From: rhr9081@hertz.njit.edu (Ray Rich)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.marketplace
Subject: ETM vs. Kinpin grudge match
Date: 21 Jan 93 17:39:21 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.


	Ok, following a thorough thrashing and MANY e-mail requests, I
am hereby going to post information on Kingpin Comics.  I have the 
highest regard for Kingpin, but (NOTE MR. SCOWLING:) I AM IN NO WAY
AFFILIATED WITH KINGPIN COMICS, NOR DO I RECEIVE ANY COMPENSATION FOR
PROMOTING THEM.  I am simply a VERY satisfied customer.

1.  International Orders.  Most of the inquiries I received were regarding
this.   "Shipments outside the continental U.S. are charged exact shipping
plus a $4.00 handling fee.  Please contact us for help arranging
international shipping - we can tell you all your options."

2.  Address/Phone #:
			Kingpin Comics
		943 South 48th Street #124
			Tempe, AZ  85281
			(602) 921-7670
			FAX: (602) 921-0051

3.  Discounts:  (Here it is folks, the grudge match!)

	Item in question: StormWatch # 1 (IMAGE)
	Copies   ETM    Kingpin  Cover  Savings     Savings
	Ordered  Price  Price    Price  Over Cover  Over ETM
	  1	$1.75	$1.37	$1.95	$.58		$.38
	  3	$4.50	$4.11	$5.85	$1.74		$.39
	 10	$15.00	$11.70	$19.50	$7.80		$3.30
	100	$150.00	$107.00	$195.00	$88.00		$43.00

Kingpin offers a standard minimum of 40% off cover.

4.  Shipping & Handling:
	UPS is $3.00 plus $.05 per comic.  Assessed 1-Time Only!  That
means that if, for any reason, they have to split your order, you are
charged $3.00 ONCE and then $.05 per comic as they are shipped.
	ETM: "we cannot send delayed products unless you send us an extra
$2 to cover the extra shipping!"

5.  Reliability:
	In over 1 year of dealing with Kingpin, they only made 1 mistake.
I was incorrectly given 2 copies of Legend of the Shield # 1 instead of
2 comics I ordered.  They sent me the two comics at no charge and told me
to keep the Legend of the Shield issues.  No big gift, but it just as 
easily could have been a Shadowhawk # 1 or other "hot" issue.
	Also, any orders not filled immediately will be held in their
records while the rest of the order is shipped.  For 3 months, they will
try to get the missing comics.  If found, they will be sent to you and
you will be charged the originally offered price (even if market value has
tripled, as in the case of Shadowhawk # 1) and $.05 per comic shipping.
If not found, you will not be charged.  No credit slips.  No sixth month
waits while they spend your hard-earned money.
	ETM: "We accept no responsibility for a publisher's failure to
deliver by a proposed date.  We reserve the right to cancel severely
delayed items and issue a credit slip for the amount unless otherwise 
requested.  We also reserve the right to refuse any order, TO UPDATE
PRICES AND LIMIT QUANTITIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH PUBLISHER PRICE CHANGES."
Why does it always seem that ETM is subject to MARKET price changes 
rather than PUBLISHER price changes?

6.  Free Stuff:
	Kingpin orders are always shipped boxed with free promotional   
posters (presumably to hang in your shop if you have one) and the odd
issue of something they find interesting (Wizard #10, for instance).
	I have never seen hide nor hair of a free gift from ETM except
for their hype-filled and effectively useless catalogs.

7.  Advice:
	ETM:  From ETM # 41, March 1993, 
Stormwatch # 1 - three times, they tell you it's "hot"
Tribe # 1 - "Highly Recommended", "gritty & violent group of superheroes"
Youngblood: Strikefile # 1 - "can't miss"
The Maxx # 1 - "Image Comics next huge hit!"
Cable # 1 - "absolute 'can't miss' hit!  Highly Recommended!"
Uncanny X-Men # 300 - "must have", "can't miss!"  "Highly Recommended"
Spider-Man # 200 - "Highest Possible Recommendation!"
and so on, ad nauseum for 17 more pages.

	Kingpin:  From Kingpin # 4, February 1993
"Although it provides little investment potential, Madman Adventures is
a refreshing change of pace from today's average comic story.  I strongly
recommend this new, ongoing series to everyone.  So find a copy and READ
it; you won't be disappointed."

"WildC.A.T.S. # 3 by Image Comics will not be polybagged as the WildC.A.T.S.
trading cards will not be included.  The cover price has been REDUCED from
$2.50 to Images' standard $1.95."

"We strongly recommend the Vertigo set, even if you purchase only one set
for READING."

Synopses of most new releases are given, with the annoying word "hot" nowhere
to be found.

It seems that ETM is trying to bilk collectors, while Kingpin appeals to
comics READERS as well as collectors.


	Well, if you survived this far, thanx for listening.  I hope you
find success wherever you order your comics from.  To those of us who have
had bad experiences with ETM, I urge you to fill out their March survey
and let them know how much business they're losing and why. 

						Raymond H. Rich
Organization: Masters student, Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA