born to play a character more than Robert Downey Jr. was as Iron Man. In 2008 Iron Man was released to commercial success and the Marvel Cinematic Universe was born. Unbeknownst to comic book fans, Robert Downey Jr. and Iron Man ushered in a new Age and era for comic books.
The Iron Age (2009-Present)
I. Why Buy a Comic when You can Buy a Comic Book Company
The success of Iron Man in 2008 brought renewed attention to comic books and the comic book universe was altered forever. Comic book characters were now seen for the money that they could generate outside of comics. In 2009 Mirage Studios, whose formation ushered in the Copper Age, was sold to Viacom. The only thing that Viacom did not want in the deal with Mirage Studios was the rights to produce comic books. Corporations realized that instead of comic books driving merchandising sales now television and movies were driving merchandise sales, of which comics were included.
Later in 2009 Disney saw the potential in Marvel Characters and bought Marvel Comics. Now the Mouse was in charge of Iron Man and the Avengers. Marvel could have been purchased to produce Disney character comic books but that was not the case.
Marvel was valuable to Disney because of their characters' media potential. Comic book sales did not matter anymore to Disney. We need to look no further than the cessation of Marvel Comics publishing the Fantastic Four comic book at a time when the movie rights were owned by another company. With billions of movie tickets at stake, the sale of a few comic books was not even worth the paper it was printed on if it would benefit a rival company.
Finally, while we are only focused on the current comic book age, the media influence that dominates the current age of comic books has also transcended the market for back issues as well. This media influence is why the Iron Age is the dawn of a new era of comic books.
II. The First Appearance of.....
For the first time, comic book sales were not looked upon as the only way to produce money to be important to a company. In the old days, ashcans were produced as an inexpensive way to see how a book would be seen by the market. Now comic books were looked on by parent companies as inexpensive means to try out characters. Miles Morales was introduced to the comic book market to great fanfare by Marvel Comics. He was the Spider-Man for the new generation of younger fans who wanted their heroes to be a reflection of society.
Sadly they licensed his film rights to another company and his popularity allowed for Sony to use him in a film that was a financial success. This is a mistake that Disney (Marvel) and Warner Brothers (DC) will never allow to happen again.
Characters such as Knull, Punchline, and Kamala Khan have been introduced in books with an eye toward potential greater commercial success in different media in recent years. Even Harley Quinn was re-introduced in her series in a look that was much more familiar to movie fans than her long time comic book fans. Do not expect the introduction of first appearances or the modification of comic book characters to be more like their film counterparts to stop. Comic books are the perfect lab for the parent company to see what might be successful for them.
III. What is Old is New Again...and Rare!
No matter how hard they try comic book companies' editors still want to produce books fans want. Even with the introduction of new characters, fans want more. To feed the need publishers have gone back to an old friend...Variants! Gone are the days when different types of covers like chromium and die cuts are being produced, but it still is financially viable to produce variant covers for fans. Low print runs of comics mean that some of these variant books are rarer than some Golden Age books. This has lead to a speculative market where books can fluctuate hundreds of dollars days after their release. Variants with low print runs that introduce a key character are the gold that drives this market. Why kill the variant goose that lays the golden eggs?
Low print runs have also allowed publishers to run several printings of books when the need so arises. Past overprinting of an issue is no longer economically feasible. Instead, if a character or issue is a success fans will come back for additional printings. In the past, only one printing was the norm. Now, with such small print runs additional printings of comics is a much more cost-efficient way to meet the needs of the market. These later printings are also desired by fans.
Iron Age...End or Beginning
At no time in the history of comics do I believe so much is at stake. Movies, YouTube, Phone Apps, Video Games, and so much more are trying to get people's money. The Iron Age in my opinion marks not the end, but a new beginning for comic books. In this new era comic books are influenced by movies and outside influences that drive the industry. Comic Book publishers have adapted to this new era. We should now recognize what we have been living in during this time.
The Iron Age of comics is strong and thriving. It has evolved into a new environment and to the new status quo. In the era from the Golden Age to the Copper Age, comic books were looked on as the driving force to make characters popular and to drive merchandise sales. A new era has come to light where comics have found their niche in serving the need of their fans. Now comic book companies have adapted to be much more cost-efficient and to identify the needs wanted in the comic book market while still serving a purpose for their parent companies.
What next?
Gone is the need to describe comics with ages named after precious metals. Now comics serve a purpose that is grounded in function. Iron Man was the film that showed that comic books and their characters still had importance. Fans sought out comic books now because of the movie and not vice versa like in the past.
We all see the importance of movies and television shows play in the current market. This fact can no longer be ignored in defining an Age of comics. The significance of movies and television has even gone on to influence the back market as well! These changes were all caused by the casting of one man in a role that he was born to play. This role will define his career. This role changed the path of comic book companies. Then why not should we as fans serve notice that we see this change in the age of comics and finally recognize the time we are now living...THE IRON AGE OF COMICS!!!!!
