Batty Bilson wrote:
But as a consumer, I shouldn't have to care about such things. If a publisher puts out something I like, that I can readily find, then I buy it. Excuses for their failures, or the "illogic" of their successes, don't concern me, only the comics themselves do. When you go to, say, the optometrist, do you pay them to hear someone tell you how tough their job is or how hard it is for them to find customers? No, you pay them for a service. And if they can't run their business and are gone one day, well that just leaves you just find another one to go to.



I totally agree.

I guy I used to work with was a big videogame fan but he talked more about sales and and corporate politics more than the merit of any actual product. He'd often support products "just because" "they might stop making it otherwise". Stop making what? Crap? Then aren't you supporting the very thing you'd rather not have? No one is going to stop making this stuff.

Another person I work with said he saw the new Star Trek movie even though he doesn't really like the direction of the current franchise, just so we get more Trek. But all he's doing is telling them he wants more product that he doesn't like. Only in fandom do people blindly support companies in the hopes that future product is better than the product they're paying for. Or buy multiple copies of the same product to inflate sales. They reward mediocrity and failure. I wouldn't go to the grocery store and buy extra bananas I knew I wasn't going to eat, or buy rotten bananas, just because "they might stop selling them otherwise." That's crazy. Bananas aren't going anywhere. Comics, videogames, etc, aren't going anywhere. There's more choices and products to choose from now than there ever was.

I think that train of thought is when a hobby starts to become unhealthy. Time to step away for a while and gain a fresh perspective. Maybe re-evaluate what it was that drew you to it to begin with. Find that joy. Otherwise you're less an enthusiast and more a blind consumer. Honestly, and sadly, I think a big portion of fandom falls into this category. It's the rabid sports fan mentality. "Gotta suport the team" "WE got a big game coming up." Nevermind the team is on a 20 year losing streak with crap players. If we keep supporting them they'll get better.