CBR: When Words Collide - Aug 30, 2010

[CBR News]

Tim ditches the Scott Snyder conversation for a week to attend the Baltimore Comic Con, where he finds Paul Pope, Cliff Chiang, Jeff Parker, and learns about the intersection between art and memory.


Full article here.

[Johnson!]

Wait a minute... a Baltimore exclusive THB issue? Google here I come!

[bongoes]

"But then I saw it: an Ed McGuinness/Dexter Vines page from “JLA Classfied” #1. Superbia. Gorilla Grodd. Nebuloh. And it was only $40."

I am so jealous right now.

[Paul Render]

I agree with Tim, that I've never bought a comic at a convention more than a dollar. But I have personally seen people buy those cool old expensive comics behind the dealer and his long boxes. I compare those to art at a museum. Just cool to look at and something not for touching.

[bmontclare]

Baltimore is definitely a great show. An amazing guest list, and set up so well that almost everyone is easily approachable. But by coincidence I too had a lot of thoughts pop into my head when I was in the dealers' section. It's the dollar books and tpb's that start at 50% off (a lot were buy-1-get-2-free)... it really is almost impossible for me to spend anything close to cover price on a back issue. I work in comics, but while I get a lot of free stuff I'm buying at least a handful of books for $4/each every Wednesday. But for a Mantlo Hulk I'm missing or a Comico Grendel?..I balk at anything over a buck.

Like I said: I work in the business; I'm a big fan. But what's a comic really worth to me (or anyone else)? Moreover, looking at that awesome quantity of cheap stuff at Baltimore you realize it's all someone else's mistake. Like what contributes to these inventories? Mostly dealers over-ordering (and paying above $1 wholesale); maybe a few collectors selling out for a nickel or dime per book; the older stuff just circulates among the old-time dealers vying for elbow room in the tar pit--again at a nickel or dime. And while (maybe) some of the Marvel tpb are remaindered, the majority of discounted books are, again, direct market over-orders.

I don't know if it adds up to anything important. After all, readers have mostly replaced collectors--and I suppose all media has the most value when it's new on the shelves. But think of the, what...millions, of dollars in lost money that's sitting in that convention hall (millions lost even if every book sold out at $1). Money lost mostly by some direct market dealer somewhere.