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[Regulator]

IIRC the reason comics aren't in Walmart had to do with a parent (or parents) complaining about occult themes in Spawn. Walmart pulled comics from the stores soon afterward. (You have noticed a lack of Spawn toys at Walmart, haven't you?)

And yes, promotions cost money, and the publishers should be doing more to promote their books outside of the LCS. Feeding off the current pool of readers only works for so long (most Nu52 books are or have already lost the sales bump from the relaunch). Will DC lose its shirt if it creates a display for Book-A-Million to promote the next JMS Superman OGN, or for Superman books in general?

If anything, your argument shows the current system isn't working.

Or it means that there aren't hundreds of thousands of new readers out there to support big box retail stores carrying monthly comics. It's a delusion to think that putting comics in Wal-Mart would increase readership to the levels of decades ago.

[Chris]

From what my LCS manager said, there were plenty. Plus a bunch of kids who came with their parents. Plus lapsed readers drawn in by the Avengers. I'll try to get an exact number of how many new pull lists they got out of it, but I remember there were at least five people working on forms when I stopped in.

I just asked my LCS owner this today.. their goal every year is basically just to break even. They said they spend about $5000 on the FCBD books, and then hope that whatever people buy while in store gets them to break even on it all.. and they said this year, most likely because of Avengers, they had their biggest crowd ever and made significant profit on it.

And from what she said, it was a lot of people she had never seen before.. so new readers aplenty.

[J.M. Hunter]

Or it means that there aren't hundreds of thousands of new readers out there to support big box retail stores carrying monthly comics. It's a delusion to think that putting comics in Wal-Mart would increase readership to the levels of decades ago.

I think not shoving it into the magazine would be a good start. Treat that sumbiatch like it's Starbucks or Subway or a florist even. Put the comic/magazine shop into the actual stores. Include a collectible section in the mini-store or corner, add soem gaming stuff, novelty items etc. Sure some parents will think it's the perfect baby sitter for their kids while they shop but then those kids will kick and scream until their parents who were negligent enough to drop them off will buy them something.

[Juan Cena]

I think not shoving it into the magazine would be a good start. Treat that sumbiatch like it's Starbucks or Subway or a florist even. Put the comic/magazine shop into the actual stores. Include a collectible section in the mini-store or corner, add soem gaming stuff, novelty items etc. Sure some parents will think it's the perfect baby sitter for their kids while they shop but then those kids will kick and scream until their parents who were negligent enough to drop them off will buy them something.

That would probably involve having a LCS rent space in a Walmart to do that. Just selling comics on the magazine isle would be easier.

[Juan Cena]

Or it means that there aren't hundreds of thousands of new readers out there to support big box retail stores carrying monthly comics. It's a delusion to think that putting comics in Wal-Mart would increase readership to the levels of decades ago.

Like I said, Walmart's refusal to comics has more to do with angry parents than sales.

Sergio Aragones was asked about his relationship with William Gaines, the publisher and co-editor of EC Comics. While Gaines was a close friend, Aragones did not always see eye to eye with him. "In this country, people tend to abuse things that are not regulated. People want to make more money or more of a name," Aragones said. "I realized that this country needed the code to not only control, but self-control.

"Young writers feel a need to put a curse word in every page possible. I find censorship of any kind to be insulting. You have to teach your kids at home. Home is where you teach your kids how things work in the real world. It is not the job of the editors and the writers. It is the job of the parent," Aragones continued. "Because one angry parent buys at K-Mart and decides to stop buying, the magazine goes under because the father saw a tit on the page and his son cannot see tits."

Levitz revealed that this is the primary reason why comics have had such a hard time penetrating different markets. He faced the same resistance numerous times while Publisher of DC, which was disheartening whenever comics were starting to gain traction in the public. He told a story about a grandmother who bought a multi-comic package from Walmart where a "Spawn" comic was hidden behind two more innocent books. She wrote to the CEO of Walmart, who then responded by sending back millions of comics and barred them from the chain for several years.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=31767

[J.M. Hunter]

That would probably involve having a LCS rent space in a Walmart to do that. Just selling comics on the magazine isle would be easier.

But how effective?

[Juan Cena]

But how effective?

It'll definitely be more cost-effective. The only things I've seen work like you're talking about in a Walmart were embroidery, photo studios, and hair salons, and I'm not quite sure whether or not those are actually owned by Walmart or not.

[Juan Cena]

Bumping for timliness.

[GiveWarAChance]

My LCS seems to have no problems bringing people in on FCBD. Maybe if other shops did a better job at promoting the day, they too would have success. Lines of people were wrapped around my LCS for hours on end. The local news station was down there filming the event, there was a big bbq, costume contest, Ghostbusters of NH, Eric Powell and local creators were signing and sketching, etc... Make an event out of it and people will show up.

[S.F. Jude Terror]

I didn't end up making it to any shop today.

[Jubilee]

I think the reason it fails is because comics are terrible value for money featuring characters 20 years past their sell by date with ridiculous editorial influence unable to tell a story with any meaningful change.

People don't want to read comic books.

[Jubilee]

"Hey Kids, remember that Iron Man movie you love so much"

"YEAH!"

"Well he's in his own comic"

"YEAH!"

"For 3:99"

"Yeah?"

"Issue number 506"

"Ye"

"In this issue (part 1 of he fights with Deaths Head. A character first used about 30 years ago"

"Oh"

"And get this, nothing that happens in this arc will be relevant in three years, so you can read the same shit forever"

"When's Iron Man 3 on again?"

[GiveWarAChance]

"When's Iron Man 3 on again?"

"That depends on if you want to watch it in 3D or not."

"3D!"

"Let's see at $13.50 a ticket, it will cost the four of us $54.00 for two hours worth of entertainment."

"We want soda"

"I guess we could all get a small one. That will only cost us $20 more."

"What about popcorn?"

"Just another $20."

"My friend told me the Iron Man comic book only has nine issues out. We could get them all for $36 instead of the $100 you would have to spend on the movie."

"But Greg Land sucks"

"Who?"

[Victorian Squid]

Someone deserves a smack for bumping this thread.

All the shops I go to that choose to participate in FCBD have record sales that day rivaling or in some cases exceeding days in the thick of Christmas shopping season, still over half a year away. Smart shops coordinate sales with FCBD to capitalize on it.

But I swear to God, if I have to read one more ill-considered completely vacant utterly braindead op-ed from some old cranky gasbag about how they (obviously) know nothing about retailing or FCBD, but know it's a blahblahblah failure or worse, bad for the industry, then I may have to figure out how to finish this angry sentence!

[Jubilee]

"When's Iron Man 3 on again?"

"That depends on if you want to watch it in 3D or not."

"3D!"

"Let's see at $13.50 a ticket, it will cost the four of us $54.00 for two hours worth of entertainment."

"We want soda"

"I guess we could all get a small one. That will only cost us $20 more."

"What about popcorn?"

"Just another $20."

"My friend told me the Iron Man comic book only has nine issues out. We could get them all for $36 instead of the $100 you would have to spend on the movie."

"But Greg Land sucks"

"Who?"

Well yeah if you include the cost of popcorn and soda for four people at a 3D showing then it makes Iron Man comics almost seem sort of a good idea.

None of these readers stick around because the 23 page continuing floppy isn't a good business model.