I came across this study from the Book Publishing Report and they quite happily assert that 25% of the comics and graphic novel reading audience is of retirement age.

They seem surprised by this, but for completely different reasons I am.

The entire spin of their study is, “See! Adults read comics, too!” But my question is, “Where are all the kids?”

Comics are a medium that will die if that number cited in this study continues to grow.  There will be no new audiences to read them and continue that growth.  Who are the rest of the comics readers and their demographic?  I’d have parsed the data myself, but I don’t have the spare $1,300 that Simba Information is asking for it.  Though I’m sure the major comic book publishers and advertisers might be ponying up all that green.

My guess is that kids under the age of 12 are probably the smallest segment of readers because they’re simply not targeted as much as that jaded, continuity whore twenty-or-thirty-something reader.

I guess my point is this: Comics should be more all-age friendly.  You can still do really cool stuff, and still have books for more mature audiences, but the thing that made Spider-Man popular was that he was a kid with real problems.  How many little kids care about Peter Parker as a college professor and divorcee?  I’m not saying the characters can’t grow, I’m just saying something needs to be done to widen the audience.

The Incredibles is a perfect example of an all-ages and competently written superhero story.

I’m not even sure where I’m going with all of this.  I’m just in shock that 1 in 4 of all comics readers is over 65.  I’m not disappointed to see that a more mature audience is enjoying comic books, but I want so many new and life-long readers coming into the market that I want that number down significantly.