ICv2.com Talks To Atom Freeman About Valiant’s DM Outreach

Much of this conversation with Atom Freeman at the comics business news and analysis site ICv2.com is couched in marketing speak and vague generalities of the "I can't say but it's going to be huge" variety, but there a few comments from the newly-hired Sales Manager at Valiant that jumped out at me.

One of those comments is that ICv2.com seems to support the release that came with Freeman's hiring that there are 2500 direct market retail outlets right now, which isn't something I knew (I'm sure that information is out there, but I hadn't thought about it and would have been stumped if pigeonholed). Another is that Freeman says that the retailers with whom he's talked -- about 500, according to a statement in the piece -- aren't high on Valiant using the kind of returnables strategy that was touted as a significant part of DC's New 52 relaunch.

A third thing in the pieces is that Freeman touts his hiring and the comics propers of the general Valiant team. I know that last is the kind of thing can make people roll their eyes, but part of the way Freeman phrases it makes me wonder if this might -- might -- be what I'd call a reduced media expectations publishing endeavor: businessmen that aren't necessarily in comics to prime the pump for that sweet, sweet movie money -- less of a realistic outcome than ever, given the huge number of properties angling for media transference and the general cost-cutting era settling into Hollywood right now -- but because of the low cost relative to other entertainment endeavors of a sustainable publishing program. Actually, I have no idea if this company is like that or not, and there's every reason to think this one isn't just on general principle (in fact, it seems more likely we'll see, say, another targeted-for-videogames company before we see a targeted-for comics long-haul company; plus comics is tougher than ever right now), but I imagine at some point we'll start to see a couple of companies more invested in the comics than the dedication or lack thereof we've seen embodied in the seemingly endless variations of the Tekno model that have sifted to the surface for the last decade and a half.
 
posted 2:30 am PST | Permalink
 

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