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Brian Hibbs on Eric Reynolds’ Take Re: Bookstores Vs. Comic Book Stores
posted February 25, 2005
 

Brian Hibbs
via the Internet

I've never been a big fan of the "...except you!" argument. You know, "comic shops suck... except you!"

Eric is discussing DM stores in terms of how many don't carry a full (or even partial!) line of FBI books. Yeah, bad them, but I guess what I'm asking is why do we cast the DM in the light of half-empty, and the ID in the light of half-full? Barnes & Noble not necessarily stocking Like a Velvet Glove is greeted with a shrug, the DM store not doing so is much stronger. Doesn't that seem like a problem when the publishers themselves always discuss the DM in that light? Doesn’t that give DM retailers a reason to think that they're the low man in the food chain?

I think this addresses your question, Tom? Heh. Maybe I'm inferring too much?

Eric believes FBI might not be around without Norton. I can't deny that. But I also know for a certainty that FBI wouldn't be around without the DM. While it's all well and fine to point to Charles Schulz and awareness-driven-by-film Ghost World as excellent non-DM successes, that politely ignores the sales of the rest of FBI's line in the book stores.

That's fair, I mean Eric's a marketing guy, he damn well better trumpet FBI's successes, but whether or not anyone wants to discuss it or not the cold reality is that the overwhelming majority of working comics creators wouldn't be working at all if it wasn't for the existence of the DM, and its non-returnable orders. Eric knows that too!

We should never stop looking for new venues, new customers, new opportunities -- but can we just stop worrying about the "bad" DM stores, and pay more attention to the "good" ones? Maybe encourage more good ones to open up? DM sales, in general, are up substantially, and more stores than ever are ordering backlist. Why aren’t we, as an industry, doing more to encourage and accelerate that natural trend?