"We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
"All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
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Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord
"We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
"All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
"There's room in our line of work for hope, too." Stephanie Brown
Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord
I'm not predicting this will happen, but if DC signs a deal for exclusive distribution through Walmart, think what that will mean, not only for the comics shops but for Marvel and the smaller publishers. It'll put the shops out of business and will make it very hard for DC's competitors to stay afloat.
Walmart does this sort of thing. In the South it's put several supermarket chains out of business by going into the grocery business. Walmart can sell groceries at very low profit margins because when you go to Walmart to buy groceries, you'll probably pick up some other things too. The cheap groceries are there to lure you into the store.
Why and how in the world would DC sign a deal for exclusive distribution through Walmart? With whom are they making this distribution deal? Where in the store would the titles go? DC's publication model would have to change so radically from even what they're shooting for with the book publishing imprints (Black Label, Zoom, and Ink) that I simply think this kind of speculation is beyond utterly ridiculous.
AND it hurts the whole fandom by promoting panic and hatred of DC trying new things. Because we NEED new things, especially things that will promote someone other than Diamond having a stranglehold over the DM.
"We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
"All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
"There's room in our line of work for hope, too." Stephanie Brown
Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord
I'm not saying they'll do it. But it from DC's viewpoint, it might not be the worst idea in the world.
There are 2,300 comics shops in the U.S., and 4,200 Walmarts. Beyond that, the comics shops are concentrated in high-population areas, leaving vast areas unserved.
DC will be looking at how well the sales go for these titles.
As somebody who reads comics consistently, I would never buy comics at a Target, Wal-Mart or similar store. Comic shops keep the hobby manageable by having comics available consistently on Wednesdays and offering subscription services. Wal-Mart with shelve comics as convenient, likely skipping issues. And, even if they have the comics you want, what sort of condition do you think they will be in?
This might be a short-term fix. But, it will not encourage kids to become regular readers.
I agree that something needs to be done about Diamond. But, Wal-Mart is not going to be any better for the industry in this respect.AND it hurts the whole fandom by promoting panic and hatred of DC trying new things. Because we NEED new things, especially things that will promote someone other than Diamond having a stranglehold over the DM.
Current pull-file: Batman the Detective, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Marvel Dark Ages, Nightwing, Superman Son of Kal-El, Transformers, Transformers: King Grimlock, Warhammer 40,000 Sisters of Battle
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on top of singles tho, you have the rise of the trade - I dont know exactly true it is but I am sure I heard instocktrades accounts for 75% of Diamonds profits. So they are selling same paper copy twice usually within the space of a year. This was much more uncommon in 90s.
So Dc & Marvel makes them sell stuff that you can get at other places cheaper?
I didn't have to go to a comic book store to get my Stranger Things Lucas figure nor all the Black Panther Marvel Legends figures-where they were all $25 each. I got them for less at Toys R Us & Game Stop.
How does Dc leaving the comic book store hurt them when you got readers who DON'T buy DC? It can't hurt companies like Scout whose books are barely in comic book stores to begin with. Or Lion Forge who already has deals elsewhere. Or guys whose trades are in many libraries in larger number than a LOT of Dc guys.
And if DC did that guess what-you got a bigger issue-how do you make sure EVERY store has those books? Because right now I have yet to see those books in Wal-Marts. I will ask to see if any of the employees know about it.
And WHO gets a book? You are no longer dealing with entitlement crew only. You are now dealing with everybody. It's a whole new ball game.
The excuse of tv shows and movies don't bring in readers is GONE-because now everyone has access to the books if they want them.
The excuse of not giving (blank) a book is GONE too. EVERYBODY is FAIR game including all Lanterns not named HAL.
Can't flood Wal-Mart with variants. Nor 50 Batman books.
Wal-Mart doesn't EXCLUDE folks. So the jerk comic book guy who belittle folks for buying books like Moon Girl or chases them out of stores for buying Inhumans-has no POWER.
And finally how do you think certain DC eggheads would react if books with Jessica Cruz, Static, OG Wally West, JSA, Young Justice kids or Super Girl outperform Batman and friends? Or better yet what if it was Aquaman? Because his MANY fans finally got access to a book with him.
In other words all the characters that have been TRASHED for the past 18 years are the money makers instead of Batman & Silver Age bunch. I think that would be the biggest rude awakening for everybody. Especially those comic book store owners.
Walmart has figured out how to sell everything else. It can figure out how to sell comics too.
Like maybe display them in sealed wrappers, so that people won't browse through them and beat them up. If you want to know what's inside, then you can read the online solicits. If you come to Walmart, it'll be to buy them, not to read for free.
If they get into the comics business, I bet that's how they'll do it.
Massively pissing off the audience they have in the hopes of getting another audience is a good idea how?
Not generally a good way to sell comic books to a non-hardcore fan.Like maybe display them in sealed wrappers, so that people won't browse through them...
And the weakest link in all this is of course Wallmart.
Last edited by Carabas; 07-13-2018 at 12:54 PM.
The same people who screamed for years that the New 52 was a "debacle," even though it made a fortune for DC. That's who would get mad.
You have to look at it from DC's viewpoint. DC doesn't owe Marvel, the smaller comics companies, Diamond or the comics shops anything
And it doesn't need to keep catering solely to the exclusive, aging and -- frankly -- cranky audience that visits comics shops. There's no future in that market. DC doesn't care who buys their comics, as long as someone buys them.
If DC and Walmart can make money this way, then they'll do it. Maybe they can and maybe not. We'll see.
Last edited by Trey Strain; 07-13-2018 at 01:03 PM.
This will probably flop, DC will politely have a second wave of books or at least uphold whatever contract they have for however long it says, and then 10 minutes after it's all cancelled, there will be people wondering why comics don't try expanding to Walmart.
I am not sure how you draw that conclusion. A kid that wants to read the book will buy it ever month if it is on the rack.Central
This might be a short-term fix. But, it will not encourage kids to become regular readers. .
Last edited by mrbrklyn; 07-13-2018 at 04:50 PM.
While they made a ton of money on the short term the New 52 was ultimately a failure that didn't succeed in what it was supposed to do: get a lot of people who do not read comics into comics.
Nope, but DC does actually still rely on them to keep existing as a comics publisher.And it doesn't need to keep catering solely to the exclusive, aging and -- frankly -- cranky audience that visits comics shops.
I suspect strongly that, as with every single last initiative of this kind that Marvel or DC have pulled in the last few decades, it will fail.If DC and Walmart can make money this way, then they'll do it.
It'll make a bunch of money, but it will sell mostly to the existing audience.