New readers are scared for no reason

[chamber-music]

Regular bookstore clerks can point buyers to the newest comic or the first volume if they ask, but they won't be able to tell what to read after this or where someone died. If you ask where to read after the first volume they're gonna point to the second volume, not the reading order if there's a crossover. So it's a casual knowledge, which is usually enough for casual or new readers since they'll usually be looking for origin stories, first volumes, gift sets or books that's similar to the movies.

Oh yeah those are the things I'd recommend for new readers also. Gift set, first volume, origin, or movie tie-in. Not ongoing arc, at least not before they know how comics work that I mentioned in my other post.

Every comic shop I've been too has had people working there that are very helpful to new readers.

I have been in some bookstore chain stores that have had younger staff (under 40) that are very knowledgeable about comics as well. I've brought graphic novels and had conversations with staff working in the book stores who are also fans of comics, manga, ect.

[Jim Kelly]

I can understand the business idea behind the new 52. Having all those new number ones come out at the same time probably gave DC a big sales boost that could temporarily save their bacon and stop WB from pulling the plug. However, as a jumping on point it's a lot to expect consumers to jump onto 52 titles all at the same time. I'm sure there were some comic nerds who did just that, but there must have been a lot more who picked just a few titles to try out.

If your motivation is to give readers a jumping on point, it seems like it would be better to stagger those new number ones over the months. That would give consumers a better chance to find a few new titles each month--rather than being overwhelmed with having to jump onto everything all at the same time.

[Konja7]

DC acts like it doesn't care whether older readers are buying the comics or not. They just want the young, cool crowd. I guess they never thought of the fact that older readers buy the book and then pass it onto their kids.

They probably know there's a possibility the old readers pass their comics to their kids (and that some of these kids are interested), but they know it wouldn't be enough.

DC needs a good amoubt of new readers, because they want their comics to be maintained indefinitely.