Indy Comics vs. Mainstream

U R Sofa King We Todd Did: Preference of "indie" comics or "mainstream" comics? Differences in art, quality, restrictions, etc.  

Hands down, I’d love to do a story about Noh-Varr. The Marvel Knights MARVEL BOY mini hit when I was 14 and, to me, it was like rock personified in a comic. You could simultaneously update the Captain Marvel legacy and make a lot of the Kree's well-established mythos feel like a fresh, far-out cosmology. He's adventuring with the Avengers, right now, but I could easily see some insane Steranko-esque "untold tale" pitting this conquering braggart against an horde of bizarre revamps of the Sentries and Dire Wraiths.  

CATMANEXE: How has doing what you love now changed the quality of your own life and outlook?

I'm definitely very grateful to be in the position I'm in, right now. Having gone through  a period questioning how much time and involvement I've put into this stuff (and  figuring it might've all been of waste of time) it does feel tremendously validating. Actually, I'd say it's gotten me to keep everything in life in the proper perspective; realizing that, as long you're in touch with who you are and what you want, all obstacles will look small and insignificant when you're eventually past them.

Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of  HYBRID BASTARDS!  &  UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon   here  &   here .  Follow him on Twitter:  @tompinchuk 

Invincible!

I left the comfort zone of mainstream movies once and watched Orlando starring Tilda Swinton... never again. Scarred me for life and gave me a phobia about indie stuff

"indie" was recently missused so many times it lost it's meaning. Especially teenagers who hates on everything popular just to look interesting got used to lable normal things with atm cool words like "indie" or "obscure"

I love Scud! XD
 
I guess Indie comics now are defined by everything that isn't Marvel/DC/Image/Dark Horse and not either superheroes...
Yeah, not really indie, but many titles fall into that categorie nowadays for just that.

Kids today, don't know the meaning of "obscure". I try to branch out when it comes to my comic reading.

WOO HOOOO!!!! 

My own comic is more mainstream, I think in style and story, but its Independent because I lack the money and fame.
 
Would the Tick be considered Indy?  Madman?

As much as I love mainstream comics and a huge fan as well, I can't stand the huge massive company crossovers Marvel and DC are having. That's why I've been reading all of Dynamite's Green Hornet material.

Everything I've read from Radical has been good. Seriously, check 'em out.

I'd probably read more "indy" stuff but sometimes hard to find good reviews on them. My local comic shop has quite a few different titles, just haven't looked at them yet.

" Invincible! "

I would go even futher, i'd wish you americans would try more european made comic-strips. I usually enjoy these much more than the average superhero comic, which to me most of the times feels like a dragonball Z episode, not enough storytelling and a lot of fighting.  
 
downsides are: they are not even close to a monthly series, often not even once a year, prices are a lot higher and most are in a foreign language.
 
i do realise that european comics are hard to get in the usa, but if demand would be higher i am sure more will be translated into english.
 
If you would try this european comic Storm by Don Lawrence i promise you wont be dissapointed.
I know for a fact it has been translated into english and you should be able to order it online, it has incredible art and even better a great story.
check it out if you have the chance.
 

Seems like mainstream is likelier to have better production values and dependable publishing because they've been doing it for so long and have vast resources, but that is certainly not an absolute.  Some of the Indy efforts put some mainstream efforts to shame. Like a previous poster seems to infer, a comic book is a comic book is a comic book, and likeability is based on the effort and success of the team creating it, not which venue it emerges from.  I think this will be a growing perspective as time goes on.

" "indie" was recently missused so many times it lost it's meaning. Especially teenagers who hates on everything popular just to look interesting got used to lable normal things with atm cool words like "indie" or "obscure" "

" @rouder said:

" "indie" was recently missused so many times it lost it's meaning. Especially teenagers who hates on everything popular just to look interesting got used to lable normal things with atm cool words like "indie" or "obscure" "

Blame it on the Hipsters. I spent a good half hour if not an hour itself browsing through Meltdown comics, they have a rack of comics in the store people write, draw, and print themselves in little sketch booklets, I thought that was super neat and would love to check some of those out sometimes. The problem with a lot of people who want to break into comics is they want to either draw the mainstream book they feel they could make better.   Reality is that's not happening until you put in YEARS of work.   Second is people who think they have the next big comic on their hands but want to have their work received by the masses and validate themselves by publishing it through Marvel, DC, or Vertigo, and whatever big names are still left. (DC I think owns Vertigo now, they try to buy any of their competition lol)   Whats great about independent publishing is people are getting to do what they want right from the get go, and in the process they meet other creators and collaborate with them in a real network under a legit banner or non mainstream network which leaves doors of opportunity open if you're willing to open them.   They have definitely piqued my interest in trying to get some work published.   I'm glad that comics are still living a healthy life even past my time of religiously collecting them. This is definitely a breath of fresh air from mainstream comics.  "

" I read everything (indie , web comics, mainstream ) even foreign titles from time to time so I am never really comfortable or in a zone ,but agree no body agrees with me on comic vine so they could kiss my @$$ if they do not like it . and that's all I got to say  ... "

" I love any comic that is good. Mainstream or "indie", I dont put to much stock in it. Just last night I ordered the Complete Essex County Tales and Locke & Key: Head Games. "

You nailed it with this Tom!
 "I do wish readers would be more willing to step outside the ol' comfort zone and try comics that don't necessary fall under the umbrella of the familiar. Especially they''ve been complaining about an established title they've been reading since they were 14, but haven't been enjoying for years. You're really better off breaking your habit and trying something new." 
 
 The Culture of Comics would be stronger if more people understood the medium instead of just following characters. Some of the best comics, "mainstream" fans will never read because it is not in their comfort zone.  Only by Branching out can you understand the medium better.  I thank my wide reading as one of the reasons I am enjoying Morrison's Batman.  Comics are more then just pictures and words, the medium can be something plan books and movies can never do.  This is why I feel Watchmen still is on filmable, because the movie was only one layer of the book, the most accessible layer.  Where is the "Lex verse Superman layer"? or "the good of the masses out way the good of the few layer" for example.  The movie was catered to Rorschach fans.
 
Grant Morrison's Batman is completely unfilmable, because the occult symbols and cryptic messages just don't translate into screen.
 
Indie comics are more experimental most of the time, when Superheroes can be cookie cutter like Bendis' Avengers that is still selling boat loads, and every month people are complaining.

Personally, I'll read just about anything that looks interesting or I've heard is good from someone I trust.  I have a lot more "mainstream" stuff but that's because I know it, not necessarily because it's better.  Even when I ready mainstream, though, I read the lesser known titles, usually.  Or I like the lesser liked characters.
I read "indy" too, though.  Especially The Uniques.  I think I may like that series as much as X-Factor which is my big thing.  It's even superheroes.
-Virus

Indy for me. When mainstream comics produces works as thought provoking and daring as Watchmen, V For Vendetta, Preacher, Sandman, Asterios Polyp, Y The Last Man, Walking Dead, or the Unwritten...then we'll talk. 

What is considered indy and what is not?  Is it anything that is not from the BIG 2??  Is it a book that doesn't have a super hero in it.  I'm not even sure where that label fits.   Wouldn't an else worlds type book from one of the BIG 2 somewhat be considered an indy.  There are a lot of readers on here that only read those, how do they view themselves as a reader?  Maybe there should be indy reviews as a way to support the indy books on here.  I've personally picked up a lot of titles on here simply because I read a good review and it seems that's one of the biggest points of this site.   Every week I click on the "new comics" icon and read almost every little paragraph describing  what came out and once in a while it makes me want to check out what's going on in those books.

These articles are so much better than when you repeat forum topics.  Excellent read.

Could care less as long as its good