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Here comes another wave of celebrity comics. If the past has taught us anything its that celebrity comics are just another fad only in comic form. Why is it so hard for a celebrity comic to gain any form of support or success?

Celebrities carry a lot of influence, especially when they’re popular. If they buy a drink, their fans by the same drink. If they get their hair cut one way plenty of people will follow suit. When celebrities decide to be involved with comics, it seems natural that there would be a new legion of comic fans entering stores. Sadly, history has shown this to not be true. Recently, there have been some new comics with celebrities involved. The comics are ready to come out but a lot of retailers, and readers, are expecting a repeat of the past.

When it comes to celebrity comics, the only ones I can recall are very recent or from the 80’s. My general feeling about celebrity comics is that it’s about a celebrity using their fame to sell a product they care to know nothing about. They didn’t write it, they didn’t draw it, but they have influence and they are going to use that to motivate people to buy a comic. This may work for other products, but comic readers a different type of consumer. Comic readers want to know who writes, draws, inks, etc. their comics. When a celebrity is pushing a comic, a comic-reader will look for their name in the credits and when they don’t find it, the comic book reader will dismiss it.

The only people who pick up this comic are new readers who don’t read comics regularly. Because those new readers don’t read comics regularly they buy an issue and that’s it. They’ve done what their fandom demands of them and supported a celebrity product. Sadly, a one time buyer isn’t what makes a comic successful. Repeat buyers are what make comics successful. Ask a comic book shop owner what they prefer: an influx of one time buyers, or steady stream of regular readers? I believe most would say the latter.

I’m not saying that all celebrity comics are doomed to fail. I think celebrities who believe they can get into comics need to respect comic book readers and comic reading culture. If they come in believing they can sell a mediocre product to comic readers, then they are greatly mistaken. Readers demand a lot from their comics and a one-trick show-pony is easily spotted and dumped. Readers want great comics and comic book shops want repeat customers. If a celebrity can make any of those things happen consistently then I think they may be the first successful celebrity comic. Otherwise, get ready to add another celebrity comic into the failure column. There is the case that a celebrity is happy to be a part of a marketing campaign where the sole purpose is to only sell three issues. If that’s true we as readers need to be more on guard and spot these books. We need to send those celebrities and publishers a message, “Comic readers take their comics seriously” (or some other message you deem appropriate).