Whether you’re a music fan, a film buff, a bookworm or anything in between, with just a few apps and a decent phone you can now get instant access to a world of entertainment.
Yup, us millennials are all thoroughly spoilt for choice when it comes to indulging our passions – and the creative industries responsible for feeding those interests have had to adapt and develop to keep up.
The comic book industry has proven no exception – we’re taking a closer look at how it’s changed throughout the ages in a bid to entertain, delight and enthrall every new generation.
The glamour of the silver screen
Certain comic book characters – the inimitable Superman, for example – have long enjoyed an illustrious relationship with Hollywood.
But in recent years, we’ve seen a flurry of comic book adaptations storm the box office, and it’s not just the biggies like Batman grabbing the spotlight – less mainstream comics like Kick-Ass and Watchmen have proven major hits, too.
Of course, some of this comes down to the film industry’s financial situation. With profit margins in mind, films (like comic book adaptations) with the potential for sequels or franchises are unsurprisingly popular.
And yet, it’s also a clever move by the comic book industry, widening its appeal and introducing its wares to whole new audiences. For Marvel, such cinematic ventures have already undoubtedly boosted profits.
Working with the Netflix powerhouse
But the comic book industry isn’t just relying on the big screen to win new fans – Netflix, one of the biggest usurpers of the entertainment industry in modern times, has also been important.
Netflix already has an interesting relationship with Marvel, its adaptations of the likes of Daredevil and Jessica Jones bringing beloved comic series and characters to much wider attention and critical acclaim.
Recently, Netflix also acquired comic book publishing company Millarworld (responsible for hits such as Kick-Ass and Kingsman).
With some of Millarworld’s characters already boasting successful film adaptations, there’s a lot of justifiable excitement around how the unstoppable Netflix will choose to bring them to life for our TV, laptop and iPad screens.
Keeping up with the gaming industry
The gaming industry is perhaps the most changed throughout the years – just look at cards and other gambling games. Long gone are the primitive decks of cards. Instead, players simply have to log on to the likes of onlineroulette.org.uk to join a perfectly rendered digital game from anywhere in the world, at any time.
So how is the comic book industry attempting to keep up?
Well, Rick and Morty’s latest Virtual Reality (VR) game is the perfect example of how comic books can successful tap into the flourishing gaming industry.
Created by Owlchemy Labs and Adult Swim Games, Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality cleverly won over both fans of the comic series icons and VR-tech geeks with its fun storylines and on-brand graphic style.
The future of the comic book industry
So there you have it – from big-screen ventures to TV triumphs and gaming innovations, the comic book industry has been far from static over the past few decades.
However, will it be enough to withstand the rumored financial troubles threatening the entire industry? Only time will tell, but here’s hoping we get to enjoy even more entertaining developments as it battles to stay afloat.
