From: jcowling@ophelia.UVic.CA (Scowling Jim Cowling)
Subject: Re: Indie Distribution Discounts (Was Re: Jack Kirby ripped off?)
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Fri, 25 Dec 92 01:50:43 GMT

In article <1992Dec24.232807.21586@julian.uwo.ca> larocqu@gaul.csd.uwo.ca (JOHN LAROCQUE) writes:
>In article <1992Dec24.080904.13417@sol.UVic.CA> jcowling@ophelia.UVic.CA (Scowling Jim Cowling) writes:
>Let's take some examples from the February 1992 Comics list and assume that
>they are being ordered for Average Joe Comic Shop. (prices in Candian $)
>We shall factor in the actual discount based on the chart above.
>
>MARVEL        Conan #267 -        $1.60 x 50% = $  .80
>FANTAGRAPHICS Usagi Yojimbo #38 - $2.75 x 40% = $ 1.10
>
>In real terms, the cost of the Indie is more than that of the regular comics,
>which means, in the case above, the actual profit per books are not terribly
>different. While the dealer may make more money by sheer volume of Conan the
>Barbarian, he can make a few dollars more by carrying independent comics that
>the public buys like Usagi Yojimbo. And it is more likely that the same dealer
>will sell out of his copies of Usagi than that of Conan the Babarian, due to
>the much smaller overall demand for the book. That being said, money can
>be made by marketing and selling books that are often overlooked - Bone,
>as a fine example. Comic shops should not be discouraged into experimenting
>beyond the big 5.

Certainly.  But Usagi Yojimbo doesn't REALLY sell.  Not even as well as
Conan.

>accomodate their tastes. After all business is business. Why frustsrate the
>guy who goes to the store every month for Cerebus and is told "sorry son,
>we don't carry that title". What a snotty attitude. If Diamond and Capitol
>can carry them, why can't the dealer order them for the clientele who want
>them.

That was the point I was making.  If I (say) had to leave town, and I checked
out the local shops and found a place which said "sorry, sir, but we don't
carry Cerebus" I'd NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN.

>are the people behind Andromeda and other Canadian distributors. This gutless
>fucks won't carry many of the titles that Diamond and Capitol do. One reason
>why I do not have a complete collection of Wally Wood's Cannon or any Anton
>Drek comics. They said "sorry, we won't sell you Eros comics - because the
>police might crack down on us". Comic books make half a billion dollars a
>year, and the distributors are saying that they can't afford to carry a
>potentially offensive title. What a shameful attitude. The American market
>may be just fine, but things here in London are downright shameful.

Is it any wonder why we stopped dealing with any Canadian distributors YEARS
ago?  Like I said:  if your local shop doesn't deal with a distributor who is
able to provide his books on time, in quantity, and in diversity (ie he deals
with Styx, Andromeda, etc) GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.  Tell him how much more money
he could be making and saving by dealing with a US distributor.  Sure, he'll
have to pay for customs broking and he might lose a couple of bucks on
the exchange rate, but he'll have a huge selection to choose from, and he'll
get better discounts.  Ask him to contact Diamond or Capital and get their
catalogues for the next order date.

As for Eros...well...sorry, but I can't agree with your sentiment.  I won't
carry them either, because I think that they're low quality and unacceptable
for a family store. (except Ironwood).  And, personally, I don't want 99% of
the type of people who buy stroke books as customers.  No offense, I hope.

>> to retailers.  If your local retailer says that he can't get a certain
>>title, then he's either lying (in which case, go to another retailer) or 
>>he's not dealing with a decent distributor (in which case, he's not providing
>>you with adequate service, and, again, go to another retailer, and don't look
>>back).  The distributors make them available.  Capital City even promotes
>>them half-decently!  They make promo material available to retailers, free
>>of charge!  IT IS NOT THE DISTRIBUTOR'S FAULT.  
>
>Not in America.

Not in Canada, either.  Every store in Victoria, and all the big ones in
Vancouver deal with US distributors (even if they deal with Diamond in
Vancouver, which by itself is Canada's largest distributor.)

>>What else? Lemme see.  Indies are the most-listed items on cancellation lists.
>>Why?  Because many, many indie publishers can't get their books out on time.
>
>They deserve to get cancelled if they cannot put their books out on time.
>I don't care what schedule they work under. If they cannont abide by it
>then they will suffer. Suffice to say, the Image guys have to learn a few
>things about deadlines. Their editors at Marvel did and they should too.
>I heartily agree with Sim's speech at the San Diego con on this subject.
>Dave Sim has sold - with regularity - Cerebus monthly for the last decade
>(although he sometimes is late and sometimes catches up, as with Jaka's
>Story). Dave made promises, Dave fulfilled them. Indies should follow Dave's
>example, or prepare to go under.

Well...Dave could stand to get his book out on time, too :)

>>If the publisher can't get a book out on time, then (personally) I as a 
>>retailer           [ and I as a consumer....]
>>am not particularly interested in the product.  
>
>>In your next point you say something about new retailers being told "that only
>>Marvel sells and don't bother with the rest of that shit".  Oh, freaking
>>spare me.  I've NEVER seen such an attitude displayed in the distribution
>>world.  More like "Order to sell out".  Again, Capital City leads the way 
>>with their "Best of the Rest" column.  
>
>Only in America.

And...well, see above.

>>Now I'll argue the flip side.  Reatilers should, and MUST, push independent
>>titles.  
>
>No! Retailers should and must push GOOD independent titles, titles that can
>earn them even more money after they sell out of X-Men.
>Tell them that professional writers and artists, many of them who worked
>at the Big 2, are doing work for different publishers. I recently saw the
>name Vince Locke in the Sandman comics. If I am right, he did work for
>Caliber, right? And Ty Templeton did work for Vortex' Stigs Inferno, right?
>New artists could also spring up. I have first printings of Milk & Cheese
>because I thought the promo was so awesome. Give customer's the catalogue
>to browse through so they can do that special order. Or they will cry
>next year when they can't find those early issues.

Ummm...in general, neither Eros nor Caliber are GOOD indies, but, yes, point
well taken.

>>Businesses can make money on indies.  But they can't make a lot of money, and,
>>sorry to say, it's the PUBLISHER's fault, not the distributor's.
>
>More often it is the publisher's fault, but stores justifiably deserve blame
>if they look over the last 50 pages of the latest Advance Comics. As for
>distributors, I'm sorry for blasting all of them. Just to let you know,
>many comics are not for sale in the Andromeda catalogue. Could be the 
>publisher's fault, but I suspect that concerning Eros comics, Andromeda
>is to blame here.

Probably.  But I can't blame Andromeda for giving in to the demands of
censorship.

-------
Scowling Jim Cowling
Professional Evil Person
Creative Writing Department, University of Victoria (opinions disassociated)
-------
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc