When I sold my shop in 2019, I told the guy to heavily limit purchasing of new comics to pulls mostly and then stock a bit the household name stuff. Take what you would spend with Diamond and such and put that toward back issues. That and focus on manga and dogman etc. it would take time but, build that back issue selection. He did the opposite and has since closed.

@Whalewraith

7 ай бұрын

It's a double edged sword. The one shop within 20 miles is basically a merch store. They do mail order well (but then there's postage & obviously no browsing). I haven't been for a year. The last time I went they had a lot of graphic novels and a pathetic selection of new comics. The only stuff on the shelf (which had approximately the stock you could fit in an old spinner rack) was un bagged and heavily thumbed left overs. The only Spidey remaining was a facsimile. I doubt I will ever go back. They also have no back issues whatsoever unless you count the 'new' shelf as some of that stuff was several months old.

The fact that Marvel had an unprecedented dominance at the box office year after year and failed to increase readership AT ALL during that period tells me that there is no hope for them. I agree with Rozanski that they've priced themselves out of the market and agree with Wes that the quality of most books is so poor that I wouldn't want them at any price. There are too many other entertainment options that people can choose from and comic books have been left behind.

@troypeterson2156

7 ай бұрын

yup. its not that people (young and old) dont like and or love, if not obsessively so. Its the poor handling of them (the lousy writing and lack of respect) and the growing expense. You dont get enough for your entertainment dollar with comics anymore, and when what you get is crap, even adoring the character isnt going to be enough to keep you buying. You can get a bigger bang for your buck in a multitude of other ways. The only people still willing to pay, are those older dedicated addicts... who ironically the companies insist on pushing away. Its a vicious circle or snake eating itself. The cost of production and distribution and paying everyone involved who routinely feel deserving of a larger piece of the pie etc etc are making comics cost prohibitive.

@linusgustafsson2629

7 ай бұрын

If you think about it. A movie was a good idea since each guy who likes Marvel could bring one girl with him, and pay for two tickets. Comics on the other hand, they would never go into a store and buy two comics each. So overall going into movies was a great way to boost profits, while not actually gaining any customers.

@TapCat

7 ай бұрын

@@linusgustafsson2629 But there were millions of people (both men and women) who never read comic books that saw those movies and loved them. Even assuming that the conversation rate would be a very small %, there was a chance to significantly grow the audience for comics. Sure seems like a missed opportunity to me and now that the popularity of the movies has declined so badly, there's not likely to be a 2nd chance.

@OldyAlbert

7 ай бұрын

Wich is the opposite of the manga where good anime adaptation will increase manga sales dramatically. Well, the same were probably true with the books when first LOTR movie came out or first season of Game of Trones. Difference is - people actually buys thing the movie/anime is based on, while in comic stories are all over the place with so many reboots it's very confusing for normal person. In manga or books you just start at chapter one of the only version that is there.

@anyiambarnes965

7 ай бұрын

lol yeah it true why on Manga myself more Problem is the Writers to mean of them for are in America where as In Japan they have 1 for the most part so the story are allways tighter. Dragonball manga mastepiece that so old

They'll always hate anyone who knows and cared about comics before MCU and twitter- because we're constant reminders that they have no idea what they're doing.

Everyone who ever been to Mile high have told me pricing is ridiculously high.

@akaBoG

7 ай бұрын

I've never paid cover price at MHC in 30 years.....but I don't buy back issues, only new stuff. They also have a 60% off code word in effect 90% of the time.

@brianwilliams9408

7 ай бұрын

I bought only once from Mile High back around 1990 where they were having a fantastic back issue sale at incredible prices. Back then, you had to phone in your order. I got a fantastic deal on the second New Teen Titans series. Issues 1-42, annuals 1 and 2 for just something like $38 plus shipping. Other than this one time, I find their prices to be excessively high as compared to other comic shops.

@ryebaldy8479

5 ай бұрын

Their eBay store has horrible feedback horror stories. They ripped me off and I sent back books that were WAY over graded, never got my money back. Never again!

Is the future of LCS in the sales of back issues from the pre-2000 era where Marvel & DC is concerned? I would rather spend $35 on several 1970s Superman issues than three current Superman ones.

@bigtomboye

7 ай бұрын

Hm wow interesting scenario 🤔

@PubeStache

7 ай бұрын

I agree with buying back issues. But without new comics, how often are you going to visit a back issues only shop? Unless there's a way to give them your want list and they call you when one of those comics is in stock.. For example a back issues only shop opened in my town and lasted 5 months before they went online only. (there's currently four other shops in my town)

@johnr.e.789

7 ай бұрын

Like the old CD stores! A LCS that strictly retails in back issues of American comics ( with a dash of new monthlies). Kinda like what Ameoba Music does with tunes in Los Angeles.

Not only did they abandon those males in their 40s but they cut out future generations. These hobbies have been generational. Passed down to their children because they love these characters. It's the same with Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who. These companies wanted to cut out the older fans but didn't realize they cut the conveyer belt to new fans in the process.

Prices are an issue. Quality is definitely an issue. Lack of trust is an issue. I have kids and want to share the titles I loved with my kids, but the big two have made themselves untrustworthy for kids. Maybe small kids...but there is just too much of everything you mentioned--gay romance, teen coming of age, etc. Aging readers want to share what they loved with their kids. This doesn't reflect what we loved. $5 a pop certainly doesn't help

I met Chuck once in Lowell, Massachusetts. He was digging through the back issues. That being said he forgets that he did not have those resources to achieve that business model. As usual you make great points Wes.

I used to have a huge weekly pull list for decades. I also was working toward trying to break into the industry as an artist...then 2014...it all fell apart. I've never had so little interest now.

I think there is a difference in the idea that in America, comics are something to collect, but in Japan, manga is considered entertainment to be consumed. That's why new manga are created one after another so you never get bored.

Younger readers have been snatched up by Manga, Manwha, and Manhua, as well as the Webcomics stuff. The American comics industry has committed willing seppuku.

My brother and I have a table at our local convention. For years we saw that no local creators had kids comics, so that’s what we brought to the market. We also do a superhero comic catered to teenage boys. You’re right in that Marvel and DC need to catered for what a younger audience wants.

I have been to Mile High Comics and several Coliseum of Comics stores. The photo you showed of the Mile High warehouse is accurate. He has tons of back issues and has an extensive online website so he has a much more sustainable business than those who rely on the monthly new comics

@lo1bo2

7 ай бұрын

I visited the Mile High Mega Store several times back when I lived out west, and it was fun. Now I drive by one of the Coliseum of Comics stores on my commute. Funny.

@akaBoG

7 ай бұрын

He recently bougjt a huge lot of Tradepaperbacks from a distributer at discount. He thinks we'll see some trade prices spike as stocks run out and series fail to go back to print.

I have not set foot in a comic book store in over 4 years now. You don't want my money, you DON'T get my money. And I'm a wealthier man for it.

There are people who can save the industry, but the industry does not want to be saved. It's looking more likely that the Big 2 will keep limping along, lulled into complacency by the allowance they get from their Parent Companies, until Disney sells off Marvel or Warner/Discovery sells off DC. Then the new owner will cut costs, and comics publishing will be one of those costs. They'll license out the properties, but by the time the dust settles the Direct Market will have collapsed

At one point DC really was expanding with Vertigo…then they slit their own throats.

I am no fan of Mile High Comics. The pricing is terrible, I have other stores from their old locations that are all gone. He only has a Warehouse left. The Colorado Blvd, Littleton and Lakewood location have been closed for years. Chuck does a lot in the area (hats of to him), but never like his bragging.

@1988sundance

7 ай бұрын

I totally agree about their pricing. A few years ago I was passing through Denver ,always wanted to stop at Mile High Comics, cause I looking for Birds of Prey (2010) #9 at the time. I forget how much they had it for but I passed it up. Today they want $45 for a copy in very fine condition how ever, on MyComicShop, who used to be Lone Star Comics in Dallas, whats just $8 for the same book.

@spaceknight793

7 ай бұрын

Absolutely the worst prices in comics… even with their 60% discounts. Some are just insane. Last time I bought comics from them was 15 years ago.

@MrRawnch

7 ай бұрын

The other locations closed because Chuck's employees were stealing comics. The Colorado Blvd location made the news because there was a smash and grab of high value items. It later turned out to be a bugerly staged by the workers.

The lcs are in danger of disappearing. It’s sad.

They need to stop with trying to attract young people unless they are going to start producing $1 comics. The few kids that are reading comics is because a parent is into comics and they want do it on their own. I haven't seen a teen in a comic shop since the late 90s. Scholastic doesn't sell comics. Stop including them. If Walmart is selling it, it's not a comic.

@dony2852

7 ай бұрын

I have seen plenty of kids in a local shop. They were playing card games. The comics were moved to the back to make room for tables. Apparently they do this every week. Not sure how many comics they sell to kids but it doesn't look like much if any.

@ghost3337

7 ай бұрын

They don't even understand young people.

@hope-cat4894

7 ай бұрын

​@@ghost3337How many of them have kids of their own? Are their kids enjoying modern comics? What about their friends? They should actually be taking notice of that.

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

@@hope-cat4894 Got into comics about over two years ago. Now two of the kids, little kids are into comics. Funny how that works family bonding over stuff and finding a new shared interest. You make a very good point for sure.

Comics succeeded because they were an affordable / disposable form of entertainment that appealed to a broad range of customers and or were suitable for most all audiences. Thats simply and sadly no longer the case and hasnt been for decades now. theyre no longer affordable to the customer or cost effective to the publisher. Us old men, as i've said before, have all but singlehandedly kept the industry alive for the last few decades and continued doing so, albeit largely out of habit / compulsion, the last 10-20yrs, but also due to love and appreciation (to a fault) of the medium and the individual properties. That adoration and desire though is not limitless. While its true we are "dying off", we're also being turned away at much higher and quicker rates. Why? Whats happened in the last 5-10 years? whats changed? The product was no longer made with that audience in mind, increasingly less and less so, and worse, that audience was suddenly cast as the enemy... in everything. Thats the worst and most prominent example. But add it to a lengthy list of issues surrounding the hobby and disaster cant be far behind. Im in my early 50s now, but still have some years left I'd be happy and willing to continue spending on comics. If you make something worthy.

Chuck got the collection from a basement… not a barn.

I’m to a point were I just read Omni’s or collected issues. The only time I buy single issues is if I like the artist.

Retailers are sadly an endangered species without much of a future.

Chuck Rosinski (sp?) very nearly bought Marvel in partnership with Jim Shooter. Their bid fell like $1 million short.

@OminousArtist

7 ай бұрын

When?

@geetee2694

7 ай бұрын

Falling only a million short sounds like a comic story. Even if he had bid, bet there was no way he would have gotten the financing.

Went to a comic store yesterday and paid $30 over the Amazon price for invincible. I can’t justify that for the other two volumes.

American comics died when Joe Quesada adopted the manga model, decompression and manga-ish artwork, who wants to pay $6 for 22 pages of no story.

Pricing has been out of control for decades. Once kids stopped reading comics or even being able to afford comics, the writing was on the wall.

I live in Denver; I only go to Mile High for back issues. their rack of new comics is small and lacking, Chuck describes his business is like a hardware store, that's where you go for that 3/8" reverse thread bolt you won't find a Walmart. You go to Mile High for Barman # 192, to complete a run, likely he will have it. I don't see him vested in new comics; he is the king of back issues.

Is Chuck still having kids drag queen shows at his comic store?

@koolaidbomber

7 ай бұрын

Yes Edit: I think. I stopped going there, but you can always check his newletter.

@PubeStache

7 ай бұрын

​@@koolaidbombervery problematic

@vaultdweller5419

7 ай бұрын

Wouldn't support his store because of that but also his comic are way too expensive

@SamGuthrie1977

7 ай бұрын

Overpriced back issues, always bragging about his influence in the industry, and myopically rambling about his pottery collection. Then when he promoted his first "all ages drag queen show" a few years ago, I emailed them and told them to take me off their mailing list. I haven't bought a comic off him since. I met him once, back around 2010 at Heroes Con in Charlotte. We only talked for a few minutes, but I got the impression that in reality he was a lot like his newsletter; experienced in comic retailing to be sure; yet more than a bit self-absorbed and out-of-touch

@MrRawnch

7 ай бұрын

Yes, Chuck is still doing that stuff. Now he's got pride flags painted everwhere.

It's over, and the price of collectibles will eventually drop too. Like beanie babies.

You know I’ve seen a couple vids about Nightcrawler and his moms and I do think that comics could benefit from separating into genres. If you want to see like a slice of life/romance of some mutants that’s cool but it should be separate from more action oriented stuff. Manga just makes it easier. It just does. 7:51 Yes exactly! It’s not like everyone hates romance or slice of life but it should be separate! Not only does that help the customers get what they want but I should think it would also help publishers if the data is separate they should be able to see what percentage of people want which genres.

@linusgustafsson2629

7 ай бұрын

Manga just dares to be real. If there is a homosexual in the manga, they will encounter challenges and have to work to solve the situation. Not some "We are all strongest and best friends and eating food" comic containing nothing but self-praise to the writer.

@fd502

7 ай бұрын

@@linusgustafsson2629 Well yeah. Is there even any partner poaching in the comics or has it all been sanitized out? I also noticed they have been scrubbing the women too like woman can do no wrong has several friends and no other woman especially one within the friend group tries to sandbag her and steal her man or her woman. That’s just not real life.

If I had a comic book shop, I would sell all #1's for a dollar. That way, more people would potentially discover new stories that they like but would otherwise not be in their budget.

I wonder how many who want to see spinner racks also only buy high grades and slabs. I am not one of those and am a bit more forgiving on grades, but I remember spinner racks and grocery store selections; I wouln't buy them like that today.

It's sad to realize how much the big two have destroyed there own market.

Awesome work mate

Chuck is a weird person. His store is now a museum that he uses to try and catalog every comic ever done. His prices are always high. He never has a sale or offers deals. And yes he made his bones with the luck of finding that collection, which he has been often sighted as giving the person who sold it to him practically nothing. He brags about how he could sell the building his store is in for 7 figures if he wanted too. Nobody I know who ever went to his store ever said his prices were good or fair. I would not use this guy as a gauge for what should be done in the industry. And yes, there is a good array of genres out there now. Ha...sub-distributor!!! I used to work for a sub-distributor sooo many years ago when Diamond allowed for it. Guy who ran that eventually become head of Diamond Select. WTF20.

@lo1bo2

7 ай бұрын

Never has a sale or offers deals? WTF? Obviously you aren't subscribed to his newsletters. Seemingly there is a never ending string of 40%, 50%, or 60% codeword sales in place.

@akaBoG

7 ай бұрын

@@lo1bo2 yes - he has a 40%-60% off code word in effect 90%+ of the year. I've personally never paid over cover price for a book from MHC - but I have only ever bought new issues and never chased back issues.

@natemachado9113

7 ай бұрын

I have to say best response to a post I ever got. Apparently enough of you have seen Chuck in his vids and agree that he's a weird guy. And no I am not referring to his newsletters, I am talking about having actual sales in the store and having prices that are not priced beyond the market.

I shop Mile High all the time- I buy back issues and trades. There are tons of new comics on the shelves, but the few good ones are a pain to find because they’ve so outnumbered by so much krep.

Comic prices are increasing. It will come down to the consumer willing to pay $5.99, $6.99, and $7.99 for a comic.

@grandmarquee

7 ай бұрын

At that point you just get the trade instead but it will keep shrinking the market because of people not buying the floppies and wait for the tpb so less things get to the trade. It's a death spiral.

I’m getting ready to cut it to ten titles a month. These new books are ridiculously expensive

My LCS in Cincinnati is closing in Feb..said sales are down approx 50%

After buying Marvel Comics continuously since 1975, I am ready to quit. $4.99 for a monthly book is too much money especially with the poor quality of the books. It is cheaper to send $60 for a year of Marvel Unlimited.

@thecomicdrill

7 ай бұрын

I’ve been going weekly to comic shops since the early ‘80s. I just went digital with Marvel since they had the Cyber Monday deal. Never thought I would but cost, space and agenda stories have finally pushed me away from new books.

Wes... anyone commenting on the "Surviving Comics" project?

I stumbled into manga prior to the turn of the millennium and I never looked back. When I saw dedicated manga sections pop up in bookstores, I knew the jig was up for marvel and dc.

Chuck made great deals at the right times. He sold one of his warehouses back in the day to a pot grower and used that money to clear the company debt. He did tell me about a year ago his annual collection purchase budget was $1 million.

I think the best example of what readers want in modern day comics is Invincible. It keeps true to being a super hero story while adding elements of modern day culture that is not just forced in the story

More comics I can give/lend to kids in the family and students. Kids love Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, and Hulk. I can't share modern stuff with 8 year olds, so we talk about Kirby, Ditko, & Neal Adams.

Used to buy comics fresh of the press at the grocery store every week. They stopped stocking the store, I stopped buying.. back 30 years later and they still don't have it right... its all about squeezing blood out of a turnip

James Gunn has a 5 year plan for DC at Warner Brothers. What is Jim Lee and DC Comics 5 year plan? C'mon DC, you know what's going on currently...what is your plan to fix it? More of what is failing? I'm a die -hard Wednesday Warrior but it makes me sad to walk out if the store empty handed. I look at back issues and it makes me feel worse what is happening presently. The movies can prostitute these superhero icons but the publishers abandoning their #1 sons and daughters is heart-breaking.

Chuck is a weirdo and really sus with the kids and drag situation. Mile High's website is also pure garbage. I was lucky to grow up in Texas with Lone Star comics, which now is MyComicShop and have always been happy with them for individual issues.

@FearMonarch

7 ай бұрын

I ironically went to both when I started out looking for back issues. Both have older looking sites that take a bit to get used too, and eventually the better prices pushed me to LSC through MCS who I still regularly use to pick up the stray issues my shop misses out on. Right after my first couple orders, I saw chuck going all in on having drag queens around kids at his store and never looked back

@SamGuthrie1977

7 ай бұрын

Yeah, Lone Star is a lot better. Haven't bought anything off Chuck since he started the all ages drag thing.

@davidburkholder7564

7 ай бұрын

I switched to MyComicShop back in 2013 and never looked back. Their prices are better and the grading has always been spot on(or better). Love 'em!

Spawn is still $2.99 and has better quality materials than Marvel or DC. But, yeah, Wednesday direct market comics are dead. This has happened all over the Americas already with the disposable magazine model. It's a very reduced art niche; it's Jazz, it's Death Metal.

Honestly, I have no clue how mile is still afloat. That fucking warehouse is ridiculously over priced. It's a museum. Not a comic shop.

I don't think it can be fixed. People mention pricing. Personally, with digital, and other means, I never was concerned. Also, I'm not a rich man, but if something is legitimately good, I'll pay. I've bought back issues, floppies, because I wanted them. The problem is, I wouldn't take current day comics, if they were handed out, for free. There is nothing sacred, to these writers, that they've hired. They got a bunch of people with no talent, no integrity, and no ideas, beside turning away a devoted fan base. I, exclusively, read back issues. I cannot stomach all the new trash they're foisting off. Even books that don't read like Pride issues, every month, are half baked, infantile, and boring. Who had the brilliant idea that destroying every beloved hero was a worthwhile goal? What have they accomplished by turning whomever they could get away with gay? They're not writing Knightfall, here. Or Crisis of Infinite Earths. None of these stories, with race, gender or sexuality changes will be remembered, except for how they ruined comics and other mediums, for years. And because firing all these people and starting over, jettisoning all their terrible ideas, is seemingly out of the question, I don't believe you can fix it. The only thing that would bring me back to getting new comics, watching new shows, etc, would be some assurance that none of the people would be involved. All of them gone. Any wannabe activists, anyone hired specifically for their identity, and a sincere promise not pull all these stupid, "gay all along", or mantle swapping, fem boy or lesbian romance, soap box style stories, banned. Since they can't, or are unwilling to do this, I'm done with them. Almost forty years, and I'm out. Reading comics from my childhood, even some that I've read dozens of times, is more fun than the latest gay retcon, they have to throw at us.

@SamGuthrie1977

7 ай бұрын

Same. This past year I've re-read Simonson's Thor, Larry Hama's GI Joe, and Miller's Daredevil. I've read those runs multiple times before, but I still get way more enjoyment from them, as opposed to any of the new comics on the racks. I wouldn't take the vast majority of new comics if you gave them to me, either. It would just be junk cluttering up my collection room, and I don't want them. I'd rather just have the good stuff from previous eras.

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

@@SamGuthrie1977 My wife total normie out and about came back with a load of comic stuff. It was all going for a song had some DD and it was Waid stuff. I was like it's the thought that counts. The Spiderman stuff was also the usual suspects. The Batman & DC stuff was pretty awesome though. Point is even a comic book normie like me know Miller's run is the one to get. Donating the DD/Spiderman to a local reseller.

I don’t think $4-$5 is an unreasonable price for impulse purchases these days. A single bag of chips is around $2.50 and one 20oz soda is more than $2. If you want a bag of beef jerky, that going to cost you $7-$10. Stuff is expensive these days. Maybe Marvel and DC can lower the paper quality to get the price even lower. And if someone wants a higher quality version of that same book, then that’s what the LCS is for.

Sad to say, I have been a comic book READER since 1973. Why I emphasized the “READER “ portion of this comment is, I sold off the bulk of my collection over 15 years ago. Storing it and not wanting to keep up with the lame comics being offered that are not well written, drawn. Poor materials and way way way over priced. I chose to sell off most of my collection and started to buy digital copies and join the subscription services. I sooner read the older 1940’s through the early 2000’s. after those time periods I have very little interest in all of these new inclusive and messaging crap comics. So I spend my time as a 57 year old straight man reading titles and characters I enjoy. And as far as all of this ( we need too see ourselves in the characters) bull crap. If your seeing yourself as one of these characters you need to seek mental help. If your not seeing Spider-Man or batman or captain America or who ever as a CHARACTER you get to see their adventures and enjoy them as a fun story. Your a sad sick person and should not be reading comic books anyway, you can not stop bullets, you can not swing from a rope or a web, you can not throw a shield or put on armor and fly around. If for any moment or reason you feel or think you can do any of this stuff, stop reading comics and seek out help immediately.

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

Well not a younger whipper snapper, but fairly new to comic book characters. What I figured from long time fans and the general pop cutlure zietguiest modern comics don't have any modern classics/timeless stories. Ended up reading stuff from 80's to 2012 with DC. Millarworld stuff is fun. TopCow nice art with batshit crazy evil endings. 2000 AD not gone past 2017 reads. Delicious satire and dark comedy. Read some older Thor, Cap, Avengers and picked up some older X-man to read. Hey I did hand crossbows and archery before I even read Green Arrow or Hawkeye. Robin Hood is a big folk legend in my country. Not sure green is my color or purple, but I might be able to pull it off. I saw this one legit archer who was amazing Byron Ferguson. Sadly he doesn't wear purple/green or a mask.

@davidgantenbein9362

7 ай бұрын

I have become a mainly digital reader once I realized that hoarding comics can’t be a good thing. I think we humans just like to collect things and often just do it out of habit, but ultimately it just clutters space and doesn’t rely do anything of value. So yeah, by now I‘m only focusing on reading and having fun reading comics. … which means nothing that’s made for „a modern audience“ is worth considering.

I cancelled my pull list 2 months back. Backissues only for me from now on.

**speaking of horror Cullen Bunn has so many great horror titles and Jeff Lemire has created a horror shared universe of comics and in the coming years I think it will become a big thing for sure. And Geoff Johns and Ivan reis just announced their horror indie comic "Hyde street" which I am so excited for!

Hearsd you mention some really good horror comics out currently. Any recommendations?

Comics are $5 in the USA? They're $6.24 here in Winnipeg, Manitoba. My current pull list is ASM and the new Conan. No variants, just A covers.

The industry can be saved its just that most don't want to I mean indie are charging $5 for a pdf, $10-$25 for a single issue, & still monthly releases of comics

Mile high is the most expensive shop. Even when they have major sales its still more than the full price of other shops.

Wich is the opposite of the manga where good anime adaptation will increase manga sales dramatically. Well, the same were probably true with the books when first LOTR movie came out or first season of Game of Trones. Difference is - people actually buys thing the movie/anime is based on, while in comic stories are all over the place with so many reboots it's very confusing for normal person. In manga or books you just start at chapter one of the only version that is there.

The decrease in quality and increases in prices have pushed me away. If that ratio were to reverse, I'd probably come back. I still love superhero comics. Just don't love the current offerings for the current prices.

So, I'm in my late 20s, however, due to health and other such issues, I was kinda held back a bit in terms of getting out there, and so a lot of my peers are generally lower 20s. I'm a (non card carrying) member of the LGBTQ community, I'm not consuming DC/Marvel comics, their primary genres don't interst me, instead, I'm consuming fan-subbed media from japan. My current series I'm catching up on, the apothecary diaries, is a drama mystery with some era political aspects and a hint of oncoming romance down the line, with a strong female character who is actually strong and likable, somebody you actually want to root for. outside of that, most of what I consume is fan-translated from a variety of genres, slice of life, romance/comedy, and sometimes just general "feel good" stuff. The manga & LN industry are also well tied into the anime industry, a bunch of the stuff I've read over the past 2 years, I've read because I saw the anime and *had* to get more. The anime might not always be the best adaption, but theres generally some inclinking that the people working on the show cared about the source material enough to understand it, and that's just the general norm, it's amazing when you get shows like Mushoku Tensei, where it's pretty darn clear that the people behind the show love the material. Currently on low income due to some health issues I'm working on, but, one thing I like about manga being fan translated is that it's all on my tablet. I can take my books and my manga with me on the bus as I attend appointments on a single device and read them at-will. I have a whole host of people whose content I will buy just for the sake of stashing it away, even if I can't read it (yet), so can support them and their work.

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

Since the lockdowns I started using a man bag for all that extra lockdown stuff. Lo and behold I found I can legit get hard back eaglemoss DC book in it. I am so not a fan of digital for sure. Yeah the comic books do really do help on appointments and journeys. Anyway if Indiana Jones can pull off a man bag I can. Every tried some 2000 AD it's throughly depressing so much it cheers me up no end. A place of next to no heroes and no happy endings. I just think oh boy I am glad that's not my life. It has some nice wicked satire and black comedy from time to time.

Digital is the key to gaining new fans, for sure. It's crazy that it's 2023 & the Marvel/DC apps are this bad & prices are so ridiculous.

@nendoroiddancing7361

7 ай бұрын

Digital isn’t the key they need both physical and digital

@dony2852

7 ай бұрын

That was obvious since 2007 when the first iphones and kindles came out. Western comic companies have had more than a decade and a half to adapt yet they didn't get the message seen by literally every other media publisher there is. That said, they can have the best online distribution model in the world and it will still fail if they continue to sell the same ragebaiting trash they have been peddling for God knows how long now.

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

@@nendoroiddancing7361 I actually did try digital comics first. Something is lost in the reading experience imo. The only time I go digital is something is so overpriced physicially or just to hard to find anymore.

@PimpNutz37

7 ай бұрын

@@nendoroiddancing7361 I mean, digital is the key to gaining new readers. Make it cheap & easy to access, to introduce a new audience.

I'm glad I was around during the late 80's and early 90's when the books were still cheap and easily available on the grocery store spinners. I can't imagine driving an hour out of my way just to get disappointed by overpriced, used coloring books written by weirdos.

I'd keep an eye out for those older comic book readers. This being the insanity of 2023, they might not want to be around anymore.

It’s pathetic JAPAN has outdone the US This is not a slight on JAPAN but it’s depressing as someone from the US who remembers a ton of the genuinely great stuff that Disney & other US Studios had top billing talent and now it’s all being run by hacks.

If the plan is to renew the spinner rack model the first thing is that the price of the comic has to be super low. It has to be about the same price as a candy bar. A price point that doesn’t make a parent think twice about it and in fact encourages them to buy more. “Oh those comics are only $1.50, why don’t you go ahead and get 2 or 3 of them Tommy.” Because if you price the comics to make money they aren’t going to sell so the point would be to try and break even but at the same time usher kids to the direct market through this cheap vehicle. Keeping the price super low means that you would have to do reprints (so you don’t have to pay a team to produce new content) and the production values would have to be similar to an Archie book or a TV Guide. A small digest on inexpensive paper. The only chance you would have is to make it accessible (Walmart checkout) and keep it really cheap. I got into comics in the very early 80’s because the spinner rack was the first thing you saw when you walked in a 7-11 and comics were the cheapest thing in the store. I’m just not sure if that model is recoverable. The world is so different.

DC and Marvel got to be realistic, and probably needs to cut there line, to compensate for the price, but they won't. Edit: Also going digital for a *cheap* price, could work.

Yes, Marvel and DC are beyond of the salvation at this point because the people in control and the modern writers are a bunch of incompetent buffons that don't understand what heroism supposed to be anymore. Just look what the X-Men became in the latest years. Mangas are more best done in your stories and your messages, There are true consequences to the characters and the drama make us to true care about the characters. In DC and Marvel everything what's build in every run is undone in the next run because the toys must return to the box to the next writer play with them. No surprise of why mangas are beating Marvel and DC more and more.

Like you said, Wes, The high prices aren’t just driving away new readers, obviously. What the hell is the deal with marvel jacking up the prices for first issues? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Can’t tell you how many new runs from marvel I have passed on because there is no way on earth I’m paying $7 for a Thor #1, or whatever. This makes absolutely NO sense to me. The first issues should be CHEAPER than the rest. You can’t have a successful run, if you can’t even get the ppl in the door in the first place. The longer I type here the more I am dumbfounded about how friggin stupid that is. The usual decline in sales from issue 1 to 2, then 2 to 3, etc... is a well known phenomena, so wouldn’t it make sense to ensure that the sales of that issue #1 were as high as humanly possible? what do you think is going to accomplish that more effectively? Pricing that #1 issue higher than usual? Or pricing that issue #1 a little lower than usual? This is such a no brainer. I mean, I guess the one drawback would be that since they are putting out such trash right now, they might be relying on that extra $2 from issue #1, cuz no one is buying anything else. If this is truly the case, Marvel ain’t gonna make it.

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

Cost of living & less people buying so they higher the prices, but don't improve quality. Yeah it's not going to end well.

@davidgantenbein9362

7 ай бұрын

They probably try to milk the collectors as much as possible. No. 1 with all their variants are known to be bought by collectors. Yes, the approach to transform the whole business into more or less a pure collector items thing will kill it eventually and is definitely an extremely short sighted strategy. But what do we expect at this point from companies that prefer to lecture their audience to producing an at least mediocre product? I personally would agree that reaching out to a maximum of potential readers through high no. 1 sales is decent, but the whole collector’s market distorts numbers by a lot. In essence, the publishers force shops to buy lots of issues to get variants that can be sold at high prices, so shops that actually go for variants will automatically be stuck with lots of normal issues they can’t sell full price anyway. So most no. 1s are in essence already over shipped and may go for a far lower price. But unfortunately most marketing is now focused on either variants for collectors or some twitter nonsense (despite analysis showing that twitter is the wrong platform to find comics buyers to begin with); so even marketing is no longer trying to find a real audience.

If there are more people and more comic readers now then the answer is simple, content. Marvel and DC monopolized the market for decades and they decided to rest and squeeze every dime out of their IP. This is why artists like Todd, Liefeld left, so they could create. Now we have a US market void of great content. Thus consumers starving for something new flock to new content. It can be saved, the question is do they want to save it?

aha- imagine a new customer coming in to try out what that is and takes one of the "for modern audience" say superman/magic lantern and he/she walks out thinking..oh so it is same as yaoi only more expensive and even less story

I feel like a crash of marvel and dc is inevitable. I was a comic reader when I was young. My kids are grown now and they never had any interest in comics. The industry has priced itself too high for moms to buy for kids. The books themselves are so poor quality now, mostly about left wing talking points

They need both digital and physical copies if they only have one version they are gone digital doesn’t make much money but it helps physically copies make money

No respect for Chuck Rozanski. He tells the story how he got his big break from buying a collection from the mob, and while going though it he found PRON featuring people who weren’t yet teens and he did absolutely nothing about that. So he can burn in he ll

Old silver age guy here. I have recently tried to read some new comics. The art is quite good in many ways, but it is so slick, and the stories and dialogue are so bad, that at $5 and more it is ridiculous. Sorry, but I am not paying $5 for cool covers with garbage inside. My LCS is considering not even carrying any more new comics, as they just don't sell, and he makes more money with magic cards and back issues. I totally realize that my old silver age books are not all literary masterpieces, but they were a blast to read, and the artwork did not completely overshadow the stories. I read that Todd McFarland titled his company "Image" because he said, 'that the image is everything'. Sorry Todd, but image without substance is shallow and won't last. Also, as a parent, I would not be happy with my child to reading this stuff, in addition to the fact that it is ridiculously priced.

He's not wrong. The price of comics with shitty content makes it a terrible buy for each book.

Manga sells. Retro collections sell. Random merch sells. Only trash written by hacks who hate Marvel/DC lore and the fans isn't selling.

I have his Captain and Falcon limited series he did way back when. I have his brutes and babes art tutorials he did in Wizard magazine. His art is an acquired taste 😂

I only read the phantom now

Can anyone in the chat recommend some horror comics? I am up to date with Phantom Road, and I am diving into the new Creepshow volume.

Comic book stores should pivot to selling back issues, manga, card games, models, et cetera. Sell some Gunpla, get away from Marvel and DC.

Millennials and Gen X are still alive and for a while? Say it ain’t so. I wasn’t aware boomers were the main buyers of comic books

The spinner rack is the right idea but you have to think of a new version of a spinner rack instead of using the classic spinner rack. A digital spinner rack or putting your comics somewhere where kids can see them and pick them up. Also promoting books in places kids go. Why not sell comics at book fairs?

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

I brought a computer game God of War and they give you a digital comic with the purchase of the license on the PS account. Lots of computer games have comic tie-ins and they are hardly ever promoted with the main product. Everytime they sell film, series, game It would make sense to give a digital code for a comic for that foot in the door. They are really leaving money on the table at the moment.

Well the lack of continuity (or no continuity at all really), changing core characters to………………… whatever they are now and lack of quality stories at this point, 90% of comic characters, heroes and villains, have multiverse powers and you want to read a comic only multiverse power level characters that 90% events now focus only multiverses? Also talking non stop on pointless stuff. Even my young nephew an niece rather read/watch One Piece instead.

Years ago Hostess went under and sold off to another company. The issue? There's only so much that a person is going to pay for a Twinkie. Same thing with comics. You need an entry level product that is cheap and entertaining enough for casual/young readers. Manga does this with their telephone book-sized anthologies. Decades ago comics made themselves into a boutique market and it was good for a while. But out of sight, out of mind, it gets forgotten in the public consciousness. Comic characters are just a brand now, a T-shirt or pinup variant cover you can buy. The casual likes the idea of superheroes, but accessibility is no longer there, and not a great value for entertainment anymore.

I lost respect for Chuck when he started dressing up as a drag queen and promoting monthly shows and for that reason I cannot purchase from him at comic shows or online.

@thecomicdrill

7 ай бұрын

Agree.

@Firevine

7 ай бұрын

Good. Once I heard about that, I've made it a point to not buy from him.

@sideshowonacid

6 ай бұрын

Monthly show for kids. I fixed it for you.

it's no longer LCS. it's LMS (Local MANGA Shop) now. lol.

You can tell the comics i liked the covers fell off. Collectors over readers has always been an issue. I was crushed when darhorse didn't take over when dc and marvel turned all their comics into advertising for movies coming out.

So nobody wants to read about weak men, unattractive women, continuity free slice of life stories that lecture the fans about sins they never actually committed? I'm shocked!

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

I would also add weak women. These writers absolutely fear the strength of feminity and only respect pushing masculinity in women characters. Which comes off as kind of misogynistic imo.

@uxm4life94

7 ай бұрын

@@PrivateCitizen84 completely agree. Nobody hates femininity like modern Marvel/DC creators do

Mile High Comics Jason Street is my comics store. I see Chuck Rozanski there all the time. He does a lot for the local and regional community that probably doesn't get enough attention. He has multiple fundraisers all calendar year. Mile High Comics is the best comic store anywhere imo. Glad to see him and his megastore featured here.

Wes, did you get my e-mail? I sent you news about Ivan Reis jumping ship from DC.

@truespartan1000

7 ай бұрын

He's part of Ghost machine, right?

@davekaye5483

7 ай бұрын

@@truespartan1000 It's unclear. People are hoping he gets picked up by Ghost Machine, but he bailed from DC after his brief contribution on Titans: Beast World. Last time I checked, it's unknown whether or not he went anywhere specific after he left DC.

@lazlodeathray7156

7 ай бұрын

@@davekaye5483His name is on the promotional material? From Ghost Machine? I think so…

@davekaye5483

7 ай бұрын

@@lazlodeathray7156 Is it? The news just dropped yesterday, so when I e-mailed Wes about it, it was unknown where he would go. People were speculating or hoping he'd get picked up by Ghost Machine, but last I saw, it wasn't yet confirmed. That may have changed recently.

@erickkorpi

7 ай бұрын

They had to officially announce it, Image accidently released it in solicits for the Sampler. Even FJM had to tell publishers he was out during NYCC.

My thoughts are that the market moves in cycle, and the general public has gotten tired of the Superhero genre of entertainment and that has trickled down to the comics as well. Let's not forget, during the covid boom period many retailers and sellers made good money and the general industry including publishers and artist benefited as well. We are currently looking at a steep dive due to a burnout from over saturation. Which was due to happen no matter what you do. What could have softened this drop would have been publishers producing entertaining stories to retain as much as the new eyes they got in to the boom. Instead they took a quick cash grab opportunity and focused on the collectible aspect of the hobby, publishing variants, first appearances and championing as much representation as possible without context to the characters rich history. Bets were put on wrongly, and they are doubling down on a poor market hoping for lightning to strike twice. Which will... In probably another decade at least....

No doubt. How easy is it to get number one of a beserk. Easy Now number one Spider-Man ? It’s confusing as hell. Which run -this creater did this, Spider-Man is way different in this run ! They screwed the pooch by not following a guide line and keeping volumes going, now it’s impossible to find certain runs , it’s a mess.

Japan kinda sucks with Sci-fi though. We can still win it there boys lol.

@FearMonarch

7 ай бұрын

What they lack in Scifi they make up for in Kaiju

@grandmarquee

7 ай бұрын

@@FearMonarch lol

@DNEWS-kw3id

7 ай бұрын

Japan has Gundam, Macross, Knights of Sidonia, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, and Ghost in the Shell.

Go back to the old pulp/newspaper stock for printed copies, and drop the damn price.

Lore of OG Comic Retailer Proclaims LCS’s In Death Spiral momentum 100

I'm going to disagree here. Superheroes are NOT a genre. No one has ever defined it. Everyone will flounder about and then ignore the question. But what Superheroes are is a character archetype. This is why you can have Spy Thrillers, Heists, Romances, Horrors, Action, Adventure tales, all of which can ever happen in the same run! This is part of what makes them so cool. Superheroes are just characters that have larger than life abilities, and it's how they apply them that makes them interesting and fun. Now that I've thought about it, I'm also going to disagree that no one want Coming of Age stories in Superhero comics, or Romances, or whatever. I mean, New Mutants and Power Pack existed, Young Justice? What people want are GOOD stories, not weirdo sexual fantasies and self-inserts from childless Hollywood psychopaths.

@PrivateCitizen84

7 ай бұрын

Good point... Batman is a dectective. Superman/Lois are investigative reporters, Catwoman is literally a Cat Burgler, Nick Fury/Black Widow the ulitmate spies. More to these people than a suit and punching out villians.

current culture of appealing to diversity, inclusion, lbgtq etc just turns me off. I read comics for escapism and don't have any interest in all that "reality" in my comics. Perhaps it is why I still buy one book a month: Conan the Barbarian. Thank you Conan, you have never disappointed in 50 years.