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In this thread here and elsewhere there have been numerous slams on comic retailers. As a former comic shop owner myself, I'd like to clear up some misconceptions.
In the thread linked above there were certain titles that when asked for in the local comic shop seemed to elicit blank stares. These titles included Gay Comix, Wimmin's Comix, Action Girl and Hothead Paisan. I'll use these comics as examples.
1) What do three of these four titles have in common? They are anthologies, the bane of the comic industry. The anthology curse was discussed briefly here. Granted, anthologies have been known to work in other countries, but stateside anthologies usually fail. Retailers rarely carry anthologies because they are running a business, and need to make money. Anthologies do not make money.
2) Tied into the anthology point is that three of the above titles, being anthologies, rarely have regular storylines or characters. Even when they do, as in the case of Action Girl, they are only present in one part of the book. The bread and butter of any comic shop is to have a constant steady fix for their customers of recurring characters or storylines.
3) Also, in all the cases above, the schedule was slow and/or irregular, both of which do not help the retailer. With few exceptions both Wimmin's Comix and Gay Comix came out on a yearly basis. Action Girl was often late. Though it may not seem like such a big deal, it is to retailers. Late comics take money right out of retailer's pockets, and a sparodic output does not help to make and retain new customers.
4) The last issue of Wimmin's Comix came out a decade ago. Ditto Gay Comix. Only two issues of Wimmin's Comix are available through the publisher. The publisher of Gay Comix went bankrupt years ago. To it's credit, almost all issues of Action Girl are still available. It is extremely unlikely that any of these comics have been resolicited in the last five or so years. They are effectively out of print. No trade collections exist. It is almost impossible for retailers to get these comics for you, unless they had the foresight to stockpile them over ten years ago. Comics are still seen as disposable entertainmentand are bought to sell-through. Even on this board, the history of comics only stretchs back to when the posters were ten. I can understand the confusion of people who are used to seeing their favourite books remain in print indefinitely. This is a different, and in so many ways, inferior publishing industry.
5) There are thousands of titles that have been published in the history of comics. The thought that an overworked, underpaid, possibly jaded comic store worker would be able to remember one or two obscure titles out of those thousands is preposterous. I could, but I'm a freak. I've long since given up going into stores asking for Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy, or Terry and the Pirates, or Johnny Hazard. Now I'm general and ask if they have a comic strip collection and dig through boxes myself. Of the 100+ comic stores I have visited I have only been in two comic stores where the staff could answer my questions (Dragon Lady and the Beguiling in Toronto). All the points above, especially the fact that some of these titles went under before many retailers could vote, keeps them from being at the forefront of the retailer's mind.
6) Comics are still seen as a children's medium. Many comic stores have been targeted by anti-obscenity laws for some of the titles that you are looking for. Store owners have lost everything in defense of these titles. Many retailers are timid to order anything that might get them arrested. This might seem like a lame point, but even people who will defend the rights of a regular bookstore to carry their material will not think twice about burning to the ground a comic store that might be corrupting their children. This happens more often then you'd think, and has even occured regularly in Britain and Canada.
7) Hothead Paisan is a special case. Sensing that the regular old comic store may not be the best market for this work, Hothead is published by your standard book press. I highly doubt HP has been available through the comic catalogues for years. If you see it in a comic store, that retailer probably went the distance for it. Hug that person. The comics industry (not just retailers) has dug it's hole so deep that it's living in the Bizarro universe, where every bestselling or cult comic (Tintin, Garfield, Archie, Stuck Rubber Baby, Julius Knipl, etc.) in the outside world gathers dust on the shelves.
The only place I ever saw copies of Wimmin's Comix and Gay Comix was in a record store/head shop in Niagara Falls seven years ago. Old head shops/alternative bookstores are probably your best bet, as many of them have carried these and similar titles for variety in their shop. Even they have a hard time selling them, which is why you may be able to track down a few issues. Many of these stores have owners who remember the heyday of the underground. You may have that one magic store (like the Beguiling, bless) that carries a large assortment of varied and wonderful comics. If not, try ebay. If I ever come across any, rest assured I will pick them up for you.
Am I excusing comic retailers entirely? Of course not. Like anything, a high percentage of retailers are rotten to the core. There's no doubt in my mind that a large majority of comic stores are breeding grounds for self-loathing, slothlike, unprofessional behaviour, and homophobic and sexist views. Like I said, I've toured the best and the worst. But many stores are well-intentioned and the only reason they don't know about the comics asked for above is because of a variety of factors, many not necessarily their fault. They order new and daring titles only to see them fester on the shelf, a complete waste of money and space.
Is it entirely their fault? What about the publishers who don't help in promotion, try to force out the competition by flooding the market, lie to the public, keep their books in print or get the books to the retailers in time. Or the distributors (or should I say distributor), keeping an obviously monopolistic hold on the industry, keeping prime promotion space for titles that don't need it and confining the rest to eyestraining spaces in the back of the catalogue. And the worst of the bunch, the customers. I'm surprised that the comic industry has lasted this long at all, what with all the monkeys running the ship.
Wherever I go, when I visit the local shop, I get the retailer to order two copies of certain titles, one for me, and one for the store which I pay wholesale for. If he sells it within the year, I get my deposit back on it, usually in credit. If he doesn't, I leave it and hope that someday some youth will stumble across it and feel that comics is a worthwhile medium. The retailer doesn't need to lay any money down, he increases the variety in his store, and he may just pick up a few new customers. Some stores get all snarly when I ask them if this is ok, while others take it to heart and increase their alternative selections. Donate your old trade paperbacks to the library! Imagine a kid going through a rough time stumbling across Stuck Rubber Baby, Twisted Sisters, Dirty Plotte, or A Child's Life. I'm not saying that anyone else should do the same, seeing as I'm obviously ridicuously freakish, but maybe there's other things you can do that will help diversify the field.
This has been another needlessly long post by moriarty, 2002. |
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