ICv@ holds on of it’s periodic sit-downs with Dark Horse CEO Mike Richardson in three parts. Richardson is never afraid to give good pull-quotes and he obliges here:
We’ve seen over the years that comic book retailers have gotten more and more sophisticated. Many of the stores have expanded their product base, which is very important today. It’s hard to survive these days as the hobby shop that we remember, and I think that unless a store owner is looking to run his business just as a hobby, they need to be aware of the trends in the market and which books are selling.
It’s amazing when I look at particular stores, when I look down the list of retailers and see the number that don’t order Buffy or Star Wars, and it’s just lost sales. From the old days some retailers have their ideas of what can and can’t sell in the store, but I think today in order to be successful the stores that are doing well are the ones that are paying attention to the trends.
This guys seems to be very straight forward and real. That’s a good sign. Also, this is the first time I have heard comics described as pamphlets! Interesting interview, thanks for the link.