A while back, a graphic novel called I Am Not Starfire was released. It featured the predictable ugly art and “social justice” storytelling popular among current American comic pros, and it received criticism from all the usual places. But what was the result of all the memes, hot takes, and video essays “taking down” the comic and “fighting the SJWs”?
It charts.
I Am Not Starfire CLIMBS the sales charts!
DC Comics finds a small hit, but still can't beat manga! https://t.co/Uqmzdn21VM pic.twitter.com/DC04b1tFkd
— YellowFlash (@YellowFlashGuy) September 3, 2021
Understand something right now: If you talk about an IP, you are marketing it. It doesn’t matter if it’s praise or critique, squeeing or shouting down. All of these video complaints about modern American pop culture only strengthen it because all the attention makes it relevant, no matter what that attention is. Channels devoted to pop culture critique are the marketing arms of big IP owners, dutifully spreading the word to all and sundry about the product. As Kevin Smith helpfully pointed out, this is a major part of the media companies’ advertising strategy.
Kevin Smith- reviews don’t matter, Netflix doesn’t care, and he’s still gettin paid pic.twitter.com/xqajLvJf3C
— Steph Anie (@mynerdyhome) July 25, 2021
And they don’t have to pay a dime.
This is why I emphasize #BrandZero so much. Professional entertainment in America is now no better than troll-posting online; provoking anguished reactions is the point. They want your critiques, they want your complaints, and they want your tears — that is how they measure success, not profit or fan love or anything like that. Positivity is fine, but negativity drives the clicks and the attention.
So deny it to them. No praise, no critique, nothing. Don’t buy it at all. And stop doing unpaid commercials for people who hate you!
Instead of advertising IPs from people who hate you, how about you read something from someone who actually wants to entertain you?
Rawle
There are youtubers taking your advice. I read tweet from a youtube movie reviewer who stated forthrightly he’ll ignore reviewing Star wars. So he’s ignored one called the Bad batch and another whose name I forgot.
Jon is reviewing indie productions.
If I were a YouTube reviewer, I’d cover the comics. I’m blown away at how good the English language independent comic book creators are. They’re equal to the Franco/Belgians and on par with manga.
xavier
This is heartening news. I’m glad to hear it.
Rawle,
Obviously, the reviewers have conducted an informal cost/benefit analysis as well as realizing the mainstream creators’ grift. The reviewers have concluded that there’s so much better stuff to review and critique.
Naturally, my predictions are inaccurate, but DC/Marvel will soon have their plugs pulled. Eventually, the accountants will take a very hard look at the numbers and conclude it’ll be more economical to simply shut them down and not even bother renewing the copyrights.
And I just don’t care.
xavier
It’s a slow process, but a necessary one.