JazzMan 14,155 posts Posted March 27 Thought I'd share a good article on the effects the COVID-19 pandemic is having on your LCS. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/could-change-face-comics-coronavirus-151142800.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lighthouse 6,259 posts Posted March 27 In reading that it’s weird to me that several of the shops they interviewed were acting like “we aren’t closing, why is Diamond ruining our business by stopping distribution?” With not a single shop giving the more common response of “if I’m closed to the public anyway, I’m really glad I don’t have $2500-3500 invoices coming in every week”. 1 greggy reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaeldubyoo 2,410 posts Posted March 28 I think the shops are concerned about not getting products to sell when and if the coronavirus situation improves enough so they can open up. Aren't shops dependent on the sale of new comics to keep them going? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
followtheleader 8,638 posts Posted March 28 Prior to the distribution news, followed by the Stay-at-Home requirement, our local shops were very seriously considering road-side pick-up and even delivery methods (both personally and in the mail). So the lack of shipping by Diamond was really a killer for our shops. Turned out to only be a precursor and people can't go to the shops anymore. I feel terrible for the shop owners. I'm not so sure many locally are going to escape this. As the poster above asked, our shops are HIGHLY dependent on new book income. Other than this, it almost exclusively comes from things like Magic events. In other words, I see very few buying back issues or older stock. Patrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Warren Oates 3,202 posts Posted March 28 Such tough times. I hope that stimulus bill does a lot to help small businesses, which comic stores are. Heard some good things about loan forgiveness available in it if funds are used to pay employees and rent and such. Love the idea of a few comic deliveries. I know would not amount to big money, but I bet some people stuck at home would really like the books too. Keeping faith, there are a lot of very smart people working on this, hearing some real positive ideas on mitigating treatments that will make this far less lethal. 3 bug33fouf, ChrispyC66 and aardvark88 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lizards2 43,709 posts Posted March 28 Yes - I'm concerned about JizzMann changing the face of comics. Sounds terrible for public perception. 1 theCapraAegagrus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buzzetta 26,098 posts Posted March 28 This is why I said in another thread that the pandemic WILL have an impact on the printed comic book. Marvel has already commissioned the artists and writers to develop books for the next few months. By the looks at the Diamond solicitations the last Amazing Spider-man in printed format will be #42 for the foreseeable future. However, I would venture to say that issues 43, 44, 45, and 46 have been either completed or at least their covers have been completed. (Going by the solicitations and covers featured on MCS). So the books are 'there'. No Marvel has to make a decision... do they release it digitally? Are they contractually allowed to? From my understanding Marvel was not allowed (all publishers actually) to release books digitally before they arrive in the comics store. This was according to my last LCS. Is that true now? Will it be true if this continues for another couple of months? Marvel could conceivably continue in a digital format and continue to pay off the artists and writers to develop comics without needing to worry about stay at home orders and things like that. Just my 2¢ 1 greggy reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
october 33,007 posts Posted March 28 Looks like Lee's Comics is an early casualty of the Covid economic fallout. I haven't been to his store, but I've bought a decent amount from him online over the years. He found the Palo Alto pedigree. https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2020/03/27/owner-of-lees-comics-pulls-the-plug-after-more-than-37-years 2 Larryw7 and Gotham Kid reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aardvark88 11,524 posts Posted March 28 Let's be honest. How many of your LCS's have been trying to sell their shops or retire early the last 3-5 years due to the weekly Variant and spec age we are in? Link to Diamond's Scoop and Geppi speaketh about comics and games vs Covid-19 1 D84 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ditch Fahrenheit 18,909 posts Posted March 28 2 hours ago, october said: Looks like Lee's Comics is an early casualty of the Covid economic fallout. I haven't been to his store, but I've bought a decent amount from him online over the years. He found the Palo Alto pedigree. https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2020/03/27/owner-of-lees-comics-pulls-the-plug-after-more-than-37-years That's disappointing. I've been to his stores many, many times over the years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ryan. 10,830 posts Posted March 28 4 hours ago, october said: Looks like Lee's Comics is an early casualty of the Covid economic fallout. I haven't been to his store, but I've bought a decent amount from him online over the years. He found the Palo Alto pedigree. https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2020/03/27/owner-of-lees-comics-pulls-the-plug-after-more-than-37-years Bummer. I used to visit his shop when I visited MV for work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the blob 20,769 posts Posted March 28 I'm guessing he is around social security age, so maybe a no brainer for him. 1 greggy reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dupont2005 13,185 posts Posted March 29 Surprised he’s not holding out for some stimulus first though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buzzetta 26,098 posts Posted March 29 2 hours ago, the blob said: I'm guessing he is around social security age, so maybe a no brainer for him. As I've mentioned my LCS retired and closed up shop back in December. When I asked why he was closing he said that at his age (mid seventies) he was tired of lifting and moving boxes of comics around. That gave me a new perspective as to how long anyone is expected to keep that up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ADAMANTIUM 13,718 posts Posted March 29 3 minutes ago, Buzzetta said: 3 hours ago, the blob said: I'm guessing he is around social security age, so maybe a no brainer for him. As I've mentioned my LCS retired and closed up shop back in December. When I asked why he was closing he said that at his age (mid seventies) he was tired of lifting and moving boxes of comics around. That gave me a new perspective as to how long anyone is expected to keep that up. 37 minutes ago, dupont2005 said: Surprised he’s not holding out for some stimulus first though I helped my step-dad sign up for un-employment today at the instruction of his boss. Not because of loss of a job. My dad is a mechanic. Each job is worth a certain amount of "hours" or flagtime. He is an essential business and still employed, but.... His boss said the government was offering un-employment for "reduced hours" as a result of the "virus", so it will help some small businesses Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dupont2005 13,185 posts Posted March 29 Yeah, I applied today too. Didn’t think I would be able to as an independent contractor, but only made $250 this week so I’m going to get what’s made available 1 Larryw7 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ADAMANTIUM 13,718 posts Posted March 29 6 minutes ago, dupont2005 said: Yeah, I applied today too. Didn’t think I would be able to as an independent contractor, but only made $250 this week so I’m going to get what’s made available thoughts prayers everything possible! 2 Larryw7 and dupont2005 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mercury Man 1,654 posts Posted March 29 My LCS had a calm, cool, collected response. He felt like he will be open again, and Diamond can go screw themselves if it boils down to it. He would rather buy collections and continue to move back issues. His feeling was most of his customers like older stuff anyway. 7 1 Robot Man, ChrispyC66, Larryw7 and 5 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wombat 20,782 posts Posted March 29 I have two LCS that I frequent. The one is somewhat new and prior to opening only sold online. So for him it was easy to transition back into that model. I talked to him today and he said that even after this he may move to appointment only hours and go back to selling mostly on line and at cons. The other shop which has been around for about 40 years does nothign online. They don't even have a website - Just a facebook page with basic information and to announce sales. I talked to the owner today as well. He is trying as hard as he can to figure out the online stuff. He didn't seem worried about the impact this was having. Maybe he just has money from something else. I bought a nice size gift certificate from both. I hope it helps them. 2 thehumantorch and ADAMANTIUM reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the blob 20,769 posts Posted March 29 I don't understand how these places don't have some online capacity. It's like the 60 year old guy at my office who has to schlep in on the subway and hour each way because he cannot work from home because he doesn't have Wi-Fi ( and isn't able to get it any time soon). Jeez, why not have an eBay account and list the 50 free items? I know why.... None of these guys want to deal with shipping stuff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
