There's evidence to prove the comic companies caused these disorders. Dr. Wertham may have been on to something

I'll have to remind myself to always include smiley faces when I'm being facetious. My humor obviously is too subtle. Or should I say humour

Not as large as you think. If (And it's a big if) you take the regular posters here as a representative sample of hardcore comics customers, you don't even have a consensus that numbering is an issue. If you then add in the portion of the customer base that hasn't been buying comics since the Bronze age who don't have an attachment to the numbering, that portion becomes significantly smaller. The ony people I ever hear complaining about it are people who are invested in back issues of comics. That's not the majority of comic purchasers these days. In a retailer demographics survey I read about a year back, of the 5000 or so Diamond accounts in North America, less than half sold back issues other than current issue overstock. So back issues aren't even a part of the business model of half the comic retailers in North America.

I think people overestimate how important back issues are to the current comics industry, the interest level of people reading current comics in going and getting back issues, and the importance of numbering to the typical end customer (rather than retailer who places the orders who are the actual customers of the comics companies, not the end customers buying the books to read or collect). More and more the back issue market has moved from brick and mortar comic shops to dealers at conventions, online comics retailers, and online auctions sites, and brick and mortar retail establishments who deal in vintage pop culture and collectibles but not current comics. Sure a fair number of comic shops carry back issues, but even those that do, it is not often the core of their business plan. So marketing strategies for current comics built on collections of back issues or the preferences of those collectors are not reflective of the actual demographics of the current end customers for comics. Market research has shown that the current 18-34 demographic (the key/most desirable demographic in any entertainment industry) are less inclined to amass large quantities of stuff in any form. Fewer are buying homes, most tend to be more mobile and want less stuff to tie them down when the do move, etc. The trend is growing in strength, not lessening, so any long term growth plans for people in the entertainment industry has to take that into account. You don't aim long term growth strategies at older demographics. It's a losing proposition. Short term revenue strategies aimed at that group, sure, but not long term growth plans because older demographics shrink (unless someone find a cure for old age/death), and many in the older demographics change lifestyles and shed stuff once they do retire as well. A large source for key back issues coming in the market is older collectors divesting themselves of stuff (like our pal Ish did). So where's the growth potential there? Your growth potential is in the 18-354 demographic and the generation after that, so any long term growth plans for any entertainment industry has to account for their preferences, not those of the 35+ demographic.

And as for people on the interwebs, they are by far a vast minority of the total customer base, the majority are content to buy the product and not post/bitch/complain about it online, never visit a comic forum or facebook group about comics, etc. So complaints/desires expressed about an industry (and comics in particular) are most often from a very vocal dissatisfied minority who in no way, shape or form represent the majority opinion of customers who contentedly buy the product voting with their wallet and speaking louder than any internet complaint ever could. Complaints form forum posters and such is really just so much white noise when compared to what the dollars actually flowing into the companies say in the short or long term.

-M

That was hardly my point. I was just commenting on what I think the major issue is with a portion of the fanbase.

All the more reason to eliminate the need for back issues and make their product accessible to the wider audience. Marvel and DC are not in the back issue business. They never have been. Maybe instead of trying to make it easier for someone else in the secondary market to sell back issues they don't profit on, Marvel and DC should focus on producing stories with clear beginnings, middles and ends which is what modern audiences want. Their movies and tv shows do it and are vastly popular and profitable. Their comics do not and barely break even and are relegated to a niche market. There's a lesson in there, but it's not make it easier for people to buy back issues.

-M

My point is they should be.   Image is making piles of money on Walking Dead 'back issues' in the form of trades and omnibuses.. reaching tons of people that don't usually buy comics.  No reason that wouldn't work for other properties if the price and format were correct.   It's all about availability.   No one is going to by things if they're not sure they going to finish.  You seem to be saying you think the lesson is to not have any history... I think they should embrace it.  What they do it is this weird half measure that doesn't work for anyone.