Here’s Jamie Coville’s prescription for the comics industry:
“Often we are trying to bring non-readers into the comic industry. Either by getting them into a comic book store or hoping they visit the graphic novel section of the bookstore. This is extremely difficult and it typically takes a media event to do this. Buffy Season 8, Captain America dies, Obama and McCain bio-comics. This is great and more of the same should occur.
“I think the opposite also needs to be done. We need to bring the comic industry to non-readers. Now more than ever as traditional outlets begin to feel the pinch. Putting GNs into bookstores has helped publishers by giving them an additional revue stream. I think we need to find more places to put comics, and use formats that fit those delivery systems. Traditional comics wouldn’t work in bookstores and while I love GNs and read them almost exclusively, a different format would likely be needed in different markets.
“One avenue I’m really surprised no company has taken advantage of is breakfast cereal. Don’t tell me Spider-Man Sugar Pops or whatever wouldn’t sell to kids. Especially if there were a Spider-Man comic book inside as a gift, with an ad for a subscription and say the next issue in cereal boxes 1 or 2 months later. The same could be done for Naruto and any other character that appeals to kids (Bone, etc..). If something like this could be worked out it would be a great way to reach children.”