Retailing & Marketing

On our periodic forays to Bergen Street Comics we've been watching the new Barclays Center go up a few blocks away, so it's good to know that comics loving Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez knows where to get his books:

Realizing that getting new stores out there is crucial to growing the comics business. Diamond has announced a couple of new programs to help...

Continuing their efforts to get comics shops to install expensive but highly efficient POS systems, Diamond has teamed with several publishers to offer stores a $6250 subsidy for purchasing a POS system, it was announced today.

Realizing that getting new stores out there is crucial to growing the comics business. Diamond has announced a couple of new programs to help...

This morning's Marvel teaser suggests that the new Marvel NOW! relaunch will be tied in with the Point One program which saw various series get a ".1 issue" that was new-reader-friendly. The program did quite well, we're told. Details will be revealed at the Cup O' Joe panel, Friday, July 13th, 3:15 PM PST. This move solidifies the "jump-onable" nature of the Marvel NOW! program.

After a long testing period, and a lot of controversy along the way, Diamond and iVerse are finally going live with Diamond Digital on July 23rd. The program will allow Diamond accounts to set up their own digital storefront, sell download codes and otherwise engage in the digital sales that everyone thought would kill comics but which has, instead, led to growing sales. The program has been in beta for some time now, with some lively feedback from participating retailers. Publishers represented in the program include IDW, Image, Archie, APE, Arcana, Bluewater, BOOM!, Broadsword, Hermes, Sea Lion, Top Shelf, Viper Comics, and Within Temptation—Marvel and DC have yet to opt in.

Long rumored to be moving (perhaps due to the giant FOR RENT sign on the building), Forbidden PLanet, one of NYC's longest-running comics shops, is moving a few doors down the street to larger digs, according to manager Jeff Ayers. The new location, 832 Broadway (between 13th and 12th Streets), provides 3400 sq. feet of space for comics, toys and games, and it's the largest of the three spaces the store has held on that same block over the years. "This expansion has been necessary for some time now, and will allow us to provide our customers with even more product selection and depth, while streamlining the store’s layout to one convenient floor," said Ayers in a statement.

It was a few years ago that AdHouse Books publisher Chris Pitzer announced AdDistro, a distribution business for small press comics, with books from Nobrow, Koyama Press and Malachi Ward to start. Well, now he's announced its end, and although that sounds sad, its actually because its so much easier to find books from these publishers now:

The nominees for this year's Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing award have been revealed and they are as follows:

True to their word, DC is launching a followup reader survey, after last fall's New 52 launch survey. John Rood mentioned that any demographic info would only be truly useful as more comparisons were able to be made, and future surveys were promised. And here it is. We tried to take it but got booted out for truthful answers, sadly. (In this case not actually buying any DC comics.) As before there is a fake survey title, ORANGE IVY, to weed out wannabes.

A documentary set at Midtown Comics? Yes.

Once again, I peruse the Barnes & Noble website, taking a look at what is selling. There are quite a few surprises this month, including some kids books!