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How do we help the hobby?

Started by kc120us,

112 posts in this topic

THE_BEYONDER

THE_BEYONDER

Posted
Posted
If you really want to "keep the hobby alive".....you need to get publishers to reduce the cost of new books & get them back on the spinner-racks at your local 7-11 where they belong.

 

The kids today are the future of the hobby if the hobby is to have a future.

 

Maybe we need to go back to three channels on TV and only let kids have cartoons on Saturday morning. Perhaps showing snow from the hours of midnight til 6am will help too. Then kids would HAVE to read comics to entertain themselves.

 

 

It was the best of times.....it was the worst of times... :cloud9:

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conditionfreak

conditionfreak

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Posted

Intermission: Wouldn't it have been fun to have been in the middle of that crowd of women who were pushing and shoving each other, to get into auditions for the TV show "America's Next Top Model"?

 

Yep. That would have been a blast. 600 to a 1000 models pushing and shoving each other, to get through the door first.

 

Okay. Back to your regularly scheduled program. :)

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conditionfreak

conditionfreak

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As I have stated here, I live in Hillsboro, Ohio. Not a small town but not a big town. There is no place in this whole city that you can buy a comic book.

 

I had a friend that started up a mucial instrument/woodworking to order/novelty store (yea, I know. Sounds like a loser for sure) last year. I gave them four long boxes of drek to sell at fifty cents a piece, as a gift, just to possibly generate some cash flow for them, since they had such a variety of stuff anyway.

 

They went under in five months. They sold maybe twenty comic books. They gave the rest back to me.

 

To be fair, I didn't think the business had a chance anyway, and the depression hit right as they started up. But still. There is no place in this city that one can buy a comic book. Not even the Wal-Mart super store here. It is all about video games and cards (Pokemon and the like).

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Foolkiller

Foolkiller

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Posted
I would like to see the animated Marvel series back on Saturday mornings or on the Cartoon channel.

 

My kids read anime just from watching the cartoons on TV.

 

 

you need to take some of that highgradecomics.com fortune and put it into signing up for Toon Disney which replays all the Marvel cartoons and the WB Batman/Superman cartoons.

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Monstro

Monstro

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Posted
As I have stated here, I live in Hillsboro, Ohio. Not a small town but not a big town. There is no place in this whole city that you can buy a comic book.

 

I had a friend that started up a mucial instrument/woodworking to order/novelty store (yea, I know. Sounds like a loser for sure) last year. I gave them four long boxes of drek to sell at fifty cents a piece, as a gift, just to possibly generate some cash flow for them, since they had such a variety of stuff anyway.

 

They went under in five months. They sold maybe twenty comic books. They gave the rest back to me.

 

To be fair, I didn't think the business had a chance anyway, and the depression hit right as they started up. But still. There is no place in this city that one can buy a comic book. Not even the Wal-Mart super store here. It is all about video games and cards (Pokemon and the like).

 

interesting, you’d think in a backwoods town like that with nothing to do people would be happy to have comics for some entertainment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

:grin: just kidding

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COI

COI

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Posted

If you really want to "keep the hobby alive".....you need to get publishers to reduce the cost of new books & get them back on the spinner-racks at your local 7-11 where they belong.

 

The kids today are the future of the hobby if the hobby is to have a future.

 

I don't buy the argument that cost is preventing kids from buying comics. I love video games and I can afford whatever I want, yet I see a lot of kids who have more PS3 and XBOX 360 games than I do @ $60 a pop. If those same kids wanted stacks and stacks of comics, they would have them.

 

As much as I love the medium, it's dying. The gaming industry did something like 18 billion in sales last year. It's kicking everyone's azz, including the film, television and music industries. As both a means of storytelling and as an overall experience, comics cannot hope to compete, even with lower prices. Games have cinemas, soundtracks, voice acting, artistic visual design, and networks which, as I said, allow for socialization and competition among peers. And to be fair, you'll generally get a lot more entertainment out of a $60 game than you would out of a $60 stack of comics, for all of the above reasons, as well as on a cost per hour basis.

 

Entertainment has evolved and there isn't much that can be done. Comics are never going to be to today's children what they were for previous generations, and going back to $1 cover prices isn't going to change that.

 

 

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THE_BEYONDER

THE_BEYONDER

Posted
Posted
If you really want to "keep the hobby alive".....you need to get publishers to reduce the cost of new books & get them back on the spinner-racks at your local 7-11 where they belong.

 

The kids today are the future of the hobby if the hobby is to have a future.

 

I don't buy the argument that cost is preventing kids from buying comics. I love video games and I can afford whatever I want, yet I see a lot of kids who have more PS3 and XBOX 360 games than I do @ $60 a pop. If those same kids wanted stacks and stacks of comics, they would have them.

 

As much as I love the medium, it's dying. The gaming industry did something like 18 billion in sales last year. It's kicking everyone's azz, including the film, television and music industries. As both a means of storytelling and as an overall experience, comics cannot hope to compete, even with lower prices. Games have cinemas, soundtracks, voice acting, artistic visual design, and networks which, as I said, allow for socialization and competition among peers. And to be fair, you'll generally get a lot more entertainment out of a $60 game than you would out of a $60 stack of comics, for all of the above reasons, as well as on a cost per hour basis.

 

Entertainment has evolved and there isn't much that can be done. Comics are never going to be to today's children what they were for previous generations, and going back to $1 cover prices isn't going to change that.

 

 

I agree.....but charging $3.99 for a new comic isn't helping matters.

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Monstro

Monstro

Posted
Posted
If you really want to "keep the hobby alive".....you need to get publishers to reduce the cost of new books & get them back on the spinner-racks at your local 7-11 where they belong.

 

The kids today are the future of the hobby if the hobby is to have a future.

 

I don't buy the argument that cost is preventing kids from buying comics. I love video games and I can afford whatever I want, yet I see a lot of kids who have more PS3 and XBOX 360 games than I do @ $60 a pop. If those same kids wanted stacks and stacks of comics, they would have them.

 

As much as I love the medium, it's dying. The gaming industry did something like 18 billion in sales last year. It's kicking everyone's azz, including the film, television and music industries. As both a means of storytelling and as an overall experience, comics cannot hope to compete, even with lower prices. Games have cinemas, soundtracks, voice acting, artistic visual design, and networks which, as I said, allow for socialization and competition among peers. And to be fair, you'll generally get a lot more entertainment out of a $60 game than you would out of a $60 stack of comics, for all of the above reasons, as well as on a cost per hour basis.

 

Entertainment has evolved and there isn't much that can be done. Comics are never going to be to today's children what they were for previous generations, and going back to $1 cover prices isn't going to change that.

 

 

 

the problem with that theory is that the entertainment value for a video game can last months, a comic......25 minutes.

 

is that porn in your avatar?

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conditionfreak

conditionfreak

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Posted

We have a lot of kids here.

 

Guess what we do for fun?

 

 

 

 

 

(we need a graemlin for NOT kidding) :)

 

 

 

We do have a bowling alley. A six screen movie theater, and lots of hunting. Just about everyone here (except me and mine) chew tobacco and hunt like crazy. But the main hang out for most young teenagers (besides the hay lofts) is Wal-Mart. They just walk around it like it was a mall or something. It is open 24/7.

 

I remember when I was looking for somewhere near Cincinnati to move to upon retirement, I was in a auto parts store here and I struck up a conversation with another customer there and asked him what this town had to offer. I will never forget his reply.

 

"We have a Wal-Mart that is open 24/7. It is awesome. It is like a whole city of stuff".

 

Right then and there, I made up my mind that this was the town for me. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

just kidding :) sort of

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COI

COI

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How do we get new blood into the hobby? I am not talking about lowering the price on new comics, or new comics in general. I talking about "Vintage" (ie Gold./Silver/Bronze etc.) comic collecting. I think Vince's exposure on TV is one way. What other ways are there?

 

What you're really talking about here is appealing to speculators in order to keep the BSDs rolling in, which is fine. But keep in mind that the back issue market is "healthy" right now because the vast majority of the players have a long history with the medium, one which started with genuine passion and not financial motivation. I would assume, therefore, that the only way to sustain "health" as we've defined it, is to build new collectors from the ground up. Unfortunately, as I pointed out in my previous post, that ship has sailed.

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conditionfreak

conditionfreak

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CaptainOfindustry: you are correct.

 

When was the last time any of you read an actual book, not comic related?

 

The computer and video screen, along with the cell phone, is what it is all about.

 

Progress. Great and sad, at the same time.

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MR.COMICBOOK

MR.COMICBOOK

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Posted
If you really want to "keep the hobby alive".....you need to get publishers to reduce the cost of new books & get them back on the spinner-racks at your local 7-11 where they belong.

 

The kids today are the future of the hobby if the hobby is to have a future.

 

I don't buy the argument that cost is preventing kids from buying comics. I love video games and I can afford whatever I want, yet I see a lot of kids who have more PS3 and XBOX 360 games than I do @ $60 a pop. If those same kids wanted stacks and stacks of comics, they would have them.

 

As much as I love the medium, it's dying. The gaming industry did something like 18 billion in sales last year. It's kicking everyone's azz, including the film, television and music industries. As both a means of storytelling and as an overall experience, comics cannot hope to compete, even with lower prices. Games have cinemas, soundtracks, voice acting, artistic visual design, and networks which, as I said, allow for socialization and competition among peers. And to be fair, you'll generally get a lot more entertainment out of a $60 game than you would out of a $60 stack of comics, for all of the above reasons, as well as on a cost per hour basis.

 

Entertainment has evolved and there isn't much that can be done. Comics are never going to be to today's children what they were for previous generations, and going back to $1 cover prices isn't going to change that.

 

Good points,I gave my 8 year old son a box of comics,they sat in his closet for about a year till my wife donated them to Big Brothers Association. He just won`t read them unless its manga style.He does loves the comic characters as he plays Spiderman everyday on the XBOX 360 and watches Batman in Brave and the Bold on Cartoon Network. I also tried to get my 12 year old nephew into comics, almost same results,he never looked at them and my sister ended up throwing the comics out in the garbage.This same nephew watches X-men,Spiderman everytime they are on tv and play the videogames of them.My point being they got the comics for free and still had no interest in them.

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DiceX

DiceX

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Posted
If you really want to "keep the hobby alive".....you need to get publishers to reduce the cost of new books & get them back on the spinner-racks at your local 7-11 where they belong.

 

The kids today are the future of the hobby if the hobby is to have a future.

 

I don't buy the argument that cost is preventing kids from buying comics. I love video games and I can afford whatever I want, yet I see a lot of kids who have more PS3 and XBOX 360 games than I do @ $60 a pop. If those same kids wanted stacks and stacks of comics, they would have them.

 

As much as I love the medium, it's dying. The gaming industry did something like 18 billion in sales last year. It's kicking everyone's azz, including the film, television and music industries. As both a means of storytelling and as an overall experience, comics cannot hope to compete, even with lower prices. Games have cinemas, soundtracks, voice acting, artistic visual design, and networks which, as I said, allow for socialization and competition among peers. And to be fair, you'll generally get a lot more entertainment out of a $60 game than you would out of a $60 stack of comics, for all of the above reasons, as well as on a cost per hour basis.

 

Entertainment has evolved and there isn't much that can be done. Comics are never going to be to today's children what they were for previous generations, and going back to $1 cover prices isn't going to change that.

 

Good points,I gave my 8 year old son a box of comics,they sat in his closet for about a year till my wife donated them to Big Brothers Association. He just won`t read them unless its manga style.He does loves the comic characters as he plays Spiderman everyday on the XBOX 360 and watches Batman in Brave and the Bold on Cartoon Network. I also tried to get my 12 year old nephew into comics, almost same results,he never looked at them and my sister ended up throwing the comics out in the garbage.This same nephew watches X-men,Spiderman everytime they are on tv and play the videogames of them.My point being they got the comics for free and still had no interest in them.

 

Must have been a box of '90s comics. Smart kid. hm

 

 

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kidcolt

kidcolt

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Posted

With all of the fantastic comic related movies over the past few years you would think that comic book exposure would be at an all-time high. A lot of print industries are facing challenges due to the internet. Books, Comics and especially newspapers are taking a beating.

 

When all of these high budget movies hit the theatres are there ever any comic shops, stores or collectors in the lobbies selling or showing off comics? You would think right after someone got out from watching IronMan that they would be interested in buying an Ironman comic, statue, Mini bust etc...

 

As a kid I always thought that comics were spinoffs from cartoons. I grew up in a small town where there wasn't any comics except Archie and Richie Rich digest. Later I realized cartoons of batman, spidey, Superman etc... were spinoffs from comics. I didn't really start collecting until I was in my late teens or early 20's. However the seed was placed in my mind when I was young from all the great toons.

 

I still think that the companies need to try and get the kids back into collecting. They need to appeal to the kids, however first they need to appeal to the parents, they need to convince them to get there kids reading comics. The comic companies need to push the importance of reading to parents. These companies also have to realize that raisining prices to an all-time high isn't going to help reel in new customers. They are actually chasing a way hardcore fans how can they even think that they would gain NEW customers when they are losing the fanatics.

 

The comic industry should also look at what happened to the wrestling companies. Companies like WWF had a hugh following, they had millions and millions of fans with most of them being kids. They turned their show into a T&A show. This chased away all the kids as it turned into pure trash. The comic industry is doing a similar thing. They need to tone back some of the books to make them more kid friendly.

 

I try to keep my son interested in comics, sometimes its as easy as buying him comics and having them sent to him with his name on the envelope. He is only 7 (about to turn 8) and loves receiving cards and comics in the mail. My son is also intereswted in comics from cartoons. He loves watching cartoons and movies of Spidey, Batman, ScoobyDoo, TMNT and Donald Duck so I bought him some comics of those characters.

 

If you want to help the hobby start in your own house with your own kids and their buddies. Talk with your LCS about setting up a day when they can promote to new customers. Give them some free labor to help them get it off the ground so it don't cost them much. Mention to your LCS about sticking up a few ads at the local rinks, parks, skate board shops etc...

 

 

 

 

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cujobyte

cujobyte

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Posted

If you really want to "keep the hobby alive".....you need to get publishers to reduce the cost of new books & get them back on the spinner-racks at your local 7-11 where they belong.

 

The kids today are the future of the hobby if the hobby is to have a future.

I agree that they need to be on spinner racks again. But lower prices, for many reasons, won't help get them there. And lower prices, when tried over the last several years, have not helped sell more books.

 

This is completely true. I own a bookstore, and frankly people on the whole do NOT care about the cost. They care about their time, and the value of entertainment they can get. I really believe that the only way to keep our hobby alive isnt' about the collectible aspect of it, that'll come later, but of the stories themselves. I constantly recommend books to people, thats how I survive against the big giants (b&n and borders), giving people that extra bit of enthusiasm.

 

I must have sold about 200 copies of Y the Last Man, tauting it as the best thing I've read (in comics) for the last 4-5 yrs. People want to be entertained, and probably moreso in this ever depressing market. If you get people hooked on the story, then perhaps that "collector" inside them will come to life. Now someone sell me a "Y the last man 1" will ya? :)

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Mo Fun

Mo Fun

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Like stated by others on this thread, the problem is the limited places to buy books. When I was growing up in 1970's Slidell, La, we had a comic shop, but they only carried "used" comics. I bought all my books a the 7-11 or the drug store. When I moved to Birmingham in 1981, there were 2 gas stations, a drug store and a grocery within walking distance of my house. Any/all of those places could have sold comics. Now I have to drive to find books. The publishers are gonna be forced to expand access to books as LCS' go under. The direct maket has hurt the "new blood" factor and retail expansion could correct the problem. I think the Obama comic showing up at Wal-Mart & drug/groceries could be a test for expansion. I wouldn't mind driving to the "rare" LCS and walking to the grocery for new books.

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thehumantorch

thehumantorch

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If you really want to "keep the hobby alive".....you need to get publishers to reduce the cost of new books & get them back on the spinner-racks at your local 7-11 where they belong.

 

The kids today are the future of the hobby if the hobby is to have a future.

 

I don't buy the argument that cost is preventing kids from buying comics. I love video games and I can afford whatever I want, yet I see a lot of kids who have more PS3 and XBOX 360 games than I do @ $60 a pop. If those same kids wanted stacks and stacks of comics, they would have them.

 

As much as I love the medium, it's dying. The gaming industry did something like 18 billion in sales last year. It's kicking everyone's azz, including the film, television and music industries. As both a means of storytelling and as an overall experience, comics cannot hope to compete, even with lower prices. Games have cinemas, soundtracks, voice acting, artistic visual design, and networks which, as I said, allow for socialization and competition among peers. And to be fair, you'll generally get a lot more entertainment out of a $60 game than you would out of a $60 stack of comics, for all of the above reasons, as well as on a cost per hour basis.

 

Entertainment has evolved and there isn't much that can be done. Comics are never going to be to today's children what they were for previous generations, and going back to $1 cover prices isn't going to change that.

 

 

I agree.....but charging $3.99 for a new comic isn't helping matters.

 

If publishers lower the price of comics many retail stores that currently carry comics will quit carrying them. Lower priced comics mean less revenue per square foot of display space.

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