Has anyone else noticed that the amount of traffic we get on this forum has dropped dramatically. Anyone got any ideas why? Have we all moved on with our lives?
Web of Fear
Yep, it's been pretty quiet round here recently.
Robin The Boy Wonder
It's something I noticed occurring about eight months ago. There were still plenty of forum posters still posting but far less frequently than usual.
There are two immediate examples who spring to mind (The Rascal King & Xeall); however, both have very solid reasons for not posting anywhere near as frequently as usual (and they are both still alive, in case anyone's wondering - their Facebook pages are testament to that).
Batmanuel's been extremely busy following the move. I've been preparing for a wedding. Then there is the ex-poster who shall not be named. I do wonder though if we're all far busier now than we were twelve months ago...
Maybe we need to kick-start the forum again with more debates (both comic & non-comic related; its not as if there's nothing to discuss), more news items (I have to admit I really wanted to start posting news items directly onto the forum this year but found it next to impossible with the wedding - you can see how its affected the Whatever Comics Awards), maybe more throwaway articles too.
We should perhaps try to persuade some of the lurkers to post; and, if at all possible, encourage anyone who isn't a member to join.
Another way to look at the forum is that it serves as a gateway into the larger Whatever Comics website and, in doing so, promotes the business. The more activity here, and the more we can persuade lurkers and non-members to participate (to do that, we need greater activity), the more we can attract these people to the shop (who, more than likely, already act as a customer anyway, if we're being honest), but, if we can interest one new person to post who has never visited the shop before, then we have a potential new customer for Whatever Comics and for Batmanuel. And that has to be a good thing!
I would like to spend more time here after my nuptials and probably will - I need to remind you all how Tony Stark was still right with Civil War after all. That topic never grows old!
Web of Fear
I don't think it's just active posters there's been a decline in - the Due to Ship threads generally don't get much comment, but the number of viewings seems to have dropped off recently.
Robin The Boy Wonder
Hm... maybe we need to do a forum roll call...
Robin The Boy Wonder
I've checked the viewing numbers on the Due to Ship... threads and I see your point, Webs.
There used to be quite a high number of views for this thread (as many as 101 back in September); however, it's really fallen off. So far this week, there are 16 views, with only 20 having viewed last week.
I'm not quite sure what the answer is. In one sense, we can ask that more people post more frequently; however, in order to do that, there needs to be a certain level of activity in the first place.
...where is everybody...?
Web of Fear
It's somewhat self perpetuating. With just over 100 registered users that should be enough for a reasonably lively (if small) forum. However, if no one replies to posts/threads, it's like talking to yourself.
This thread is the mosty active one in ages!
Robin The Boy Wonder
Admittedly, there is more I would like to do here.
Occasionally, in the past, I've posted several comic news items or offered links to others, including the monthly Top 300. Recently, I've had to spend a lot less time here purely because of the wedding. Oddly enough, with almost all of our preparation now complete, I've found the time this week to post - and we're getting married this Saturday! So I will try to post newsworthy items or, at least, start posting these within the next couple of weeks. There's a start, for me at least, if nothing else.
Otherwise, we should note that only three forum posters have contributed to this thread, lively or otherwise. Although, again, that's a start!
Batmanuel
We Need New Blood.
That and all those Starkest's who had lots to say during civil war need to stop hiding, and take your medicine. anal suppositories ?
Robin The Boy Wonder
This Starkist doesn't hide!!!
Reaper
I think part of the issue is that people aren't starting up threads about popular comics which a majority tend to read, it's great that we have people who read a lot of Indie comics but a lot of people don't and thus can't find a point to jump in on conversations.
Factor into that a lot of us seem to be busier, it just seems to be slowly going dead.
Also I guess there aren't any big debates going on, Civil War was a fantastic conversational issue but there isn't much like that now.
Batmanuel
I would like to agree with you reaper but i do feel that the whole Dark Reign, Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers, and the implications surrounding this harken back to the very core of the Civil War and the repercussions of the secret invasion which to all intents was only able to be truly successful because the heroes guards were down,
or maybe because the heroes were being restricted in being able to function properly.
So you see there really is still a lot to discuss. and yep your right it is great that people read the independents, after all without independent blood how on earth are we ever going to have anything worth while in the future, an example of this is Bendis himself who used to produce a little known black and white item called Jinx back in the day.
