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Post by tarkintino on Jun 21, 2018 21:17:02 GMT -5
W ell, f it even happens, drug pharmacy stores need to learn comics aren't just for kids. Adults buy comics too.That and there's more companies than just marvel and DC. Here's Image, Dark Horse, IDW, Boom Studios and more. There's comic series that drug pharmacy stores need to be informed of such as Snotgirl, walking dead, dark horror such as Regression, gideon falls and stuff that come along like witch stuff Harrow County The problem is that Image, Dark Horse and other publishers--no matter how many recognizable, licensed properties they handle--is not mainstream enough for the interests of national drug chains. As it stands, I've seen the random Archie digests, MAD magazine and activity books aimed at elementary school-aged children in drug stores, but the most mainstream comics are not carried, as drug retailers do not see comic readers as a common customer/or comics with high turnover potential. In short, what are they getting out of selling yet another Star Wars or Spider-Man comic when no likely customer would ever think of buying it? Comics are more of a niche interest than ever before, and with so many of DC and Marvel's editorial/creative decisions creating more criticism than support, they are lucky to have the specialty store to sell their titles. No one else is interested. Spinner racks is just a nod to the past, not part of a sound business model. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 0:14:06 GMT -5
Well thenthere is the news today that DC has entered an agreement to produce new exclusive comic content availailable only at Wal*Mart- storyAnd as for those spinner racks, they won't be going into drug stores or random businesses, the strategy is to put them where fans of super-hero and comic content might be that might not be regular readers of comics-the big suggestion was into the lobbies/concession stands of movie theatres that are showing super-hero movies, toy stores, vintage toy stores, used book stores, independent book stores that don't have access to a comic distributor, video game stores-Game Stop/Think Geek already announced they are adding spinner racks to some of their stores an an experiment independent of this initiative, etc. places strategically chosen that may have people who are likely new readers, not just random places for people to stumble across comics. I am not sure it will work, I have my own concerns about it (which I expressed in the Expanding Sales/Reaching New Fans thread in modern comics where I posted about this before this thread was created) but I applaud the effort. Between this, DC's Ink/Zoom, Black Label and Sandman lines geared towards book stores and libraries and this new Wal*Mart initiative it seems DC has finally risen to the challenge of trying to find new audiences and expand readership beyond the direct market and Wednesday Warriors, who are a shrinking niche market. It may be a spectacular failure and twenty years too late, but I'll give them credit for trying and not doubling down on the hardcore collector/Wednesday Warrior like Marvel and Joe Q think is the answer to all the problems in comics (even though that's what they've been doing essentially since the 90s and is the source of many of the problems they are facing today to begin with. -M |
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Post by urrutiap on Jun 22, 2018 0:57:22 GMT -5
Tarkintino is way off. Image Comics is popular especially with the newer dark horror stuff. That and Boom Studios. Like I said even if it happens where drug pharmacy places do start having the spinner rack they need to have other stuff besides just Marvel or DC. They need to start keeping up with what's really popular such as Image, Dark Horse and Boom Studios.
But as of now I'm stuck with the 2-3 hour road trip to the comic shop once every couple of months
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Post by rberman on Jun 22, 2018 1:03:33 GMT -5
My five year old has little interest in individual comics, nor would I let him have a fragile floppy that cost me $4.
But he's delighted by my 400 page Captain Carrot and "T Rex vs soldiers" Weird War Showcase B&W newsprint compendia.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 1:16:43 GMT -5
hidden in the Batman solicit was an announcement Brian Bendis will be doing a 12 part Batman story starting n Batman Giant #3 exclusive to Wal*Mart-these will be monthly 100 page giants it seems with top tier creators doing the new lead stories. I am expecting to see some retailer blowback form this.
-M
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Post by tarkintino on Jun 22, 2018 4:49:01 GMT -5
Tarkintino is way off. Image Comics is popular especially with the newer dark horror stuff. That and Boom Studios. Like I said even if it happens where drug pharmacy places do start having the spinner rack they need to have other stuff besides just Marvel or DC. They need to start keeping up with what's really popular such as Image, Dark Horse and Boom Studios. But as of now I'm stuck with the 2-3 hour road trip to the comic shop once every couple of months How so? You say Image is popular, but you must know that's not to a general readership--the average person which is what the spinner racks outside of comic/specialty stores is trying to reach. ...and if the aim is to reach out to non-traditional demographics (remember, we're talking about John & Jane Q. Public, not the fan who is already familiar with the content), how many even know about the content from those publishers? How many care? In the case of titles like The Walking Dead (which is known more for being a TV series than the comic that spawned it), its far easier for an interested person to buy a TPB at a bookstore or from amazon, where at least they feel they can get a grasp on a long-running series and not feel as if they're dropped in the middle of something too involved to understand. I've known many a reader who got their comics feet wet through TPBs, instead of the monthlies, which--to just start reading--can feel like one is dropped in the middle of a maze. |
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Post by urrutiap on Jun 22, 2018 10:09:15 GMT -5
You speak for everyone or just yourself?
Walking Dead comic was popular before the damn tv show popped up on cable tv.
Image and Boom Studios have better stuff right now and adults buy them and read them. Regular single issues by the way
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Post by tarkintino on Jun 22, 2018 11:24:38 GMT -5
You speak for everyone or just yourself? Walking Dead comic was popular before the damn tv show popped up on cable tv. Image and Boom Studios have better stuff right now and adults buy them and read them. Regular single issues by the way The general public knows The Walking Dead as a TV series, not a comic. TV made TWD a genuine pop-cultural phenomenon, reaching millions of people who did not, and would not touch a comic book. I cannot see how that is a point of debate. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 22, 2018 12:24:22 GMT -5
You speak for everyone or just yourself? Walking Dead comic was popular before the damn tv show popped up on cable tv. Image and Boom Studios have better stuff right now and adults buy them and read them. Regular single issues by the way Not a single Boom Studios comic cracks the top 100 in a given month. Their best selling title "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" pushes about 18,000 units through Diamond. Those numbers wouldn't make a good YouTube Channel, much less support even a low-end TV show. The Walking Dead TV show pushes sales of the comic and trades, not vice versa. Again, the Walking Dead monthly sells around 75,000 units. That's nothing when it comes to television, where in down seasons it has 1.5 million viewers per episode. Comic books as anything but an IP farm are meaningless in popular culture. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jun 22, 2018 12:52:54 GMT -5
You have to remember that popular in comic translates to thousands, at best; not millions. That's the issue; how to interest the mass audience.
The Walmart thing sound fine on paper; but, with the way Wal-Mart operates, I would keep a healthy dose of skepticism.
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Post by urrutiap on Jun 22, 2018 13:20:34 GMT -5
Well my final thoughts for my thread.
for the last time, some of you and businesses like drug stores pharmacy places need to learn that its not just Marvel and DC. Image, Boom Studios, Dark Horse, IDW are popular.
Dark horror comics are hugely popular where Im from such as Dark Ark, Regression, Walking Dead comic book long before the stupid tv show, Manifest Destiny.
Boom Studios besides Power Rangers theres the Jim Henson sequel stuff Power of the Dfark Crytstal etc. That and IDW with Transformers and G.I. Joe etc.
Its not just Marvel and DC anymore, folks.
I hope you realize that.
Either downtown businesses need to realize that or everyone here will have to be stuck with going for road trips to the city just to buy comic books from the comic book shop.
pharmcy stores cant just cater to frikkin kids with stuff like Archie or Sonic or My LIttle Ponly. Kids are really into Rick and Morty
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 22, 2018 13:35:53 GMT -5
I'm more than well aware that it's more than Marvel and DC. Given that I read more Image than I do the other two combined.
But you keep using words like HUGELY POPULAR for books that, in some cases, i.e. Regression, sell less than 5,000 units a month. That is anything but hugely popular. That is the most minor of niche products. That term you're using doesn't mean what you think it means.
The general public is not clamoring for a return of spinner racks. These are impulse items as are pretty much any periodical sold at grocery stores, drug stores, etc.
In re: Boom, I was pointing out that their top title sells 18,000 units a month. Again...that's not HUGELY POPULAR. That's a tiny niche periodical.
You need to consign yourself to the road trip to the city.
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jun 22, 2018 13:43:54 GMT -5
You speak for everyone or just yourself? Walking Dead comic was popular before the damn tv show popped up on cable tv. Image and Boom Studios have better stuff right now and adults buy them and read them. Regular single issues by the way Not a single Boom Studios comic cracks the top 100 in a given month. Their best selling title "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" pushes about 18,000 units through Diamond. Those numbers wouldn't make a good YouTube Channel, much less support even a low-end TV show. The Walking Dead TV show pushes sales of the comic and trades, not vice versa. Again, the Walking Dead monthly sells around 75,000 units. That's nothing when it comes to television, where in down seasons it has 1.5 million viewers per episode. Comic books as anything but an IP farm are meaningless in popular culture.
And that's something Disney and Warner recognize. I'd imagine they have little to care about the actual comic buisness side as long as it's profitable. Movies, video games, TV shows, and merchandise make the bank for them. Hell I read comics and I didn't even know TWD was a comic when my wife started watching it. My 14 year old is the biggest fan of Arrow and Spiderman. I don't think he's read a single comic of mine. He's looked through some before, but never read them. Only Green Arrow Year one, I think (the one that is based on the Arrow show), because it's just like Arrow on the show. He has no interest in the comic's cranky old conservative Oliver Queen. |
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Post by beccabear67 on Jun 22, 2018 14:05:25 GMT -5
Something that sells well in specialty shops might mean nothing in spinner racks accessible to a general population. I was 'around' when the shift from general merchandise stores to specialist outlets originally happened. Aside from the non-returnable aspect of direct distribution one thing that made it very attractive is that it was very sales reactive to the comics and their quality where they were just treated as generically all alike bales by the mass general distributors. Some general war and mystery titles with multiple complete stories each issue that had done well generally did not do well in the specialist shops, and of course the little kids comics were a hard sell in that environment too with the exception of Disney collectors. Superheroes totally dominated, but also quality work made a difference and Moon Knight, Ka-Zar, Micronauts and Marvel Fanfare had pretty long lives after leaving the spinner rack world. I like those 100 Pagers, I can see those having a more general appeal as they did in the '70s. Crossovers and long continued stories would be a negative for casual or non-collector audiences, not to say they can't be done, just carefully. We have three comic shops here (that I know about at least), although one is as much a toy store, and I still find it easier to order by mail (but then I'm not a condition freak). I have made a trip to find something sold out or never stocked because 'nobody buys that here'. I've seen comic shops in other cities and while two here are very bright and open to general traffic, one is rather dark and inhabited by full-timers, and I saw a mix of these in Seattle and Vancouver. Unfortunately in a lot of places rents and business taxes have really risen beyond a lot of retail operation's ability to be sustainable. Getting the leering muscle guy with big weapons out of the window or entrance area and turning on more lights still couldn't hurt though along with free comic day and tie-ins with charity events utilizing the 'heroes' theme. Not having outright violent Japanese anime porn comics or cutesy animals with big boobs sitting in the middle of things would seem a no-brainer too. That should be the 'nobody buys that here' material ideally, talk about a tiny fringe or niche audience! I don't want to feel like some kind of deviant weirdo going into a shop, and there are a few that really make you feel that just inches over the threshold. A shop I used to go to in the '80s kept the undergrounds kind of hidden in it's own section to the side of the counter where staff could make sure younger kids weren't going. This was before the mainstream started copying undergrounds in terms of sex and violence and nasty characters.  |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jun 22, 2018 23:22:40 GMT -5
Well my final thoughts for my thread. for the last time, some of you and businesses like drug stores pharmacy places need to learn that its not just Marvel and DC. Image, Boom Studios, Dark Horse, IDW are popular. Dark horror comics are hugely popular where Im from such as Dark Ark, Regression, Walking Dead comic book long before the stupid tv show, Manifest Destiny. Boom Studios besides Power Rangers theres the Jim Henson sequel stuff Power of the Dfark Crytstal etc. That and IDW with Transformers and G.I. Joe etc. Its not just Marvel and DC anymore, folks. I hope you realize that. Either downtown businesses need to realize that or everyone here will have to be stuck with going for road trips to the city just to buy comic books from the comic book shop. pharmcy stores cant just cater to frikkin kids with stuff like Archie or Sonic or My LIttle Ponly. Kids are really into Rick and Morty I spent 20 years working for Barnes & Noble, which had one of the best newsstand operations in the country, right up until recent years. They carried Boom, Archie, IDW and others, especially licensed stuff, plus the big DC and Marvel titles. They also carried a wide selection of trades from most major and several minor publishers. Comic sales were minimal. The price point and page content didn't attract parents and few new readers bought on impulse. We saw pretty much the same buyers, much like a comic shop. We saw far more people buying trades; but, the indie crowd vs DC and Marvel was pretty small. The manga crowd was a whole different story and Shonen Jump, during the height of the manga boom, was blowing away everything from the big two, and doing it mostly on the newsstand. That was driven by anime on tv. If big budget blockbuster movies and tv shows can't drive impulse sales, a display rack isn't going to do it, either. For the young readers, most bought things like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Smile and Big Nate, as well as Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes collections. Pre-teens bought more manga than American comics. Teen to 20-somethings bought the rest, with older readers tending to specialize. Other works aimed more at the literary audience than the comic audience, like Alison Bechdel and Art Spiegelman, Marjane Satrapi, or Chris Ware. Archie continues to sell digests via grocery stores and drug store, on impulse racks at checkouts. They do this because you get more for your buck and parents consider it safe content. Put a $4 or $5 comic there, with 30 pages of less and they won't touch it. DC and Marvel exist as IP generators for exploitation elsewhere. Companies banking on licensed comics are splitting what revenue there is with the license holder and that isn't much, in most cases. The days of Dell/Western/Gold Key making money off of movie adaptations and tv tie-ins is over, with a few exceptions. The future is more in digital and things like Original Graphic Novels, where price point and content are more in line. Periodicals themselves, in all forms are dying; people can get the disposable content on-line and digital platforms make other more long-term works cheaper, as do books, with a big enough print run. Also, print-on-demand technology makes putting out book collections that much easier. |
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