'This could change the face of comics': Is coronavirus comic book shops' biggest villain? 3 3

[fastballspecial]

On 3/31/2020 at 3:05 PM, dupont2005 said:

On 3/31/2020 at 12:39 PM, Bookery said:

Oh, it's not that I expect vendors to cancel their accounts.  Like you said, they don't have much choice anyway.  But I would think Diamond might have had a bit more cash flow set aside than that.  I still paid Diamond for the last shipment we received, even though it came while we are in lockdown.  Future shipments would have been a problem... but even a business like ours has been able to pay all our bills (vendor, credit card, taxes, bank fees, payroll, etc.) up at least until this point, despite 1+ weeks closed.

That’s the new way of doing business. One slow week and multiple major industries need bailouts

That's a cash flow problem and an inability of that company/industry to manage its money.
 

[fastballspecial]

On 3/31/2020 at 3:52 PM, lighthouse said:

I doubt there is all that much business in slabbing newly released coins, and NGC seems to be doing just fine.

Yes, there would be a huge volume dropoff from the "brand-new 9.8 prescreen" game, but turn times would likely improve on all other service levels, and that might well coax out inventory that doesn't currently make the trip to Sarasota because the TAT makes the process less attractive. At any given time I probably have 500-1000 books in inventory that might benefit from that trip. But if I can turn over raw inventory three times at a XX% markup in the time it takes to get a book back that might see a net YY% markup after slabbing, the math doesn't always point to shipping them out.

I wish more venders/sellers thought like this. 

[shadroch]

9 minutes ago, fastballspecial said:

That's a cash flow problem and an inability of that company/industry to manage its money.
 

 

First rule of business used to be having three months working capital put aside or that you could easily get to. 

[lighthouse]

52 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

They just aren’t making comics than anyone who isn’t already a direct market consumer could possibly enjoy. The format, the price, and the insufferable continuity pushes potential new readers away.

I’ve been hearing this song for two decades now and I’ve never found it to be true. Just like Shadroch has been predicting the impending demise of the entire comic industry since at least 2003 (I luv ya Shad, and you’re bound to be right eventually but we are at 17 years and counting), I’ve heard this song about comics being inaccessible to new readers since I opened my first shop in 1999. 

I sell folks the first comic they’ve ever read at least once or twice a week. There are dozens of accessible entry points to the hobby. From little girls stunned to discover there are My Little Pony stories featuring the Mane 6 they’ve never seen on tv, to folks of all ages trying out Star Wars Adventures or Sonic The Hedgehog. Families coming in raving about how much they loved the Into The Spiderverse film, overjoyed to see there are Marvel Action Spider-Man comics that feature Miles, Peter, and Gwen all working together. 

To folks who can’t get enough of the Firefly or Buffy mythos and jump headfirst into the new Boom titles. And don’t even get me started on the Critical Role podcast fans that sent me reordering the Dark Horse miniseries five times (a total of 110 copies of issue 1 off my shelves). Or the Rick and Morty fans discovering there are 100 R&M stories they haven’t seen yet.

And for the multitudes of “I’m not really into superheroes” folks, I’m ready to start them on Saga, or Walk Through Hell, or Ice Cream Man, or Middlewest, or Undiscovered Country. Or hand them classic options like Maus, Blankets, SIP, Transmet, or 100 Bullets. 

Marvel and DC combined for less than 70% of the comic market last year (40% and 29% respectively). There’s a TON of other options that bring folks into the hobby. I could crunch the numbers, but I’d bet a third of my subs don’t have a single superhero title on their pull. And they’re just as desperate for me to reopen as the folks waiting on Batman 92.

[dupont2005]

Just now, lighthouse said:

I sell folks the first comic they’ve ever read at least once or twice a week. 

Sure. I didn’t say comics aren’t accessible, I said Marvel super hero comics aren’t. For that matter neither are DC continuity comics, but at least DC has a decent catalog of stand alone graphic novels for those who haven’t been reading Batman since at least 1988.

 

how many times does someone come in, buy their first X-Men or Avengers comic, and then come back and buy another one later? That’s the issue here. There’s interest in the characters, the comics are just absolutely unreadable. Believe me, every few years I try, and I regret it every single time. It’s an absolute mess. 

[dupont2005]

3 minutes ago, lighthouse said:

 

Marvel and DC combined for less than 70% of the comic market last year (40% and 29% respectively).

That is a horrifying figure. “Only” 69% of an entire medium comes from two publishers with probably the most narrow output out of any publisher control the staggering majority of the market. Luckily that’s just the direct market, which is no longer the plurality, and as of recently is only equaling the bookstore market. Outside the direct market Marvel is almost non existent, and while DC still has a solid showing the variety is FAR more diverse in publishers, creators, content, and target audiences. Comics are doing fine, the direct market is in trouble. Even  after year they manage to squeak out a 1-2% growth, they aren’t meeting the growth of digital or bookstore markets. And bookstores themselves are a dying market, but within bookstores comics find massive growth. I remember when they only had newspaper strip collections and Elfquest, on the bottom shelf in the corner of the humor section. Now an average bookstore will have 3-4 full rows dedicated to comics and manga. Only a tiny portion of it is in continuity superhero stories though 

[Prince Namor]

6 hours ago, dupont2005 said:

That is a horrifying figure. “Only” 69% of an entire medium comes from two publishers with probably the most narrow output out of any publisher control the staggering majority of the market. Luckily that’s just the direct market, which is no longer the plurality, and as of recently is only equaling the bookstore market. Outside the direct market Marvel is almost non existent, and while DC still has a solid showing the variety is FAR more diverse in publishers, creators, content, and target audiences. Comics are doing fine, the direct market is in trouble. Even  after year they manage to squeak out a 1-2% growth, they aren’t meeting the growth of digital or bookstore markets. And bookstores themselves are a dying market, but within bookstores comics find massive growth. I remember when they only had newspaper strip collections and Elfquest, on the bottom shelf in the corner of the humor section. Now an average bookstore will have 3-4 full rows dedicated to comics and manga. Only a tiny portion of it is in continuity superhero stories though 

I'm no cheerleader for modern Marvel, but this is just so hard to quantify because of numbers we don't have: a) how much Marvel does form their online digital and b) how much they sell through comixology.

Remember - when Digital comics first started - for the first 3-4 years we got to SEE the numbers and they doubled each year. Then all the secret deals behind the scenes happened (Amazon got involved) in 2014, and for the last 5-6 years, sales have been a big secret. The world is going digital fast and CD's seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth literally overnight, so... who knows?

I mean, I'm the same way when I try and read a modern Marvel Comic - I CAN'T - either because the art is confusing in how it's telling the story or because the story is a variation on the same crap I only found mildly amusing as a 13 year old. 

But comics, like music, really isn't made for 45-65 year old men, who hear and see things a lot differently than someone born in 2007.

[lou_fine]

Just a question here, as I was wondering if  @mycomicshop  is primarily a brick and mortar store for new books, an online site for back issue books, or a combination of both?

Since both of them are located in Texas, I was just wondering why MCS is considered to be a non-essential business while Heritage Auctions is still opened for business and good to go in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown?  

[DavidTheDavid]

10 hours ago, dupont2005 said:

I don’t think the gas station is a good place for comics anymore. But gas stations for the most part stopped selling magazines too. Why not vending machines at the mall? Why not on end caps at the Target toy aisle? Why not at the school book fairs? But the for,at will have to change too. The digest is a better product to be on end caps and handled by kids. Also, kids don’t need to read and collect print comics. Encouraging them to get a Comixology account or read some webcomics (which many of them already do) is still kids reading comics. 

School book fairs get graphic novels. DC especially works this angle.

[JazzMan]

8 hours ago, lou_fine said:

Just a question here, as I was wondering if  @mycomicshop  is primarily a brick and mortar store for new books, an online site for back issue books, or a combination of both?

Since both of them are located in Texas, I was just wondering why MCS is considered to be a non-essential business while Heritage Auctions is still opened for business and good to go in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown?  

It is only an online shop now.  They used to be Lone Star Comics and have stores in Texas but they have since sold all their stores and have been exclusively online for a few years.

[JazzMan]

Another good article on the fragility of the comics distribution network and the industry in general.  Looks like DC is working on something...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-coronavirus-pandemic-has-plunged-the-comic-book-world-into-existential-chaos?ref=scroll

[jcjames]

On 3/28/2020 at 8:09 PM, Mercury Man said:

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. 

This is the direction many have been pivoting to for the last year or two. 

 

[Bookery]

Why?  Because Weird Al ain't on the boards, dammit!

Sung to the tune of "Yesterday":

 

Yesterday, all the gamers had arrived to play

And the new comics were on display

Oh, I believe in yesterday

 

Suddenly, it's not half the shop it used to be

The aisles are both germ and client free

Oh, it all transformed so rapidly

 

Oh it had to close

Yes I know, it's hard to say

For the best I suppose

But I long for yesterday

 

Yesterday, there was noise and mirth throughout the day

Now the shadows chased it all away

Oh, I believe in yesterday

 

Yes it had to close

There was not another way

Gone from highs to lows

Now I long for yesterday

 

Yesterday, all the gamers had arrived to play

And the new comics were on display

Oh, I believe in yesterday

 

[dupont2005]

13 hours ago, Chuck Gower said:

I'm no cheerleader for modern Marvel, but this is just so hard to quantify because of numbers we don't have: a) how much Marvel does form their online digital and b) how much they sell through comixology.

Remember - when Digital comics first started - for the first 3-4 years we got to SEE the numbers and they doubled each year. Then all the secret deals behind the scenes happened (Amazon got involved) in 2014, and for the last 5-6 years, sales have been a big secret. The world is going digital fast and CD's seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth literally overnight, so... who knows?

I mean, I'm the same way when I try and read a modern Marvel Comic - I CAN'T - either because the art is confusing in how it's telling the story or because the story is a variation on the same crap I only found mildly amusing as a 13 year old. 

But comics, like music, really isn't made for 45-65 year old men, who hear and see things a lot differently than someone born in 2007.

I think modern super hero comics are made for 45-65 year old men. That’s the only people buying them 

[wilbil]

i think nostalgia may have something to do with it, but i don't think that age is the driving force, except the disposable income availability.

[shadroch]

21 hours ago, lighthouse said:

I’ve been hearing this song for two decades now and I’ve never found it to be true. Just like Shadroch has been predicting the impending demise of the entire comic industry since at least 2003 (I luv ya Shad, and you’re bound to be right eventually but we are at 17 years and counting), I’ve heard this song about comics being inaccessible to new readers since I opened my first shop in 1999. 

I sell folks the first comic they’ve ever read at least once or twice a week. There are dozens of accessible entry points to the hobby. From little girls stunned to discover there are My Little Pony stories featuring the Mane 6 they’ve never seen on tv, to folks of all ages trying out Star Wars Adventures or Sonic The Hedgehog. Families coming in raving about how much they loved the Into The Spiderverse film, overjoyed to see there are Marvel Action Spider-Man comics that feature Miles, Peter, and Gwen all working together. 

To folks who can’t get enough of the Firefly or Buffy mythos and jump headfirst into the new Boom titles. And don’t even get me started on the Critical Role podcast fans that sent me reordering the Dark Horse miniseries five times (a total of 110 copies of issue 1 off my shelves). Or the Rick and Morty fans discovering there are 100 R&M stories they haven’t seen yet.

And for the multitudes of “I’m not really into superheroes” folks, I’m ready to start them on Saga, or Walk Through Hell, or Ice Cream Man, or Middlewest, or Undiscovered Country. Or hand them classic options like Maus, Blankets, SIP, Transmet, or 100 Bullets. 

Marvel and DC combined for less than 70% of the comic market last year (40% and 29% respectively). There’s a TON of other options that bring folks into the hobby. I could crunch the numbers, but I’d bet a third of my subs don’t have a single superhero title on their pull. And they’re just as desperate for me to reopen as the folks waiting on Batman 92.

I've never  predicted the demise of the entire comic industry. I have been saying the industry has a malignant tumor called Diamond preventing it's expansion.  Rip the freaking bandaid off and get on with the post Diamond market already.

[the blob]

2 hours ago, Bookery said:

Why?  Because Weird Al ain't on the boards, dammit!

Sung to the tune of "Yesterday":

 

Yesterday, all the gamers had arrived to play

And the new comics were on display

Oh, I believe in yesterday

 

Suddenly, it's not half the shop it used to be

The aisles are both germ and client free

Oh, it all transformed so rapidly

 

Oh it had to close

Yes I know, it's hard to say

For the best I suppose

But I long for yesterday

 

Yesterday, there was noise and mirth throughout the day

Now the shadows chased it all away

Oh, I believe in yesterday

 

Yes it had to close

There was not another way

Gone from highs to lows

Now I long for yesterday

 

Yesterday, all the gamers had arrived to play

And the new comics were on display

Oh, I believe in yesterday

 

You are setting yourself up for a second career writing corona parody songs. Has anyone heard the one done by the guy to adelle's song: http://www.justjared.com/2020/04/03/the-voice-alum-chris-mann-makes-hilarious-quarantine-themed-parodies-watch-his-spoof-of-adeles-hello/

 

[lou_fine]

7 hours ago, JazzMan said:

16 hours ago, lou_fine said:

Just a question here, as I was wondering if  @mycomicshop  is primarily a brick and mortar store for new books, an online site for back issue books, or a combination of both?

Since both of them are located in Texas, I was just wondering why MCS is considered to be a non-essential business while Heritage Auctions is still opened for business and good to go in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown?  

It is only an online shop now.  They used to be Lone Star Comics and have stores in Texas but they have since sold all their stores and have been exclusively online for a few years.

Which then still leaves my initial question unanswered, as to why MCS is not allowed to conduct business while it's business as usual for Heritage?  

[Prince Namor]

3 hours ago, dupont2005 said:

I think modern super hero comics are made for 45-65 year old men. That’s the only people buying them 

45-65 year old men collect it out of habit - I don't know any 45-65 year old men who read todays Marvel and are entertained by it. Not that it can't or doesn't happen - I just don't see it. Well I had a guy who was probably close to 40, who really loved Jason Aaron's Thor, but...

Before I sold my shop - the people who collected Modern Marvel's were almost all under 40... now DC was different - still had some older guys picking up those regular titles. 

The guys who WERE over 40 that bought anything from Marvel, either had that ONE title they couldn't give up because 'they've ALWAYS bought it', or they were ordering collected editions and reprints of old issues.

 

[Prince Namor]

26 minutes ago, lou_fine said:

Which then still leaves my initial question unanswered, as to why MCS is not allowed to conduct business while it's business as usual for Heritage?  

It's possible they agreed with the Governor's decision based upon wanting to keep their employees out of contact with each other.