ComicsPRO meeting: Thoughts and comments
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As the third annual ComicsPRO members’ meeting drew to a close, retailers said they felt refreshed and recharged from the three-day conference.
“This experience has refined my understanding of what my job is,” said Atom! Freeman, of Brave New World Comics in Santa Clarita, Calif. “The day to day can really muddy your perceptions … being in a room full of people who know what you’re going through can refine what is you should be doing.”
Several retailers revealed in informal conversation that they believe the ComicsPRO conference to be the most important event on the comics retail calendar; the increasing membership and presence of the largest suppliers, most available to connect with on a one-to-one basis, would seem to bear that out.
While some retailers shared fears with me prior to the meeting, after the meeting, retailers said they felt better prepared to face the challenges of the future.
Some additional notes:
– While I plan much more in-depth coverage on this later, I’ll say now that talking to Geoff Johns about the upcoming “Flash: Rebirth” and “Blackest Night” has me very excited about the DC Universe in 2009.
– Vertigo’s “The Unwritten” (pictured) by Mike Carey and Peter Gross looks to be a must for Harry Potter fans over the age of 17.
– Diamond Comics announced a plan to import magazine/figure combos, similar to the Eaglemoss Marvel and DC magazines, featuring Star Wars characters and vehicles.
– Dark Horse Comics announced their intention to more clearly communicate with retailers about stock levels, when items would be unavailable, and when they might become available again.
– Joe Keatinge of Image received positive feedback to his preview of “Viking,” shipping April 1, by Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein.
– Filip Sablik of Top Cow showed lots of amazing artwork that we hope to have to show at Nerdage later, including art from Marvel Fusion, featuring Cyberforce, Hunter/Killer, Avengers and Thunderbolts.
– Matt Price
ComicsPRO attendees tour new comics distribution center
OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. — ComicsPRO meeting attendees toured the new facility of Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., to close out this year’s annual meeting.
The 600,000-square-foot distribution center replaces three such centers previously housed in Memphis. Diamond has two additional distribution centers, in Plattsburgh, N.Y. and in Los Angeles. The Olive Branch facility is now the most technologically advanced of the bunch. The new inventory control system allows workers to pick items via computerized voice commands over a headset, and the quality control system will eventually be able to all but eliminate short-packed boxes with mechanisms that will make sure shipment weights are correct within ounces.
After the tour and a catered barbecue dinner, Diamond representatives answered questions from attendees about the facility and other distribution topics. Retailers said the answers they received, and the tour of the facility itself, helped to calm fears brought on by some shipping issues as the system was being implemented.
Diamond representatives acknowledged there were still kinks being worked out, but that once the system was fully implemented, it would be more efficient and cost-effective for everyone.
– Matt Price
ComicsPRO directors elected
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The results of the ComicsPRO board member elections were announced at the ComicsPRO annual meeting. Named to the three ComicsPRO director positions up for election were Joe Field, Brian Hibbs and Chris Powell. The board also announced its officers: Field was re-elected as President; Chris Powell was named President Pro-Tempore; Amanda Emmert was named Corporate Secretary/Treasurer; and Carr D’Angelo was named Recording Secretary.
More information from ComicsPRO about the elected directors:
Joe Field has owned and operated Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff in the suburban city of Concord CA since 1988. He is a recipient of the Will Eisner “Spirit of Comics” Award for retailing excellence. He previously worked in the broadcasting field and has also done freelance public relations. Joe is also the founder of Free Comic Book Day, the industry’s only coordinated outreach effort.
Joe is a founding member of ComicsPRO, having donated his time and energy to the organization in its formative stages. In addition to running board meetings and overseeing the work of ComicsPRO’s Communications Coordinator, Joe also is the Chair of the Public Relations committee and is a member of the Mentoring and Member Benefits committees.
In his duties as ComicsPRO’s president, Field has attended numerous industry events to find new members for ComicsPRO and to increase awareness for the organization. These events include ComicsPRO members meetings in Las Vegas and a member recruitment meeting in Philadelphia, as well as giving his time to attend and run retailer programming at Comic-Con International-San Diego.
Chris Powell is the General Manager of the north Texas-based Lone Star Comics and mycomicshop.com.
Powell has been with Lone Star since 1989 and has worked at every level of the organization. He has served on the Board for 3 years and as ComicsPRO’s President Pro Tem for 1. At the ComicsPRO meeting, Powell was named president of the Board of Directors of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
Brian Hibbs opened Comix Experience in San Francisco at the age of 21, on April Fool’s Day, 1989. He was a founding member of the ComicsPRO board of directors.
Ben Trujillo, of Star Clipper in St. Louis, Mo., announced his resignation from the board. He told the assembled membership his retail business and his responsibilities to his software development business, which handles the point-of-sale system MOBY, made it impossible to dedicate the needed time to the board. Field thanked Trujillo for his time on the board, and the membership applauded Trujillo’s time on the board with a standing ovation.
The remaining board members are Rick Lowell, Phil Boyle and Gary Dills.
– Matt Price
ToW Distribution promotes selling bargain books
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Joe Havorka, president of ToW Distribution, a distributor specializing in remainder books, talked to assembled retailers at the ComicsPRO annual meeting about sales possibilities in bargain graphic novels.
Havorka said he believes stores who designate a “bargain book” section can see returns on a percentage basis that exceeds that of new merchandise.
ToW Distribution sells graphic novels and related merchandise to retail stores. Retailers who want to apply for an account can do so at www.towdistribution.com/
– Matt Price
Print still important, publishers tell retailers
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The continuing importance of print comics — and particularly those sold through the direct market — was at the forefront of several publishers’ presentations at the ComicsPRO annual meeting.
“You still represent the dominant sales force of graphic fiction,” Marvel Publisher Dan Buckley told ComicsPRO attendees as part of his keynote address. Buckley said the most important thing for Marvel to do was to lead new customers into direct-market stores.
DC Comics Executive Editor Dan Didio agreed, in his own presentation to ComicsPRO attendees, saying the biggest part of his job was to drive periodical sales in the direct market. DC Comics sponsored an entire day of programming at the ComicsPRO meeting as part of its commitment to direct-market retailing.
Dirk Wood, director of marketing at Dark Horse Comics, said the ComicsPRO show was the only show that saw an increased budget from Dark Horse in 2009, as Dark Horse aimed to increase its efforts to communicate with direct-market retailers.
While digital comics and the possible threat those posed to the direct market were much discussed prior to the meeting, publishers indicated they did not want digital products to harm direct-market sales, and in fact hoped digital content drove readers to stores.
DC Comics stated again no plans to develop for the Amazon Kindle. Buckley said Marvel doesn’t want to be in the business of consumer sales and customer service. However, they are continuing to look at ways to expand into the digital arena, including the upcoming Spider-Woman motion comic.
In addition to the public presentations, ComicsPRO board members met with publishers privately to share member concerns. ComicsPRO board member Brian Hibbs said these meetings were “incredibly productive.”
“The level of transparency and the level of candor from our suppliers has been very heartening,” Hibbs said, adding that this year’s ComicsPRO annual meeting was, he believed, the most beneficial industry event he had attended in his 20 years in retail.
– Matt Price
Signed “Berserker” comic will benefit CBLDF
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A special signed edition of the “Berserker” comic will be distributed to comic-book retailers who sign up to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund through Diamond Comics. The promotion was announced by Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik at the ComicsPRO annual meeting of direct-market retailers.
The issue will be signed by Milo Ventimiglia (“Heroes”) and the creative team. Ventimiglia brought the project to Top Cow; the team creating “Berserker” is made up of writer Rick Loverd (“Friday Night Lights”), artist Jeremy Haun (“The Leading Man”) and cover artist Dale Keown (“PITT”).
The preview issue of “Berserker” is available now; the first issue is set to ship in June. Sablik said the violent series should appeal to fans of “Wanted.” In the story, the two lead characters discover they have incredible strength when they become filled with rage.
– Matt Price
Embedded below is a “Berserker” promo video, which debuted at New York Comicon.
Top Cow promotes direct-market initiatives
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik outlined several of Top Cow’s initiatives at the ComicsPRO annual meeting of direct-market retailers. First and foremost among Sablik’s points was the company’s promise to hold the price point of its regular books at $2.99 through 2009.
The trade dress of the books has been redesigned to highlight the price. Sablik said any book at a higher price would have more pages or extras included.
Sablik also reminded retailers of the direct-market exclusive pricing on the first volumes of the Ron Marz “Witchblade” and “Darkness: Accursed,” which retail through comic shops at just $4.99. These each collect six issues. Volume 2 of “Darkness: Accursed” is set for April release at $9.99.
Sablik reminded retailers to sign up for Top Cow’s “Let Us Win You Over” campaign, in which selected retailers will receive free books to give away to consumers. It will feature 25 stores per month, and is a yearlong campaign to attract new readers. More information is available at www.topcow.com/freecomics.
– Matt Price
CBLDF outlines board changes; Powell named president
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Comic Book Legal Defense Fund executive director announced changes to the board of directors for the Fund while speaking at the ComicsPRO annual meeting.
Chris Staros of Top Shelf is stepping down as president of the board to focus more time on his publishing company, Brownstein said. Larry Marder, creator of Beanworld,” will join the board. Chris Powell of Lone Star Comics was named the new president of the CBLDF board.
Powell, also a member of the board of ComicsPRO, spoke to the assembled retailers.
“We value everybody in this room as one of the groups we’re here to protect,” Powell said. “The Fund is vital, because we don’t just protect you; we protect your customers and we protect your suppliers.”
Powell spoke to ways retailers could continue to support the fund: through memberships that are solicited through Diamond Comics Distributors; through eBay auctions that designate some funds to the CBLDF through MissionFish; through a donation jar on the counter; or through signings and events benefiting the Fund.
“Besides monetarily, one of the things you can do … is to help us continue to get the mission out,” Powell said.
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community.
– Matt Price
Hero Initiative announces Wolverine, American Flagg! projects
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Marvel’s most popular mutant is set to become a fund-raising hero.
Steve Borock of the Hero Initiative, speaking at the ComicsPRO annual meeting, said a “Wolverine” project similar to the “Spider-Man” and “Hulk” 100 Covers project is in the works. About 100 top-level artists will be approached to create Wolverine covers that will be printed in a book to benefit the Hero Initiative. Borock indicated that creators including Frank Cho were interested in being involved with this project.
Borock also announced “Hero Comics,” a benefit comic book organized by Scott Dunbier, which will include a new “American Flagg!” story by Howard Chaykin. This 32-page anthology will also feature contributions from Gene Colan and Josh Medors.
The Hero Initiative raises funds for comic-book creators in need. The Initiative has benefited more than 50 creators, Borock said, with more than $500,000 cumulatively.
The Hero Initiative also provided an informational DVD to the attending retailers with information about the Hero Initiative. The one-minute version of the video is embedded below.
– Matt Price
Action and Detective: No Superman or Batman? No problem
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — DC executives attending the annual ComicsPRO meeting were asked about upcoming issues of “Action Comics” and “Detective Comics” that wouldn’t star traditional heroes Superman and Batman. Will the lack of those heroes cause sales to drop?
Detective Comics will feature Batwoman as the lead character, written by Greg Rucka and drawn by J.H. Williams. Rucka is the writer on Action Comics, starring characters Flamebird and Nightwing. Issue #875, drawn by Eddy Barrows, is on sale now. Didio said the art for Detective Comics is phenomenal, and will draw new readers to the series.
“I can’t wait to see this stuff because it’s just so cool-looking,” Didio said. “(Williams’) Batwoman stuff is just dynamite.”
Didio also reiterated the strong ties between Action Comics and the rest of the Superman world.
“Those characters (Flamebird and Nightwing) originated in Action Comics,” Didio said. “(And) Superman’s not gone — he’s just not the star of the book right now. If somebody is a Superman fan, they should feel engaged by this storyline and excited by it.”
DC’s vice president of sales Bob Wayne indicated that numbers on “Action Comics” ordered so far under Greg Rucka’s run are nearly the same as previous numbers under Geoff Johns.
– Matt Price
