Flashpoint #5 question

[ctc]

>In the early eighties, I wad the only kid i knew of who still spent his allowance on comics...

Around here EVERYONE my age was buying comics, but I was the only one who frequented the comic shops. (Couldn't get Grimjack anywhere else....)

>I actually have more faith in Archie... Using the tried and true celebrity gossip and fashion tips that dominates the Checkout lines of grocery stores and drug marts.

Yeah.... with the more nerdly books it's tough to find articles to pad out the mag. 'Specially since any new info on the latest science-fictiony/fantasy/superhero/toy/game/whatnot will make it to the proverbial "alt.nerd.obsessive" WAY before a mag comes out.

>It would also be interesting to see if Archie pays royalties or not these days... Particularly after the PR disaster behind Don Decarlo's firing.

It would.... I dunno if the PR thing was THAT big a deal for them; sure, it had the comic crowd up in arms, but Archie's audience isn't really the comic crowd.

>The man who is arguably Archie's "jack Kirby"... If not moreso given that up to a few years ago, everything had to look like deCarlo drew it.

Hell; he was doing half the Archie-esque ripoffs too!

One other weird thing I was thinkin' that Archie did is how flexible their publishing policy has been. They've maintained the newsrack distirbution lines from the old "mainstream" days; BUT they ALSO work like the old "independants" in that they maintain back issues, and handle other marketing in house and with (at least limited) direct to customer sales. It hasn't been "all or nothing" with them like the Big Two and a Half.

Don C.

[thunderbolt]

I saw it on the magazine rack inside the store. It was a DG Marketplace.

[The Toyroom]

^ I've been digging me some Archie lately...I'll have to check out DG....

[thunderbolt]

Archie comics are at Dollar General now in old school 3 packs for 2 bucks. THAT is the way to get new people into comics.

[samurainoir]

In the early eighties, I wad the only kid i knew of who still spent his allowance on comics... My friends were all feeding the video game machines at Beckers (where I was buying comics), and saving up for game cartridges.

The real surprising move, and probably most Telling about the sales and PR they have received with Married Life with Archie is the fact that they have launched it as the headliner to their larger magazine format. Whether this model holds or not will be interesting to observe, since in the past decade we've seen Vampirella, kiss, too much coffee man, and ultimate spiderman come and go with attempts at marrying slick glossy magazines with articles to comics.

Clint is the latest attempt aimed a young men, and serializing Kick *** and the other Millarworld titles. I actually have more faith in Archie... Using the tried and true celebrity gossip and fashion tips that dominates the Checkout lines of grocery stores and drug marts.

It would also be interesting to see if Archie pays royalties or not these days... Particularly after the PR disaster behind Don Decarlo's firing. The man who is arguably Archie's "jack Kirby"... If not moreso given that up to a few years ago, everything had to look like deCarlo drew it.

[ctc]

>You can totally see why they abandoned the news stands in favor of the direct market.

'specially since there seems to have been a dip in the early 80's. I suspect the comic shops seemed like a safe haven then.

>This would not be economically possible now without an absolutely ridiculous cover price.

....and/or a few other changes, like lower grade printing.

>It would be very interesting to see Archie's numbers via newsstand/grocery store sales vs returns.

The last few I saw (from a year or so back) has a print run at around 190,000 with circulated copies around 80,000 for most of them, but (like the gap between DC's top and mid sellers) the better selling issues seem to get to around 130,000 circulated.

>I'd guess the reprints in the digests is what might help make the numbers work without the additional production costs?

I'd agree; especially when you think how much more money goes to talent these days. It costs them next to nothing to reprint and old Archie story, and each digest usually only has one or two new stories.... although it's almost surprising that they bother with new ones in the digests. I got no idea on how the current surreal "Life With Archie" is doing.

Don C.

[boynightwing]

The comic store where I lived only ordered 25 copies of Justice League. I think he still has some left. He had over a dozen when I came in.

Why don't they put comics back in to grocery stores? That's how I got them when I was young. I see them at Chapters now and there is a little book store near my cottage that has about a dozen titles. I've seen them at Zellers but they want too much per issue.

[VintageMike]

Upward movement is good. The trend in comics is basically the trend everywhere as entertainment options have grown considerably. You had v shows doing much bigger numbers in the past for instance. Why? Not just the quality because there were only a few channels to chose from. Even when cable started it was secondary. Today there are a ridiculous number of channels/choices so the audience is fragmented. Also comcis were the only portable kids entertainment back then. Had to get in the car for a trip? You had comics to keep you entertained or nothing. Today you'be got portable video game systems, Ipods, laptops and even smartphones. Not to mention dvd players in certain vehicles.

[The Toyroom]

Well this was a success at my LCS...not an issue of Flashpoint #5 or Justice League #1 to be found...Of course they never order large numbers anyway...I'm actually thinking about switching to online ordering....I just feel bad cause I've been a loyal customer for years.

[samurainoir]

>Comics haven't done those kind of numbers in quite some time

Stupid Comics

Don C.

That's actually really interesting data... You can totally see why they abandoned the news stands in favor of the direct market. Particularly with the rising costs of paper and printing (and the reason why print will ultimately give way to digital... With the print version being produced simply as collectible object in very limited quantities with a premium. Probably on a print to order basis).

They print 713,000. Sell 379,000. And ultimately eat the cost of 333,000. Only 235 subscriptions? Was that even worth the effort? Did it just give something for the secretary to do? (Jim shooter recently told the story on his blog about how the secretary stole all the subs cash that came in)

This would not be economically possible now without an absolutely ridiculous cover price. The 200,000 copies of Justice League they are selling is all profit with no risk or loss. Although the economics of scale applies to their mid-list titles selling at around 30,000 currently.

It would be very interesting to see Archie's numbers via newsstand/grocery store sales vs returns. Although I'd guess the reprints in the digests is what might help make the numbers work without the additional production costs?

[Earth 2 Chris]

But as I'm sure you're aware Chris...Comics haven't done those kind of numbers in quite some time. Comics sales were great in the 90's...but it's been awhile since we have seen anything like that.

Yeah, that was my point. These are good numbers, for today's market. But it just shows how much the American comic audience has dwindled in the last 25 years. It will be interesting to see how many new readers DC holds onto with this.

Chris

[ctc]

>Comics haven't done those kind of numbers in quite some time

Stupid Comics

Don C.

[The Bat]

It'll be as permanent as anything when the sales are there, when the hype dies off and the numbers fall back to what they were or lower, it will get rebooted again, or eventually put out to pasture. This feels a lot like a Hail Mary from DC. Wait'll Jim Lee falls behind or leaves to design video games or play them or whatever he does to miss deadlines the JLA numbers will drop.

I don't disagree with ya...changed is the one constant in the Universe(especially the DC Universe). I don't expect that Jim will do more then 12 issues before he turns the reins over to another artist. Jim Lee never use to have a problem with keeping up with deadlines until he started running Image....and now with his new duties at DC, he's doing it again. I have no doubt he won't be able to sustain that for very long.

[thunderbolt]

Geoff Johns and Jim Lee says this new Universe is permanent. And sales numbers aren't exactly hurting them. JLA is already going into a 3rd printing, Flash Point #5 a 2nd printing...and comics that haven't even hit comic shops are already going into 2nd printings(Batgirl, Action Comics). It's really early in the game, but so far it's a success.

DC #1 Hits 200,000 In Pre-Sales - Comic Vine

It'll be as permanent as anything when the sales are there, when the hype dies off and the numbers fall back to what they were or lower, it will get rebooted again, or eventually put out to pasture. This feels a lot like a Hail Mary from DC. Wait'll Jim Lee falls behind or leaves to design video games or play them or whatever he does to miss deadlines the JLA numbers will drop.

[The Bat]

Yeah but 200,000 is what ROM the Space Knight was selling when it was canceled in 1986.

Chris

But as I'm sure you're aware Chris...Comics haven't done those kind of numbers in quite some time. Comics sales were great in the 90's...but it's been awhile since we have seen anything like that.