ComicsPRO Annual Members Meeting 2010 wrapup comments and thoughts
DC Comics shared a preview edition of "DV8: Gods and Monsters" at the ComicsPRO Annual Members Meeting.
The ComicsPRO Annual Members Meeting is in the books, and again I heard lots of positive responses from retailers as the meeting wrapped up. One retailer told me he was scared of the future coming into the meeting, but leaving he felt hopeful again.
Concerns about digital caused a lot of unrest among retailers — and may again — but all the publishers at the meeting reiterated their strong support for the direct market. Most expressed the hope that digital comics will work primarily to reach readers currently outside the direct-market system and a firm desire to point digital readers back to the direct market.
DC Comics brought 12 people to the meeting, including a good portion of its top executive team, and focused the event less on sales pitches, and more on an earnest discussion of how to add growth to the industry. DC sought give-and-take from retailers on hot topics like price sensitivity, variant covers and marketing strategies.
Retailers I talked to were very pleased with DC’s frank approach. Many hoped that positive energy and candor would translate to higher sales of DC Comics by the attending stores.
Diamond Comics, the largest distributor of comics, said problems with its Olive Branch facility that plagued retailers a year ago have now largely disappeared, and Diamond is again meeting high standards of delivery.
Several retailers expressed to me that this was the best-organized and most smoothly run ComicsPRO annual meeting yet, which is a good sign for the continued growth and maturity of the organization.
Love of the medium was evident, from keynote speaker Robert Kirkman to ComicsPRO Industry Award winner Paul Levitz; from retailers with decades of experience to those who were weeks away from opening their doors for the first time. Those who attended the ComicsPRO meeting show a willingness to prepare and tirelessly work for the industry and medium in the future.
Short takes:
- While most who have reacted to the coverage from outside the meeting have commented on DC’s stated desire to be No. 1, there was no suggestion of plans to increase the number of titles or otherwise flood the market. There was no evidence presented at the meeting that DC would ramp up the number of titles produced; in fact, DC’s Dan DiDio’s indication was that the monthly number of titles would remain roughly steady.
- DiDio, co-publisher Jim Lee, vice president of sales Bob Wayne and the rest of the DC team also made it clear they were at ComicsPRO to discuss possible solutions, not to make sweeping announcements. They are very interested in maintaining open dialogue with comic-book retailers.
- DC received good response to a preview copy of “DV8: Gods and Monsters,” by Brian Wood and Rebekah Isaacs.
- DC took the retailers through a retrospective on the marketing plan for “Blackest Night,” from pre-launch hype to Free Comic Book Day to the ring promotions to ad slicks and radio scripts.
- Perhaps no surprise here, DC expects the “Blackest Night” hardcover to perform very well.
- Many publishers were up in direct-market sales in 2009 despite a very difficult national economy.
- Radical distributed copies of its Free Comic Book Day book to retailers on hand.
- Jeff Smith (“Bone,” “RASL”) and Terry Moore (“Strangers in Paradise,” “Echo”) graciously appeared at a Comic Book Legal Defense Fund function in downtown Memphis. Smith and Moore remain great ambassadors for comics and for the CBLDF.
- Diamond again expects strong national coverage for Free Comic Book Day, and a potential promotion similar to last year’s Hugh Jackman promotion is being worked on by Diamond’s FCBD specialist.
- The ComicsPRO officer positions remain unchanged from last year: President Joe Field, Vice President Gary Dills, Corporate Secretary/Treasurer Amanda Emmert and Recording Secretary Carr D’Angelo.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment