Sunday, June 22, 2008
at
8:47 AM
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June 2008…….I’ve been in this business for over (21) years. I’ve seen the industry at some very high points, and very low points.
Some retailers will tell you that Diamond Comic Distributors is the enemy….an idea that, even at recently as five or six years ago, I would have agreed with. By stifling the competition in comics distribution, Diamond certainly put itself in the driver’s seat. Lately, however, I’m not so sure that this is the case. And that thought bringsme to this week……check out the “major” Marvels shipping this week………..
Avengers Initiative
Captain America
Daredevil
Fantastic Four
Hulk
Mighty Avengers
New Avengers
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimates 3 #4
Uncanny X-Men
Wolverine Origins
X-Men
Don’t you think the companies could regulate the weekly releases so that not everything would come out on the same day? We have had three small weeks in a row, and now…..we get everything exceptSecret Invasion from Marvel……..shessh!!
On the weekly trip to the UPS warehouse to pick up our new comics. I have had several conversations with my friend Patrick at Velocity Comics concerning the state of the comic industry….we both came to the sameconclusion……the companies (but mainly Marvel) really don’t care about “Comic Book Shops” any more. The movies provide them with a significant bottom line, while the shops continue to demand well-written, nicely drawn comics week in and week out…how unfair for these short-sighted retailers to demand consideration and respect…..
Now, next week will be well-received at Richmond Comix. We have terms with Diamond, so I will not have to strike a check for LOTS of money, and then worry about recovering that money right away. Plus,long ago we began developing gaming as a secondary product line to offset the “ups and downs” of the comic book business. But our regular customers and subscribers will not appreciate having to budget a billion Marvels all coming in at once….over the period of our (21) years, I have seen quite a few customers who would stop collectingafter a few weeks of this madness….it gets overwhelming when $60 does not buy everything for the week.....and we didn't have $4 per gallon gas back then.
And what about the stores on C.O.D., i.e. the stores that have to pay for their shipments next Tuesday or Wednesday (this group includes the newer stores 1-2 years in business that are still trying to build their customer base). We have gone from over 5,000 shops back in the 90’s to less than 2,500 stores today…..natural selection??.... maybe…..but, just maybe, the grim reaper has some help…..a better business planwhere distribution is concerned would be a welcome change in this wacky industry……starting with the publishers themselves……….
Frank
Some retailers will tell you that Diamond Comic Distributors is the enemy….an idea that, even at recently as five or six years ago, I would have agreed with. By stifling the competition in comics distribution, Diamond certainly put itself in the driver’s seat. Lately, however, I’m not so sure that this is the case. And that thought bringsme to this week……check out the “major” Marvels shipping this week………..
Avengers Initiative
Captain America
Daredevil
Fantastic Four
Hulk
Mighty Avengers
New Avengers
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimates 3 #4
Uncanny X-Men
Wolverine Origins
X-Men
Don’t you think the companies could regulate the weekly releases so that not everything would come out on the same day? We have had three small weeks in a row, and now…..we get everything exceptSecret Invasion from Marvel……..shessh!!
On the weekly trip to the UPS warehouse to pick up our new comics. I have had several conversations with my friend Patrick at Velocity Comics concerning the state of the comic industry….we both came to the sameconclusion……the companies (but mainly Marvel) really don’t care about “Comic Book Shops” any more. The movies provide them with a significant bottom line, while the shops continue to demand well-written, nicely drawn comics week in and week out…how unfair for these short-sighted retailers to demand consideration and respect…..
Now, next week will be well-received at Richmond Comix. We have terms with Diamond, so I will not have to strike a check for LOTS of money, and then worry about recovering that money right away. Plus,long ago we began developing gaming as a secondary product line to offset the “ups and downs” of the comic book business. But our regular customers and subscribers will not appreciate having to budget a billion Marvels all coming in at once….over the period of our (21) years, I have seen quite a few customers who would stop collectingafter a few weeks of this madness….it gets overwhelming when $60 does not buy everything for the week.....and we didn't have $4 per gallon gas back then.
And what about the stores on C.O.D., i.e. the stores that have to pay for their shipments next Tuesday or Wednesday (this group includes the newer stores 1-2 years in business that are still trying to build their customer base). We have gone from over 5,000 shops back in the 90’s to less than 2,500 stores today…..natural selection??.... maybe…..but, just maybe, the grim reaper has some help…..a better business planwhere distribution is concerned would be a welcome change in this wacky industry……starting with the publishers themselves……….
Frank
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The Goods Group
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