Another summer means another wave of Hollywood blockbusters based on comic book properties. The trend is hardly new – the first Superman film came out in 1978. But there is no doubt that the studios are more adept than ever at taking B or even C-list superheroes and turning them into major movie events.
This year’s big entrants are Thor, X-Men: First Class, and Captain America: The First Avenger based on Marvel properties, and Green Lantern, springing from DC.
So how can Marvel and DC capitalize on their millions of (potential) new fans, and convert them from film-goers to comic-readers AdAge outlines four major tactics:
Jumping-on Points: Begin a new story arc that doesn’t require encyclopedic background knowledge.
New or Limited Series: Create a brand-new series starring that character. A clean slate.
Collections: Package up multiple issues into a single book, to help readers quickly get up to speed.
Retconning: Revise a character’s back-story to be simpler, or to more closely resemble the story from the film.
Big Event: Have the character involved in a seriously splashy storyline, to hook new readers.
Source: AdAge
