The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Untold Tales of the Comic Industry is a pretty interesting sounding documentary currently in progress which looks into comics culture, asking various industry figures about it and about how it can be that when comics are inspiring box-office busting films and bestselling video games the actual monthly comics themselves sell relatively little? From the description:

“There’s a lot to love about comic books. For generations, comics have offered readers of all ages fantastic stories using constantly-evolving, truly groundbreaking techniques. Today, the comic industry is gaining even greater exposure by inspiring iconic blockbuster films, TV shows, and conventions. Attendance numbers at comic conventions are growing at an unprecedented rate. But are people really getting to know the comic culture through these mass appeal translations? More and more people are finding their way to the comic world’s greatest characters via games they’ve played and movies they’ve seen…so why aren’t comics selling through the roof? Why is the industry struggling to survive?

This documentary takes a look at the comic industry from the inside out, guided by writers, illustrators, editors, distributors, Hollywood storytellers, and global fans of the art form. You’ll see the genesis of our shared love of comics, and explore the inspirations that keep creators running. You’ll learn what these creators love about the industry today, and what they hope to see improved for the industry’s survival tomorrow. No topic is off the table: economics, fan culture, the industry’s need to open its ranks to include a wider range of race and gender – it’s all discussed. This film isn’t a tell-all in the scandalous sense, but it IS full of honest stories and opinions offered up by the people behind the pages.”

UNTOLD TALES OF THE COMIC INDUSTRY from ArcMedia on Vimeo.

They guys already have a whole bunch of interviews in the can with some good folks from the comics biz, as you can see from the trailer above, but they are now asking folks if they will contribute via the Kickstarter tool to get more funding so they can afford to travel to other locations and events to bag more interviews. It’s certainly an interesting sounding project; check their site for more details and information on how you can contribute.