Marvel to release free comics to shops next week to get new readers.

[Anthony W]

So simple - keep the Parental Advisory books (like Wolverine, Deadpool, Punisher) exclusive to the direct market.

Actually it's not that simple. It's not a matter of violence, we are Americans we don't care about that. It's other kinds of content. Marvel would have to reset a lot of characters back to factory settings.

[Colossus1980]

I really hope they give away X-Men Blue: Origins #1. One of the best recent books that will attract new readers.

[Digifiend]

Unlikely they'd use a one-shot because they're using them to promote trades. The one that they announced already comprises three #1s, but they're all from minis or ongoings.

[Username taken]

Before, when comics were at the supermarkets, their price point was much much lower. Granted wages were then as well, but it's far easier for a parent buying groceries to look at a comic book that costs even 75 cents and say ok than it is to look at a comic that costs 5 to 6 dollars and go...ok.
Wal-Mart sort of tried it with DC's Giant line which were decently priced per page count...but again, that's $5. Especially in today's economy, non-comics people flinch at the thought of paying that much for a comic book.

This is another point too.

When we went out with our parents, we simply asked them to buy a comic because they were pretty cheap.

Comics now are so freaking expensive. Even as a working class person, buying a comic now isn't a light decision.

[skyvolt2000]

I'll never understand why they don't put comics in food stores or bookstores anymore. When I was a kid that is where I primarily got my comics from since the nearest comic shop was far and really out of the way. If you want more readers make it easier for them to access them. At this point digital might be the preferred method if there are so few options.

Returnability is the issue.

While you can return unsold copies of GQ magazine.

You can't do that with comics.

If you notice at Wal-Mart and grocery stores, the only comics they put out are Archie digests. Why? With 500 comics coming out each month from Marvel, DC, and independents, etc, is it a shortage of material? Or something else?

It's easier to return those digests.

Or what I see done with trades-it's easier to WHOLESALE those trades and digests to folks like Big Lots and Ollie's closeout stores.

If you are in a city with an Ollies-go look at what they have stock of. Especially toys-if you need Eternal Movie figures along with probably 3 of the last 6 sets of Marvel Legends figures for under 10-go there.

and say ok than it is to look at a comic that costs 5 to 6 dollars and go...ok.
Wal-Mart sort of tried it with DC's Giant line which were decently priced per page count...but again, that's $5. Especially in today's economy, non-comics people flinch at the thought of paying that much for a comic book.

Marvel (and maybe it was DC too) have found a way to bypass that. I have seen them at Ollies-the comic 3-5 pack for about $5-7 on shelves.

Pretty much it was packs with your top sellers more than you lower sellers in those packs.

Yeah, but do that same scenario today and the kid picks up the wrong kind of Marvel book and you have an angry parents group to deal with. We all want to return to the stands but aren't aware of or not willing to acknowledge the changes that would have to be made from a story perspective.

You mean the same parent group that took issue with Jerry Craft's New Kid that was about a black boy? Or the one about a black girl and her dog?

While being SILENT about the books you are probably talking about that are found in the kid section of some libraries? Like Garth's Punisher? Invincible? Walking Dead?

Marvel can put kid friendly books out there and some of those parents will still throw a fit because they see a book with Miles Morales or Ms Marvel on the cover.

[Anthony W]

You mean the same parent group that took issue with Jerry Craft's New Kid that was about a black boy? Or the one about a black girl and her dog?

While being SILENT about the books you are probably talking about that are found in the kid section of some libraries? Like Garth's Punisher? Invincible? Walking Dead?

Marvel can put kid friendly books out there and some of those parents will still throw a fit because they see a book with Miles Morales or Ms Marvel on the cover.

Hey everyone remember when I said in an earlier post that most fans aren't aware of or not willing to acknowledge the changes that would have to be made from a story perspective? Ladies and gentlemen, this is what I was taking about.

[shooshoomanjoe]

100% agree, I guess you could put the all age books in grocery stores



But I don't think it's just about violence thought (see: LGBT)

Not everyone is going to get triggered by LGBT content though and the ones that do, any diversity triggers them so why worry about those People.

[danielsan52]

They should also lower prices to keep existing readers.

[Anthony W]

Not everyone is going to get triggered by LGBT content though and the ones that do, any diversity triggers them so why worry about those People.

It's naive to assume that "any diversity" would trigger someone due to their reaction to one thing. People can be perfectly fine with racial diversity but that doesn't mean they are fine with other things. What family friendly grocery/pharmacy/convenient store is going to want to carry those books or characters?

They should also lower prices to keep existing readers.

Maybe lowering paper and color quality? Is that still possible?

[Digifiend]

Black and white (except covers) and printed on newsprint? Like manga. Could be done, probably wouldn't be popular.

[Anthony W]

Black and white (except covers) and printed on newsprint? Like manga. Could be done, probably wouldn't be popular.

Newsprint is fine, maybe a more old school coloring approach?

[charliehustle415]

Black and white (except covers) and printed on newsprint? Like manga. Could be done, probably wouldn't be popular.

that would rad, I would love to buy dollar copies and roll it up and throw it in my bag to read on the metro

[Username taken]

Comics need to cost less if they are going to be wide-spread.

At their current prices and with them being unreturnable, the entire business model is odd. There's no way stores will carry them again.

Seriously, some self published novels and even some older novels cost around the same thing as a single 30 page comic.

[Anthony W]

Getting rid of the variants wouldn't hurt. Instead of wasting money to pay multiple artists for variant they take that cash and attempt to get better creative teams.

Also, less is more. Quality over quantity. Marvel should only have about thirty superhero titles IMHO.

[Gaastra]

It's easier to return those digests.

Marvel did try digest books twice. First in the 80s than later some years ago with archie comics but archie charged almost $10 a digest and with newsprint like paper to boot! $10 is manga 150 page book prices its way to high price to lure kids to spent lunch money on a digest comic with thin paper. Was a nice try however. DC tried to do thick but also $10 books at wal-mart also but again $10 each and not all wal-merts got the issues making it hard to find some.