Why are some LCS becoming so petty about this Walmart deal?

[DrNewGod]

It appears to be a sense of entitlement/ownership.
I remember seeing several instances reported of where certain big name comic shops acted like DC and Marvel work for them and that they should have a say in what's published and how.

Not all comic shops are like that, mind you. But a select few seem to have acquired a high level of self-importance.

Granted, this has come about mainly because comic shops were the sole avenue for comics distribution for almost two decades, from the time DC and Marvel pulled out of the newsstands in the '90s up until the early '10s when digital became a new major outlet and comics started appearing on shelves at bookstores again.

Interesting POV; I can see it. Even among the shops that weren't getting too big for their britches, nobody likes to think their percentage of seat-at-the-table just got smaller.

If comics don't get back out into visibility to the general public, the whole industry risks dying out as only older readers (that mostly came into comics from outside the shops pre-'90s) and the privileged few with local shops continue to be the core audience.

The medium, could be. The Big Two brands, probably not. Not sure how it would shake out for independents.

[Lee Stone]

The medium, could be. The Big Two brands, probably not. Not sure how it would shake out for independents.

True. Even if the industry, itself, were to go the way of the do-do bird, there would always be grass movements and self-publishers that would generate interest in a revival period.
Comics would really never go away as long as there's writers, artists and cartoonists (those that do both) wanting to tell stories or express themselves.

[skyvolt2000]

In the meantime, there's still the fear that Walmart and places like amazon.com will eventually drive more and more individual smaller stores/businesses away. Just ask such larger store chains like Waldenbooks/Borders and Toys 'R Us (the latter of which is suppose to be closing the last of its U.S. stores this week).

They put themselves out of business. Because they love to overstock what is popular and think that THEY are the only source to buy said items.

You think Toys R Us would do a do over with Dc Superhero Girls now? That is the ONLY toys still in BULK at all the Toys R US I have visited. Them and the WWE & Justice League movie stuff. Lets not forget Star Wars last Jedi-Wal-Mart has been BEGGING folks to take those toys with discounts of 75% and still no takes. Finn and Paige toys are the only ones that are sold out around here. Same with Solo movie if Donald Glover's face is NOT on it- NO ONE IS BUYING IT.

Waldenbooks like K-Mart decided to leave many communities. And they paid the price. Sears is losing money thanks to K-Mart. I live in Dallas the nearest K-Mart is 3 hours away in Longview. 80K in Longview Dallas have over a million in population.

If fans pick up the Wal-Mart comics and want to go beyond that, they will either look up stuff on Amazon or call the Comic Shop Locator number, so there is at least a chance that fans might be driven to the LCS from the Wal-Mart comics.

That chance was lost the moment the Marvel backlash started up and got out of control. These are the same owners who screamed Moon Girl, Wasp & Iceman are putting them out of business. Some who willingly chased out Inhuman fans out of stores. Same who have made their store a HOSTILE environment for certain demos.

That person will more than likely go to Amazon to buy the trade or the library to read it for free.

Well, every dollar spent on a comic book at Walmart may be one less dollar spent at the local comic book shop. And everybody who goes to a Walmart to buy a comic book with Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and/or Teen Titans may be one less run to a comic book shop, which reduces possible sales of other comic books/other merchandise that would have been purchased on that trip.
I don't think it's that comic book shops are being "petty" as much as its fear of the unknown and if/how this will impact sales. And don't forget, local comic book shops are typically buying their comic books from Diamond without the benefit of being able to return unsold merchandise.

Oh and what about places like Half Price books who sell USED comics? Lets see should I pay $50 for Duke Thomas's first appearance at the LCS or $2 for it at Half Price books? Oh look new comics that just came out are here at half the price or lower.

What about the stores who refused to sell those toxic SJW Marvel books-whose trade sales are kicking the crap out of a lot of DC Rebirth titles.

As for that merchandise-lets see LCS has Jessica Cruz's new figure for $24.99. Target has her for $20. Gamespot has her for $21. Wal-Mart has her for $19.99.
Who do you think I am going to buy her from? Especially when I have 5% discount on purchases with Target.

This is being PETTY. VERY PETTY. ULTRA PETTY. That DC 100 pager is the LEAST of your worries.

What will turn out to be 48 new pages of stories a month with 75% reprints-is a threat that has store owners plotting to go to Wal-Mart and buy up stock?

I would be more worried about Ms Marvel, Miles, Moon Girl, Black Panther and all the rest who are finding audiences and sales OUTSIDE my store. Especially after what Black Panther did.
This is the group who are getting kids reading. That is what happens when you stop pandering to ADULTS. Because kids don't care who is on the cover if they like what they see.

But because these stores take issue with WHO is on the cover and the need to pander to echo chambers-they lose out.

[astro@work]

can't speak for today's kids, but it'd wager most of us got into comics and patronize our LCS nowadays because we first read comics off spinner racks in grocery stores and such as kids. without that early exposure to comics i probably wouldn't be a reader as an adult. seems like a silly beef.

This. Exactly this.

I see this deal as opening up the market to people who would probably never pick up a comic otherwise. This will, over time, lead them to an LCS they would otherwise have never gone into.

[MajorHoy]

I see this deal as opening up the market to people who would probably never pick up a comic otherwise. This will, over time, lead them to an LCS they would otherwise have never gone into.

Maybe. Maybe not.
At least back in the last century, when comic books were typically sold in places other than comic book shops, there was a wider variety of comic books available than what Walmart has announced they'll carry. When I first would get comic books as a real young kid, I was reading things like Harvey Comics, Gold Key Comics, and Charlton Comics before moving on to Archie Comics and, finally, DC and Marvel. We don't really have the number of entry-level comic books available for kids to easily pick up when shopping with Mom or Dad (unless Mom and Dad take the kids to a comic book shop).

[Trey Strain]

People talk about getting kids into comics, but how can kids afford a $4 comic book? Forget about that. They just need to be put in places that are located everywhere and wouldn't mind handling them. Like, say, Walmart.

[Raijin]

First GameStop and now Walmart. This is excellent. I thought people would be excited about it because it helps the culture thrive. Expanding readership is always a good thing. I would like ongoing monthly titles to be available at Barnes and Nobles.

[greatmetropolitan]

The disgruntled comic store owners shouldn't be annoyed at DC, they should be annoyed at the monopoly Diamond has had over comics distribution, annoyed about the ghettoisation of comics (both as an art form and where they're sold), and annoyed about the often toxic environments in comics stores that actively deters new readers from even entering, never mind picking up a book. No, not all comic stores are to blame for all or even any of these problems, but as an industry and a market, the problems are real and many, many stores have a share of the blame. DC are being very clever and proactive with the Wal Mart deal. They know that the numbers of readers of comics are going down and they're going out of their way to attract new readers in a new, more or less untouched market place. It's the only way for the industry to survive. Dido said a few years ago that DC knew that the comics industry was in trouble, and that they were taking active steps to try and save it. This is one of those steps.

Also worth remembering - you don't owe a comic store your custom. If there are owners getting pissy that this might take away from their market share then it's up to THEM to attract new custom to their stores. They can't just expect the publishers to do it for them. I love a good local comic store but I won't keep buying there if it becomes a bad local comic store. and I'm also not likely to drop a monthly book I'm reading for the Wal Mart giants, I'm more likely to not get that Starbucks or whatever.

[jbmasta]

Is this exclusive to Walmart and America? Because there's more countries than just the USA.

[Lee Stone]

The disgruntled comic store owners shouldn't be annoyed at DC, they should be annoyed at the monopoly Diamond has had over comics distribution, annoyed about the ghettoisation of comics (both as an art form and where they're sold), and annoyed about the often toxic environments in comics stores that actively deters new readers from even entering, never mind picking up a book. No, not all comic stores are to blame for all or even any of these problems, but as an industry and a market, the problems are real and many, many stores have a share of the blame. DC are being very clever and proactive with the Wal Mart deal. They know that the numbers of readers of comics are going down and they're going out of their way to attract new readers in a new, more or less untouched market place. It's the only way for the industry to survive. Dido said a few years ago that DC knew that the comics industry was in trouble, and that they were taking active steps to try and save it. This is one of those steps.

Also worth remembering - you don't owe a comic store your custom. If there are owners getting pissy that this might take away from their market share then it's up to THEM to attract new custom to their stores. They can't just expect the publishers to do it for them. I love a good local comic store but I won't keep buying there if it becomes a bad local comic store. and I'm also not likely to drop a monthly book I'm reading for the Wal Mart giants, I'm more likely to not get that Starbucks or whatever.

True.
The Simpsons 'Comic Book Guy' is a stereotype, but it's based on a common perception of what most comic shop owners are like.

[Lee Stone]

Is this exclusive to Walmart and America? Because there's more countries than just the USA.

Granted, the US doesn't get those magazine-sized reprint anthologies that are sold in other countries. So it kinda balances out.

[kjn]

Is this exclusive to Walmart and America? Because there's more countries than just the USA.

DC, and Marvel, lives and dies in the USA.

It makes sense to make their digital offerings easily available worldwide, but the market for comics looks very different in the rest of the world. Better to make reprint rights affordably and easily available to international publishers.

[Confuzzled]

LCS's continue to be the bane of the comics industry. Sorry, I'm sure there are plenty of awesome LCS owners and employees but it's the truth.

[The Darknight Detective]

can't speak for today's kids, but it'd wager most of us got into comics and patronize our LCS nowadays because we first read comics off spinner racks in grocery stores and such as kids. without that early exposure to comics i probably wouldn't be a reader as an adult. seems like a silly beef.

Very true. The first comics I ever received were bought by my parents at our local stationary store and was also where I bought most of them until our LCS popped up within walking distance in 1978.

[Jim Kelly]

Maybe. Maybe not.
At least back in the last century, when comic books were typically sold in places other than comic book shops, there was a wider variety of comic books available than what Walmart has announced they'll carry. When I first would get comic books as a real young kid, I was reading things like Harvey Comics, Gold Key Comics, and Charlton Comics before moving on to Archie Comics and, finally, DC and Marvel. We don't really have the number of entry-level comic books available for kids to easily pick up when shopping with Mom or Dad (unless Mom and Dad take the kids to a comic book shop).

Comics were literally all around me since I was an infant. I remember crawling through the piles of comics my sisters had. I smelled them, before I ever read them. The first comics I got into were those Harvey, Gold Key, Archie, Dell and Fawcett's DENNIS THE MENACE. I was an old man of seven years before I got into the super-hero comics from DC, thanks to Batman--but I already had a deep love of comics. Every kid in my neighbourhood was the same. You would go over to someone else's house and check out their pile of comics, to see what they had. And my parents would buy me a comic book, when we went out shopping, just to shut me up.