Do Local Comicbook Stores need a new business model?

[MrBedrock]

Back issue comics are the ONLY high profit product in a comic dealers store.

Even if back issue margins were 1,000,000% (exaggeration alert!) the turn times are such that most savvy retailers will devote the space to quicker moving items. Without getting into the math too much, more money can be made turning 10 items with a 100% margin (which just require product placement) then selling one back issue item with a 1000% margin (which requires special handling and product prep).

 

 

Thats because most retailers (savy doesn't apply to most) price books way beyond what the market (their individual markets) will bear. And most retailers don't keep the product which WILL sell in stock.

 

Obviously not talking about you, or many other successful business owners, but many. There are ways to make good money off back issues, but it is a market you have to work at and cultivate. I have seen it done.

Price is not the issue. My stores would actually be more profitable if I didn't carry back issues. They take up almost 50% of my square footage yet produce less than 15% of my total sales dollars. I carry them because I love them. And I love dealing with the folks who collect them. But back issues as a category in a retail environment are not worth the space, man-power, and time which they require.

[ComicConnoisseur]

Back issue comics are the ONLY high profit product in a comic dealers store.

Even if back issue margins were 1,000,000% (exaggeration alert!) the turn times are such that most savvy retailers will devote the space to quicker moving items. Without getting into the math too much, more money can be made turning 10 items with a 100% margin (which just require product placement) then selling one back issue item with a 1000% margin (which requires special handling and product prep).

 

 

Thats because most retailers (savy doesn't apply to most) price books way beyond what the market (their individual markets) will bear. And most retailers don't keep the product which WILL sell in stock.

 

Obviously not talking about you, or many other successful business owners, but many. There are ways to make good money off back issues, but it is a market you have to work at and cultivate. I have seen it done.

Price is not the issue. My stores would actually be more profitable if I didn't carry back issues. They take up almost 50% of my square footage yet produce less than 15% of my total sales dollars. I carry them because I love them. And I love dealing with the folks who collect them. But back issues as a category in a retail environment are not worth the space, man-power, and time which they require.

So if the LCS don`t want them and most are not profitable on Ebay to sell unless it`s a high grade key then what will become of the majority back issues?

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Back issue comics are the ONLY high profit product in a comic dealers store.

Even if back issue margins were 1,000,000% (exaggeration alert!) the turn times are such that most savvy retailers will devote the space to quicker moving items. Without getting into the math too much, more money can be made turning 10 items with a 100% margin (which just require product placement) then selling one back issue item with a 1000% margin (which requires special handling and product prep).

 

 

Thats because most retailers (savy doesn't apply to most) price books way beyond what the market (their individual markets) will bear. And most retailers don't keep the product which WILL sell in stock.

 

Obviously not talking about you, or many other successful business owners, but many. There are ways to make good money off back issues, but it is a market you have to work at and cultivate. I have seen it done.

Price is not the issue. My stores would actually be more profitable if I didn't carry back issues. They take up almost 50% of my square footage yet produce less than 15% of my total sales dollars. I carry them because I love them. And I love dealing with the folks who collect them. But back issues as a category in a retail environment are not worth the space, man-power, and time which they require.

 

Rich, do you see your stores transitioning away from back issues in the future, and driving those customers in need of a back issue fix to your website instead?

 

I ask because there seems to be a movement in the hobby away from the run-completionist aspect of collecting comics. Whether it be the high cost associated with run collecting compared to collecting TPBs, or whatever, it seems the completionist collector as an archetype is slowly disappearing. Many younger guys seem to be of the "give me a set of TPBs, and the best copy of a Mega Key that I can afford" philosophy, which will only continue to negatively impact back issue sales going forward in my opinion.

 

I can see the day where most LCS stores are content to leave Mega mail order dealers like Chuck the role of filling want lists filled with $3-$10 type back issues for the occasional customer that wants them and instead focus on the retail aspect of the business.

 

 

 

 

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Back issue comics are the ONLY high profit product in a comic dealers store.

Even if back issue margins were 1,000,000% (exaggeration alert!) the turn times are such that most savvy retailers will devote the space to quicker moving items. Without getting into the math too much, more money can be made turning 10 items with a 100% margin (which just require product placement) then selling one back issue item with a 1000% margin (which requires special handling and product prep).

 

 

Thats because most retailers (savy doesn't apply to most) price books way beyond what the market (their individual markets) will bear. And most retailers don't keep the product which WILL sell in stock.

 

Obviously not talking about you, or many other successful business owners, but many. There are ways to make good money off back issues, but it is a market you have to work at and cultivate. I have seen it done.

Price is not the issue. My stores would actually be more profitable if I didn't carry back issues. They take up almost 50% of my square footage yet produce less than 15% of my total sales dollars. I carry them because I love them. And I love dealing with the folks who collect them. But back issues as a category in a retail environment are not worth the space, man-power, and time which they require.

So if the LCS don`t want them and most are not profitable on Ebay to sell unless it`s a high grade key then what will become of the majority back issues?

 

I think we are already at that point. Its why Guide on mid grade, non-key books hasn't been relevant in years. Supply > Demand.

 

 

[ComicConnoisseur]

Back issue comics are the ONLY high profit product in a comic dealers store.

Even if back issue margins were 1,000,000% (exaggeration alert!) the turn times are such that most savvy retailers will devote the space to quicker moving items. Without getting into the math too much, more money can be made turning 10 items with a 100% margin (which just require product placement) then selling one back issue item with a 1000% margin (which requires special handling and product prep).

 

 

Thats because most retailers (savy doesn't apply to most) price books way beyond what the market (their individual markets) will bear. And most retailers don't keep the product which WILL sell in stock.

 

Obviously not talking about you, or many other successful business owners, but many. There are ways to make good money off back issues, but it is a market you have to work at and cultivate. I have seen it done.

Price is not the issue. My stores would actually be more profitable if I didn't carry back issues. They take up almost 50% of my square footage yet produce less than 15% of my total sales dollars. I carry them because I love them. And I love dealing with the folks who collect them. But back issues as a category in a retail environment are not worth the space, man-power, and time which they require.

 

Rich, do you see your stores transitioning away from back issues in the future, and driving those customers in need of a back issue fix to your website instead?

 

I ask because there seems to be a movement in the hobby away from the run-completionist aspect of collecting comics. Whether it be the high cost associated with run collecting compared to collecting TPBs, or whatever, it seems the completionist collector as an archetype is slowly disappearing. Many younger guys seem to be of the "give me a set of TPBs, and the best copy of a Mega Key that I can afford" philosophy, which will only continue to negatively impact back issue sales going forward in my opinion.

 

I can see the day where most LCS stores are content to leave Mega mail order dealers like Chuck the role of filling want lists filled with $3-$10 type back issues for the occasional customer that wants them and instead focus on the retail aspect of the business.

 

 

 

That`s sounds like my philosophy, give me a set of TPBs for a good read and invest in a CGC key.

[mikephoen]

 

I can see the day where most LCS stores are content to leave Mega mail order dealers like Chuck the role of filling want lists filled with $3-$10 type back issues for the occasional customer that wants them and instead focus on the retail aspect of the business.

 

 

 

 

With hindsight, I can see that day too. It was somewhere around 2003-2004. The rise of eBay in the late 90s was the first sign, and the acceptance of CGC as the standard for higher end comics was the final piece.

[whisp]

Main LCS I go to has majority of their back issues in the bargain basement. They use to store new books away for a year and then have them upstairs for a few years and then to basement but as of late I have noticed them being put out right away upstairs for most part which means they will end up in the bargain basement sooner since its based off his price sticker date.

 

Thats for regular cheap back issues. Anything of value is still upstairs.

[MrBedrock]

 

Rich, do you see your stores transitioning away from back issues in the future, and driving those customers in need of a back issue fix to your website instead?

 

I ask because there seems to be a movement in the hobby away from the run-completionist aspect of collecting comics. Whether it be the high cost associated with run collecting compared to collecting TPBs, or whatever, it seems the completionist collector as an archetype is slowly disappearing. Many younger guys seem to be of the "give me a set of TPBs, and the best copy of a Mega Key that I can afford" philosophy, which will only continue to negatively impact back issue sales going forward in my opinion.

 

I can see the day where most LCS stores are content to leave Mega mail order dealers like Chuck the role of filling want lists filled with $3-$10 type back issues for the occasional customer that wants them and instead focus on the retail aspect of the business.

I don't have any plans to reduce the presence of back issues in my shops. As I said before I love back issues and love dealing in them. I also realize that they are very much part of the identity and atmosphere of Bedrock City. But as time goes by we will probably have to become more discriminating as to the back issues we carry from the 80s and 90s.

[whisp]

 

Rich, do you see your stores transitioning away from back issues in the future, and driving those customers in need of a back issue fix to your website instead?

 

I ask because there seems to be a movement in the hobby away from the run-completionist aspect of collecting comics. Whether it be the high cost associated with run collecting compared to collecting TPBs, or whatever, it seems the completionist collector as an archetype is slowly disappearing. Many younger guys seem to be of the "give me a set of TPBs, and the best copy of a Mega Key that I can afford" philosophy, which will only continue to negatively impact back issue sales going forward in my opinion.

 

I can see the day where most LCS stores are content to leave Mega mail order dealers like Chuck the role of filling want lists filled with $3-$10 type back issues for the occasional customer that wants them and instead focus on the retail aspect of the business.

I don't have any plans to reduce the presence of back issues in my shops. As I said before I love back issues and love dealing in them. I also realize that they are very much part of the identity and atmosphere of Bedrock City. But as time goes by we will probably have to become more discriminating as to the back issues we carry from the 80s and 90s.

 

Make sure you keep your Dazzler #1s out.

 

[towards2112]

 

Rich, do you see your stores transitioning away from back issues in the future, and driving those customers in need of a back issue fix to your website instead?

 

I ask because there seems to be a movement in the hobby away from the run-completionist aspect of collecting comics. Whether it be the high cost associated with run collecting compared to collecting TPBs, or whatever, it seems the completionist collector as an archetype is slowly disappearing. Many younger guys seem to be of the "give me a set of TPBs, and the best copy of a Mega Key that I can afford" philosophy, which will only continue to negatively impact back issue sales going forward in my opinion.

 

I can see the day where most LCS stores are content to leave Mega mail order dealers like Chuck the role of filling want lists filled with $3-$10 type back issues for the occasional customer that wants them and instead focus on the retail aspect of the business.

I don't have any plans to reduce the presence of back issues in my shops. As I said before I love back issues and love dealing in them. I also realize that they are very much part of the identity and atmosphere of Bedrock City. But as time goes by we will probably have to become more discriminating as to the back issues we carry from the 80s and 90s.

 

And I still remember to this day you telling me not to worry about restocking

my back issue table. You said "Don't worry, they'll find they're way to you."

[bug33fouf]

 

 

 

so opening a comic shop with many back issues......

 

 

 

 

 

is a no,no?

 

 

 

dam it.....

 

 

 

now i need a new business plan......

[Bookery]

Thats because most retailers (savy doesn't apply to most) price books way beyond what the market (their individual markets) will bear. And most retailers don't keep the product which WILL sell in stock.

 

Obviously not talking about you, or many other successful business owners, but many. There are ways to make good money off back issues, but it is a market you have to work at and cultivate. I have seen it done.

 

I agree that many dealers (particularly the smaller ones) have ridiculously over-priced stock. But in most areas, price matters little to saleability. Again, if you're in one of the Mega-Markets, you may be able to sell almost anything locally, I don't know.

 

As you know, my stock is ALL discounted. Gold, silver, bronze, modern... nearly all of it is 15%-30% below guide depending upon dollars spent, And there are many others marked down 50% as a matter of course. My grading is strict (intentionally planned so that many dealers can get a half-grade to full-grade bump depending upon therir market area). Price and grading aren't a factor, as I sell most of my stuff to dealers, and they get the same discounts in my shop as anyone else who spends x-amount of dollars.

 

Yet there is still only a tiny local market for this stuff. Example-- In January I put out about 700 gold-silver-bronze comics that we'd picked up through the course of December with a guide value over $20,000. As soon as I announce this on my web page (and we add new collections like this almost every month), my regulars do indeed rush in. As is about usual by percentage, they buy about $300 - $400 worth of issues, and immediately ask when the next collection is going to be put out. Then after 2-3 weeks, the other $19,600 worth of books get worked into regular collectibles inventory and wait for a dealer to come in (such as yesterday, when one came by and spent $700 on all of the books that the locals passed over that he knows he'll make money on at shows or on-line).

 

There's a market for many of these items... it's just that there are few enough collectors for them today that they are spread all over the country. This is why dealers go to the Internet and don't put much of the inventory they do have into their shops. I hate selling on-line and haven't put a collector comic on eBay in 1 1/2 years... but like I said... that's personal preference probably superceding common sense. I still like having someone hold the book in their hands and see in person exactly what it is they're buying. But I know those days are numbered.

 

And some books simply are never again going to be collected except by the tiniest fraction of the comics community-- many obscure golden-age books including super-heroes, TV westerns from the '50s, any romance comics save for maybe Matt Baker issues, most humor characters from the 40s & 50s... there's just too much time passing since folks grew up with those characters and genres.

 

 

 

 

[Dale Roberts]

Thats because most retailers (savy doesn't apply to most) price books way beyond what the market (their individual markets) will bear. And most retailers don't keep the product which WILL sell in stock.

 

Obviously not talking about you, or many other successful business owners, but many. There are ways to make good money off back issues, but it is a market you have to work at and cultivate. I have seen it done.

 

I agree that many dealers (particularly the smaller ones) have ridiculously over-priced stock. But in most areas, price matters little to saleability. Again, if you're in one of the Mega-Markets, you may be able to sell almost anything locally, I don't know.

 

As you know, my stock is ALL discounted. Gold, silver, bronze, modern... nearly all of it is 15%-30% below guide depending upon dollars spent, And there are many others marked down 50% as a matter of course. My grading is strict (intentionally planned so that many dealers can get a half-grade to full-grade bump depending upon therir market area). Price and grading aren't a factor, as I sell most of my stuff to dealers, and they get the same discounts in my shop as anyone else who spends x-amount of dollars.

 

Yet there is still only a tiny local market for this stuff. Example-- In January I put out about 700 gold-silver-bronze comics that we'd picked up through the course of December with a guide value over $20,000. As soon as I announce this on my web page (and we add new collections like this almost every month), my regulars do indeed rush in. As is about usual by percentage, they buy about $300 - $400 worth of issues, and immediately ask when the next collection is going to be put out. Then after 2-3 weeks, the other $19,600 worth of books get worked into regular collectibles inventory and wait for a dealer to come in (such as yesterday, when one came by and spent $700 on all of the books that the locals passed over that he knows he'll make money on at shows or on-line).

 

There's a market for many of these items... it's just that there are few enough collectors for them today that they are spread all over the country. This is why dealers go to the Internet and don't put much of the inventory they do have into their shops. I hate selling on-line and haven't put a collector comic on eBay in 1 1/2 years... but like I said... that's personal preference probably superceding common sense. I still like having someone hold the book in their hands and see in person exactly what it is they're buying. But I know those days are numbered.

 

And some books simply are never again going to be collected except by the tiniest fraction of the comics community-- many obscure golden-age books including super-heroes, TV westerns from the '50s, any romance comics save for maybe Matt Baker issues, most humor characters from the 40s & 50s... there's just too much time passing since folks grew up with those characters and genres.

 

 

 

 

Well, I am generally not talking about GA books when I am talking about back issue sales. What I am talking about is that there is little to know reason for any comic shop not to be able to have Walking Deads, Green Lantern issues, a couple of years ago, Deadpool issues, before that, all the Aspen Fathom stuff. Etc. I don't know even know what back issues are desirable now. I do know that if you have what people are looking for, you can sell it.

 

I think most stores can always sell mainstream Silver Age/ Bronze age marvel and DCs if they are priced correctly. No, you might not sell that copy of Strange Tales #147 in your box, but you can sell alot of others, and if you get either a cheap copy, or a uber nice copy, you can probably sell that book too.

 

 

[thehumantorch]

I believe that's what has turned some of the comic collectors off is too much "other" product in the stores and not enough of what they came there for.....COMICS! Magic the Gathering "dungeon" parties going on in the shop isn't very cool either. Just my opinion.

 

I changed LCS because mine was paying too much attention to MTG and

repeatedly missed new books from my pull list. Bringing in new product lines

to build the business is smart but neglecting established customers to do it will

drive them away.

 

We don't miss any pull list books. We had a full 100% fill rate for all pull lists in 2010 and did not miss a single book that was ordered in advance. This was impossible in my opinion in the past but with a good point of sale system (we use MOBY) it is pretty easy. It has so many checks and balances to make sure this gets done right that when an error occurs it is easily fixed. Even though single issue comic sales are smaller percentage wise than years ago, we still sell more dollars of them than at any point in the past.

 

Missed this post Mike. 100 % fill rate for all pull lists for a year is impressive.

Your store is doing well because you are managing it well and taking care of your customers.

[Bookery]

Well, I am generally not talking about GA books when I am talking about back issue sales. What I am talking about is that there is little to know reason for any comic shop not to be able to have Walking Deads, Green Lantern issues, a couple of years ago, Deadpool issues, before that, all the Aspen Fathom stuff. Etc. I don't know even know what back issues are desirable now. I do know that if you have what people are looking for, you can sell it.

 

Ah... we were talking about two different things then. I agree with you on the above. When I was talking about back-issues, I meant carrying the whole broader spectrum, GA, SA, and as Bedrock was talking about, boxes of 80s and 90s material. I assume even the smallest shop will have a few boxes of comics from the past 1-2 years, if for no other reason than unsold copies of newly ordered issues.

 

Many older comics DO sell... you're proof of that. They just often don't sell enough copies in most local markets to merit small shops making a point of devoting valuable space to them, that's all I'm saying. Those shops will either need to have a significant on-line presence to move older material, or market themselves into a semi-wholesale niche, as I have, specializing in sales to dealers and traveling collectors. And even then, as Bedrock stated, it's more a factor of passion in dealing these items then annual profitability.

 

[passion4comics]

Random morning thoughts while ducking real work:

 

The 5 comics shops I have within 90-min driving distance are a total disappointment. None closer than an hour.

 

One shop looks like an old style comics shop. It smells like musty paper and has tons of back issues in all types of grades. I actually like it. The owner is a nice older guy who has been into comics for his whole life. No CGC books other than a handful here and there. The problem is there wasn't a big selection of newer comics. This one is near Allentown PA. This place reminded me of an old shop in Brooklyn called Pinocchio Discounts back in the early 80's. It was huge and packed with back issues. A woman named Bell used to own it and a friend of hers, older man, would be sitting hanging out. It was nostalgic to visit this place.

 

The other four are more modern shops are a split between focusing on Graphic Novels (another near Allentown PA) or the new stuff (North NJ).

 

This weekend I visited two in NJ with the intention of picking up at least one of everything that looked interesting and maybe a double of what I though should be untouched and bagged. I bought nothing! Each issue I picked up looked a bit "read". I kept digging and for the few in great condition, there were others in a bit battered condition. I got disgusted and walked out. The same with shop number two.

 

I'll probably NEVER go to those shops again and have to wait until I'm in Manhattan to buy out the racks (34th street). Who is to blame for these LCS lost sales in this case?

 

Other questions:

 

Why were comics interesting 30 years ago? The stories and art were cutting edge and affordable. The focus was on a good product and not flooding it with sub-par stories. I may have an IPOD and computer, but it doesn't mean I will not read what's on paper. While many kids were playing baseball in little leagues I was reading comics and books. Many may sit on their computers and I-Phones today and some will not. The market is still there if the choice of actually picking up a comic and reading it is rewarding. How can a LCS sell something that from what I've read recently in newer issues mostly kindling material?

 

How about the professional grading companies? Has that hurt or helped the LCS? With a graded book there is no longer a need for a physical shop to look at a comic. It also draws a line in the sand of what's junk and what's good and takes out the collectors subjectivity. How can a LCS survive with thousands of back issues that may be considered junk or have the sellers wondering if it will grade?

 

Bad business decisions is a culprit in many brick and mortar shops failing. The horrendous state of what's being published is another. I still question if the grading companies helped or hurt the collectability of comics.

 

I would love to open a comic shop locally with a lot of catching up with what's out there now. The problem is that all I hear are horror stories from owners of them. They all complain about their distributor, now the only one from what I've been told. The newer stuff doesn't sell. If I have to supplement income with games and toys then it's not a comic shop! At least the way I remember them.

 

Just some random morning thoughts.

[mpt6974]

It seems from what I gathered in this thread that:

 

 

• You can be profitable with back issues, as long as you are aware of clientele
  
• Using previous sales figures to determine which issues may be more popular in the future
  
• Knowing your single-issue customers
  

 

But it always, and in every business, boils down to having a product and knowing what the customers want. You can't just hope to have people walk through the door. You have to go out and seek out the customers. Social media has made this a LOT easier in that regard.

 

I recently got into comics. I was never a comic book reader growing up. I'm almost 27 years old. I've appreciated super-hero comics and what they've done with pop culture but I never had the slightest interest in buying them. I bought my first comic last October, my wife thought I was crazy because it's not something I grew up with.

 

I bought the whole run of the Preacher series. Getting new customers sucked in through fantastic stories a la Preacher, or Y the last Man, or TWD is key I believe. How did I learn about the Preacher? It's a funny story - I mistook 'The Priest' for 'The Preacher' when buying it because I thought the new movie looked awesome as I've always had a soft spot for theological-based works and vampires regardless of how bad it may suck!

 

Needless to say, it was initially disappointing when I found out 'The Preacher' was not 'The Priest.' However it ended up being one of the best things I've ever read, no matter what medium. After reading it I decided to give other comics a chance. I walked into my LCS and struck up a conversation with one of the workers and a guy who didn't work there. I told them I was new to the comic scene but I had just read Preacher and loved it. They said 'say no more' and came back with about 10 different books for me to read, including 'The Light,' 'Olympus,' 'Y the Last Man,' etc. I now have a pull list with about 15 different issues, with every single one being from Image, IDW, or Vertigo. I don't have a single pull from Marvel or DC (yes I know Vertigo is DC).

 

By being friendly and offering me advice on newer books they had an instant customer. I now order all my weeklies from them and they never disappoint. If the book is damaged when they get it in they don't sell it to me, they just re-order more or call one of their other shops. They also took my advice on 'Li'l Depressed Boy' and bought some extra copies for walk-ins and they are sold out now (I did help sell a couple) and the people loved the story. The Marvel and DC titles are just sitting on the shelves every time I go in, and the Indies are always sold out, unless you come in on Wednesday-Friday.

 

They are just a small little store but they have two other store locations from where they can pull titles if they don't have it that are within a 75 mile radius in Atlanta.

 

SORRY for the long post, but I felt as a newcomer to the comic industry that this was an example of how I got hooked in. I had no previous experience with comics, and always associated a stigma with a Comic Shop. It's up to any kind of business though to show they care about the customer and are willing to bend over backwards to take care of them, but not so much to where their face ends up in their crotch.

 

My

[Hamlet]

There is certainly room for a LCS to make some money on back issues, but they have to be pretty smart about it.

 

I live in the Minneapolis area, and there is pretty much only one LCS store that I bother going to looking for back issues. There are probably about a half-dozen that have them, but they all have one (or more) of the following problems--

 

1. They aren't buying, so there is never anything new. This makes it a waste of time to go to them, so I don't bother.

2. They don't know how to grade

3. They try to price low-mid grade low demand books at guide.

4. They store their books in a way that is hard to look through or damages the books (ie drawers that leave the books hanging forward)

 

The one store I go to to look for back issues uses the following model--

 

They buy back issues. They don't pay much, but they will buy stuff. A fair amount of stuff walks through their door simply because if you want to sell something around here without the hassle of Ebay/Craigslist, they are about it.

 

They price the low demand stuff at very low prices so that it doesn't hang around for very long. Sure, they have some wall books that have been there for a long time, but they don't sit on the VG-F late 60's Lois Lanes, Jimmy Olsens, Adventures, etc. They price them at $2-$5 and get them out to make room for new stuff. Some of them are priced at 20% of guide. I don't really collect this stuff, but I end up buying it because its kinda neat stuff for the price.

 

They don't devote a ton of space to back issues, but most of what is there is fresh, and they turn stuff over quickly.

 

I make a 45 minute drive to get there every few months, when I have other stores that are 5 minutes from my house.

[mikephoen]

It seems from what I gathered in this thread that:

 

 

• You can be profitable with back issues, as long as you are aware of clientele
  
• Using previous sales figures to determine which issues may be more popular in the future
  
• Knowing your single-issue customers
  

 

But it always, and in every business, boils down to having a product and knowing what the customers want. You can't just hope to have people walk through the door. You have to go out and seek out the customers. Social media has made this a LOT easier in that regard.

 

I recently got into comics. I was never a comic book reader growing up. I'm almost 27 years old. I've appreciated super-hero comics and what they've done with pop culture but I never had the slightest interest in buying them. I bought my first comic last October, my wife thought I was crazy because it's not something I grew up with.

 

I bought the whole run of the Preacher series. Getting new customers sucked in through fantastic stories a la Preacher, or Y the last Man, or TWD is key I believe. How did I learn about the Preacher? It's a funny story - I mistook 'The Priest' for 'The Preacher' when buying it because I thought the new movie looked awesome as I've always had a soft spot for theological-based works and vampires regardless of how bad it may suck!

 

Needless to say, it was initially disappointing when I found out 'The Preacher' was not 'The Priest.' However it ended up being one of the best things I've ever read, no matter what medium. After reading it I decided to give other comics a chance. I walked into my LCS and struck up a conversation with one of the workers and a guy who didn't work there. I told them I was new to the comic scene but I had just read Preacher and loved it. They said 'say no more' and came back with about 10 different books for me to read, including 'The Light,' 'Olympus,' 'Y the Last Man,' etc. I now have a pull list with about 15 different issues, with every single one being from Image, IDW, or Vertigo. I don't have a single pull from Marvel or DC (yes I know Vertigo is DC).

 

By being friendly and offering me advice on newer books they had an instant customer. I now order all my weeklies from them and they never disappoint. If the book is damaged when they get it in they don't sell it to me, they just re-order more or call one of their other shops. They also took my advice on 'Li'l Depressed Boy' and bought some extra copies for walk-ins and they are sold out now (I did help sell a couple) and the people loved the story. The Marvel and DC titles are just sitting on the shelves every time I go in, and the Indies are always sold out, unless you come in on Wednesday-Friday.

 

They are just a small little store but they have two other store locations from where they can pull titles if they don't have it that are within a 75 mile radius in Atlanta.

 

SORRY for the long post, but I felt as a newcomer to the comic industry that this was an example of how I got hooked in. I had no previous experience with comics, and always associated a stigma with a Comic Shop. It's up to any kind of business though to show they care about the customer and are willing to bend over backwards to take care of them, but not so much to where their face ends up in their crotch.

 

My

 

This is an excellent story, and also something we see quite often. Especially since WD aired on TV. It is a bit unusual for a customer to move from TPBs to single issues, at least in my experience. Usually the new customers who come in without previous comic experience just stick with the collections. If you were my customer and you wanted to sample the super hero genre I would recommend Invincible or Old Man Logan or Planet Hulk. All great books that don't require much back ground knowledge.

[HouseofComics.Com]

Great post. I always feel that people really like comics. If you put a comic tailored for them in their hands they'll read it and enjoy it. Getting them to actually go to a specialty store for them or actually pay for them, that's a tougher thing.

 

... I walked into my LCS and struck up a conversation with one of the workers and a guy who didn't work there. I told them I was new to the comic scene but I had just read Preacher and loved it. They said 'say no more' and came back with about 10 different books for me to read, including 'The Light,' 'Olympus,' 'Y the Last Man,' etc. I now have a pull list with about 15 different issues, with every single one being from Image, IDW, or Vertigo. I don't have a single pull from Marvel or DC (yes I know Vertigo is DC).

 

By being friendly and offering me advice on newer books they had an instant customer....