CBR: Cup O' Joe - Jan 21, 2011

[CBR News]

Tom and Axel are back with an all-new Marvel T&A loaded with information on how the House of Ideas views their readership, how they look to draw fans in with "Mighty Thor" and the sales picture of 2011.


Full article here.

[Vivica Kang]

Not to sound rude but uh...Did ANYONE get their questions answered? I was giddy about mines being answered! I just saw the editors ask each other things...

[5cents]

They basically were just talking about what's coming up. Maybe they were tired of Nate Grey questions.

[wildstorm3]

Sorry Marvel. I used to read A LOT of Marvel books. But as long as you keep the price at 3.99, I can't see why I would get you books. Yes, I know that there were back-up stories in your books, but everyone I talk to at my LCS doesn't even look at them. Now if ALL monthly books were 2.99 I wouldn't mind paying 3.99 for "special event" books like Civil War. But once you start adding books like Civil War Frontline, X-Men, Young Avengers, Civil War: Battle Damage Report, Civil War Files, Civil War: Opening Shot Sketchbook, Civil War Poster Book Civil War: The Confession Civil War: The Initiative Civil War: The Return Civil War: War Crimes and every other spin-off, there is no reason to read the story because there is too many books to read to get the whole story.

If you made it easy like the good ol days where if it was a X-Men event, contain those in the regular book same as Avengers or Spider-man.

[Maestro]

Brevoort: I would say that there is a better than average chance that when there's a Cap movie in theaters, we'll want to do something in publishing to give people exactly the same kind of entry point they had with "Invincible Iron Man" and now with "Mighty Thor." The Vegas oddsmakers would give you very good numbers on that.

Guess that means we'll see a new Captain America series. Who could write it? I want to see a different voice other than Brubaker.

[Vivica Kang]

They basically were just talking about what's coming up. Maybe they were tired of Nate Grey questions.

LOL! This better not be the reason!

[Brother Justin Crowe]

Guess that means we'll see a new Captain America series. Who could write it? I want to see a different voice other than Brubaker.

Hickman, thanks. Maybe Slott or Aaron. Certainly not Fraction.

Any bets on the title? Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty? Tales of Suspense?

[shadow panther]

Sorry Marvel. I used to read A LOT of Marvel books. But as long as you keep the price at 3.99, I can't see why I would get you books. Yes, I know that there were back-up stories in your books, but everyone I talk to at my LCS doesn't even look at them. Now if ALL monthly books were 2.99 I wouldn't mind paying 3.99 for "special event" books like Civil War. But once you start adding books like Civil War Frontline, X-Men, Young Avengers, Civil War: Battle Damage Report, Civil War Files, Civil War: Opening Shot Sketchbook, Civil War Poster Book Civil War: The Confession Civil War: The Initiative Civil War: The Return Civil War: War Crimes and every other spin-off, there is no reason to read the story because there is too many books to read to get the whole story.

If you made it easy like the good ol days where if it was a X-Men event, contain those in the regular book same as Avengers or Spider-man.

your reading my mind. why oh why cant they drop to $2.99 DC did it more books would sell at $2.99, $3.99 is scaring people away. dont matter anyway i guess as long as people keep paying $3.99 the price wont change. I wonder how many people online boycott the $3.99 with the "vote with your wallet" but spend the $3.99 anyway

[Vagabond]

Hickman, thanks. Maybe Slott or Aaron. Certainly not Fraction.

Any bets on the title? Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty? Tales of Suspense?

Hah, he seems to be the go-to-guy for mixing the movie and comic-verses.

[Brother Justin Crowe]

Hah, he seems to be the go-to-guy for mixing the movie and comic-verses.

But...DO NOT WANT.

[stingerman]

This sums things up nicely:

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/18766.html

Emil Novak of Queen City Bookstore on Comic Book Sales

"Are Comic Sales Better than They Look?" Sadly, NO they are not, but it can be fixed easily. Sometimes the bottom line facts coming in from the trenches are simply the best factors on what is selling or not. As a 41 plus year comics retailer I can see trends and offer a few realistic facts which I see from experience. Please read on.

1. My consumer base is relatively consistent with the last three-four years, though I have seen approximately a 7-10% drop in big spending "subscription customer's" in this period; but not in over the counter sales.

2. The demand for product is higher than it's ever been with the "every Wednesday" customers. Though they do not care for useless $3.99-4.99 titles that are not in core continuity. Now if I was to track these "useless titles" their drop in numbers is sharp. 75% a huge majority of these titles sell in numbers that are nothing more than cancellations waiting to happen.

3. On the other hand, the $3.99 "core" titles still do very well--although a few less on certain related character's wouldn't hurt either. The consensus is simple and right in front of my eyes. Quality sells! It's the basic core of any retailer product--from dishwashers to tools to comic books.

Here are my solutions for #1-3:

Solution 1: Subscription customers will return and continue to spend big dollars, but NOT grossly large dollars if these $3.99 "useless titles" continue to flood the market. I'm positive they would buy more of these titles if they were at $2.99 and really meant something.

Solution 2: High priced $3.99 and 4.99 titles. Of course these "useless titles" need some fixing. It seems they are made up of mostly untried talent, which is generally average if not below average in quality. This has to be looked into fast! And continuity needs to work better on these titles because nobody wants to read unconnected comics that reek of nothing more than disguised "inventory stories."

Solution 3: Quality sells! Quality sells! Quality sells! Editorial needs to be better. Prices need to drop. And "useless titles" need to stop. And yeah, Vampires don't sell in X-Men comics. Duh!

An observation to solution #3:

The $3.99 comic book. This is nothing but an attempt to create a grossly profitable vehicle and it failing in the long run. Short-term thinking doesn't work in the periodicals business. Use this thinking energy to simply make better books.

a) Price goes from $2.99 to $3.99 (25% increase).
b) $3.99 comic is generally created by new talents (25% decrease in work for hire). Young overseas and American kids work cheap.
c) 20% of a $3.99 comic is reprint (25% decrease in production costs).
d) Being un-connected to events within bigger titles mean less editorial (%? of more savings).

In the end, this is a very profitable way to make money and NOT destroy an industry. Use this knowledge to produce better comics, be less greedy, price them fairly and they will sell. "Build it and the will come.”

[turtlefood]

Hmmm it does seem like if i am not going to read Fear Itself then i should stay away from Journey into Mystery as well. I need some more 2.99 self contained marvel books, maybe i'll pick up Venom

[The Left Hand of Doom]

Hickman, thanks. Maybe Slott or Aaron. Certainly not Fraction.

Any bets on the title? Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty? Tales of Suspense?

Captain America: The First Avenger? Just a hunch.

[maniacmatt]

Hickman, thanks. Maybe Slott or Aaron. Certainly not Fraction.

Any bets on the title? Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty? Tales of Suspense?

Tales of Suspense by Aaron or Hickman would be ideal.

[Brother Justin Crowe]

Captain America: The First Avenger? Just a hunch.

I thought so, but...so dumb.