It’s a brand-new year to start fresh and look ahead to the future. We asked many of our contributors and friends at Bleeding Fool if they would share their pick for the biggest geek-culture related stories from 2018 and what they thought we might see in the coming year and were looking forward to in 2019. Here’s what they had to say:

Jamison Ashley
I see a few more comic book related websites going under in 2019, and with our inspiration promoting a militant feminist-movie reviewer to the role of Editor in Chief, and Lion Forge buying out The Beat, and CBR letting their forum moderators become bigoted fascists, I think many of these click-bait websites are throwing strategies at the wall just to see what sticks. Unfortunately, I also see many more comic shops going under as neither of the big 2 publishers has done anything to shore up support from their core base of fans. For my two cents on 2018 in review, I think perhaps the biggest story was Ethan Van Sciver’s expectations crushing Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for his Cyberfrog revival. I’m looking forward to reading that, along with Trump’s Space Force, Kill All Men, Jawbreakers, Graveyard Shift, Big Foot Bill, and SEVERAL others, as well as the inevitable influx of talented indie creator comics coming out in 2019. Not just #comicsgate related titles, but just talented artists and writers who can’t find a home at the big two. I hope you’ll support indie creators in the coming year!

Kat Rocha
My ‘geek culture’ related prediction for 2019 is that Disney will try to again to put out a Star Wars film that doesn’t suck. If they stick to their SJW politics it will fail. I also predict that Ms. Marvel (Captain Marvel, sorry) will be loved by critics, but fans will span the gammut of “meh” to “it sucked”. I expect some man-hating as well from Ms. Marvel. On the bright side, I am looking forward to new and awesome comics coming out of the indie comics scene, particularly Comics Gate affiliated projects. And even more so, the official announcement of several new books from writer J.Ishiro Finney and my publishing company, 01Publishing.

If I have to pick only one as the biggest story of 2018, well, honestly, the death of Stan Lee. Even though he was in his 90’s and not long for this world, he was a true legend and the father of the comics industry.

Ethan Van Sciver
I feel like 2019 will see a rise in independent comics, specifically by ComicsGate creators, as infrastructure emerges for small press publishers to compete in the Direct Market. Also in 2019, I’m most looking forward to my fans reading Cyberfrog Bloodhoney, and then my completing Reignbow Brute and Cyberfrog: Rekt Planet, but frankly, Star Wars Episode IX tops my personal list, especially if the rumors of Rotta The Hutt are true. When I look back at 2018, I feel like the biggest story was the rise of ComicsGate, and the lawsuit between ‘Ya Boi Zack’ and Mark Waid.

Comics history is being written right now. It’s exciting stuff!

Edwin Boyette
I’m predicting that in 2019, there will be a bombshell or a quote from the Diamond Comics Retailer Summit that will break Comics Twitter for a Day. I also predict that Richard C. Meyer (Diversity & Comics) will win his suit vs Mark Waid (or Zaid will push for a big dollar payout to suppress Mark Waid’s embarrassing statements) Finally, I believe that one or more Comicsgate Creators will announce a label or brand and one more more will create actual infrastructure.

I also predict that the value of Crowdfunded Books on Indiecron will double. There’s going to be a massive secondary market for indie books like Redrooster, Jawbreakers, and Cyber Frog on eBay that speculators will demand and be able to sell these comics at obscene prices! One or more creators will have a second wave of their books distributed in comic book stores and will see a massive influx of readers into Comicsgate while a mature faction of Comicsgate will emerge who is able to interact with mainstream comics fans productively.

Finally, the upcoming election will break comics twitter again for at least a year, as Comics Pros will once again prove unable to self-censor their hard-left political views on social media. Expect bitter words, entrenchment, and further expect Marvel, DC, and even Image – to have hyper political content embedded in the stories themselves beginning in August 2019.

The totals for all sales channels (digital, book market, and LCS) will show a 3-5% decline when compared to 2017. As for the MCU, Captain Marvel will underperform in the theaters leading to a wave of mainstream articles decrying the intrinsic gender bias in both movie and comic book fans. 

Captain Frugal
As we look towards 2019, I have to say that I only see Marvel’s comic book sales continuing to decline. I also think that we’ll see an over-saturation of super heroes on the television and films. The public that consumes those shows and movies will begin dwindling. One thing I’m looking forward to is reading more great new titles from Alterna Comics

Marc Weinstein
Looking back on 2918, I think the biggest story related to geek-culture would have to be the death of Stan “The Man” Lee. For 2019 in regards to movies, I predict that Godzilla: King of the Monsters will be the sleeper hit of the summer and I am looking forward to it. 

Tristen Just (Nerdette)
In 2019, I see DC Comics and Warner Brothers movies as a whole getting larger in audience size and even better in quality. With titles like Shazam, Wonder Woman 84, and Joker being released, I all of these are going to be very well done. Unfortunately, on the other side, Marvel seems to be diminishing in their quality, after Avengers End Game, I’m not sure there is much hope. I see the MCU being more female focused with more of an agenda being pushed along with an inevitable quality decline. Whether or not I’m correct, we’ll have to wait and see. But as far as comics go, that trend looks reversed. The quality and writers at Marvel Comics seems to be on an upward trajectory with many great new writers being hired. And as much as I love DC Comics, the quality lately seems to be declining, not to mention their recent fiascos and censoring, but I’m still holding out hope for their future. In the end, I honestly think this is the year of the rise in Indies. The independent creators have been showcasing their amazing talent and are well written. Titles like Zero Jumper by Alterna really stand out to me.

Personally, I’m thrilled to see the release of Mortal Kombat 11 and to be back kicking ass as Milenna! Also, some amazing movies are coming out this year! I cannot wait to see Shazam! It looks fun and after Aquaman, I want more DC movies! Not to mention Detective Comics 1000 will be released in March and I’m STOKED to see the introduction of Arkham Knight into the comic fandom. I’ve always loved the Arkhamverse and I’m really looking forward to seeing Arkham Knight even if it’s not Jason Todd. Also, the more DC is utilizing their DC Universe the better. With titles like Young Justice and the new Harley Quinn, I cannot wait! The last thing I’m really looking forward to in 2019 is the conclusion to Heroes in Crisis, mainly to see if my predictions were right all along!

Douglas Ernst
I’m looking forward to releasing my own project with a great team of guys. Announcements will likely come in January. Everything is on track, but I’d rather do things right than do them fast and shoddy. The biggest geek-related story can be positive or negative, but I’d rather go with something positive. I loved Avengers: Infinity War. The reaction in the theater by people who were unfamiliar with the comics was almost worth the price of admission alone.

John Trent (Bounding Into Comics EiC)
I think the coming year is going to see more people flocking to anime and manga as they become more accessible on Netflix and other streaming services and apps like the new subscription service from Shonen Jump. What I’m looking forward to in 2019 is actually a tough question. For movies, it’s Godzilla. For video games: Jump Force. For comics: conclusion of Doomsday Clock and Three Jokers story. 

I believe the biggest story of 2018 was James Gunn being fired by Disney. Followed by Solo bombing at box office after Rian Johnson attacked fans following their criticisms of The Last Jedi.

Spike Valentine
I really do think things are about to get a little worse in the entertainment/nerdom industry as corporatism shows its ugly face even more. They think they sell products like Coca-Cola and that the fandom is just mindless, idiot consumers loyal to a trademark. Or that things are so mainstream and corporate, that CEOs running the show think this is like banking and you can just put in money into the system and take out more money without actually producing quality entertainment. We might be at the beginning of the end of the industry as we know it, but I still believe the worst is yet to come.

I am really looking forward to The Darkness #1 by Tom Grindberg and Matt Hawkins from Top Cow. It looks like a modern classic already. Can’t wait to read it! I also think the New Mutants movie will be an interesting movie-going experience.

As for the biggest story of 2018? Too many shitshows this year, but I think  Activision/Blizzard’s Diablo: Immortal debacle is the perfect case study of the corporativist problems the entertainment industry faces as a whole and how it actually harms itself as corporations, and it damages the general industry.

Thom Pratt (Kneon)
I’d like to think that we’re entering the “New Coke” era of geek culture going into 2019. That is, studios, publishers and the “geek” media finally realizing that making drastic changes to established IPs and subsequently blaming consumers for dissatisfaction is generally a bad idea, and that we will see more consumer-led trends in entertainment. But realistically, I expect more of what we have seen in 2018. As for what I’m looking forward to, ironically, Geeky and I were talking about this earlier tonight. There’s almost TOO much coming out in 2019. Despite all the drama surrounding pop culture media, it’s still a great time to be a geek. Not too long ago, we were lucky if we got a solid comic book movie once every few years. Now we get them almost monthly. Who could’ve imagined that even a decade ago? The biggest story of 2018 for me is the widening schism between geeks and “geek media.” It’s become increasingly clear that many journalists who cover pop culture are not in sync with average fans, and the attacks on fandom keep getting more and more brazen. Everything has gotten weirdly political and polarizing. I wish I could say that it’ll ease up in 2019, but I honestly don’t think so.

Dave Huber
I am predicting now that “Captain Marvel” will tank at the box office because Brie Larson is incapable of showing more than one facial expression. I am really looking forward to the new season of Black Mirror.

As for the best stories of 2018, I think “Black Panther” becoming a mainstream mega-hit despite the usual SJWs lecturing everyone (primarily white people) about the “how,” “when,” and “why” of the film. It was great.

Just Some Guy
I think the biggest story of 2018 was the accusations that came out about Eric Esquivel and weird initial reactions from the comic book industry professionals. I think that their responses perfectly showed the problems with the industry. Looking ahead to 2019, I think more and more people will begin to tire of the overt politics in geek culture, and we’ll see the market continue to stagnate overall. And I think the politics will unfortunately spread further, like we’ve seen in Japanese video games. This will probably begin to heavily affect manga and anime more than it already has, and likely continue ruin import games. On a positive note, I think we’ll see more people publicly rejecting the politics in 2019, much like what happened with with She-Ra and Thundercats Roar. 

The bright side of 2019? I’m most excited about finally, after 13 years and two consoles later, playing Kingdom Hearts in 2019!

Kyle Funderburk
I think one of the biggest comic-related stories we saw in 2018 was possibly DC’s signing of Brian Michael Bendis. Few were as surprised as I was. Looking ahead, I believe the Marvel Cinematic Universe will suffer its worst box office year ever. I can say that personally, I am looking forward to DC’s reboot and relaunch of the JSA!

John Lemus
A lot happened in 2018. We as a community lost Steve Ditko in June. Then shortly thereafter we lost writer, cartoonist, animator, cinematographer, Jon Schnepp. And then a few months later Stan Lee himself passed away. On the bright side, Jawbreakers blew up and set a precedent for what an indie comic can accomplish when all of the figures line up. Looking ahead in 2019, I’m not entirely sure anything will change in the new year. Although I am looking forward to receiving all indie projects I backed. I’m also looking forward to promoting and backing even more of them. 

Yellow Flash
In 2019, I think Marvel Comics will announce the eventual transition to a licensed brand and I see a Spider-Man “Life Story” by Chip Zdarsky in my future. As for the biggest story of 2018, the Border Town scandal with Erick Esquival was the biggest story in my opinion for sure. Vertigo Comics is becoming a dumpster fire.

Professor Geek (Michael Critzer)
For my 2019 predictions, I am expecting DC Comics to announce their next New 52-like reboot they’ve been steadily building toward, and I’m truly looking forward to the MCU’s Avengers Endgame!!! As for the biggest stories of 2018? I think Brian Michael Bendis going to DC was huge, Heroes in Crisis: the tragic and premature death of DC Rebirth was also a big story for me.

Michael Gutierrez
For my 2019 geek-culture related prediction, I see drastic declines in the sales figures for all SJW related media (specifically large movie productions) and that will bring many future projects to a screeching halt. This is going to lead to people using their go-to “discrimination” card (a la Ghostbusters 2016), which will become exposed for the fallacy that it’s become. I am also looking forward to the new comic book companies that will be emerging following the inevitable “collapse” of the big two comic publishers. With both of these, I also see the hipster mentality taking hold and think fans will see a huge spike in the speculator prices for classic comics, hopefully leading to a resurgence of the collectors market. As far as 2018, I feel like the biggest story that came out of this past year was the pitiful revenue gathered by what used to be go-to money printing machines like Star Wars and comic-related movies.

That Umbrella Guy
Unfortunately, I see things getting worse in 2019, not better, as we truly begin to notice the impact of industries vying for their share of languishing profits and lackluster admonishment amidst a culture of diminishing returns. The denials will fortify, as will the resolve to punish “wrongthinkers” for speaking out on things like the declining products and continual rise of unprofessional behavior, because “current year” is “almost 2020!” This thing – its just starting.

As for what the biggest story in geekdom was in 2018? The continuing saga of IDW; its like a soap opera, only worse. I personally think its a tie between the D&C/Waid lawsuit and the condition of IDW. On one hand, with Richard Meyer suing Mark Waid, you saw things finally reaching a point where someone stood up and demanded accountability from big names that had never been held to such standards. On the other hand, we saw IDW, a company in shambles suffering millions of dollars in losses and tens of millions in debt. It ain’t pretty.

William Dean Blankenship Jr. (Bad Ankle Bill)
In 2019, I think the backlash against PC culture is going to amplify until the absurdity of identity politics infesting entertainment as a whole eats itself alive like the cancerous growth that it is. However, this won’t happen until it reaches a breaking point, so expect it to get to where the political lecturing movements satirize themselves to a level of full-tilt gonzo.

In the meantime, I’m looking forward to Shazam, (That comes out next year, right?) the new Spider-Man, (Wait, is that 2019 or 2020?) Avengers : Endgame, (That I KNOW comes out next year) getting a chance to watch the Spiderverse flick, (I just can’t catch it theaters right now, the struggle is REAL) and getting back to creative work on my own projects and more Gonzo articles for Bleeding Fool. And that Van Gogh flick looks Dope AF.  

The biggest story of 2018 was the death of Stan Lee. I found out about it while I was in jail, and still two weeks after the fact as I was in the hole when it happened. Especially after a couple years of stories leaking about his kid trying to rig his business and being at the least emotionally abusive to him as a means to do so, its a shame that he spent his last days in the bureaucracy of big business and dealing with family circling like vultures. At least he and The King get to hang out in the Source now, and I hope ol’ Jack blows a big puff of cigar smoke in his face just to make his point.

Excelsior, folks…

Mim Headroom
In 2019, I reckon the comic book industry is going to become even more reliant upon #1 relaunches and $5 weekly release gimmicks to make up for the ever-dwindling readership. In spite of this, I’m still looking forward to seeing what creators such as Donny Cates, Al Ewing and Saladin Ahmed can do for Marvel this year. Between those three, you have a great core of writers there. Cates brings that bombastic energy, Ewing is methodical in his approach, and Ahmed can write fantastic character-led stories (when he isn’t trying to win progressive good boy points)

In my mind, the biggest story of 2018 was the $2 manga subscription app from Shonen Jump. I hope it shows the comicbook industry that “the wider market” simply doesn’t find their high-priced, poor quality, products appealing enough to purchase… but they love their cheap Japanese imports.

Itchy Bacca
I believe that “Get Woke Go Broke” will continue to be repeatedly confirmed throughout the new year, and that normal people will use the Geeker Gate method to fight back against the SJW scourge. I do look forward to any SJW-free entertainment we might see in 2019, but as far as predictions for the coming year? I see the success of #ComicsGate.

Robert Willing (Staredcraft)
I think the biggest story in 2018 was the Bowsette Meme! Seriously the fact that exploded SO FAST and SO HUGE is mind-blowing still. I cannot believe it! And it’s still lingering…

Looking ahead, I think 2019 will be the year that Geek Culture will reach its boiling point. Things will either change, or collapse. Especially with comics. I believe things have gotten so bad for so many, that we will finally see ‘the big fallout’ in 2019. On a brighter note for 2019, Shazam is what I’m looking forward to the most. I want to see him up on the big screen and done faithfully for once!

Chris Braly
Looking ahead to 2019, I think Marvel Studios is going to see Captain Marvel seriously underperforming even their weakest MCU entries, and that is going to be in no small part to the lead actress, Brie Larson, being a hardcore feminist who doesn’t seem to want to promote the film in the ways that are proven to help the film succeed. I also think the character hasn’t been handled very well by Marvel proper for decades. I believe the original ‘Captain Marvel’ movie (aka Shazaam), is going to surprise many with how well it performs. I also see IDW continuing to suffer losses. The business decisions they’ve been making throughout 2018 aren’t going to improve their position at all. They will embody the “Get woke, go broke” saying. I think the biggest story in 2018 was Richard C. Meyer (of Diversity & Comics) suing Mark Waid for interfering in his publishing deal with Antarctic Press. The outcome of that case is going to set the tone for SJW slacktivism going forward.