Does the MCU Actually Help the Comic Industry?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the biggest franchise in movies. It vaulted past contenders like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings, using the familiar allure of superheroes to grab fans’ imaginations and never let go. The MCU used a simple formula, one lifted directly the comics – create a vast interconnected universe, with characters that know each other and events that have bearing on what comes next. Marvel had used this method once before during the 1960s to jump ahead of DC Comics, and it worked just as well in the world of cinema.

However, the Marvel Cinematic Universe only succeeded because they had access to decades of amazing stories and characters all created in the pages of the comic source material. Comics had been the home of superheroes since their inception, so one would imagine that the MCU’s dominance of pop culture would help the comic industry – people are obviously rabid for good superhero stories. So, let’s get to brass tacks and the answer the question – does the MCU help the comic industry?

The MCU’s Success Hasn’t Actually Had Much of an Effect on the Comic Industry, Except in One Way

Right now, worldwide, there are tens of million of MCU fans. While there are obviously degrees, it’s safe to say that of that number, there are millions of what people would call diehard Marvel fans. Everyone, even in these latter days of MCU popularity, knows at least one person who is obsessed with Marvel and there are online spaces full of super fans even today. However, for some strange reason, this hasn’t really had much of an effect on the comic industry’s sales.

One of the big problems with the comic industry is that they’ve stopped releasing print sales – from distributors to stores – unless a specific title or issue has set a record. In recent years, the best we can get is the entire industry’s cash output, which was $1.8 billion dollars in 2023. However, that number isn’t just American superhero comics, it’s also manga and kids/young adult comics (think titles like Dog Man). All things considered, the percentage of the industry that is superheroes is actual quite small.

RELATED: 10 Marvel Post-Credit Scenes That Actually Changed the MCU

The last time we actually got concrete numbers, the bestselling titles moved about a hundred thousand copies on average. Now, this is just the number sold to retailers, this isn’t what’s actually sold to customers. In fact, we only get an average on that sort of thing from the roughly two hundred stores who all use the same point of sale system from ICv2. In short, comic sales are quite low.

So, the Marvel movies haven’t moved a lot of fans into the comics. It’s would be easy to assume that Marvel Studios saved Marvel and, by extension, that MCU fans read comics. They do exist, but in small numbers. MCU fans haven’t gone to the comic stores in droves. Deadpool & Wolverine made over a billion dollars; Deadpool/Wolverine #1 will make a couple hundred thousand at publication, thanks to that fact that it retails for $4.99.

However, here’s the thing – Marvel as an organization having money is always a good thing and it keeps eyes on the comic industry. Superheroes and comic adaptations remain among the biggest events in pop culture, and by extension, the MCU’s success has driven the success of many other entities in the comic industry. Comics are a feeder system; as long as people like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and Wolverine, there’ll be comics of some kind.

The Comic Industry Is Dead, Long Live the Comic Industry

With the X-Men coming to the MCU, there’s a lot of excitement about that potential. In the comics, the new From the Ashes initiative has brought several X-Men back into the ranks of the bestsellers list, selling tens of thousands of copies, which is looked at as a good thing. There’s ten X-Men books; it’s possible that on a monthly basis, maybe five hundred thousand dollars are made off them. That includes Marvel and the comic stores. It’s not that much money when one imagines the size of just the United States, let alone the rest of the comic reading world.

The MCU does not drive comic sales in any appreciable way. Yes, comics are making more money, but each issue retails for $3.99 to $4.99, more on the higher end of the spectrum every passing month. Less people buy them for more money. That’s not just Marvel, that’s everyone in the comic industry. Here, we think a book breaking a hundred thousand unit sold is a reason for celebration.

There are 344 million Americans. The vast majority of them know about superheroes. So, anyone who says that the MCU has helped the comic industry isn’t right. However, they also aren’t wrong. The success of the MCU has brought in other companies trying to replicate its success. This keeps everyone working. Plus, Marvel and DC are idea factories, the entire comic industry is. As long as people need ideas for stories with a built in audience, it will be here. The MCU has hurt the comic industry in a lot of ways – most people go there for their superhero stories and not comics – but it’s also made sure the industry will be immortal.

So, the answer to the question? Whatever you want it to be.