The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

[J.M. Hunter]

I don't even bother now.

But it seems to me that if you really want to showcase and sell someone on comic books, a whopping stack of free comics with a variety of titles to show our range in this medium would be a way to rope someone in.

As it stands now, I do enjoy fcbd offerings but find myself having to look around for post-sales on stacks of a certain year's worth of fcbd.

Should a few companies just get together like a Shonen Jump and put all their samplings in an anthology format and give those away for free?
_________________________

I think I'd actually like Free Comic Book Day better if a person, (myself), could actually go into a shop and get a free stack of comics instead of having to choose just one. So I skipped it this year. Too painful and too much of a tease! Plays with my emotions maaaan.

I've barely made it to last few and those I left the store with barely a whimper because most of the good stuff was taken or as I said they only let you grab 1 book. Honestly imo, you really want to sell someone on comic books? Don't give them a tidbit, give them a stack and a variety. Really let them sample and pleasure our medium. Whoa...that did not come out right! But yea I've been turned onto more indie publishers like Top Shelf books, (now I'm a fan and a wannabee submitter), as well as a few other gems.

Alright, tell me how many different ways I'm wrong Outhouse. You know you want to!

[Victorian Squid]

I don't even bother now.

But it seems to me that if you really want to showcase and sell someone on comic books, a whopping stack of free comics with a variety of titles to show our range in this medium would be a way to rope someone in.

As it stands now, I do enjoy fcbd offerings but find myself having to look around for post-sales on stacks of a certain year's worth of fcbd.

Should a few companies just get together like a Shonen Jump and put all their samplings in an anthology format and give those away for free?
_________________________

I think I'd actually like Free Comic Book Day better if a person, (myself), could actually go into a shop and get a free stack of comics instead of having to choose just one. So I skipped it this year. Too painful and too much of a tease! Plays with my emotions maaaan.

I've barely made it to last few and those I left the store with barely a whimper because most of the good stuff was taken or as I said they only let you grab 1 book. Honestly imo, you really want to sell someone on comic books? Don't give them a tidbit, give them a stack and a variety. Really let them sample and pleasure our medium. Whoa...that did not come out right! But yea I've been turned onto more indie publishers like Top Shelf books, (now I'm a fan and a wannabee submitter), as well as a few other gems.

Alright, tell me how many different ways I'm wrong Outhouse. You know you want to!

Limits vary by shop, but it's because retailers spend a lot of money on them, and then people on the internets spend even more money on them. The only way to make them last most of a day is a limit.

[Victorian Squid]

One book is a crap limit though. Go to a better LCS. My neighborhood shop let everyone take at least 6 books and gave you a free (root)beer.

[J.M. Hunter]

One book is a crap limit though. Go to a better LCS. My neighborhood shop let everyone take at least 6 books and gave you a free (root)beer.

The funny thing is I'd even pay for some of these books.

If they let you pile as you say six or seven titles together for free, then if you want more you can pay for another bundle or two. I just want that experience of really "free comics".

What do retailers pay for these books?

What to publishers pay to produce these books?

You mentioned online? What's that about?

Lastly, would smaller publisher benefit from jointly publishing a Free Comic Book Day anthology like Shonen Jump or Graphic Novel style? Would that cut down on costs and promote a variety of the comic experience?

[Victorian Squid]

The funny thing is I'd even pay for some of these books.

If they let you pile as you say six or seven titles together for free, then if you want more you can pay for another bundle or two. I just want that experience of really "free comics".

What do retailers pay for these books?

What to publishers pay to produce these books?

You mentioned online? What's that about?


Lastly, would smaller publisher benefit from jointly publishing a Free Comic Book Day anthology like Shonen Jump or Graphic Novel style? Would that cut down on costs and promote a variety of the comic experience?

I don't think most smaller publishers could afford to, to be honest. Many self-publishers try to capitalize on FCBD, though, with varying degrees of success.

Online I mean people are paying $5-$15 a book for many of the FCBD books right now. So without a limit, a very few people would be raking it in right now and the rest of you would get squat as a result. Like I said, one free book is a pretty sucky incentive.

Stores usually pay anywhere 12 cents up to around 50 cents or a little more per "free" book--so they're free to you, but a hefty investment in good will on the part of an LCS. Which is why most of them run sales too, to really try and capitalize on the good will at the register.

Usually you can pre-order them online too, I think. But yeah, not everyone gets everything they want on FCBD, there's no fairness doctrine or anything. It's about getting people out to those shops early to stand in line to get the good stuff.

[GLX]

I don't even bother now.

But it seems to me that if you really want to showcase and sell someone on comic books, a whopping stack of free comics with a variety of titles to show our range in this medium would be a way to rope someone in.

As it stands now, I do enjoy fcbd offerings but find myself having to look around for post-sales on stacks of a certain year's worth of fcbd.

Should a few companies just get together like a Shonen Jump and put all their samplings in an anthology format and give those away for free?
_________________________

I think I'd actually like Free Comic Book Day better if a person, (myself), could actually go into a shop and get a free stack of comics instead of having to choose just one. So I skipped it this year. Too painful and too much of a tease! Plays with my emotions maaaan.

I've barely made it to last few and those I left the store with barely a whimper because most of the good stuff was taken or as I said they only let you grab 1 book. Honestly imo, you really want to sell someone on comic books? Don't give them a tidbit, give them a stack and a variety. Really let them sample and pleasure our medium. Whoa...that did not come out right! But yea I've been turned onto more indie publishers like Top Shelf books, (now I'm a fan and a wannabee submitter), as well as a few other gems.

Alright, tell me how many different ways I'm wrong Outhouse. You know you want to!

Comixology has some of the FCBD offering available digitally.

[Victorian Squid]

And if you didn't get the FCBD Mouse Guard/Labyrinth/etc mini-hardcover that Archaia put out this year, you lost out. Period.

It's really one of a kind, now selling for over $10 on eBay.

[GHERU]

There was no limit at the shop I went to

[Juan Cena]

It does bring up one of the flaws in FCDC that it might not be introducing as many new readers to comics as everyone would hope. The people grabbing up the free comics current readers grabbing stuff up for themselves, rather than new readers checking out stuff for the first time.

[Victorian Squid]

It does bring up one of the flaws in FCDC that it might not be introducing as many new readers to comics as everyone would hope.

Bringing readers new to comics into comic shops is only one facet of FCBD. The people who spend the most dollars in the actual shops are already comics readers.

[Victorian Squid]

Up to $15 plus shipping for the Archaia book, I am starting to cave...

Plus I have more than one.

[GLX]

Up to $15 plus shipping for the Archaia book, I am starting to cave...

Plus I have more than one.

How many stores actually carried it?

[Victorian Squid]

How many stores actually carried it?

I don't have any way of guessing the answer to that.

The Archaia book is a gem, really unique and wonderful. You feel indebted taking it and want to buy whatever Archaia puts out IMO. It's brilliant, everyone I've talked to at least intends to check out their upcoming books and GNs because it feels like such an act of generosity on their part. In contrast to Marvel's repackaging of Avengers 12.1.

I am told Chris Petersen has asked that the Mouse Guard bit not be collected later as well, but I haven't confirmed that.

[BlueStreak]

How many stores actually carried it?

I'm sure most stores ordered a few copies. However, it was underordered. It's been talked about on every board I frequent so it's getting a lot of buzz.

[GLX]

I don't have any way of guessing the answer to that.

It's listed as a gold title:

http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Home/1/1/27/981