TROTTERS' INDEPENDENT TRADING 'INDUSTRY'...

To my great amusement, I'm advised that, over on some blog, a self-confessed 'wannabe writer' is still trying to talk up a British comics industry that no longer exists (by misrepresenting the views of those who are of a different opinion), and making specious comparisons to the music, movie and TV industries that yet retain a significant presence in this country.

As I've previously gone to great pains to explain, when I say 'comics industry', I'm referring to published paper periodicals (of either weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or even yearly frequency) containing mainly comic strips, as the word was defined and accepted for decades in the minds of the general public, and as yet defined on Wikipedia and in most dictionaries.  If he could only grasp the difference between the carton and the content, he'd be a less angst-ridden little malcontent.

Books, DVDs, digital platforms, etc., containing comic strip content, are not 'comics' in the traditional sense of the word, but a different (though admittedly related) animal.  When something 'evolves' into something different, it ceases to be that which it was before.  And, when it 'evolves' into something less than it was before, then it's no improvement.  If a giant evolves into a dwarf, he's not a giant anymore, is he?

Anyway, there's no point covering every aspect of this discussion again, as it's practically been done to death.  Here's one important aspect to consider though.  See these self-published and/or digital products that some people tout as proof of today's 'evolved' comics 'industry' ?  Were there really an industry (as I understand the concept), they wouldn't exist, because there'd be little need to go down that particular route.  The existence of such things only serves to prove just what dire straits the so-called industry is really in.

The main difference is, I suppose, that these people view any and all comic strip material as being 'comics' in themselves, and they're entitled to that view.  I, however, see comic strip material as something within a comic (a published paper periodical), and though the word has been and is sometimes used interchangeably, I prefer to draw (npi) a distinction between the carton and the content.  (Like we used to do.)

Anyway, who can blame that other blogger for leaping on the bouncing bandwagon in a new attempt to stir up controversy, thereby attracting attention to his site?  If only he'd avoid being so embarrassingly ingratiating to those whom he thinks might be able to help 'grease the wheels' of his hoped-for comics career in the process, we'd be spared having to witness the sad spectacle of a sickening bit of 'brown-nosing'.