DC Comics in Wal-Mart!

[Kevin Boyd]

I'd add that I think kids like comics when they're exposed to them.

 

When my classes were over in law school I used to work security at my friends shop that was near and elementary and a middle school. This was circa 1992 - 1995 or so. Every day after school there was a huge rush of kids pawing over the comics, reading them and maybe buying one or two. But their money would only go so far, even then.

 

I don't think kids have really changed all that much in 10-13 years, do you? They had videa games back then and cartoons and lots of other distractions. All they didn't have was the internet.

 

When I was a kid in the 70s, granted, there were fewer options. video games sucked, we only got 3 TV channels with the bunny ear antenae and cartoons were mostly lame (and there weren't 3 24 hour cartoon networks!), we couldn't pop in a video or any of that. so comics were actually a big chunk of the entertainment arsenal.

 

So if kids liked comics then, why can't they like them now?

 

Ask any store owner now who his buyers are. My LCS sees a rush of kids every so often - when they want to buy Magic or Pokemon cards. The wednesday crowd is almost exclusively adult - and my friend's store is located in a residential area where there are lots of kids and young families.

 

That being said there are kids who buy comics there. Archie digests are very popular for kids going to camp, and the Bongo Simpsons comics sell very well to the 10-15 year olds. Every so often a parent will come in and ask what comics they can buy for their ___ year old and they are directed to the children's comics area.

 

There has been a growing movement among the 10-16 year old crowd who buy manga trades - those sell like crazy at the LCS. Mostly to girls, but those that do come in don't show any interest in the regular comics at the store. The manga area has grown considerably over the last year. So much so that it is slightly larger than the regular graphic novel area.

 

Honestly blob, I don't see why kids wouldn't like them now.

 

I can't explain the apathy or lack of interest I see in the kids within my family and circle of friends. For example, I give my niece and nephews comics all of the time, but they don't really shown any interest in getting new ones. My 8 year old nephew told me that comics weren't cool - none of his friends read them or liked them - although he's always liked Batman and Spider-Man. He likes the action figures, but the comics? Not interested. I still give him the Essential volumes and DC digests though, in the hope he'll take a closer look.

[kidcolt]

Here in Canada it cost almost $5 after tax per issue. Kids still have limited funds and there are sooo many other things for them to buy. Whens the last time you seen a comic book add on tv, in the newspaper or heard about it on the radio? I have seen tons of games, toys and candy commercials today.

[joe_collector]

So if kids liked comics then, why can't they like them now?

 

Ummm, how about high prices?

 

When I was 9-12 (my big comic buying years) my weekly allowance was $5. From that I bought comics, sports cards, pop, chips, etc. By my recollection, I probably bought 4-6 comics a week, depending on what was on the shelf.

 

End cost, around $2 or a little over for about 6 comics per week.

 

Today, the average allowance for 9-12 year old kids is $10. For the same percentage of my weekly allowance, a kid today can buy a SINGLE comic (non variant) and get change.

 

The insane price increases of comic books circa 1975-2005 have far outstripped virtually everything else (although Donut says coffee is close) and not only can't kid's allowances keep pace, but adults with FT paychecks must be feeling the pinch as well.

[joe_collector]

My 8 year old nephew told me that comics weren't cool

 

That's what happens when adults take over a kid-oriented market - it's no longer cool for kids to buy "what that old fogey is reading". One reason comics were so cool when I was growing up was that adults looked at them with disdain, and we'd all chuckle at their stupidity.

 

Every generation seeks out something to call their own, and it's been a very long time since kids gravitated towards comic books. Why would they, with all the adults swarming the comic shops.

[the blob]

"They are not on the rack at all (in most places). Why aren't they on the rack if they are available for ordering? Ask a store owner and see what he has to say. Don't rely on my opinion if you don't believe me - go right to the horse's mouth."

 

There's a candy/magazine shop near my house who used to buy his comics from my old LCS -- stuff that had not sold after a week in the shop, etc. He liked having comics near where fathers might be buying the paper or a soda or whatever, but apparently getting them through his magazine distributor was such a pain in the rear that he was willing to pay cash up front on a non-returnable basis for comics.

 

Honestly, no, I really have to wonder whether Marvel, et al. really do have people out there pushing. Give someone a 10% piece of the action for some region and I wonder whether you'll start finding comics all over. A distributor doesn't care about what you buy, whether it's magazines or whatever, selling comics canibalizes other sales.

[Darthdiesel]

... that adults looked at them with disdain, and we'd all chuckle at their stupidity...

 

Why I continue to chuckle to this very day...as a matter of fact as I read many of the current threads in ComGen

[Hobgoblin]

Well, this thread has just gotten out of hand.

[mica]

... that adults looked at them with disdain, and we'd all chuckle at their stupidity...

 

Why I continue to chuckle to this very day...as a matter of fact as I read many of the current threads in ComGen

[UnrulyAppendage]

Well, this thread has just gotten out of hand.

 

These kind of threads do. If you ever see another one on why comics are expensive or they need to be in more markets, skip it because they all turn out the same.

[joe_collector]

If you ever see another one on why comics are expensive or they need to be in more markets, skip it because they all turn out the same.

 

I agree. There is no solution and since we've eliminated any new blood since 1990, new comics are destined to become irrelevant within a decade's time.

 

But we still debate mysterious "cures" to a disease that has rendered the patient critical and put him in palliative care. Just dig the grave folks.

[drice6900]

<Just dig the grave folks>

 

Marvel has. They even dropped Comics from their name. Better to squeeze every dollar out of the licenses for games, movies, etc. And DC is right there too.

 

I don't think things will be quite as radical as 10 yrs and its over, but the industry is definitely in a downward spiral.

[the blob]

"Ummm, how about high prices?"

 

I think I've said that about 5,000 times on these boards and the contrarian response tends to be "kids will never have any interest in comics now even if you make them 50 cents, comics are doomed doomed doomed" or something like that.

 

I say bull. If they're a buck a piece and pushed into as many outlets as they can, circulation triples or quadruples in 2 years. Of course, the comic cos might not be making any more money at that low price point.

[the blob]

anyway, my point about my old LCS is that kids were buying plenty of comics circa 1993/1994, not what they do in a comic shop full of $2.99 comics today. sure, some of those kids got pushed out when prices went above $1.25/$1.50, but kids' other distractions today aren't much different than 10-12 years ago.