Marvel announces New Stores initiative
With DC's New 52 changing the face of comics, and getting mostly positive reviews from retailers, it was time for Marvel to announce their OWN new initiative which is aimed at people who want to open new stores. Marvel will provide deep discounts and free trade paperbacks and access to Marvel's Retailer Resource Center.
The promotion also applies to existing accounts who want to open a new store.
It almost goes without saying that in a challenged retailing environment, opening new stores is of vital importance.
DC’s FAQ for the New 52
In answer to all the questions that retailers -- and a few readers and certainly Beat readers have -- DC has sent out an FAQ on the relaunch/reboot/September to their retailer accounts, with a cover letter by Bob Wayne. It shows great insight into what people are squawking about and gives a good fact sheet on returnability, pricing, digital, and so on. Well be back later with analysis of all this.
Fun new Captain America spot to sell many, many Cherry Coolatas
Dunkin Donuts and Captain America are teaming up for a plastic cup. And also a remarkably red slushee called a Cherry Coolata.
This charming, imaginative spot for the drink -- and the movie -- may just sell more tickets to CAPTAIN AMERICA than the regular trailers.
Captain America opens July 22nd nationwide.
Retailers wake up and smell DC’s day and date
A story from the Boston Globe captures the mood of comics retailers who are sitting on the porch sipping an iced tea while the digital tornado comes right for them. Some sip their cool drink knowing that no matter what happens, they had a good run:
Pioneering comics retailer Bud Plant selling business
Bay Area comics retailer/distributor Bud Plant, one the first first retailers to specialize in independent comics and related art books has announced his retirement after 41 years in the business, according to a letter to his mailing list:
Must Read #2: Brian Hibbs on what Flashboot means to retailers
Brian Hibbs expands on his last, somewhat alarming column, with a look at more of the realities he sees in light of the DC #1 relaunch.
Flipping Point: The Coin Is Scarred Side Up
While there will be plenty of PR spinning about DC's big news as a great jumping on point for new readers and all that other doublespeak, let's look at the other side of the coin.
The New DCU: Bob Wayne tells retailers about day-and-date
Traditionally, digital comics have been to comics retailers what kryptonite was to Superman -- something to be feared and avoided. And DC's Bob Wayne has been in the forefront of keeping retailers happy, to the point of shutting down many initiatives over the years that might have ruffled their feathers and caused them to order fewer DC Comics.
Industry trends: Non-superhero books moving up
Industry analysis site ICv2 has just released a new industry report card for Q1 '11, and while sales were a bit patchy, it wasn't a disaster. This article contains links to a bunch of category analyses, but perhaps the most interesting is that non-Big Two, non-superhero titles are beginning to take up a bigger part of the market share:
One reader's story of getting into comics
Because that last item was a little gloomy, here's Anita Olin's story of how she got into reading comics, from tis month's Sequential Tart:
Marvel attempts to convert THOR viewers to comics readers — results are mixed
Do successful comic book movies create new comics readers? As the "Watchmen Principle" demonstrates, when a movie is based on a finite graphic novel or series, the answer is yes. When it is based on an ongoing 50 year saga the results are not so clear.
CBR's Greg Hatcher chanced upon a display of bagged comics at his CostCo which showed that Marvel had put together a product that seemed to be aimed at people who liked THOR and wanted to know where to go next: A photo-cover of hunky Chris Hemsworth as Thor graced the front of the package and an assortment of alluring titles lurked beneath.
Free Comic Book Day 2011 by the numbers: $1.5 million in publicity
Free Comic Book Day founder Joe Field looks back on this year's event (no permalinks) with some numbers:
