The genre of comic book culture has many ardent fans. The readership proves it. In this area, the proliferation of comic book companies is astonishing. There are over a hundred comic book companies in existence and many more are defunct. The competitions to produce, promote and distribute comics are formidable. Every company tries to produce one or more characters that appeal to the general public. There are exceptions to this. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay There are underground comic book companies that cater to a different segment of society. Sometimes they become mainstream because one or more of their characters are accepted. Major comic book companies like to create characters that exhibit abilities that audiences enjoy. Often, it works. The hero of the story is credible enough to be accepted. Acceptance is crucial for the comic book company to survive the uphill struggle it must endure. In other circumstances, the hero or villain has no connection with the readership and quickly fades into obscurity. This is a painful process for the company, or for the individual, who does not fulfill their duty to the readership. All the painstaking work that goes into developing the entire spectrum of a comic book company is daunting. Creating a hero in a real comic book takes time, effort and a lot of perseverance. If perseverance is not enough, the reader will never have the pleasure of seeing your creation come to fruition. The list of defunct comic book companies suggests that many people tried to get started with starting a comic book company and failed. Unfortunately, failure is a realistic expectation in any business endeavor, especially in the world of comics. When thinking about comic book companies, the two largest and most popular are DC and Marvel comics. Likewise, there are many independent comic book companies. Everyone is fighting for you to maintain their existence and for your hard-earned money. The latter is understandable. A comic book business cannot survive without a paid readership. The more circulation, the more money. Supply and demand. The law of economics. All these maxims are true. Once the comic book company gains credibility, its ability to create more characters increases its market share. The comic figures are a representation of the comic book company. Marvel comics contain more cosmic-powered heroes and villains than its main competitors. DC has a horde of characters from outside the confines of Earth, but who don't possess Marvel's power levels. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay Other comic book companies, such as Dark Horse comics, use licensed merchandising characters such as Star Wars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Considering Dark Horse Comics is the third largest comic book company, it has to work. Using established characters from television and film was a natural extension of the comic book world. The popularity of the characters was well known so the market was already in place. A complete list of current and defunct comic book companies is fairly easy to obtain. The reasons for success and failure.