Batman Writer Chip Zdarsky Admits The Problems In The Comic Industry Are "A Myriad Right Now"
By Jon Del Arroz
In 2024, there's been a marked shift in the comic book industry, as comic pros at Marvel and DC Comics finally admit there are major problems with the industry instead of angrily telling fans everything is fine. In a recent interview, Batman writer Chip Zdarsky added his name to a growing list of professionals admitting comic book shops are in a disastrous state.
Discussions changed after comic retailer Glenn O'Leary went viral on X with a clip from a video where he's talking about sales being a disaster because of writers putting self-insert stories into books instead of honoring the characters. Readers don't want to read about someone's personal problems in a superhero book. They want to read about Iron Man, X-Men, or Batman.
The video sparked a lengthy discussion, mostly panned by Marvel and DC writers but taken to heart by independent creators and fans who have seen this happen too much to beloved characters. Netflix creator Mark Millar championed O'Leary and hosted several other retailers with similar messages about comic industry problems.
The discussion concluded at the end of last year with Heidi Macdonald, a journalist with a dubious reputation for being a part of an access media whisper network within the industry, posting an article claiming the comic industry was doing fine. Still, the picture it presented was primarily one that the book Dogman, along with Japanese manga, is trumping mainstream American comics. The industry is clearly in shambles.
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In an interview on the Word Balloon podcast, Batman writer Chip Zdarsky confirmed that the comic industry is in a disaster of a situation. However, when asked about self-insert characters, he stated, "I didn't see any proper examples of that. Yeah, like a self-insert, there's no Chip Zdarsky in the comics. You write what you know."
While he's ignoring his fellow DC Comics creators Tim Sheridan and Mariko Tamaki, who have taken books like Alan Scott Green Lantern and I Am Not Starfire and made books about their own fetishes, mental illnesses, and other cringy topics in recent years, Chip Zdarsky at least admits there's major comic industry troubles, saying, "The problems in comics are a myriad right now. There are so many ways that the industry is being harmed and is having trouble kind of recovering. It's facing challenges."
It's a marked change from comic industry pros, as the Batman writer confirmed what we've been saying for years. People like Chip Zdarsky are often quick to block fans of Batman and DC Comics on Twitter/X when they mention comic industry troubles, which has turned off a lot of fans over the years when they find their favorite creators intentionally shutting down such discussions. Chip Zdarsky is notorious for blocking fans simply for following creators he doesn't like, and yet he says, "Social media's such a wash. It's hard to have a discussion about this stuff."
Clearly, many comic industry pros aren't telling stories that fans want to read. The books coming out on the stands are far too often about personal politics, personal sexual fetishes, or personal anxieties instead of heroes being heroic. Still, Chip Zdarsky doubles down by reaffirming, "The self-insert stuff. I don't even know how to engage with that cuz I can't see it."
Just last week, however, Marvel Comics announced their highly anticipated Ultimate X-Men would be one said self-insert, with Peach Momoko going on a press tour talking about how the story is more a reflection on her junior high experiences than having any influence from prior X-Men books.
With so many creators turning a blind eye to the true problems in comics, it's hard to begin to fix the issues. An anonymous retailer told Fandom Pulse that these companies have "no editorial vision" any longer. It has scattered lines from Marvel and DC Comics where readers can't simply pick up a superhero book and know they will get a superhero story.
What does Chip Zdarsky think is the primary problem the comic industry is having? "People got used to not coming in the shop after COVID."
The world moved on from COVID years ago, and many industries suffered from this problem initially. Restaurants were shut down then, but if a person walks down the street, they will see restaurants full of people. One can hardly blame problems in the comic industry on COVID in 2024.
At least Chip Zdarsky understands the industry has problems, but until Marvel and DC Comics writers learn the stories they tell aren't the ones readers want when it comes to characters like Batman and X-Men, the cycle will inevitably continue.
What do you think of Batman writer Chip Zdarsky's comments on the comic industry? Leave a comment and let us know.
I am always surprised when developers blame the customers instead of themselves for a product not being bought. The actual seller on the ground is telling Chip something and it's ignored or mocked. It was a data point about a problem that needs solving, not a personal attack.
US comics are dead. I went from a buyer, to pirating/viewing them online, and now I can't even be bothered to read them for free online. It's just that uninteresting. Arkhaven is rushing to fill in the gap; however to satiate my old hunger for reading comics I frequent Korean/Chinese comics online nowadays. While I liked japanese stuff and still do, the Korea/Chinese comics have managed lighting fast micro-sized bulk content production. Instead of pulling this month's 6 issues of US comics I liked to read, it's now checking on 6 online comics of updates.