Image Scraps Retailer Exclusive Comics, For Exclusive TPBs

[jjeanius]

The more copies available the better chance of someone reading it.

 

This was my point exactly.

 

And you said it much more succinctly than I did.

[N/A]

The more copies available the better chance of someone reading it.

 

This was my point exactly.

 

And you said it much more succinctly than I did.

 

Which is so rare.

 

I believe they will simply print them in-house. They realize #1's sell like hot cakes so they don't need retailer "support". Walking Dead was the the 1st and they must like the results.

[Jimmy Linguini]

Since this news dropped i have had three publishers contact me out of the blue asking about doing variant covers down the line.

 

I think this is going to bring more creator owned series away from Image in the long run, but who knows? This is what happens when the Tax man trys to call the shots instead of the person actually benefiting from the actions.

[raybowles]

If you pick out your comics at a LCS not only are you helping a local business, you can pick out only 9.8 candidates. I mention this because you stated it's idiotic for speculators to purchase their comics at LCS.

 

My buddies order them on line like you suggest and like you said they get them below cover price. The problem is most of them are not 9.8 candidates. Most of them would grade 9.2 and 9.4.

 

I would much rather pay cover price for ten 9.8 candidates than below cover price for maybe 2-3 9.8 candidates and a bunch of 9.0 to 9.4 comics.

 

 

 

 

[revivedrevival]

If you pick out your comics at a LCS not only are you helping a local business, you can pick out only 9.8 candidates. I mention this because you stated it's idiotic for speculators to purchase their comics at LCS.

 

My buddies order them on line like you suggest and like you said they get them below cover price. The problem is most of them are not 9.8 candidates. Most of them would grade 9.2 and 9.4.

 

My jaw is to the floor right now. Am I getting trolled... again?

If I get comics at 10+% more of a discount via an online retailer, it's like getting an auto 10+% return.

Also, how does a LCS shelf help with a comic book's condition?

 

I felt like a fool for bringing this up. Not for the chances of my argument being wrong. I felt foolish because it's obvious.

 

Repeat Record

Having an online retailer manage your pull list is cheaper.

Variants brought more folks to the LCS.

[revivedrevival]

Fine, I'll show my cards and feed the trolls.

 

I collect what I love. Taking older books (Runaways, Scalped) aside:

I have an online retailer manage my pull list. I collect multiples of the books I .

 

Between All New Hawkeye, Southern Bastards, Saga, East of West, Deadpool, Mind MGMT, Rat Queens, TWD, LumberJanes, Low, Manifest Destiny, Deadpool, FBP, Black Science and numerous other independents, if I were a reader, that's 20 books a month. As a speculator (and I'm not afraid to admit that fact) that's a silly amount of books.

 

That 10+% adds up!!!

 

Two things brought me to the LCS (New England Comics):

 

• Variants
  
• Not feeling like a head starting a thread and not reading the book. I'm still late some times in that respect but I feel like it's a bad move starting a thread and not reading a book. So I pick up a reader copy at the LCS.
  

[AnthaiHERO]

I would much rather pay cover price for ten 9.8 candidates than below cover price for maybe 2-3 9.8 candidates and a bunch of 9.0 to 9.4 comics.

 

 

This.

 

I like midtown comics for their variants, but even with them being shipped in a box and bagged it is still a gamble.

 

The argument about a LCS shelves? Never had that issue, but my LCS usually pulls 9.8s for me. Rarely will I have to go to a shelf to switch out and 9 times out of 10 I can find a 9.8 candidate. Saving a few cents vs getting a copy I can handpick, I'll pick my LCS everytime. Plus I enjoy the relationship with my LCS. Sometimes I stop by without picking anything up just to BS.

[revivedrevival]

If you have a sizable pull list, is your LCS taking the time to identify & set aside books that are in their best condition?

 

For those with large pull lists from respectable online retailers, I hear acclaim from most.

 

Still, assuming your argument about setting aside the best copies is true, an online retailer can also do the same and at a lower price than a LCS.

[AnthaiHERO]

If you have a sizable pull list, is your LCS taking the time to identify & set aside books that are in their best condition?

 

I'm assuming so, or I've just been really lucky for the past 8 years.

 

Still, assuming your argument about setting aside the best copies is true, an online retailer can also do the same and at a lower price than a LCS.

 

Suggestions?

[Flatliner1313]

The extra 10% I'd get from an online retailer doesn't come close to offsetting things like:

 

 

• Personally selecting the best copies
  
• Getting the books on day of release
  
• Not paying for shipping
  
• Drastically reducing the chances of damage in transit
   
  

 

Also, building a strong relationship with local retailers is invaluable. I now have a few guys in town that will contact me when certain items wind up on their desk, because they know I'm looking for them. I doubt Midtown will call me as soon as a Hawkman #4 walks in their door.

 

Maybe you're one of those guys that has burned their bridges locally. Like this guy here who asks to use the bathroom, then noses around in the stock room and pulls books out of the bins of books still to be priced and sorted.

 

[revivedrevival]

Still, assuming your argument about setting aside the best copies is true, an online retailer can also do the same and at a lower price than a LCS.

 

Suggestions?

 

DCBS is the general consensus.

I am sorry LCS owners, but you can't beat the discounts given by DCBS.

There is also MileHigh, Midtown, ImpulseCreations, MyComicShiop and others that don't immediately come to mind*.

 

* Some of which have physical shops; these are online retailers.

 

LongBox Review of DCBS

 

Books that are not newly released

 

CBR thread on DCBS

 

Old(er) thread. I gave my input on Impulse Creations

 

 

[Awax]

Why can't you have both

 

Like Randal in Clerks - " Best of both worlds "

[revivedrevival]

The extra 10% I'd get from an online retailer doesn't come close to offsetting things like:

 

 

• Personally selecting the best copies
  
• Getting the books on day of release
  
• Not paying for shipping
  
• Drastically reducing the chances of damage in trans
  

 

DCBS and others ship their books very securely.

Shipping is free for sizable orders. Even still, $7 is not a lot of money for the convenience.

Who is capable of keeping up with their reading month to month? Also, my argument was reading it now and variants bring folks to the LCS.

I said 10+%. DCBS gives ~40% discount. LCS don't come close.

For an avid reader, 10+% is very substantial.

 

[rjrjr]

To grow and build an audience like Walking Dead or Saga, it takes a readership, not speculation. Saga built despite it's minimal speculation because they didn't fan the flames with countless different variants (and got in on the one Phantom early)... and Walking Dead had a long lead in built entirely by word of mouth readership before it got crazy.

The readership of Saga and WD was built on consistency and quality. Ultimately, a series will sink or swim based on this. I honestly don't think it would have mattered if Saga had a litany of variants for #1, it still would have built an audience.

 

To that end, I don't think this decision is going to have much effect at all. Quality titles will still sell. People will still speculate. The only effect will be the subtraction of some extra variant sales.

 

My gut feeling is that this may be ES indulging his distaste for the speculator market, in a way he feels will damage it.

 

I believe if Saga had a litany of variants, it would have killed the potential for that title early on. Many readers like to collect and own an entire run, including variants of a title. If you flood the market with endless variants of a title, you basically are turning off those collectors. I believe the oversupply of variants hurt Avatar's Uber, Valiant's relaunch, and many other titles. Maybe Image is seeing this too and is interested in building a title based on readership, not speculation?

 

All of this is IMHO of course.

[rjrjr]

 

And of all the Store Exclusive Variants sold, how many get read?

Typically I find that people buy those variants for 2 reasons.

 

1.) They like the title, and are supplementing the regular cover they purchased. Usually read the regular version.

 

2.) Speculating, and not reading it so that they can put "Unread" in the Ebay title.

 

 

This! (thumbs u

[AnthaiHERO]

Still, assuming your argument about setting aside the best copies is true, an online retailer can also do the same and at a lower price than a LCS.

 

Suggestions?

 

DCBS is the general consensus.

I am sorry LCS owners, but you can't beat the discounts given by DCBS.

There is also MileHigh, Midtown, ImpulseCreations, MyComicShiop and others that don't immediately come to mind*.

 

* Some of which have physical shops; these are online retailers.

 

LongBox Review of DCBS

 

Books that are not newly released

 

CBR thread on DCBS

 

Old(er) thread. I gave my input on Impulse Creations

 

 

Didn't know they pull raw 9.8s for subscribers.

[Lonzilla]

If you pick out your comics at a LCS not only are you helping a local business, you can pick out only 9.8 candidates. I mention this because you stated it's idiotic for speculators to purchase their comics at LCS.

 

My buddies order them on line like you suggest and like you said they get them below cover price. The problem is most of them are not 9.8 candidates. Most of them would grade 9.2 and 9.4.

 

I would much rather pay cover price for ten 9.8 candidates than below cover price for maybe 2-3 9.8 candidates and a bunch of 9.0 to 9.4 comics.

 

 

 

Unless it's an exclusive variant that I gotta have, I don't buy new books online. Always get them at the LCS's so I can pick out the best copies. Case in point: All of my variants of Batman 40, ASM 4 and Darth Vader 3 got 9.8 grades.

I prefer to trust my own eyes

[N/A]

If you pick out your comics at a LCS not only are you helping a local business, you can pick out only 9.8 candidates. I mention this because you stated it's idiotic for speculators to purchase their comics at LCS.

 

My buddies order them on line like you suggest and like you said they get them below cover price. The problem is most of them are not 9.8 candidates. Most of them would grade 9.2 and 9.4.

 

My jaw is to the floor right now. Am I getting trolled... again?

If I get comics at 10+% more of a discount via an online retailer, it's like getting an auto 10+% return.

Also, how does a LCS shelf help with a comic book's condition?

 

I felt like a fool for bringing this up. Not for the chances of my argument being wrong. I felt foolish because it's obvious.

 

Repeat Record

Having an online retailer manage your pull list is cheaper.

Variants brought more folks to the LCS.

 

So not agreeing with you is being a troll? It does not mean what you think it means. Perhaps try a mirror.

 

Support your LCS.

[revivedrevival]

If you pick out your comics at a LCS not only are you helping a local business, you can pick out only 9.8 candidates. I mention this because you stated it's idiotic for speculators to purchase their comics at LCS.

 

My buddies order them on line like you suggest and like you said they get them below cover price. The problem is most of them are not 9.8 candidates. Most of them would grade 9.2 and 9.4.

 

My jaw is to the floor right now. Am I getting trolled... again?

If I get comics at 10+% more of a discount via an online retailer, it's like getting an auto 10+% return.

Also, how does a LCS shelf help with a comic book's condition?

 

I felt like a fool for bringing this up. Not for the chances of my argument being wrong. I felt foolish because it's obvious.

 

Repeat Record

Having an online retailer manage your pull list is cheaper.

Variants brought more folks to the LCS.

 

So not agreeing with you is being a troll? It does not mean what you think it means. Perhaps try a mirror.

 

Support your LCS.

 

My argument is not 'there is now no reason to go to LCS.

Folks have a means of ordering their comics outside of the LCS.

My argument is merely: variants brought more folks to the LCS.

 

With respect to that argument, yes, I think anyone can agree that variants brought more people to the LCS. And those who don't are trolling or are not grasping the concept.

[N/A]

If you pick out your comics at a LCS not only are you helping a local business, you can pick out only 9.8 candidates. I mention this because you stated it's idiotic for speculators to purchase their comics at LCS.

 

My buddies order them on line like you suggest and like you said they get them below cover price. The problem is most of them are not 9.8 candidates. Most of them would grade 9.2 and 9.4.

 

My jaw is to the floor right now. Am I getting trolled... again?

If I get comics at 10+% more of a discount via an online retailer, it's like getting an auto 10+% return.

Also, how does a LCS shelf help with a comic book's condition?

 

I felt like a fool for bringing this up. Not for the chances of my argument being wrong. I felt foolish because it's obvious.

 

Repeat Record

Having an online retailer manage your pull list is cheaper.

Variants brought more folks to the LCS.

 

So not agreeing with you is being a troll? It does not mean what you think it means. Perhaps try a mirror.

 

Support your LCS.

 

My argument is not 'there is now no reason to go to LCS.

Folks have a means of ordering their comics outside of the LCS.

My argument is merely: variants brought more folks to the LCS.

 

With respect to that argument, yes, I think anyone can agree that variants brought more people to the LCS. And those who don't are trolling or are not grasping the concept.

 

Actually, you made a few points. One was that someone is "financially irresponsible" for having an LCS pull list. I'll assume you only meant to say that variants helped the LCS and happily go back to posting emoticons.