How will the coronavirus affect comics?

[Reviresco]

I know. It was sarcasm because the proposal is stupid regardless of when it would be happening.

Agreed.

......................

[Reviresco]

How is the price cut unfair? There no middle man companies have to pay to get the books to stores and there's no printing cost neither. Those factors allow for digital to be cheaper. If you think that's the only advantage you are dead wrong. I have small living quarters so filling the limited space with a stack of books eating it up ain't practical. I also find reading comics on my phone or tablet more convenient than a book.

That 10% would be higher if LCBS didn't handicap digital every step in the way. Weather you want to admit or not, digital is the best chance of actually attracting new readership to this medium. Direct market is way too niche and this crisis is proving that it ain't profitable enough to have cash reserves.

There needs to be new comics for digital because it's the only way forward at this point.

Clearly, publishers disagree, because they aren't releasing their new titles. Waiting, is a way forward. It's good enough for all the other small and large businesses, so I'm not so sure why you expect comics to be different.

Again, read my posts. It's unfair for a publisher to sell an item at different prices to different sellers. There have been lawsuits over this. There's no reason for a business (LCBS) to kneecap themselves and give a rival business advantages, and expecting a business to do is completely unrealistic. If Digital can NOT compete on a level playing field -- they both have the same price and they both come out on the same day. Heck, digital sometimes gets to come out earlier by a few hours. Again, if digital is so great, why isn't it actually attracting these mythical new readers? Do you really think Dog Man is selling more copies digitally? Or that digital is where those kids found those books first?


Again, read the posts. We've had this discussion. Marvel doesn't make any more substantial money for a digital sale than it does for a print sale.

Comixology is a middleman. And you have to PAY for the hosting for all those digital comics. You have to PAY someone to run the website. You have to PAY someone to prepare the pages for digital reading. You have to PAY to use Paypal as well as Amazon and other payment services. All that adds up.

Printing, at the numbers Marvel does, isn't that large. I believe someone said it was 4 or 6%


Again, read my post. I did NOT say price was the only advantage. In fact, I asked WHY people think digital is going to replace print comics, when it clearly can't compete on a fairly level playing field.

[Reviresco]

So LCBS are demanding a level playing field by delaying digital and even trades from coming out before that floppy?
Like Oprah said in the Color Purpler "He** NO." On the grounds of how many of our books did many of yall decide to NOT sell.

??? Trades always come out after the floppies. Digital comes out when the floppies do.

There is no level playing field and hasn't been for YEARS.

It's called Wal-Mart, Amazon, Half Price Books, Barnes & Nobles, Ebay, Game Stop, Movie Trading Post & Target's ONLINE presence.
Because what is in a comic book store can be bought CHEAPER at those places.

The level playing field can not happen. Because for that to happen every trade, funko pop, action figure and statute would have to be comic book store EXCLUSIVES.
No company in their right mind would agree to that. Comic book stores would LOSE funko pop & action figures & TRADES.

The delay is not helping in making a level playing field. DELAY those trades if you want to. Get closer to Labor Day if you want to. Guess who goes into sale season? Especially around BLACK FRIDAY. Buy 2 get 1 free really works around that time and Target, Amazon & Barnes & Nobles are EXPERTS.

We aren't talking about any of that. Those aren't newfloppies.

[Reviresco]

Im saying the LCS customers will turn into scan site users and the sales for digital wont see much of a change.

Now, this is some information I'd love to see. If the lack of new comics, either floppy or digital, has increased books sold at Comixology or increased Marvel Unlimited subscriptions.

I think Marvel, and other sites are trying to grow the digital market now, but with freebies and sales. It's kind of a end run around the LCBS complaint about releasing new comics weaning some floppy readers to digital.

[C_Miller]

I will never not find it funny when people blame "Big LCS" for the issues with the comic book industry as if the current model doesn't actually benefit the publishers in the long run. If we go all digital like so many comic fans want, they won't be able to take advantage of double dippers. At the shop I work at, we have plenty of customers who get multiple covers to single issues. Shops increasing orders to go after retailer incentives that would go away. Publishers often don't provide returnability, so all of the shops that are really bad at ordering and have tons of product left over, the publishers still make money off them. Even shops that are good at ordering often have a few rack copies left over, which still out as sales for the publishers.

Look, of course, the LCS' don't want the publishers to commit to digital (though I would say Diamond is likely a larger voice in that fight. They have far more to lose), but don't pretend that the publishers aren't really benefiting here. To make the switch, they would need to know that their gains in readership in a switch to digital would outweigh their losses from de-emphasizing print. I honestly don't believe that there is a large potential readership out there and I think the industry agrees with me.

[Drops Of Venus]

Im saying the LCS customers will turn into scan site users and the sales for digital wont see much of a change.

How do we know that, though? I find it unlikely that most people who spend money on comics as a hobby would just turn to piracy overnight. Some people? Yeah, sure. There are always some people. But most people, to the point where digital sales wouldn't increase in any meaningful way? I think that's a pretty baseless generalization.

I'd argue that the incredible rise of streaming services ever since the crisis struck might be a strong evidence that when people have no other means of entertainment, digital platforms can benefit from it greatly. Also, just look at Marvel and their most recent gimmick of giving digital trades for free. Are we supposed to believe that this is just a coincidence, and not a specific move done by a company that sees potential in promoting and growing their digital platforms during this time?

It's not writing on the wall, for Marvel, because graphic novels / trades don't make up 3/4 of Marvel's revenues. Honestly, I don't think trades usually are big sellers at LCBS. Now, during the pandemic and new comic shutdown, of course, they are going to big sellers for everyone.

It is a writing on the wall for the industry and where it could be headed. Marvel doesn't live in a bubble. If they see that the biggest part of the market is going in a certain direction, it's entirely possible that might influence how they do business in the future. People follow where the money goes. You keep saying it yourself that they should prioritize print because it's 90% of the overall market. Then why shouldn't they turn their attention to the graphic novel business when it's 75% of the same overall market, and it's the ONE distribution model that it's still standing while everything else is falling apart? I definitely think it's an eye opener to any publisher that wants to stay on top.

Sales data for this year is largely going to be irrelevant.

Disagreed. Unique times like these are precisely when data is needed. Every company right now is probably checking the numbers and seeing how they're being affected by this, and how they can come back from it. And you can't assess these things without data. You need to know what parts of the market are strong, what parts of the market could grow, what parts of the market could change, etc. The data from now and from the upcoming months will be extremely useful for that.

[fin5]

So looking st Bleeding cool about comics.There going to start in mid may.I think Diamond or something eles is going ship comics I think they should put all the current comics out as a bis hull. The comics from April 1 to present

[Journey]

So looking st Bleeding cool about comics.There going to start in mid may.I think Diamond or something eles is going ship comics I think they should put all the current comics out as a bis hull. The comics from April 1 to present

That would be so fucking great

[Reviresco]

So looking st Bleeding cool about comics.There going to start in mid may.I think Diamond or something eles is going ship comics I think they should put all the current comics out as a bis hull. The comics from April 1 to present

That info from Bleeding Cool keeps changing. Watch the regular news and when you hear the Governors are letting stuff open back up, then I suspect we'll hear news of printers opening, and Diamond, if it survives, opening. Then we'll get our comics shortly after.

Unless, of course, the publishers find a way to bypass Diamond, and send out comics.

That would be so fucking great

No, it isn't. And it isn't going to happen. The LCBS that make it through aren't going to have the funds to handle a huge dump of a month of comics in one week. Not to mention, with so many people out of work or worried about finances, there aren't going to be as many customers.

[Digifiend]

So looking st Bleeding cool about comics.There going to start in mid may.I think Diamond or something eles is going ship comics I think they should put all the current comics out as a bis hull. The comics from April 1 to present

They just furloughed their staff! Absolutely no chance that we resume normal business next month now!

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/diam...ghs-employees/

[Reviresco]

I think it'd be more likely that the people who would have to buy digital would just use the sites that post the scans. I wouldn't buy floppies if they were digital only. I'd either wait for trades or hope comixology would expand its unlimited subscription to include all comics for a flat rate. Probably higher than what it is now but comparable to my normal spending amounts.

Im saying the LCS customers will turn into scan site users and the sales for digital wont see much of a change.

How do we know that, though? I find it unlikely that most people who spend money on comics as a hobby would just turn to piracy overnight. Some people? Yeah, sure. There are always some people. But most people, to the point where digital sales wouldn't increase in any meaningful way? I think that's a pretty baseless generalization.

I'd argue that the incredible rise of streaming services ever since the crisis struck might be a strong evidence that when people have no other means of entertainment, digital platforms can benefit from it greatly. Also, just look at Marvel and their most recent gimmick of giving digital trades for free. Are we supposed to believe that this is just a coincidence, and not a specific move done by a company that sees potential in promoting and growing their digital platforms during this time?

I said the same. I mean, I think they are also trying to keep people interested in comics, and alot of their freebie choices are back matter for upcoming titles.


But I can see what Cville is talking about. I wouldn't want to pay twice, once for the digital, once for the floppy. Especially when Marvel GIVES you the digital copy when you buy the floppy. And I'm already double dipping on some titles, by getting the collected edition.

Also, there's a good percentage of customers who don't do online fandom or digital reading. They don't hang out on forums or reddit or whatever to get their comic news. They get all that from their LCBS. All they know is that their comics aren't coming, and they just have to wait to hear news from their LCBS.

It is a writing on the wall for the industry and where it could be headed. Marvel doesn't live in a bubble. If they see that the biggest part of the market is going in a certain direction, it's entirely possible that might influence how they do business in the future. People follow where the money goes. You keep saying it yourself that they should prioritize print because it's 90% of the overall market. Then why shouldn't they turn their attention to the graphic novel business when it's 75% of the same overall market, and it's the ONE distribution model that it's still standing while everything else is falling apart? I definitely think it's an eye opener to any publisher that wants to stay on top.

Except, as I've said before, everything sold under the label of graphic novel, is NOT comparable to Marvel or DC. Marvel has nothing like Dog Man nor are they manga. Marvel gets part of the book market, the kids, with stuff like picture books and story books, that falls under childrens' book. They've been publishing prose novels for years trying to break into the YA market. The comics that are breaking into that market, Moon Girl, Squirrel Girl, Ms. Marvel, STILL require floppies, before they can be made into trades for the book market.

Disagreed. Unique times like these are precisely when data is needed. Every company right now is probably checking the numbers and seeing how they're being affected by this, and how they can come back from it. And you can't assess these things without data. You need to know what parts of the market are strong, what parts of the market could grow, what parts of the market could change, etc. The data from now and from the upcoming months will be extremely useful for that.

They are probably watching the digital numbers like a hawk and trying to figure out if they can use that to build that market. However, these circumstances are so unique, I doubt anyone is making plans off these figures on the print side, because this situation won't be normal.

Though ... if a publisher isn't looking for a way to change the distribution situation, that wouldn't exactly be smart.

[CentralPower]

No, it isn't. And it isn't going to happen. The LCBS that make it through aren't going to have the funds to handle a huge dump of a month of comics in one week. Not to mention, with so many people out of work or worried about finances, there aren't going to be as many customers.

To say nothing of carrying ab d storage capacity for trucks and surviving stores.

I suspect that is why Marvel is cutting their output by a third.

The question is of the cuts will be delays or cancellation. (And, we still don't know what is getting cut.)

I wonder if the people screaming for digital are expecting their favorite series to survive in digital.

I just hope that this is not what pushes me out of comics.

[Cville]

I said the same. I mean, I think they are also trying to keep people interested in comics, and alot of their freebie choices are back matter for upcoming titles.


But I can see what Cville is talking about. I wouldn't want to pay twice, once for the digital, once for the floppy. Especially when Marvel GIVES you the digital copy when you buy the floppy. And I'm already double dipping on some titles, by getting the collected edition.

Also, there's a good percentage of customers who don't do online fandom or digital reading. They don't hang out on forums or reddit or whatever to get their comic news. They get all that from their LCBS. All they know is that their comics aren't coming, and they just have to wait to hear news from their LCBS.







Except, as I've said before, everything sold under the label of graphic novel, is NOT comparable to Marvel or DC. Marvel has nothing like Dog Man nor are they manga. Marvel gets part of the book market, the kids, with stuff like picture books and story books, that falls under childrens' book. They've been publishing prose novels for years trying to break into the YA market. The comics that are breaking into that market, Moon Girl, Squirrel Girl, Ms. Marvel, STILL require floppies, before they can be made into trades for the book market.





They are probably watching the digital numbers like a hawk and trying to figure out if they can use that to build that market. However, these circumstances are so unique, I doubt anyone is making plans off these figures on the print side, because this situation won't be normal.

Though ... if a publisher isn't looking for a way to change the distribution situation, that wouldn't exactly be smart.

The other thing Im wary of is if the unlikely event that Amazon decided that keeping the servers that store their comics and keeping track of what I've purchased is no longer profitable, they decide to shut those servers down or reuse them for something else. Than I'd have to get an external hard drive to download everything I've bought and get an app that lets me read them.

[Kintor]

The other thing Im wary of is if the unlikely event that Amazon decided that keeping the servers that store their comics and keeping track of what I've purchased is no longer profitable, they decide to shut those servers down or reuse them for something else. Than I'd have to get an external hard drive to download everything I've bought and get an app that lets me read them.

ComiXology lets you download PDF backups of most indie comics. No app necessary, most modern PCs and smartphones have a PDF reading function as standard although Adobe Acrobat DC (a free download) is still a popular choice. As for the external hard drive? Not really a problem unless your concerned about redundancy and data protection. My digital collection of Archie Sonic comics, nearly 30 years of single issues as PDFs, is still only 19.6 GB on my hard drive. That's nothing when cheap 1 TB (1000 GB) hard drives are pretty much standard these days.

[Storm17]

Need. New. Comics.

Tomorrow doesn't look good. Empyre please.