Canadian Comix News & Culture
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Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Comic Shoppe Talk: Neo Tokyo, London, Ontario
:: Posted by Bryan @ 4/16/2008 06:30:00 AM 
This edition of Comic Shoppe Talk features Robert Chamberlain, owner-san of Neo Tokyo, The Anime Store, located in downtown London, Ontario.
As regular readers of the Sequential Bestseller List know, manga dominates comics sales in Canada. We welcome this opportunity to get a snapshot insider's view of the retail side of this phenomenon. My thanks to Neo Tokyo for taking the time to answer the standard battery of Comic Shoppe Talk questions.
Neo Tokyo is a little over 700 square feet with the space about evenly divided between manga, anime (DVD rentals & sales), and merchandise. It is located close to London's core, having opened its doors in June of 2003 expanding ever since. It left its original location (just not big enough) in Oct of 2007 and moved up the street a few blocks to double its floor space. According to Robert Chamberlain, "We continue to refine the art of packing more into a small space than we have any right to expect."
You are next door to a more traditional comic book shop, The Comic Book Collector. What is your relationship? Are you in competition?
Not at all, Neo Tokyo began as an out-growth from The Comic Book Collector with the owner, Tim Morris, and I moving into the next door store front as partners. I've since bought out Tim (very amicably) and the two stores continue to work in partnership each attracting their own circle of customers but with a great deal of cross interest. I believe this helps both shops by bringing out customers that may not make the trip to either store on their own but if they're already at one they'll explore the other.
What is the general age/gender breakdown of your customers? What is the general culture of your store?
I'd say that the age range is from 10-30 with the majority in the 16-26 range. The gender breakdown would be in the 60/40 (female/male) area. The culture I try for in the store is one of a sort of club house. I try to make sure that everyone coming through the door feels like an old friend.
What do you sell more of by volume, graphic novels (including trades and manga) or monthly comic books (floppies)?
We don't actually sell any floppies. Having grown out of a more traditional comic store we never had the need to sell any. We focus entirely on manga / manhwa Japanese / Korean books with very few exceptions.
Bestsellers?
Bestselling I would say easily are Bleach and Naruto with Fullmetal Alchemist a strong contender.
What are your bestselling non-manga graphic novels?
If I were to be a purist and not consider the Korean books manga, I would say that it would have to be Banya The Explosive Delivery Man. Though the korean books still only represent a small fraction of the graphic novels I sell in a month.
The manga question.
Manga represents the future of comics in my opinion. Find a teen-ager reading a comic and odds are it is either manga or so heavily influenced by it as to be as good as. TV spreads the word of manga fairly well to younger readers but only a minority of my customers watch their anime on TV. Magazines / anthologies also seem to function primarily as an introduction but most new books are seen first via the internet.
What do you see as the major trends in retailing over the next year? The next 5 years?
I believe that manga will continue to explode and that North American retailers will have to adapt to that.
What books do you find yourself recommending the most?
Depending on the age of the person asking I find myself making personal recommendations for Eden Endless World, Claymore, Bleach, Dragon Head, Uzumaki, King of Thorn, Planetes, and Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. Usually the first question is what have you read that you liked?
What comic/manga would you recommend for an 8-year-old girl?
I have recommended Aria and First Adventure King for younger readers but even then I recommend someone read with them to help with more complicated visual concepts.
What comic/manga would you recommend for a 40-year-old urban professional?
Depending on taste I'd recommend Eden Endless World, Translucent, Satsuma Gishiden, Tanpenshu.
Why are you a comics retailer?
I've always been a fan of a good story in whatever format you find it. I became a comic retailer because I was in the right place at the right time to make it my job to deal in interesting stories.
What bothers you the most about the current comics industry?
I have less involvement with the 'comics industry' than most comic book stores. I don't have to deal with back issues or grading at all but any problems as far as missed deadlines and delayed books are made much worse by the fact that they start out in Japan and have to work their way through the entire machinery to make it to my shelves.
How important is the web to your business?
As far as the day to day business it isn't all that important, it is an important means of communication with my suppliers and customers (most of whom are extremely web-savvy). I hope to make it more important by breaking into online shopping cart sales to allow me to tap into and service the surrounding satellite communities in our area.
What is the comics scene like in London?
Much as I would like to see more of it and I would like to support local artists and events London hasn't, as yet, had much activity of that sort. I would very much like to see a local con happen but it needs someone who knows how to put on such an event rather than a fan, no matter how enthusiastic, without the know-how.
Neo Tokyo
787 Dundas St
London, ON
N5W 2Z6
phone: (519) 642-7862Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, graphic novels, interviews
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Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Comic Shoppe Talk: Lucky's, Vancouver
:: Posted by Bryan @ 3/19/2008 11:55:00 AM 
This week's interview subject is Gabe Wilder, owner of Lucky's Comics in Vancouver. The store is celebrating its lucky 13th year in 2008!
Lucky's is a stalwart of the arts comix scene on the West Coast, with regular gallery shows and special events featuring Canadian cartoonists. Wilder describes his store as "cozy, under 1000 sq. ft. We have a front room gallery behind the front door, a main area with books and comics on shelves and racks, and Lucky's Gallery in the back room (about 200 sq. ft). Opened in 1995, just turned 13 last month. We're located on Main Street in the Mount Pleasant area of Vancouver - it's truly one of the best areas of Vancouver, replete with coffee shops, local designer boutiques, antique shops, and restaurants." My thanks to Gabe for supplying the following thoughtful replies to my standard, boring questions.
What is the general age/gender breakdown of your customers? What is the culture of your store?
Hard to break precisely, but here goes: probably about 20% boys ages 7 - 13, 10% girls ages 7 - 13, 25% males 18 - 35, 25% females 18 - 35, 20% parents of the boys and girls, usually 35 and older.
What do you sell more of by volume, graphic novels (including trades and manga) or monthly comic books (floppies)?
We sell vastly more graphic novels than floppies.
Do you have a store specialty or area of expertise? What makes your store unique?
We focus on work by self-publishers and independent publishers, and within those categories have a good selection of local art books and zines. We are probably somewhat unique for focusing on the aforementioned material, while also selling mainstream graphic novels (Marvel, D.C., Dark Horse), and even some fiction and non-fiction books, and children's books. Our two galleries and the amazing talent displayed in them make us unique, and make us an interesting destination by themselves. For example, right now we have original painted shoe forms from Chris Von Szombathy's FIRE AWAY, and six silkscreens from Owen Plummer's Flip Flop Prophets book (Le Dernier Cri), both in the front gallery (both here in conjunction with book launches); and in the back gallery an installation called The Game of Life, by Ryan McCormick.
What do do you sell more of by dollar value? What percentage of your business is comics? What is the state of the back-issue market?
Comics and books account for 2/3 or 3/4 of our sales. The state of the back issue market is - nil. I don't sell them in the store currently, mostly because of space considerations. It would make more sense to move that portion of the business online if I had the time and wherewithal to do so.
What are your bestselling books? How accurate is the bestseller list on your website?
Our bestselling books over the past year (I may be forgetting some here) are:
all the Bone books
Moomin vol. 1 and 2
Tintin books
I Shall Destroy All Civilized Planets by Fletcher Hanks
Acme Novelty Library 18
Milk Teeth by Julie Morstad
Fire Away by Chris Von Sombathy
Nog a Dod, edited by Marc Bell
Watchmen by Alan Moore
Complete Persepolis
In Me Own Words, and Me Write Book, by Graham Roumieu
We sell a lot Drawn and Quarterly books, probably more than any other publisher - closely followed by Fantagraphics. The bestseller list on the site is fairly accurate, but usually reflects sales of the last couple of months, not some up to the minute stock ticker.
The manga question.
We have a small manga section - maybe this will sound strange but I have never had a huge demand for it. We try to carry some classics - Tezuka books, Lone Wolf, newer pop titles like Naruto and Shonen Jump magazine, but that's about it. I admit that I get intimidated to the point of paralysis by the sheer volume of titles available.
What do you see as the major trends in graphic novels and comics retailing over the next year? The next 5 years?
I don't know about major trends in graphic novels...I don't think it's that easy to pin down. I think the success of Bone has publishers realizing that the age 7 - 13 demographic may not be entirely lost to them, and hopefully there will be some kind of renewed focus on books for young readers. Over the next 5 years I think companies like Picturebox, Fantagraphics, and Drawn and Quarterly, who put great emphasis on high quality production and design, and consistently release creative and interesting works, will thrive and see increased demand for their products in the mass market. And not just these three companies - I think any quality work published by smaller publishers will be increasingly found and embraced by a wider audience. As far as retailing goes, it's a tough gambit, but I think stores can really help themselves by hosting events, building community, welcoming local artists and creators who want to consign books, making sure to stock kid's comics so that under 13 year olds have a reason to visit...I guess those aren't really trends...whatever. Trends - hopefully the trend in retailing is toward welcoming, cleaner and more aromatic shops...and humor, more funnybooks.
What comics do you find yourself recommending the most?
Different for different people, but...see best seller list above to start. As far as off-beat stuff with wide appeal, I like to recommend Tiempos Finales by Sam Hiti, Fuzz and Pluck by Ted Stearn, Sock Monkey comics by Tony Millionaire, Dogs and Water by Anders Nilsen, Lynda Barry, Chris Ware, most of the First Second line is pretty broadly appealing to comic neophytes...Owly, Korgi, Moomin, Bone, Gon, and Usagi Yojimbo are often recommended for the younger crowd...Red Son, Kingdom Come, Therefore Repent and 1602 seem to sell well to non/new comic readers looking for a fun read.
What are your favourite comics?
Fuzz and Pluck, Tiempos Finales ... any thing by Gary Panter, Marc Bell, Big Questions, Madman, several of Fantagraphics Ignatz books, like Gipi's Wish You Were Here, Grotesque, and Ganges, Gabrielle Bell's Lucky, all Joe Sacco, David Collier, I'm probably forgetting tons of stuff ... almost forgot Zippy the Pinhead, one of my all-time faves.
What comic would you recommend for an 8-year-old girl?
Drawing Comics is Easy by Alexa Kitchen, Amelia Rules, Owly, Korgi, Archie comics (gasp!), Little Lulu. I wish there were more....
What comic would you recommend for a 40-year-old urban professional?
Most of our graphic novels from D&Q, Fantagraphics, First Second, etc...again depends on the person and what kind of genres they're into.
Why are you a comics retailer?
It's fun.
How important is the web to your business?
We use the interwebs to publicize store events through Facebook and Myspace. We've recently redesigned our website, and plan to perform more regular updates on it. Planning to expand this portion of the business ... online commerce and all that.
The dollar question.
I'm in the "it's about time" camp. We've been charging U.S. price in Canadian for at least a year, so it doesn't really affect us. I personally prefer to just see one U.S. price on the book, and let the Canadian stores work out what they want with the exchange. I'd be surprised if a store wasn't charging at par at this point on all their books...even if you're taking a bit of a loss on older books purchased before the current state of near dollar parity, they're older books, you might as well price them lower to move them. The question for stores is, at what point do you abandon the "at par" policy? What would the repercussions be if $1.00 Cdn bought $1.50 or $2.00 U.S.? Or if it went back down to the old days of $1.00 Cdn buying only 70 cents or less? Seems that if publishers want to play it safe, they should just be putting one (U.S.) price on the book. In these uncertain economic times, who can say where the U.S. dollar will be in 6 months or a year? So to answer your question, the change in the DC pricing policy reflects what Canadian consumers expect anyway, so, it's a good but obvious and necessary move.
Vancouver has a thriving comics scene and Lucky's seems to be a big part of that, with gallery shows and signings featuring local artists. How would yu characterize the scene there? Are there any local creators/zines/minicomics that you promote in store? Any upcoming events?
The "scene" here is pretty disparate in style, but incredibly friendly, welcoming, and supportive. We promote a lot of local creators/zine/minicomics/artbooks in the store...some favorites are Owen Plummer, Ben Jacques, Jo Cook's Hell Passport series, Jason McLean, Radar Friends, Laura Eveleigh, Niles Armstrong's Heavy Humans out of Portland, Cometbus, check out islandsfold.com for great books from Luke Ramsey...lots more. Upcoming launch for a book by Billy Mavreas called inside outside overlap: a boy priest and lifeform the "cat" adventure. New gallery shows in the back room every month - openings usually on the first Friday.
Lucky's Comics
3972 Main St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
V5V 3P2
www.luckys.ca
gabe@luckys.caLabels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, graphic novels
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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Comic Shoppe Talk: Comic Cave, Winnipeg
:: Posted by Bryan @ 3/12/2008 01:00:00 AM 
Boy, I haven't done one of these in a while.
This time around, James Cassels of the Comic Cave in Winnipeg, Manitoba, agreed to answer a few email questions about the shop he works in. Comic Cave occupies
1000 sq ft at 1104 Corydon Ave in the 'Peg and has been in operation for 11 and 1/2 years. The set-up: "New Material and Comic Sets are set up on the eastern half of the store, Back Issues and Subscription Racks/Sales Counter on the western side. Other merchandise will likely be located near the back issues although gaming material is located behind counter." Cassels is in charge of Product Orders.
Q. What is the general age/gender breakdown of your customers? What is the culture of your store?
Mostly Male 20's - 30's. Most have been collecting since they were younger. People who recently pick up comic reading are often book purchasers. No particular culture.
Q. What do you sell more of by volume?
Still sell more monthlies although a substantial amount of trades are sold.
Q. Do you have a store specialty or area of expertise? What makes your store unique?
Active subscription service with discounts.
Q. What do do you sell more of by dollar value? What percentage of your business is comics? What is the state of the back-issue market?
Comics of either format make up most of the business. New comics are bread and butter although back issues are still important.
Q. Bestsellers?
Amazing Spider-man, JLA, JSA, Avengers, Astonishing X-men, All Star Superman, All Star Batman, Any Ultimate title, The Boys, Captain America.
Q. Bestselling graphic novels?
Walking Dead, Fables, Y the Last Man, The Boys, any Ultimate TPB. Most Vertigo series that are kept in print continue to sell. Superhero trades are generally weaker sellers. Most people would rather maintain their collection as monthlies.
Q. The manga question.
I sell a modest amount of it mostly to non-manga fans who just happen to latch on to a particular title. Not being located near either of Winnipeg's Universities inhibits manga sales.
Q. What do you see as the major trends in graphic novels and comics retailing over the next year? The next 5 years?
More large collections of back material coming out.
Q. What comics do you find yourself recommending the most?
The Boys, Scalped, Ultimate Spider-man, Punisher (Max), Black Summer, 100 Bullets, Blade of the Immortal and more. Pretty much anything that's on my pull list.
Q. What are your favourite comics?
Maus, Watchmen, From Hell, V For Vendetta, Transmetropolitan, Adolf: A Tale of the 20 Century, Sandman, DC: The New Frontier, Brat Pack, Planetary.
Q. What comic would you recommend for an 8-year-old girl? A 40-year-old urban professional?
Not sure anymore although in the past I would normally recommend manga since manga publishers actively make comics targetted at young girls.. Not up on current manga series for younger girls. Generally, I don't like recommending comics that I don't read.
Q. Why are you a comics retailer?
Beats working for some corporate dirtbag.
Q. What bothers you the most about the current comics industry?
Too much emphasis on marketing grandiose super soap operas. I get that some people like a big shared universe for their men in pervert suits but it seems the story is secondary to the event sometimes. Not nearly enough emphasis on self-contained stories. I don't normally recommend super hero comics but two properties I tend to recommend (Ult Spiderman and Punisher MAX) are very self-contained.
Q. How important is the web to your business?
We do a modest amount of mail orders but most sales are local.
Q. Winnipeg is a very artistic city. Both the Royal Art Lodge and Captain Canuck have roots there. What is the comics scene like in Winnipeg? Are there any local creators/zines/minicomics that you promote in store?
Minimal. I'll willingly promote local work but nothing much seems to be happening.
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COMIC CAVE
www.comiccavewinnipeg.com
1104 Corydon Ave
Winnipeg, MB Canada
R3M 0Y8
phone:204-284-2210
email:comiccave@shaw.caLabels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, interviews, shop profiles
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Monday, February 04, 2008
Canadian Book Retail Too Concentrated, Sales Level
:: Posted by Bryan @ 2/04/2008 12:05:00 AM 
"Long Tail" Helps Niche Publishing, Online Sales
by Bryan Munn
The $1.59 billion Canadian book retail industry is dominated by a small number of large chains and has been experiencing flat sales, according to a new study released by Heritage Canada last week. The report, "The Book Retail Sector in Canada," is based on a study conducted between April and June, 2007. The key findings of the report can be broken down into four categories and include the concentration of book retailing into a small number of companies (most notably Chapters-Indigo, the only national bookstore chain, which owns 44% of the Canadian market); the growth of non-traditional retail outlets (online sales and Costco); the high dollar has resulted in increased book imports ("Canadian retailers can now source some books outside of Canada at lower cost"); book publishing is outstripping sales by a factor of roughly four-to-one.
These conclusions were arrived at by some dedicated number crunching, based on accessible data from publishers, Statistics Canada, and sales-tracking services like BookNet, which monitors 70% of the retail book trade.
The report, prepared by marketing company Turner-Riggs (Kiley Turner and Craig Riggs), provides detailed pictures of the book market in Canada and of consumer habits, breaking trends down by retail channel and including a look at the book market in Quebec, where two regional chains, Renaud-Bray and Quebecor's Archambault, play the same role that Chapters-Indigo does in the rest of Canada and where the Quebec government is strongly involved in funding both publishers and retailers.
In general, the report is a positive one from the point of view of the Canadian book buyer. From one perspective, Canadians are currently enjoying something of a "golden age" in terms of price, availability, and variety of books being published. Prices are more in line with those in the U.S., a variety of distribution methods and retailers vie for the opportunity to sell books, and more books in a greater number of categories are being published each year (16,000 new titles in 2006).
But these trends mask some serious underlying problems and structural dangers for both consumers and the book industry. On the one hand, the growth in online outlets and sales (Indigo's online sales increased 9% between 2006 and 2007) means an increase in price and stock transparency for both consumers and retailers, with the general result of lower prices. On the other hand, according to the report, "deep price discounts at retail tend to create pressure for additional trade discounts from publishers, which further constrain the profit margins and profitability of publishing firms." Further, online discounting "exerts pricing pressure on all retail channels; lowers the customers' perceived value of the products, especially bestsellers and new releases; results in narrower margins for suppliers, which in turn restricts their ability to invest in product development or marketing."
As well, the dominance of Chapters-Indigo in the marketplace has disturbing implications for book sales and the industry as a whole. Not only does the continued growth of Chapters continue to erode traditional retailers with specialized knowledge and a dedication to promoting Canadian authors and publishers, but the big-box trend towards deep discounting and greater economies of scale have the added effect of squeezing smaller players out of the market, reducing competition and further concentrating market share into one company. While the report does include some refutations of the standard industry wisdom on these issues, the idea that bigger stores ironically mean smaller or more homogeneous selections is a hard one to shake and the report provides an informative graph (scroll down) illustrating the decline in sales of Canadian "literary" titles through chain stores.
It is worth quoting from the report at length on the added danger inherent in the continuing price wars, especially between online vendors (Chapters, Amazon.ca and abebooks):
"Consumers quickly become conditioned to locate retail sources for discounts, and to identify what type of books discounts usually apply to—and they make their shopping decisions accordingly. There is a concern that this undermines the perceived value of books, making it less likely for consumers to buy a book, particularly a new release, at the established list price.
In the extreme sense, this concern describes a process where consumer purchases are more informed by price and less by the unique aspects of the individual book, including its literary or artistic merit. As consumer behaviour becomes more weighted by price, so does the supply chain and in particular the selection of books that are featured, or even available, within a given sales channel.
Concentration means more sales for fewer books. This discounting practice also has the effect of concentrating sales at a couple of levels—both by title and by channel. It concentrates sales by title, in that discounted bestsellers prominently featured will sell in large numbers. In contrast, books not featured in this way will be left on the shelf or simply not be available in store."
These trends, combined with the traditional hazards of book publishing in Canada (economies of scale, U.S. competition, large numbers of returns), help to paint a considerably less rosy picture of Canadian book retail. However, the report also makes reference to Chris Anderson's conception of The Long Tail, the idea that niche markets are made increasingly accessible and viable by technological growth and changes in supply-chain management. The report indicates that falling costs in these aspects of book retail may result in greater opportunities for a larger number of publishers and authors.
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see the report's Table of ContentsLabels: analysis, comics retailers, comicshoptalk, publishing
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Friday, January 11, 2008
3rd Quadrant Moving Day
:: Posted by Bryan @ 1/11/2008 12:00:00 AM Venerable Toronto comic shop 3rd Quadrant has moved to two new locations:
- The brighter and bigger location is just after Queen / Bathurst. Drop by and visit the new 3rd Quadrant Comics headquarters at:
685 Queen Street West, 2nd floor
Toronto, ON M6J 1E6
Directions
- You can also find 3rd Quadrant Comics within the Black Market Clothing Megawarehouse.
256a Queen Street West (near Queen / John), Lower Level, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z8
Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Zombie Comics Go to War
:: Posted by Bryan @ 1/08/2008 01:15:00 PM - What does Canadian non-fiction cartoonist David Collier have to do with ancient Mexican civilizations? According to the Edmonton Journal's Gilbert A. Bouchard, quite alot. Bouchard also interviews Joe Sacco.
- Faith Erin Hicks' Zombies Calling graphic novel is the best-selling book at Strange Adventures in Halifax, according to Michelle Macleod of the Chronicle-Herald. The zombie-battling tale is a big draw for everyone over the age of 13.
Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, graphic novels
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
More D+Q Store Goodness
:: Posted by Bryan @ 10/24/2007 12:39:00 AM 
Brad Mackay returns from Montreal with some pics of the D+Q Store opening. The store looks very nice, with a mix of classic comics collectibles and original books and art from some of the best living cartoonists.Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, events, exhibits, Montreal
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Tuesday, October 16, 2007
D+Q store Grand Opening on Friday
:: Posted by max @ 10/16/2007 08:18:00 PM  Co:the D&Q blog
In conjunction with the launch of Pascal Blanchet's White Rapids, Drawn and Quarterly hosts the grand  opening of their new store front operation in Montreal this Friday, 7 PM. Pascal will be presenting and signing White Rapids. See the entry from Oct. 1st for his awesome poster... To mark the occasion the D&Q crew have wrangled posters out of two D+Q artists - the one of the left here is Julie Doucet's. 
That's about it for info on the shop for now, but there are photos of, taken by local aspiring photographer Alison Naimark.
On White Rapids, by Pascal Blanchet
 Award-winning Quebecois cartoonist Pascal Blanchet's graphic novel is a compelling account of the rise and fall of the small northern town of White Rapids. In the first English translation of his work, Blanchet seamlessly blends fact and fiction as he weaves together the official history of the town and snapshots of the quotidian life of its residents. Founded in 1928 in an isolated region of Quebec forest, the town was conceived and constructed by the Shawinigan Water & Power Company to function as a fully-equipped, self-contained living community for workers at the nearby dam and their families. Intended as an incentive to lure workers to the remote and inaccessible region, White Rapids provided its residents with all the luxuries of middle-class modern life in a pastoral setting - until the town was abruptly shut down in 1971, when the company changed hands.
Blanchet's unique, streamlined, retro-inspired aesthetic draws on Art Deco and fifties Modernist design to vividly conjure up idyllic scenes of lazy summer days and crisp winter nights in White Rapids, transporting the reader back to a more innocent time.
ISBN: 9781897299241
$27.95 US / $29.95 CDN
Labels: book launches, c, comics retailers, comicshoptalk, events, graphic novels, Montreal, new books, publishing, Quebec
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Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Now and Then News
:: Posted by Bryan @ 10/02/2007 12:01:00 AM Thanks to Kevin Boyd, this story from the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, which claims that Now and Then, the venerable Kitchener comic book store, was to close by the end of September. Now and Then's closing has been erroneously reported here and elsewhere previously, so I am holding my tongue. The last time I was in the store (June 2007) owner Dave Kostis claimed that he was moving to a new location but was not closing. Kostis is not quoted in the Record article:
Sim was not the only local cartoonist supported by Now and Then. Kremer carried the work of fledgling area artists as well.
For instance, before Rick Taylor of Mississauga began drawing books for DC Comics, Kremer sold his Wordsmith book series at Now and Then, said Mel Taylor, Rick's cousin and collaborator on the book Bootleg Comics & Stories.
Kremer would help young people interested in comics by giving them jobs at the store. Sim worked there in his early 20s, while Peter Birkemoe, now co-owner of The Beguiling comics store in Toronto, worked at Now and Then in his teens.
The current owner, Dave Kostis, also worked under Kremer. Kostis bought the store after Kremer's death.
It would have been almost impossible for Kostis to live up to the standard set by Kremer, Mel Taylor said. Even after he died, people referred to the store as "Harry's" rather than by its official name.
"People were so heartbroken when he died," Taylor said. "I seriously think it was a phenomenal thing to take on your shoulders."
"Dave's had to live with that, to put it succinctly."
Kostis declined to be interviewed for this story.
For months, the store has been open irregularly, and its phone has been disconnected. But the comics community is not going to let the store die without its due regards.
"We're actually planning a wake," Brast said. "A lot of people are going to get together and celebrate the store and tell stories." Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Marc Jette and Studio 9, Montreal
:: Posted by Bryan @ 8/07/2007 12:03:00 AM The Montreal Gazette profiles Quebec comics historian Marc Jette about his comic shop, Studio 9:
An avid reader and collector since his youth, when regular comics cost 12 cents (compared with $2.99 U.S. today), Jett was never in it for the money. He loved the artwork, and as a teen would draw his own strips and illustrations.
His favourites early on were European series like Spirou et Fantasio, Tintin and the medieval-themed Johan & Pirlouit (whose creator, Peyo, would go on to greater fame with the Smurfs, first introduced in a Johan & Pirlouit comic).
"As a kid, my allowance went for comic books," Jett said. "That's all I spent it on."
In 1996, he heard about, applied for and landed a job hosting a weekly radio show on comic books and their history. That was spun off into a book on comic-shop censorship in North America, which in turn helped him land a $10,000 Canada Council grant to prepare biographies of Quebec cartoonists working in the United States.
Many Quebecers active in the field were guests on the radio show in the year Jett hosted it, including Picard, who ran a local school of comic art. He recruited Jett to teach, which he did for four years around shifts at a comic-book store called La Librairie des Super Hros.
Jett might still be there but for a proposal from Picard in 2004 to open a comic-book store of their own. He even found the building. They called it Studio 9 because they envisioned it as a gathering place for artists and comic art is considered the ninth art.
Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Comic Book Collector, London, Ontario
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/18/2007 06:04:00 AM Some clarification about events alluded to the other day, straight from the horse's mouth:
London Ontario's oldest comic book shop is moving in August to a new
bigger and better location. The Comic Book Collector, which is fast
approaching its 30th anniversary, was founded September 1979 by Eddie
Smet and his wife Zorka. Its current owner Tim Morris has decided that
a change of venue is necessary. Situated only a couple of blocks east
of the current store, the new shop will be more than twice the size
of the of the old location..We'll have space for more back issues on
the floor, more product on the walls as well as more gaming space for
Heroclix, Warhammer, Mechwarrior and others. The store has always been
in London's Old East Village, first at 616 Dundas, then when Tim
bought the store it was moved to 610 just a couple of doors west. The
new location is still in Old East at 779 Dundas Street just a few
doors west of Rectory Street ( near Aeolian Hall). Check out the CBC
web page for updates on the move and other events. Remember to look
for the orange.Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Friday, July 13, 2007
Heroes Comic Book Store, London, Ontario
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/13/2007 01:51:00 AM A local article about a new location for Heroes comic book store. The new store takes over a space familiar to book-hunters in the London area, G&A Book Exchange [CORRECTION: Heroes is moving across Dundas street; The Comic Book Collector is locating near the G&A space, located at the corner of Dundas and Rectory.]
Heroes was founded 18 years ago and has been in several locations. Brahm started as an employee and took over the business seven years ago.
Always a comic fanatic, Wiseman was already buying and selling comics when he was studying English and visual arts at the University of Western Ontario. Wiseman said comic books and graphic novels are still a powerhouse in pop culture.
"It's an influential media. We are seeing about 10 comic book movies a year now," he said.
On Monday, the fixtures from the restaurant that used to occupy the building will be auctioned and renovation of the 4,000 square foot space will begin.
With the help of a loan from Mainstreet London, the facade will get a facelift that may include a mural of superheroes. Wiseman hopes to open the new store by the end of October. Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Thursday, July 05, 2007
Happy Harbor Best of Edmonton
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/05/2007 05:08:00 AM A good couple of months for Happy Harbor comics: first they win the Shuster award for best Canadian comics retailer and now VUE Weekly has voted them the best in Edmonton:
The shelves at Happy Harbor at Manning Crossing bear pretty much the nerd-store standard stock of comics, manga geek-books and vinyl tchotchkes, but Happy Harbor competes on atmosphere. I was in there killing time while I waited for my ride after a wisdom-tooth extraction, and the staff were all "Have a seat!", directing me to a couple of comfy chairs, encouraging me to sit and read. A refreshing reversal of the police-state customer-is-the-enemy approach of some other shops. Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Happy Harbor Interview @ Newsarama
:: Posted by Bryan @ 7/03/2007 01:19:00 AM 
Stephanie Chan interviews Edmonton's Jay Bardyla, owner of the Happy Harbor comics store. Bardyla won the Best Retailer prize at the Shuster Awards. The store does a lot for local creators and for charity, in apart as a publisher of the comics anthology Tales from the Harbor:
"Tales from the Harbor" was a slow building idea and I was afraid it wouldn't work since I've had trouble in the past trying to coordinate people for events and projects. There were a few anthologies around Alberta that selected content and charged for submitting (which is perfectly fine) but I wanted to offer something to the true beginner, to give them a chance to create within a schedule, have their work edited by others and finally to have it seen in a finished volume of work. Currently there are 2 volumes of "TotH" and we plan to continue to publishing twice a year for as long as we can. The first book was about 280 pages and the second was 340 and we couldn’t publish all the material we had. Clearly there's no lack of interest so we should be good for a while.
Our first books were based on the works from our charity events so there are 2 "12 Hr Comic Challenge" books and 2 "24 Hour Comics Day" books, a portion of the proceeds from each continue to go to their respective charities.
We also published a "Comic Talks" books after our 2005 sessions and are currently working a book based on the 2006 shows. And finally, one of our staff members has begun to produce an all-women's charity anthology in support of La Salle, a long term women's shelter based in Edmonton. We have gotten some strong support and feedback for the book so we are hoping to have it published by the end of the year.Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, interviews
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Monday, June 25, 2007
Now and Then to Remain Open?
:: Posted by Bryan @ 6/25/2007 12:02:00 AM When Dave Sim reported late last year that Now and Then Books in Kitchener was closing, it was widely assumed that one of Canada's oldest comic book shops (if not the oldest) was doomed. I'm sorry it took me so long to follow up on that initial report but I'm pleased to say that owner Dave Kostis has managed to keep the store open and plans to continue doing so, one way or another. On a whim I visited the store this past weekend: The store location is for lease but Now and Then is still selling comics and graphic novels, although the shelves are a little bare compared to the glory days. During a very brief chat with Kostis I learned that he plans to find a new location for the store and continue the Now and Then dream. Kostis is still working off the store's debt and is running a storewide sale (up to 50-70 % off most items) to help alleviate that situation. I encourage everyone in the area to visit the store --who knows, you might even buy something and help perpetuate Harry Kremer's legacy. (I bought the latest Love and Rockets and Dork!)Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Thursday, June 07, 2007
Atomic Age Comics, Toronto
:: Posted by Bryan @ 6/07/2007 01:18:00 AM BlogTO's Matt interviews Gene Lee of Atomic Age Comics, located at the previously comics-barren corner of Pape and Danforth in Toronto:
A few years ago, when I worked at another comic book store, a mom and her son came in wanting to know what would be a good investment for her son comic wise. I gave her the advice I mentioned earlier. Her son took my suggestion and picked up Ultimate Spider-man #1 (the white variant cover). I hope he took care of it.
Also, last year, a semi-regular came in and asked me how much Detective Comics #2 was worth. His friend's dad had given his friend a copy to read. For the record, he was maybe 14 and he, his friend, and his friend's dad had no idea how much it was worth. From his description, it was mint. I was honest and told him it was worth about 20 grand. He later told me they sold it on eBay for about 20 grand.
Now, I know there are a bunch of collectors who are about to jump out of a building after reading this but before you do, remember the moral of these two stories. Both of these individuals weren't concerned about the monetary value of the comic. They both were interested in the reading value of the comic. Okay, somebody should probably have smacked the dad for letting his son read a first edition copy of Detective Comics #2, but no harm was done so...
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Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Lucky's Comics is the Real Face of Vancouver
:: Posted by Bryan @ 6/05/2007 12:24:00 AM Writing for the Globe, David Beers testifies as to how Lucky's Comics in Vancouver is the centre of the universe:
To my son, and to a lot of grown-ups drawn to the area, Main Street is a model of what I'd call "permeable capitalism." Its nooks and crannies hold people who will happily explain how they gather, sift or hand-make what they sell. My son, at 7, learns from his visits, and is able to imagine himself a creative entrepreneur.
Contrast this with how Vancouver and many other places are smoothing themselves over, ratcheting up rents, preparing the ground for global franchises. Slick. Efficient. Impermeable. Perhaps now you understand the fear. Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Free Comic Book Day Reports
:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/08/2007 05:30:00 AM Free Comic Book Day took place last Saturday. I was at the Clothing Show so I missed out on the festivities (I was also away from my computing machine and missed the reminder about the Paradise Comics event from Kevin Boyd --sorry Kevin). FCBD is like a big world-wide comic book convention. The Clothing Show is sort of like a comic book convention, except with lots of fashion-obsessed women instead of cosplayers and comic book fans. I only spotted a few young women in Supergirl & Wonder Women t-shirts, one joker in a West Coast Avengers tee, the now ubiquitous "I Love You! I Know!" gay Batman and Robin image, and this leather masterpiece from the kids at MonsterMuffin:
As for the rest of Canada, Free Comic Book Day went something like this:
-Michael Cho blogs his day at the Beguiling, including his super-awesome page from the Comics Festival comic
-Jason Truong manages to hit almost every major signing in Toronto
-John Gallant hits a few stores in Vancouver
-this fan of My Chemical Romance talks about how a comic book written by a rock star can pack in the crowds in Montreal
-Rachelle Goguen writes a funny report (with photos!) of the signing at Strange Adventures in Halifax with Andy Runton, Darwyn Cooke, et al
-a report about the Happy Harbour event in Edmonton contains a collage of Buddhist comic book characters
Please send us your own comments, links, and blog posts about FCBD 2007!Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, events, links
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Friday, May 04, 2007
Astro Comics, Montreal
:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/04/2007 01:54:00 AM Paul Stock, a comics shop owner in Montreal, wades into the Battle of the Century and tries to answer the magic question: who's stronger, The Incredible Hulk or the boxes Diamond ships its comics in?
I've been a comics retailer since the mid 1980s. Prior to that, I was a traffic manager in international freight, warehouse manager, and shipper. I have designed corrugated boxes for multiple purposes.
Diamond, in my opinion, does an excellent job in packaging. Scott criticizes the C400 boxes, but fails to mention that these are simply outer sleeves. They are single wall, relatively lightweight, but they enclose two C200 cartons, which are both doublewall. Effectively, on the sides, the comics are protected by three layers of flute and five boards. That's extreme in itself. On the top and bottom, the flaps add four layers of flute, eight layers of board. These are not simply ECT42, the UPS limits for such are simply not applicable.
Astro is a participant in Free Comic book Day, as well.
It's surprising how few shops turn up via the FCBD shop locator in Montreal:
1,000,000 COMIX
1418 PIERCE
MONTREAL, QC
(514) 989-9587
CAPITAINE QUEBEC
1837D ST-CATHERINE WEST
MONTREAL, PQ
(514) 939-9970
LIBRAIRIE ASTRO
1844 SAINT CATHERINE STREET WEST
MONTREAL, PQ
(514) 932-1139
KOMICO INC.
5218 QUEEN MARY
MONTREAL, PQ
(514) 489-4009
LE VALET D'COEUR
4408 ST DENIS
MONTREAL, QC
(514) 499-9970
STUDIO 9 COMIC SHOP
5835 SAINT HUBERT
MONTREAL, PQ
(514) 272-6043Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Last Thoughts on Gemini Closing
:: Posted by Bryan @ 5/04/2007 01:35:00 AM Since this is scheduled to be a semi-lucrative weekend for comics shops, one last note about a shop that didn't have a great year. Gemini Jetpack in Waterloo was scheduled to close April 28th. I'm posting some correspondence with a Jetpack customer (the president of the local anime and manga club) for the occasion, in memoriam, as it were:
Gemini Jetpack's closing is certainly a loss for myself and other fans
of anime and manga in the area; It certainly makes it harder to find
new
manga, or to find new anime to purchase. As far as I know, its the only
major retailer of anime in the area, and one of the best retailers of
manga in the area.
CTRL-A has a relationship with Gemini Jetpack that dates back several
years; I'm not sure quite how long, but its existed at least since I
came to University (Sept 2004). Gemini has been very supportive of
CTRL-A; Gemini regularly gave discounts on anime rentals to CTRL-A
members, and a large proportion of the anime we show is rented from
Gemini. As a show of gratitude, we would typically allow Gemini to sell
their merchandise at some of our shows, but I don't recall the last
time
this took place.
As a CTRL-A member, losing Gemini is very unfortunate. Gemini was a
great source of anime, and now we won't be able to easily obtain the
same variety of anime as previously. Additionally, our members won't
really have a place to go if they want to buy anime or manga (aside
from
Chapters). It's sad to see it go.
Regarding the closing letter, I think the Gemini crew makes some very
valid points. Anime piracy is a serious problem for small businesses
like Gemini and for groups like CTRL-A. In the letter, they mention
"bootlegs, downloads, and the bastards at YouTube", and I'd agree that
they are all serious problems. I don't think fansubs are a bad idea;
it's good to watch a few episodes of something to get a feel for it,
but
that's all that fansubs should be used for: to get a feel for a show.
Numerous times I have encountered folks that watched a 'horrible' show
all the way through, but wouldn't dream of purchasing it. If it's so
horrible, why did they watch it the whole way? I'll never know. Worse
is
when someone loves a series, but would never purchase it. I just can't
understand it. I would argue that CTRL-A has had similar problems to
Gemini, without the huge financial loss however. With fansubs and
YouTube, there's not a huge incentive for anime fans to trek all the
way
to the university campus to watch anime, even if it is on the big
screen.
As for some of the other points in the letter, I don't really have much
to say; I just don't know enough about comics or card games to comment
on those points. The marketplace for anime has certainly changed for
the
better, being more accessible than it has ever been, but its far from
perfect and Gemini's closure will certainly make anime a little less
accessible in Waterloo, at least from a purchaser's perspective.
As for CTRL-A, we do have events planned for the summer. As it is now,
there are plans for four shows this term (I can provide you with dates
if you like, but they should be available at our website
http://www.ctrl-a.org somewhere between now and May). There has also
been talk of organizing transportation to Anime North, but only talk;
nothing decisive. Really, I don't have much of an idea what will take
place during the summer, not until the new executive is elected; it's
really their call.
As for manga, the club doesn't really deal much with manga
surprisingly,
though that may change in the near future.
I don't quite know what else to say. I hope that these comments have
been helpful, and if you have any other questions I'd be glad to answer
them. Also, may I inquire as to what my comments will be used for?
-Nicholas Terwoord
W07 CTRL-A President Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk
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Monday, April 02, 2007
Comic Shoppe Talk: 8th Street Books, Saskatoon
:: Posted by Bryan @ 4/02/2007 12:02:00 AM This week's Q & A is with Pat Thompson of 8th Street Books and Comics in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Pat also hosts Comic Chat with Theo and Pat heard on CFCR radio, FM 90.5, Friday at 6 and Monday at 6:30p.m.
My thanks to Pat for taking time out to answer these questions.
----------
Q. What is the general age/gender breakdown of your customers?
I have a full range of ages but the largest demographic is the 18-25
range.
Q.What do you sell more of by volume, graphic novels (including trades and manga) or monthly comic books?
Monthly comic books by far but the dollar value is close.
Q.What are your bestselling non-manga graphic novels?
Watchmen, 300 (once the movie was announced), V for Vendetta, Kingdom
Come, Ultimate Spider-man (all), Bone (all), Batman: Dark Knight
Returns, Batman: Long Hallowe'en, Batman:Dark Victory, Sin City (all)
Q. What are your bestselling non-superhero graphic novels?
Bone, Sin City, Archie Americana, Sandman, 300, V for Vendetta,
Books of Magic (the original), Star Wars any, Elfquest, Hardy
Boys/Nancy Drew
Q. What do you see as the major trends in graphic novels and comics retailing over the next year? The next 5 years?
I have expected for a long time that the big companies would switch
focus from monthlies to GN's but that hasn't happened. I hope/expect
more European stuff to start arriving in TPB form.
Q. What comics do you find yourself recommending the most?
I recommend many titles. Whenever a new customer comes in and asks about comics I find out what they are most interested in and then recommend with that in mind. No sense trying to sell Girls to a super hero fan.
Q. What are your favourite comics?
No favourites. I really enjoy anything well-written. Okay, maybe not manga for the most part and I do pick up super hero stuff first but I do read True Story Swear to God and Strangers in Paradise every month the same way I read Amazing Spider-man.
Q. Why are you a comics retailer?
I actually accidentally fell into this job. I really enjoy retail work and I'm a big fan of comics. It is what I want to do for a living and it is as close to having a hobby as I come.
Q. What bothers you the most about the current comics industry?
Hollywood having the rights to play with comic book characters and
change the characters to fit what some fool thinks is the best choice
for some fictional demographic. And that isn't even in the industry but
it is a significant driving force for getting new and lapsed readers
into the stores and these arbitrary changes don't make selling our
product any easier. In the industry I would have to say my largest
bother would be how Marvel treats retailers.
Q.The Can-Con question.
I guess the most prominent of the Canadian comics (consider Canadian as
any comic that has a Canadian involved in the creative process) is Zemo
by Tom Grummett. Not because it sells really high numbers but because
Tom is Saskatoon's most published comic artist. Pat Davidson who is a
rising star at Marvel in the inking department has quite a few books on
the shelves here at the store. Check his work in Cable Deadpool and in
the upcoming Marvel version of Treasure Island . Expat Kaare Andrews
(He lives in Vancouver -- I think he moved to escape the weather) just
wrapped up the amazing Dark-Knight-esque Spider-man reign. Even though he has
never lived in Saskatoon, Calgary's Cary Nord is doing amazing work on
Conan. There are of course many great Canadian artists and writers out
there and I don't have the knowledge and time to list them all here.
Locally we have some self-published comics that are worth the read.
Unfortunately the production has fallen off lately. Huw Evans and his
sons put out one issue of Tri-focal. Hopefully more to come. Lucas
Bradford has moved to Victoria so no more copies of brain pain have hit
my shelves in the last few months. Elaine Will has been concentrating
on art school so she hasn't put out anything new in way too long. Jesse
McGibney and Adam Kirk are both in school at Sheridan College in
Ontario so nothing from them until their work load is reduced.
I'm out of time. Comics are here and I'm one staff short. I love
Wednesday.
Q. Any upcoming events/signings/sales?
Just had a big sale for my file customers last Friday evening. Big
signings for FCBD. Every Wednesday is a big event. We call it new comic
book day.
8th Street Books & Comics
1010 8th Street East
Saskatoon, SK
S7H 0R9
phone: (306) 343-6624Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, interviews
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Thursday, March 29, 2007
Gemini Jetpack to Close
:: Posted by Bryan @ 3/29/2007 12:30:00 AM Business Opportunity
Video rental, comic, gaming, collectable store, located in the heart of University population. Unique market, constant source of fresh traffic combined with a large existing client base of approximately 3000 customers. If you're looking to purchase a high traffic, evolving, friendly business, this is your chance. All store fixtures, product, till, computers, televisions and client base come with sale.
Contact 1-519-***-**** and leave message for a return call.
via Tom Spurgeon comes word that comic shop Gemini Jetpack is closing its doors.
I've driven by this store many times but it was only when I found a list of Canadian locations participating in 24 Hour Comics Day that I realized it was a comic book store. Unfortunately, I still haven't been inside. Located in Waterloo, on the main drag (King Street, the massive main street that is shared by Waterloo and Kitchener), and just a block from Wilfred Laurier University, Gemini Jetpack bills itself as a "pop culture" store and specializes in anime sales & rental, manga and comics, and gaming (trading cards and role-playing). The store was founded over 5 years ago by Jason Vilon & Wendy Reyn and seems to have made efforts to develop a community of manga fans and gamers. According to a statement on the store's website, Gemini Jetpack will be closing April 28 due to (from what I can make out) poor sales and some poor business decisions. As Tom notes, it's an interesting statement.
Anyway, good luck to the owners and best wishes.
-----
What with the recent problems experienced by Now and Then Books, and now Gemini Jetpack, I'm beginning to think Kitchener-Waterloo has too many comic book stores, really finicky comics readers, or is fast turning into a vast, comic book-hating wasteland. Hard to believe, since Waterloo is the nerd capital of North America in addition to being (or because it is) a hi-tech juggernaut/boomtown. Is it possible that, in an area home to over half a million people, there are not enough manga-readin', superhero-lovin', Magic-the-Gathering-playin', who's-stronger-arguin', anime-watchin', graphic-novel-buyin' cognoscenti to keep these shops afloat? Have regular grown-up bookstores and video outlets usurped the place of the traditional direct market comic book store?
Kind of makes me want to start a "Golden Triangle Comic Shop Cadaver Derby."
What's left:
Blaine Thurdlow (Kitchener)
Lookin' for Heroes (Kitchener)
J & J Cards and Collectibles (Waterloo)
Carry-On Comics (Waterloo)
Retrorocket (Cambridge)
The Dragon (Guelph)
any more?Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, manga
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Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Worlds Collide in Oshawa
:: Posted by Bryan @ 3/27/2007 12:01:00 AM More comics retailers: Danielle Milley profiles Oshawa comic store owner Tim Simms about something called graphic novels for the Durham Region News. Apparently, several popular movies are based on comic books. There is also a video attached to the article.
Choice quote:
And while the range of audience for graphic novels is changing, Mr. Simms admits they do appeal more to one sex.
"The majority of my clientele is men, but it has changed. I do have customers who are women," he says.
Labels: comics retailers, comicshoptalk, graphic novels
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Monday, March 26, 2007
Comic Shoppe Talk: Elfsar, Vancouver
:: Posted by Bryan @ 3/26/2007 12:05:00 AM This week, Ethan Peacock from Vancouver's Elfsar Comics agreed to answer a few email questions about his business. Elfsar occupies 2,500 square feet in Vancouver, BC. and opened May 2003 with some help from the folks behind Happy Harbor in Edmonton. The store is a participant of Free Comic Book Day and 24 Hour Comic day as well as fundraisers for charities (it donated over $1,600 to the Vancouver Ronald McDonald House last year). Peacock was nice enough to list some of his current bestsellers. Looking over the lists, it's tempting to say, as Elfsar goes, so goes the Direct Market. From Peacock's description, the store seems to attract a huge number of traditional Marvel/DC-type fans/collectors. I'm also reminded I should ask more specific questions about Canadian comics sales.
Q. What is the general age/gender breakdown of your customers?
The average age is about 25-30 years of age. The Male/female ratio is 85% Male 15% Female.
Q. What do you sell more of by volume, graphic novels (including trades and manga) or monthly comic books?
Well, it's kind of hard to say. Comics (floppies) still rank as #1 but that is mostly due to our saver file subscriptions for monthly books. However for floor traffic Trades are definitely #1. We track every sale at our store via our point of sale system so we know exactly what is selling, customer purchase history & loads of other useful data which helps us with our ordering.
Q. What do do you sell more of by dollar value?
Again, same as above.
Q. What are your bestselling books?
1. 52 weeks
2. Civil War
3. Mighty Avengers
4. Astonishing X-men
5. New Avengers
6. All Star Superman
7. Justice League of America
8. Justice Society of America
9. Walking Dead
10. The Boys
Q. What are your bestselling non-manga graphic novels?
1. Superman Death of Superman TP
2. Batman The Long Halloween TP
3. Astonishing X-men Vol 1 TP
4. Ultimate Spider-man Vol 1 TP
5. Batman Hush Vol 1 TP
6. Walking Dead Vol 1 TP
7. Batman Dark Knight Returns TP
8. Sandman Vol 4. TP
9. Superman Red Son TP
10. Watchmen TP
Q. What are your bestselling non-superhero graphic novels?
1. Walking Dead Vol 1 TP
2. Watchmen TP
3. Sandman Vol 4. TP
4. 300 HC
5. Y the Last Man Vol 1 TP
6. Bone One Vol Edition SC
7. Transformers G1 Vol 1 TP
8. Conan Vol 1 TP
9. Pride of Bagdad HC
10. Transmetropolitan Vol 1 TP
Q. What percent of your manga sales are driven by "TheYTV effect" and other media (anime, movies, toys, etc)?
Not much or at least I have not noticed anything significant.
Q. What do you see as the major trends in graphic novels and comics retailing over the next year? The next 5 years?
Our sales greatly depend on what the Top companies decide to put into print. I believe that Graphic Novels (Trades) are the future and we have been adjusting out orders accordingly. I think publishers are starting to have more faith in this format. But it is kind of anti-collecting and certain companies (i.e. Marvel) make it obvious that they do not like that which is why they seem to let so many of their trades go out of print. Other companies (i.e. Dynamite Entertainment) are starting to publish variant covers for Trades which again I feel is the wrong direction. I believe that Trades belong on a bookshelf and are aimed at people who want to read stories. Plain and simple.
Over the next year I foresee more collections of older material from the large publishers. I foresee more independent creators skipping the single issue format and going straight to trades, which will cost them more at first but in the long run they will sell out as opposed to having tons of #3's and #4's that they can't sell without reprinting #1's and #2's.
In the next 5 years I think the larger publishers will be pushing to put ads in Trades weather at the end or throughout the book (I have already seen this in a Top Cow Hardcover). I think that there will be more comics on the web and I think single issues will crash in sales and many comic book stores will close. This will be also due to comics being pushed to things like blackberries for a subscription, etc.
Hey, when you have Jonny Q [sic] at Marvel saying "The paper form of Comics will be extinct in 30 years," it doesn't give me a few positive outlook on my business of selling paper comics.
Q. What comics do you find yourself recommending the most?
Hard to say, for those looking for great stories, we recommend good stating points or one-shot books from some of our favorite writers. For those looking for good art, we point out different art styles and see what they bite on. Each employee has their personal faves. I like Mignola's work myself.
Q. What are your favourite comics?
I like any Comics/Trades that sell well and stay in print.
Q. Why are you a comics retailer?
At first it was because I was a comics fan. I was an aspiring artist and comics were very attractive to me. I was ordering so many comics that it was time to open a store. Now, that I have been exposed to the other side my fandomship has died down a fair amount. Now it's just a business and my priorities have changed.
Q. What bothers you the most about the current comics industry?
The "Comic Book Day Wednesday" situation. As mu | | |
