Sonic after IDW.

[Slashy]

It may be a surprise to some of you that IDW is not doing great. Constantly losing licensing rights and the stock dropping under a dollar alongside numerous reports of debt do not paint a bright picture for the future of Sonic comics at IDW. If IDW's pivot into original comics does not pan out, then I do not see the company lasting much longer.

I do think several of the staff members will be brought back (Flynn and all of the prominent artists), but I am not sure everyone will be brought back especially since another publisher may want to bring on its own staff, especially if it is larger.

I also think the comic will be due for another soft reboot if this happens, probably not as bad as Archie, but I imagine that while IDWs events will be canon thanks to SEGA's unified vision for the series there will be a greater attempt to make the comic accessible for those who never read it.

I do think the success though will prompt SEGA to shop around to other publishers. My biggest hope is that WEBTOON gets it so the Sonic comics can reach the largest audience and the comic can exist in a community. It would do really well with IDW Sonic's audience who likely has a large portion that reads it digitally.

[DaddlerTheDalek]

Is that ClownfishTV? Not what I would call "unbiased"...

[DabigRG]

1 hour ago, DaddlerTheDalek said:

Is that ClownfishTV? Not what I would call "unbiased"...

Is there a way to follow up on the source? Can't be biased without having something react to 

[DaddlerTheDalek]

26 minutes ago, DabigRG said:

Is there a way to follow up on the source? Can't be biased without having something react to 

I know that comicgate types don't like IDW very much because they think they are "woke" or something. This is what I get from these thumbnails.

[GentlemanX]

Clownfish TV is not a good source, sensationalist and right leaning, but it is a fact that IDW is and has been doing poorly financially. The company's stock took a major plunge in fall of 2018 and after a massive fall in 2019 the comic market cratering in 2020 hurt even more. They've not recovered since leading to stocks dipping to under a dollar last month. It's bad, and with losing some of their major licenses like Transformers and GI Joe things are probably going to get worse before they get better.

We know from Ian that Sega owns the content from IDW like Tangle, Whisper, etc. and the company has been far more supportive of IDW's comics compared to Archie before them. It's likely elements from IDW will still appear even if the comics leave IDW for one reason or another. Tangle and Whisper sell products like plushes, tee shirts, pillows and blankets, etc. If Sega's been smart in their deals, they also hopefully own the rights to the comics themselves so they could also be reprinted by another publisher in the future. There would *probably* be some sort of jumping on story if a new publisher took over, but given how much of an effort is being made to make everything one continuity right now I can't imagine they'd start from scratch.

[Razule]

I wouldn't take these "go woke, go broke" types seriously at all. But yeah.. comics don't really make money these days, so I'm not exactly shocked. We'll see when we see. 

SEGA should own everything for sure this time, so if anything happens, hopefully they could continue at another company. 

[Slashy]

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/idw-loses-17-1-million-in-2019-projects-profitability-in-2021/

http://www.multiversitycomics.com/news/idw-22-originals/

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/usagi-yojimbo-quits-idw-back-at-dark-horse-stan-sakai-imprint-dogu/

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/dark-horse-seizes-all-ages-star-wars-comics-line-from-idw/

Here are some more statistics to show how bad it is doing.

[DaBigJ]

Honestly, I feel like if IDW Sonic "ends", I think there won't be a follow up comic, or at least PHYSICAL ones. I think we could get, like, digital comics or maybe a comic strip for online websites like GoComic, but that's about it 

[Raya]

At first' I don't believe we'll see end of IDW Sonic in 2024. Video you posted is a very cherrypicked and looks like a clickbait, like the entire auhtor's channel. And yes - IDW has some financial losses, but this is not probably the level of losing financial liquidity or license for Sonic.

And what if someday the series will end and IDW lose the rights? 

Well, I guess Sega will find another publisher, with people like Ian Flynn on the board. Tbh I don't believe in turning to non-physical comic only.

[Rabbitearsblog]

I don't really listen to Clownfish Tv since they tend to blow things out of proportion.  They even commented years ago that IDW was going downhill, but the company is still standing.  However, I don't rule out the fact that comic books in general are not doing as well as they used to.  If IDW does go downhill, then SEGA is just going to find another comic book company.  The question is, what other comic book company could take in Sonic if IDW falls?

Also, how are the other comic book companies doing?  Is Marvel and DC still doing well in comic book sales?

[MetalSkulkBane]

I'm going to be optimist for once.

I'm assuming IDW won't die. At worst it will close less popular books and thankfully Sonic is one of their best sale (right after TMNT)

I'm assuming if IDW dies, Sega will just find new published, like they did after Archie.

And I'm assuming that potential 3rd (well, 4th counting Fleetway) publisher will just continue from IDW, just with easy jumping in point for new readers.

Sega gave Tangle & Whisper too much attention to just throw them way.

 

Worst thing about all of this is that Sonic Universe feel less and less likely with each day.

[SharkSoldier]

Well, I've heard this story for at least 2 years and even with the pandemic, IDW survived, but of course, I don't disregard the possibility of IDW withering away, because in fact sales aren't doing very well, but I still think it's very difficult.

But if that actually happens, I believe it will be handled better than ArchieComics in 2017, SEGA has full control of the story practically and they even announced that it is canon, so there is no point in reboot everything from scratch.

Ian-Flynn will certainly be the lead writer on this story, as he is already someone SEGA trusts to make history according to the company's wishes, as for the artists it will depend on the type of studio that will receive the franchise.

It remains to be seen which editor would take over, according to some Anti-Flynn from Deviantart, Udon Comics would be interested in taking over the story, but I cannot confirm this as true.

Edited January 4, 2023 by SharkSoldier
Ortographic error

[Slashy]

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

I'm going to be optimist for once.

I'm assuming IDW won't die. At worst it will close less popular books and thankfully Sonic is one of their best sale (right after TMNT)

This is sort of what is already happening, IDW has already lost four licenses and is now focusing on trying to create its own IPs to save the company. I assume it needs the added revenue to continue to pay off the great deal of debt it has, just putting more and more into Sonic would probably have diminishing returns.

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Worst thing about all of this is that Sonic Universe feel less and less likely with each day.

I expect something like Universe because Sonic is one of the few reliable money makers IDW has.

 

3 hours ago, Rabbitearsblog said:

The question is, what other comic book company could take in Sonic if IDW falls?

I hope it is not an even smaller publisher like Oni Press.

My hope is WEBTOON picks it up even if that is more unlikely. Sonic moving to digital only would be a stronger move.

[Kazhnuz]

I think that "Sonic after IDW" have big chances to be more "Sonic in IDW-bought-by-another-company". IDW's current situation makes it an easy target for being bought. The debt might be an issue, tho.

[Danj86]

I've read that IDW had been losing the Transformers and G.I.Joe IPs. That seemed to take effect at the end of 2022, so I imagine that would financially effect things further.

But I don't really read those so I can't comment on their quality. I only really bother with Sonic.

[Slashy]

1 hour ago, Kazhnuz said:

I think that "Sonic after IDW" have big chances to be more "Sonic in IDW-bought-by-another-company". IDW's current situation makes it an easy target for being bought. The debt might be an issue, tho.

IDW has nothing really of worth to get bought out.

[Michael Takagawa]

4 hours ago, Slashy said:

IDW has nothing really of worth to get bought out.

Blame the stock traders.

[Slashy]

2 hours ago, Michael Takagawa said:

Blame the stock traders.

I would blame the lack of notable IPs besides Wynonna Earp which was not even originally from IDW.

[Michael Takagawa]

11 minutes ago, Slashy said:

I would blame the lack of notable IPs besides Wynonna Earp which was not even originally from IDW.

Got a demon whispering under your bed?

[Rabbitearsblog]

How did IDW got into so much debt in the first place?

[DaddlerTheDalek]

This thumbnail reminds me that  "Big Oof" became so ridiculously infamous.

[Slashy]

14 hours ago, Rabbitearsblog said:

How did IDW got into so much debt in the first place?

Investing into television adaptations.

[Rabbitearsblog]

2 hours ago, Slashy said:

Investing into television adaptations.

What shows did they adapt besides Locke and Key?

[Slashy]

1 hour ago, Rabbitearsblog said:

What shows did they adapt besides Locke and Key?

Wynonna Earp

[Michael Takagawa]

We can’t see the future when we can only speculate about it. It'd be better for your mental health not rushing to conclusions when you hear the next bad thing on the internet.