After finding out that comic books aren’t only about super-heroes I’m always asked the same question, “Where do I start?” The reason new and lapsed readers have that question is because of the long running numbers to issues going back to the 1940’s. The numbering of books is always intimidating, even if the title is at issue 10. Catharsis is important to storytelling but so is knowing where and how the characters have ended up where they’re at.
DC Comics recently rebooted their entire universe to get new readers and Marvel Comics has been running a very successful Marvel NOW! initiative that has renumbered long running series. Those steps are great, but they still don’t solve the “where to I jump in” question. Dark Horse has listened to retailer feedback and they think they have the answer. After hearing their plan, I think this could be a great step in the right direction.
Dark Horse Comics has announced their Starting Point program. Dark Horse plans on bringing in lapsed and new readers by labeling specific issues in ongoing series as Starting Point issues. This will be done on a monthly basis with rotating titles. It’s clear that Dark Horse is carefully choosing the issues they’re calling Starting Points so that the books will ease worried readers into (or back into) the world of comics. Dark Horse is going to start this program in June of this year with the horror comic “Abe Sapien” and the classical super-hero book “Captain Midnight”. For more details, check out their official statement below.
DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES STARTING POINTS: A NEW WAY FOR FANS AND RETAILERS TO TRY NEW SERIES!
MILWAUKIE, OR, MARCH 10—At this year’s ComicsPRO annual meeting, Dark Horse listened directly to retailer feedback on how to spark interest in monthly series, in hopes of bringing in new and lapsed readers. In June, Dark Horse begins the Starting Points program, a new way to dive into great ongoing series!
Each month, Dark Horse will highlight an issue in an ongoing or long-running series that is a great place for readers to try something new! Starting Points titles will be noted in Previews with a special logo and incentivized for increased orders.
June’s Previews will launch this program with two great ongoing series: Mike Mignola’s Abe Sapien and Captain Midnight, a key title in Dark Horse’s ever-evolving Project Black Sky line of books!
In Abe Sapien #13, the amphibious Abe is haunted by guilt over the staggering death toll in Arizona and vows to never let such horrors happen again—until a crazed healer and a frog-possessed teen block his path! If you haven’t been keeping up with Hellboy’s one-time partner, there’s never been a better time to get onboard with this ongoing series cowritten by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie, with art from Sebastián Fiumara!
Meanwhile, Captain Midnight #12 kicks off a brand-new arc! Reeling from the death of one friend and the betrayal of another, CaptainMidnight throws himself into his work. Disillusioned with why he wears a costume, the time-traveling hero ponders what the world needs more of: the brawn of Captain Midnight or the brains of his civilian identity, genius inventor Jim Albright.
Dark Horse will offer retailers an additional 10% discount for orders exceeding 110% of the previous issue!
Look for one Starting Points title in the catalog each month, with evolving incentives and promotional support to help retailers bring new readers in to great Dark Horse series!