Moderns that are heating up on ebay! 71 71

[LarrysComics]

On my vacation so far I have been to 4 shops in 4 states.(Its all my wife has let me so far.) So far here is what I have seen. I will detail this later in Comics General next week in a larger write up.

 

I can tell you Rebirth is doing well. Its not the sell out yet at shops. It is selling well, but Ive still been to shops with 20+ copies of Batman and 50+ copies of Superman.

 

Where some of these shops are making a mistake is not limiting buyers in how many they can get. I know this brings up all types of whining here about restriction, but opportunities like this for shops don't come too often I hope they are making the most of it.

 

I watched one shop owner take new customers thru all the new books on the rack explaining which would be good reads for his younger kids. I watched another give me a tour of his shop and both new and back issues.(I was impressed with this.)

 

Some shops are very well proud of their variants and hot back issues. So much so they ask 25-40% above eBay's ending prices. I am not sure where they correct balance is, but man to see a book that routinely sells for $30-40 and the shop has it for $50-60 is pretty staggering.

 

I had a shop take a book out of my hand for the first time and re-price it right in front of me. That's a first for me in many years.

 

Another shop gave me a discount for paying cash while another gave me a card as I spend X amount of dollars I will get a discount as well. I was happy with both these approaches and will definitely go back to both shops next time I am in that area.

 

What I really liked best was people are still actively reading and searching for back issues in all shops. When I stop seeing that then I will worry since the latest Yahoo article has invited a lot of new money into our hobby over the next year.

 

I'm on vacation too. Not stepping in a comic shop while I'm here. I have been reading a lot of stuff. I will say this. I visited the same lcs for over 15 years, though not exclusively, and quit going over limits. I literally spent over $500 a month on a bad month, and $1000+ most months until the day he limited my purchase. Haven't been back since. I'm sure he is doing fine with current market conditions but I was buying the same when he was barely keeping his doors open. I think when all of the johnny come latelys head to the NBT and comics aren't in tge sane demand, he will regret losing a lot of regular customers to Midtown, MCS, and TFAW.

 

 

These people didn't learn anything in the 90's, and most of them weren't around to experience the bloodbath.

 

There were some 8,000-10,000 unique Diamond accounts in 1993...and that was when there were multiple distributors.

 

Now, there are...2,000? 1,500? And that's UP.

 

 

No.

2,000+ b&m unique diamond accounts. ( most shops have multiples as do I )

example: If I have a shop, mail order & show account.

I count as one.

at ComicsPro meeting this year Diamond announced that B&M accounts broke 2,000.

 

Triple that for total Diamond accounts.

Minimum.

 

( Any shop in business since the 90's really, REALLY appreciates your concern O learned one....)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, you totally butchered that quote, so I'll try and piece together what you actually said.

 

First, I'm not counting your multiple accounts AS multiple accounts.

 

Notice the number: "At ComicsPro meeting this year Diamond announced that B&M accounts broke 2,000."

 

Notice what I said: "...unique Diamond accounts...Now, there are...2,000?"

 

Give or take a few hundred here and there. Your "three" Diamond accounts aren't all unique DIamond accounts. That's ONE unique Diamond account. You.

 

Suffice it to say, there were 3-5 times that amount at the height of the early 90's.

 

As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how you managed. Trust fund...? Sugar mama...?

 

 

 

...

 

Ok, Yes.

My shop counts as one.

I REALLY tried to use my words.....

 

My point:

 

#1-The number of brick & mortar shops is up. And growing.

#2- The number of Diamond accounts is up. And growing.

 

That is all.

 

( As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how I managed after my dancing career fell apart )

 

 

[Prince Namor]

On my vacation so far I have been to 4 shops in 4 states.(Its all my wife has let me so far.) So far here is what I have seen. I will detail this later in Comics General next week in a larger write up.

 

I can tell you Rebirth is doing well. Its not the sell out yet at shops. It is selling well, but Ive still been to shops with 20+ copies of Batman and 50+ copies of Superman.

 

Where some of these shops are making a mistake is not limiting buyers in how many they can get. I know this brings up all types of whining here about restriction, but opportunities like this for shops don't come too often I hope they are making the most of it.

 

I watched one shop owner take new customers thru all the new books on the rack explaining which would be good reads for his younger kids. I watched another give me a tour of his shop and both new and back issues.(I was impressed with this.)

 

Some shops are very well proud of their variants and hot back issues. So much so they ask 25-40% above eBay's ending prices. I am not sure where they correct balance is, but man to see a book that routinely sells for $30-40 and the shop has it for $50-60 is pretty staggering.

 

I had a shop take a book out of my hand for the first time and re-price it right in front of me. That's a first for me in many years.

 

Another shop gave me a discount for paying cash while another gave me a card as I spend X amount of dollars I will get a discount as well. I was happy with both these approaches and will definitely go back to both shops next time I am in that area.

 

What I really liked best was people are still actively reading and searching for back issues in all shops. When I stop seeing that then I will worry since the latest Yahoo article has invited a lot of new money into our hobby over the next year.

 

I'm on vacation too. Not stepping in a comic shop while I'm here. I have been reading a lot of stuff. I will say this. I visited the same lcs for over 15 years, though not exclusively, and quit going over limits. I literally spent over $500 a month on a bad month, and $1000+ most months until the day he limited my purchase. Haven't been back since. I'm sure he is doing fine with current market conditions but I was buying the same when he was barely keeping his doors open. I think when all of the johnny come latelys head to the NBT and comics aren't in tge sane demand, he will regret losing a lot of regular customers to Midtown, MCS, and TFAW.

 

 

These people didn't learn anything in the 90's, and most of them weren't around to experience the bloodbath.

 

There were some 8,000-10,000 unique Diamond accounts in 1993...and that was when there were multiple distributors.

 

Now, there are...2,000? 1,500? And that's UP.

 

 

No.

2,000+ b&m unique diamond accounts. ( most shops have multiples as do I )

example: If I have a shop, mail order & show account.

I count as one.

at ComicsPro meeting this year Diamond announced that B&M accounts broke 2,000.

 

Triple that for total Diamond accounts.

Minimum.

 

( Any shop in business since the 90's really, REALLY appreciates your concern O learned one....)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, you totally butchered that quote, so I'll try and piece together what you actually said.

 

First, I'm not counting your multiple accounts AS multiple accounts.

 

Notice the number: "At ComicsPro meeting this year Diamond announced that B&M accounts broke 2,000."

 

Notice what I said: "...unique Diamond accounts...Now, there are...2,000?"

 

Give or take a few hundred here and there. Your "three" Diamond accounts aren't all unique DIamond accounts. That's ONE unique Diamond account. You.

 

Suffice it to say, there were 3-5 times that amount at the height of the early 90's.

 

As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how you managed. Trust fund...? Sugar mama...?

 

 

 

...

 

Ok, Yes.

My shop counts as one.

I REALLY tried to use my words.....

 

My point:

 

#1-The number of brick & mortar shops is up. And growing.

#2- The number of Diamond accounts is up. And growing.

 

That is all.

 

( As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how I managed after my dancing career fell apart )

 

 

Which is still extremely down from the early 90's, which was the point. But it's nice to hear that accounts are growing, though..... Larry, do you believe there's still room for much more growth? With digital comics, online discounted new comic sales, most areas having at least one big store.... can it grow more?

 

I hope so.

 

Diamond's minimums are as low as they've ever been, which is good.... it certainly helped a smaller shop like mine get started and grow over the year and a half I've been open. And the Publisher's have slowly eased their policies on things... DC's return policy on Rebirth, I think could be the start of something interesting for the Big Two....

[Doktor]

There's so much jackwagon-ery in this thread at the moment, that at least it gives me a chance to distract myself from my pre-SCF Game 5 excitement for a few minutes.

 

That made my morning.

[LarrysComics]

On my vacation so far I have been to 4 shops in 4 states.(Its all my wife has let me so far.) So far here is what I have seen. I will detail this later in Comics General next week in a larger write up.

 

I can tell you Rebirth is doing well. Its not the sell out yet at shops. It is selling well, but Ive still been to shops with 20+ copies of Batman and 50+ copies of Superman.

 

Where some of these shops are making a mistake is not limiting buyers in how many they can get. I know this brings up all types of whining here about restriction, but opportunities like this for shops don't come too often I hope they are making the most of it.

 

I watched one shop owner take new customers thru all the new books on the rack explaining which would be good reads for his younger kids. I watched another give me a tour of his shop and both new and back issues.(I was impressed with this.)

 

Some shops are very well proud of their variants and hot back issues. So much so they ask 25-40% above eBay's ending prices. I am not sure where they correct balance is, but man to see a book that routinely sells for $30-40 and the shop has it for $50-60 is pretty staggering.

 

I had a shop take a book out of my hand for the first time and re-price it right in front of me. That's a first for me in many years.

 

Another shop gave me a discount for paying cash while another gave me a card as I spend X amount of dollars I will get a discount as well. I was happy with both these approaches and will definitely go back to both shops next time I am in that area.

 

What I really liked best was people are still actively reading and searching for back issues in all shops. When I stop seeing that then I will worry since the latest Yahoo article has invited a lot of new money into our hobby over the next year.

 

I'm on vacation too. Not stepping in a comic shop while I'm here. I have been reading a lot of stuff. I will say this. I visited the same lcs for over 15 years, though not exclusively, and quit going over limits. I literally spent over $500 a month on a bad month, and $1000+ most months until the day he limited my purchase. Haven't been back since. I'm sure he is doing fine with current market conditions but I was buying the same when he was barely keeping his doors open. I think when all of the johnny come latelys head to the NBT and comics aren't in tge sane demand, he will regret losing a lot of regular customers to Midtown, MCS, and TFAW.

 

 

These people didn't learn anything in the 90's, and most of them weren't around to experience the bloodbath.

 

There were some 8,000-10,000 unique Diamond accounts in 1993...and that was when there were multiple distributors.

 

Now, there are...2,000? 1,500? And that's UP.

 

 

No.

2,000+ b&m unique diamond accounts. ( most shops have multiples as do I )

example: If I have a shop, mail order & show account.

I count as one.

at ComicsPro meeting this year Diamond announced that B&M accounts broke 2,000.

 

Triple that for total Diamond accounts.

Minimum.

 

( Any shop in business since the 90's really, REALLY appreciates your concern O learned one....)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, you totally butchered that quote, so I'll try and piece together what you actually said.

 

First, I'm not counting your multiple accounts AS multiple accounts.

 

Notice the number: "At ComicsPro meeting this year Diamond announced that B&M accounts broke 2,000."

 

Notice what I said: "...unique Diamond accounts...Now, there are...2,000?"

 

Give or take a few hundred here and there. Your "three" Diamond accounts aren't all unique DIamond accounts. That's ONE unique Diamond account. You.

 

Suffice it to say, there were 3-5 times that amount at the height of the early 90's.

 

As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how you managed. Trust fund...? Sugar mama...?

 

 

 

...

 

Ok, Yes.

My shop counts as one.

I REALLY tried to use my words.....

 

My point:

 

#1-The number of brick & mortar shops is up. And growing.

#2- The number of Diamond accounts is up. And growing.

 

That is all.

 

( As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how I managed after my dancing career fell apart )

 

 

Which is still extremely down from the early 90's, which was the point. But it's nice to hear that accounts are growing, though..... Larry, do you believe there's still room for much more growth? With digital comics, online discounted new comic sales, most areas having at least one big store.... can it grow more?

 

I hope so.

 

Diamond's minimums are as low as they've ever been, which is good.... it certainly helped a smaller shop like mine get started and grow over the year and a half I've been open. And the Publisher's have slowly eased their policies on things... DC's return policy on Rebirth, I think could be the start of something interesting for the Big Two....

 

With digital comics, online discounted new comic sales, most areas having at least one big store.... can it grow more?

 

And the 90's were down from the 40's

*shrug*

 

Most fans want to visit a LCS for the spectacle, community & service, the skinflint here are the minority & ultimately they will nit pick online discounters out of business. ( All my books were not 9.8 refund me, wahhhh )

 

Digital has been monstrous for my shop.

Huge.

Free advertising. More eyes on comics are a good thing.

Example: New guy in shop yesterday was a lapsed fan from the 80's...

His wife bought him Marvel sub for his I-Pud

Spent $700 on books he wanted to own after perusing online.

We gave him concierge level service too, a kid walked him through everything he needed to know. He is an art director & was blown away by shops drink & draw that was underway & is supposed to attend next week.

 

Digital rules!

It's the spinner rack du jour.

This is the future I dreamt of as a kid.

 

Comic book tv shows, comic book movies, Comics accepted by mainstream public.

I love this business....

 

Fans consider comics art / comfort. They want to possess them.

Tiny tactile treasures.

 

Big future.

BIG.

 

 

 

[aggr1103]

Diamond's minimums are as low as they've ever been, which is good.... it certainly helped a smaller shop like mine get started and grow over the year and a half I've been open. And the Publisher's have slowly eased their policies on things... DC's return policy on Rebirth, I think could be the start of something interesting for the Big Two....

 

Chuck can you explain this new return policy on Rebirth? I heard a shop owner reference it yesterday and I just didn't get it. Was there a minimum or maximum amount that could be returned before Rebirth?

 

And I can tell that the number of B&M shops is growing. In 2007, there were two shops in a 50 mile radius from my home. Now, there are 6. One just opened and is just 10 minutes away from me.

 

But the newer shops are scary for me. The people running them aren't comic people. I think they see a business opportunity. They don't know how to run a comics shop. I asked about starting a pullbox at the newest shop and I got this blank stare. The other thing is shops around here have done well when they do comics AND something else, usually used games and DVDs.

Edited June 9, 2016 by aggr1103

[manetteska]

Well that Marvel variant sale explains why my LCS all-of-a-sudden had 100 copies of X-Men #600 variants. Sheesh.

[LarrysComics]

Well that Marvel variant sale explains why my LCS all-of-a-sudden had 100 copies of X-Men #600 variants. Sheesh.

 

And this has been happening for decades...

It's not a new development.

It's how business has been conducted in the direct market.

 

Forever.

Not all-of-a-sudden

 

The sky isn't falling.

The sky is the same.

[manetteska]

Well that Marvel variant sale explains why my LCS all-of-a-sudden had 100 copies of X-Men #600 variants. Sheesh.

 

And this has been happening for decades...

It's not a new development.

It's how business has been conducted in the direct market.

 

Forever.

Not all-of-a-sudden

 

The sky isn't falling.

The sky is the same.

 

I don't doubt it; never did.

 

Makes perfect sense: If you have X copies of a comic and only sell X-100, you still want to sell those other 100 copies.

 

Just surprised the XM 600's are still not sold out; must have made a ton.

[krighton]

with 2nd and 3rd printings i'd doubt any shops are returning Rebirth no matter the policy. If nothing else it sounds good.

 

The Flash Rebirth 1 is selling well on ebay...pretty good for a comic that has 17 pages of ads.

Edited June 9, 2016 by krighton

[COMICKINGS]

As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how you managed. Trust fund...? Sugar mama...?

Larry's one of the hardest working guys in the business. He knows comics! He's an innovator and knows how to run a successful shop....whether it's his brick & mortar..online..or hittin' the road doing shows. He's a great guy to talk to and he looks out for other dealers. That's how you survive 25+ years. It's hard to please every person in this hobby,and chatboards like these have always got plenty of guys that just want to hate on people that are movers and shakers. If you are one of his customers or a dealer that has dealt with him you'd understand the guy would go out of his way in a heartbeat to help you out.

Now,if I find out he has a sugar mama...I hope she has a sugar sista!

[LarrysComics]

As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how you managed. Trust fund...? Sugar mama...?

Larry's one of the hardest working guys in the business. He knows comics! He's an innovator and knows how to run a successful shop....whether it's his brick & mortar..online..or hittin' the road doing shows. He's a great guy to talk to and he looks out for other dealers. That's how you survive 25+ years. It's hard to please every person in this hobby,and chatboards like these have always got plenty of guys that just want to hate on people that are movers and shakers. If you are one of his customers or a dealer that has dealt with him you'd understand the guy would go out of his way in a heartbeat to help you out.

Now,if I find out he has a sugar mama...I hope she has a sugar sista!

 

Man!

You're sweet..

 

Thanks Joey

[Flatliner1313]

The internet has yet to replicate the experience of going in to a cool comic shop.

 

Or even a trash one, which has buried treasure.

 

I spend a couple hours a week at my LCS Browing the back issues bins, and chatting with the guys working there. They get a lot of new customers every week, asking for specific books that they heard were good. The rebirth stuff has been bringing in a lot of new people as well. The "old" comic guys are now bringing their kids in, and letting them pick out a couple books every week, and it isn't like you when parents would drag their kids to the library and tell them they couldn't leave until they learned 7 facts about sword ferns. These kids go HAM. They're riffling through the bins looking for issues from the series' they have been reading, or asking for specific new issues. One little girl had the latest My Little Pony issue in her hand. She was creasing the futz out of it, but anyway...she got to the end and saw the ad for the next issue and said "Where is this one?"

She was disappointed to learn she would have to wait a month. And Dad bought a stack of 30 books too. It's cool to see "New Comic Day" is becoming a family event, and a big part of that is definitely the widespread reach that Marvel and DC's IP has now. Not just the movies and TV shows, but the Games and Apps are important too. One kid was asking for Kamala Khan books because she was the strongest character he had in the Marvel Puzzle Quest game.

 

 

 

[LarrysComics]

The internet has yet to replicate the experience of going in to a cool comic shop.

 

Or even a trash one, which has buried treasure.

 

I spend a couple hours a week at my LCS Browing the back issues bins, and chatting with the guys working there. They get a lot of new customers every week, asking for specific books that they heard were good. The rebirth stuff has been bringing in a lot of new people as well. The "old" comic guys are now bringing their kids in, and letting them pick out a couple books every week, and it isn't like you when parents would drag their kids to the library and tell them they couldn't leave until they learned 7 facts about sword ferns. These kids go HAM. They're riffling through the bins looking for issues from the series' they have been reading, or asking for specific new issues. One little girl had the latest My Little Pony issue in her hand. She was creasing the futz out of it, but anyway...she got to the end and saw the ad for the next issue and said "Where is this one?"

She was disappointed to learn she would have to wait a month. And Dad bought a stack of 30 books too. It's cool to see "New Comic Day" is becoming a family event, and a big part of that is definitely the widespread reach that Marvel and DC's IP has now. Not just the movies and TV shows, but the Games and Apps are important too. One kid was asking for Kamala Khan books because she was the strongest character he had in the Marvel Puzzle Quest game.

 

 

 

Just Awesome.

I chat with shops all over the world.

 

It's the same everywhere.

Exciting.

[Lonzilla]

The internet has yet to replicate the experience of going in to a cool comic shop.

 

Or even a trash one, which has buried treasure.

 

I spend a couple hours a week at my LCS Browing the back issues bins, and chatting with the guys working there. They get a lot of new customers every week, asking for specific books that they heard were good. The rebirth stuff has been bringing in a lot of new people as well. The "old" comic guys are now bringing their kids in, and letting them pick out a couple books every week, and it isn't like you when parents would drag their kids to the library and tell them they couldn't leave until they learned 7 facts about sword ferns. These kids go HAM. They're riffling through the bins looking for issues from the series' they have been reading, or asking for specific new issues. One little girl had the latest My Little Pony issue in her hand. She was creasing the futz out of it, but anyway...she got to the end and saw the ad for the next issue and said "Where is this one?"

She was disappointed to learn she would have to wait a month. And Dad bought a stack of 30 books too. It's cool to see "New Comic Day" is becoming a family event, and a big part of that is definitely the widespread reach that Marvel and DC's IP has now. Not just the movies and TV shows, but the Games and Apps are important too. One kid was asking for Kamala Khan books because she was the strongest character he had in the Marvel Puzzle Quest game.

 

 

There's a new shop in my area that while they carry everything from The Big 3 (because they have to) they have every oddball indie title like Henchgirl, Niobe, stuff from Aftershock & Amigo. It's now my go-to place for those low print books and whatever else my main LCS either didn't get or sold out of fast.

It's also a coffee shop which is a great idea, although coffee and reading material can trigger some unpleasantness

[kimik]

Diamond's minimums are as low as they've ever been, which is good.... it certainly helped a smaller shop like mine get started and grow over the year and a half I've been open. And the Publisher's have slowly eased their policies on things... DC's return policy on Rebirth, I think could be the start of something interesting for the Big Two....

 

Chuck can you explain this new return policy on Rebirth? I heard a shop owner reference it yesterday and I just didn't get it. Was there a minimum or maximum amount that could be returned before Rebirth?

 

It is interesting to see the differences in ordering decisions at five LCSs regarding DC Rebirth. Three ordered lighter, with a minimal amount of shelf copies, and sold out right away. They have been trying to back order but can't.

 

Another store that orders larger amounts followed suit with Rebirth #1s and sold out within two days of most issues (Flash was gone morning of).

 

The fifth store is the one that I view as the smartest with new books - they ordered very large amounts and have stacks of all issues at cover on two racks for now. My guess is that they will up their prices shortly, but they did the same with some of the better New 52 #1s and are reaping the rewards now. If retailers can return them, it was a no brainer for this store as they can return any unsold copies even if there are minimum purchase amounts.

[manetteska]

As far as making it through the 90's, I still scratch my head as to how you managed. Trust fund...? Sugar mama...?

Larry's one of the hardest working guys in the business. He knows comics! He's an innovator and knows how to run a successful shop....whether it's his brick & mortar..online..or hittin' the road doing shows. He's a great guy to talk to and he looks out for other dealers. That's how you survive 25+ years. It's hard to please every person in this hobby,and chatboards like these have always got plenty of guys that just want to hate on people that are movers and shakers. If you are one of his customers or a dealer that has dealt with him you'd understand the guy would go out of his way in a heartbeat to help you out.

Now,if I find out he has a sugar mama...I hope she has a sugar sista!

 

Man!

You're sweet..

 

Thanks Joey

 

[ssjmorales]

Is the return policy for the entire rebirth line or just the Rebirth One shots?

 

For the one shots it makes sense with just the 1:1 variants. With the #1s that are coming up, could a store just order 500 copies of an issue just for the variant quotas and return the regular issues? Or would you be ineligible to return if you receive any ratio variants?

[UltraMaximus]

Is the return policy for the entire rebirth line or just the Rebirth One shots?

 

For the one shots it makes sense with just the 1:1 variants. With the #1s that are coming up, could a store just order 500 copies of an issue just for the variant quotas and return the regular issues? Or would you be ineligible to return if you receive any ratio variants?

 

There are 0 Ratio variants, all are 100% orderable.

[ssjmorales]

 

There are 0 Ratio variants, all are 100% orderable.

Oh I see, I knew the one shots were that way, but didn't realize the ongoing it would be as well. Makes sense though.

[Chaseman210]

If anyone is in the Charleston, SC, area, Soundwave Comics in Summerville has a lot of the Wonder Woman and Flash rebirths. I picked up a regular and variant cover today. It's limited to one per customer, but there was a large stack remaining.