Interesting read about the current state of print comics 1 1

[Mercury Man]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-superheroes-comic-books-20180714-story.html#

[cortown71]

They should sell comic books at movie theaters.if even just a few here and there sales take place,its good for future longevity.

[jools&jim]

Thanks for sharing that. 

This sounds interesting...

Quote

DC Comics is challenging the status quo with a just-announced Wal-Mart partnership. The retail giant will sell four different 100-page monthly anthologies of comics stories (mixing reprints with some new and exclusive content) that will not be sold to comics shop. The move was met with complaints from the comics shop community and curious interest by rival publishers, making it a topic of high interest next week in San Diego.

 

[Mmehdy]

the problem is they marvel  have no "Plan"..this wall-mart thing is OK on dc's part even if it fails, they are trying. With sales down 10% last year and graphic novels down 9% the trend is alarming. There was a link on the boards or check on youtube for Geppi's state of the art of the comic book retailer address recently, he looked like a cheerleader with no crowd....something has to be done or the print comic book will no longer exist in 5/10 years if that

Edited July 14, 2018 by Mmehdy

[Not A Clone]

Not sure why comic shop owners would complain about the Wal-Mart deal. Seems like a short-sighted complaint. I believe anything that can reach a kid that has no idea what a comic shop even is can only be a good thing. We need more new readers. Marvel needs to look into getting something like this out there also. Movie theaters definitely make since. Or maybe Costco or something that is pretty much everywhere. 

[Lazyboy]

1 hour ago, jools&jim said:

Thanks for sharing that. 

This sounds interesting...

Quote

DC Comics is challenging the status quo with a just-announced Wal-Mart partnership. The retail giant will sell four different 100-page monthly anthologies of comics stories (mixing reprints with some new and exclusive content) that will not be sold to comics shop. The move was met with complaints from the comics shop community and curious interest by rival publishers, making it a topic of high interest next week in San Diego.

It should be, but there's little chance of new readers finding the books because the speculators are buying most of them.

There's a thread about these in the Modern forum.

[Robot Man]

Exposure is key. They need to be where the audience is. Theatres are a great idea as is Costco and Sams Club. They also need to be cheaper a lot cheaper. Maybe a buck or so. Go back to printing them on newsprint and maybe self covers like giveaways or less pages. Storylines need to be complete in each issue. No on going storylines. This would extend shelf life. Geppi would be smart to do some forward thinking if he wants to stay in business...

[Lazyboy]

5 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

They also need to be cheaper a lot cheaper. Maybe a buck or so.

Being too cheap is what caused everyone to drop them in the first place. If there's no money in them, what distributors or retailers are going to want to deal with them?

[Mercury Man]

19 minutes ago, Lazyboy said:

It should be, but there's little chance of new readers finding the books because the speculators are buying most of them.

Case in point:  4 comics that should cost $20 total last week, now asking for cover price + a 'stupid' tax  :

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-100-Page-Giant-Wal-Mart-SET-Batman-Teen-Titans-Superman-Justice-League-1st/332704300780?hash=item4d76b8beec%3Ag%3ADxsAAOSww7RbN6uT&_sacat=0&_nkw=dc+wal-mart&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SOLD-OUT-All-4-new-DC-Rebirth-100-page-GIANT-Comics-Wal-Mart-Exclusives/163146914400?hash=item25fc505a60%3Ag%3A2nAAAOSwFdpbSOiA&_sacat=0&_nkw=dc+wal-mart&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-Comics-100-Page-Giant-Wal-Mart-Batman-Superman-Justice-League-Teen-Titans-1/332720870397?hash=item4d77b593fd%3Ag%3AmJkAAOSwJRxbQSw6&_sacat=0&_nkw=dc+wal-mart&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

[RockMyAmadeus]

1 hour ago, jools&jim said:

Thanks for sharing that. 

This sounds interesting...

Quote

DC Comics is challenging the status quo with a just-announced Wal-Mart partnership. The retail giant will sell four different 100-page monthly anthologies of comics stories (mixing reprints with some new and exclusive content) that will not be sold to comics shop. The move was met with complaints from the comics shop community and curious interest by rival publishers, making it a topic of high interest next week in San Diego.

 

It is the decades-long treatment of comic books as collectibles first, and entertainment second, that the comics shop community created, fostered, and encouraged every step of the way that led to the decline of the Direct market. It's why even mainstream DC and Marvel comics struggle to sell 50,000 copies a month, in a nation of 325,000,000 people. 

Readers are going to tolerate seeing "sold out" signs before a store even opens on new comics day only so long before they give up in disgust, and that's exactly what has happened. Speculation is fine if people are ordering before FOC. Having speculators comb your store, grabbing up every available copy AFTER that is foolish and shortsighted. 

That, combined with the Museum attitude that many stores have...that is, they're showcasing what they own, rather than pricing at realistic prices, the unrelenting drive to get the highest price possible for every single item...and being mortally offended when anyone asks for any type of discount, treating people who spend money no better than those who don't...goes a long way towards explaining why stores fail. 

I spend tens of thousands of dollars a year on comic books. I haven't spent more than $500 in comic book stores since about 2011. 

And I'm not alone.

Comics specialty stores had their chance...perhaps it's time for a new model. 

[RockMyAmadeus]

17 minutes ago, Lazyboy said:

26 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

They also need to be cheaper a lot cheaper. Maybe a buck or so.

Being too cheap is what caused everyone to drop them in the first place. If there's no money in them, what distributors or retailers are going to want to deal with them?

But they've circled the drain of ever-spiraling prices to an ever smaller customer base. That doesn't work. They're more expensive than the rate of inflation would suggest. Maybe tie it back to that. Actually, just creating quality entertainment for a reasonable price, and printing enough to satisfy normal demand would work wonders, rather than relying on gimmicks. 

I hope that DC is printing a boatload more to head out to Walmart, to drive the speculators out of business.

Think about it...what if Hollywood started making films that had 10 different endings, and you had to see it 10 different times...and pay for it 10 times...to see them all?

Actually...scratch that, that might be a billion dollar idea.

™™™!!!

[Mercury Man]

7 minutes ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

Think about it...what if Hollywood started making films that had 10 different endings, and you had to see it 10 different times...and pay for it 10 times...to see them all?

Did the movie CLUE do that with 3 or 4 different endings?

[RockMyAmadeus]

Just now, Mercury Man said:

Did the movie CLUE do that with 3 or 4 different endings?

I dunno. Nobody cared enough even to watch it once.

[Not A Clone]

7 minutes ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

But they've circled the drain of ever-spiraling prices to an ever smaller customer base. That doesn't work. They're more expensive than the rate of inflation would suggest. Maybe tie it back to that. Actually, just creating quality entertainment for a reasonable price, and printing enough to satisfy normal demand would work wonders, rather than relying on gimmicks. 

I hope that DC is printing a boatload more to head out to Walmart, to drive the speculators out of business.

Think about it...what if Hollywood started making films that had 10 different endings, and you had to see it 10 different times...and pay for it 10 times...to see them all?

Actually...scratch that, that might be a billion dollar idea.

™™™!!!

From what I've read distribution has always been a major problem with comics. Then you have DC getting in bed with Diamond, Marvel failing with Heroes World and then everyone joining Diamond. We're back to a distribution monopoly. Makes you wonder how things would be if Marvel had worked a deal out with Capital before they went under. The distributors would at least be doing everything they could to hang onto their clients. 

[RockMyAmadeus]

Just now, Not A Clone said:

From what I've read distribution has always been a major problem with comics. Then you have DC getting in bed with Diamond, Marvel failing with Heroes World and then everyone joining Diamond. We're back to a distribution monopoly. Makes you wonder how things would be if Marvel had worked a deal out with Capital before they went under. The distributors would at least be doing everything they could to hang onto their clients. 

That's a major part of it, too. Diamond's "monopoly-that-they-claim-isn't" has a stranglehood on the flow of print comics.

Back in the 80s, when you couldn't wave a stick without hitting a distributor, there was a lot of competition, and it worked well. Since the Distribution Wars of the mid 90s, with the eventual winner Diamond, you can't distribute comics anywhere if you're not Diamond.

Foolishly shortsighted. One more brick in the wall.

[DavidTheDavid]

I highly recommend Dan Gearino's Comic Shop book. https://dangearino.com/2017/03/31/82/

It came out last October and is fully titled Comic Shop: The Retail Mavericks Who Gave Us a New Geek Culture. 

[justafan]

5 hours ago, cortown71 said:

They should sell comic books at movie theaters.if even just a few here and there sales take place,its good for future longevity.

This as long as great comic movies are in theaters.

I do blame the loss of mainstream venues and high cover prices for the lack of new readers.  Kids have better things to spend $5-$10 on. Most kids are also not going to find themselves at a comic book shop as often as they are a grocery store, a walmart/Target, or even a gas station.

I know because I'm living proof of this. I didnt get into comics because I watched the incredible Hulk growing up or Spider-man and his super friends on Saturday mornings.  I got into it trying not to die of boredom while my mom shopped for an hour at the Kroger, HEB, Kingmart, Walmart , or shopping mall with Waldenbooks.  I happened upon a ripped opened Whitman pack with spider and x-men comics. I read through slowly absorbing the story of each one to the point where I actually (but secretly) looked forward to going back to the supermarket with my parents to see if any other issues were available until I convinced my parent's to start buying me comics instead of star wars action figures.

but now that I think of it I understand why this same experience wouldn't work today.  kids are just watching vids or games on their mom's phone or tablet while mom shops.  more groceries are being delivered or ordered online for pickup.

No, if the goal is to get kids in front of comics they can actually touch and read, it has to be at a place where the kids won't have any other entertainment alternatives, the prices are less than a popular iPhone app, and where no one will get angry that the comics are being mishandled by careless but eager kids hands.

solve that riddle and you'll increasee your young comic readership.

[Mercury Man]

Like every other hobby, the health of print comics relies heavily on the younger generation taking over. 

Stamp collectors and model train collectors are going the way of the dodo, as the average age of both hobbies now are people who are in their 60's.  That's not good, as the age continues to creep up. 

Curious to know what the average age is for print comics at this juncture.  40's? Is it still trending up?

[Coolio McCool]

The main complaint about the Walmart deal is that comic stores got zero copies of the books. Most stores would have no problem with Walmart stocking a few comics, none of their big customers are going to switch to buying books at Walmart just because they sell a few comics. But it's an absolute disgrace that Walmart gets to exclusively sell these books. It looks like most of the books are ending up in the hands of speculators anyway, so what's the point? New readers aren't able to buy these. A better strategy would be to flood the market, let comic book stores order the books which would keep books on the shelves at Walmart for potential new readers.

BTW speaking of comics at Costco, during the 90s they did stock DC comics, you could buy selected DC comics published in the past ~month bundled up for a discount. I remember buying most of the "Return of Superman" series this way. I don't think it's going to work today, it's hard to sell 10 comics (or whatever standard Costco / Sams quantity is) to a new reader.

Edited July 15, 2018 by Coolio McCool

[WolverineX]

6 hours ago, Robot Man said:

Exposure is key. They need to be where the audience is. Theatres are a great idea as is Costco and Sams Club. They also need to be cheaper a lot cheaper. Maybe a buck or so. Go back to printing them on newsprint and maybe self covers like giveaways or less pages. Storylines need to be complete in each issue. No on going storylines. This would extend shelf life. Geppi would be smart to do some forward thinking if he wants to stay in business...

Agreed, 4 bucks a pop will not appeal to kids.. These need to be 1 dollar... or else kids won't be buying it...