Webcomics Community
Main Content => The Business of Webcomics => Promotion => Topic started by: LegendWoodsman on January 24, 2010, 04:35:28 AM
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I feel pretty lucky that the comic book stores that I frequent are pleasant enough to pass along postcards, bookmarks, and fliers promoting webcomics. Has anybody tried this course and what was the result?
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I've been thinking about it. I may try at some point but I know from being a comics customer that the comics stores in CT only come in two flavors, Corporate where everything has to be approved by 27 layers of middle management and barely hanging on. The barely hanging on ones are usually way more customer friendly and they often run board games and warhammer stuff but they don't have the manpower to do things like account for sales of your webcomic items on consignment. The corporate guys take forever to approve anything and even if it does get approved it rarely goes well unless you can get the underpaid, unappreciated staff on your side.
Do I sound cynical? I think I'm coming off as cynical here. ::)
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Every store is different and every experience is different. I've seen some stores who are pining for the days of the 90s comic boom (or was it 80s?) and turn their nose at anything unbranded by the big two. I've seen some stores that foster new talent and have comic jams. Then you have the spectrum in between.
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For being such an artsy town, Austin's comic stores are pretty close-minded about comics. The only exception is Dragon's Lair which recently hosted a Webcomics Weekend (with some big names - Jeph Jacques, Danielle Corsetto, Scott Kurtz...) Other than that one, I haven't seen any postcards or anything related to webcomics.
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For being such an artsy town, Austin's comic stores are pretty close-minded about comics. The only exception is Dragon's Lair which recently hosted a Webcomics Weekend (with some big names - Jeph Jacques, Danielle Corsetto, Scott Kurtz...) Other than that one, I haven't seen any postcards or anything related to webcomics.
You realize if Scott has a Google Alert set up for his name (and a guy like Scott who sees enemies in every shadow probably does) he will probably see that. Just FYI. Don't burn any bridges. ;)
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While I can think of several stores in the Toronto area that are small-press-friendly, they all have the same issue-- space. It's difficult to even find extra counter space (or window ledge space or whatever) for flyers or postcards. These stores are often trying to maximize what space they have for items they can sell.
I've had good luck asking these stores to carry my books, though, either on commission (when they don't know me) or by straight purchase (when they do).
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While I can think of several stores in the Toronto area that are small-press-friendly, they all have the same issue-- space. It's difficult to even find extra counter space (or window ledge space or whatever) for flyers or postcards. These stores are often trying to maximize what space they have for items they can sell.
I've had good luck asking these stores to carry my books, though, either on commission (when they don't know me) or by straight purchase (when they do).
I'll name-drop some stores because they deserve the credit: In Toronto, I've had pretty good luck with The Beguiling (http://www.beguiling.com/), Silver Snail (http://silversnail.com/storefront/) and Hairy Tarantula (http://www.hairyt.com/). They were pleasant to deal with and I want to thank them for their supporting a webcomic fella like me.
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You realize if Scott has a Google Alert set up for his name (and a guy like Scott who sees enemies in every shadow probably does) he will probably see that. Just FYI. Don't burn any bridges. ;)
Aw, crud, you're probably right. *edits* But he IS.
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The names of those stores alone make them awesome. :o
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For being such an artsy town, Austin's comic stores are pretty close-minded about comics. The only exception is Dragon's Lair which recently hosted a Webcomics Weekend (with some big names - Jeph Jacques, Danielle Corsetto, Scott Kurtz...) Other than that one, I haven't seen any postcards or anything related to webcomics.
I'm really not surprised the Dragon's Lair did that. I love that store. Too bad I don't live in Austin anymore.
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I actually work in the Comic Book Shoppe in Ottawa--I'm posting this on my lunch, right now, actually. My boss is awesome--he's pretty good about promoting local events and artists, and our down town store has an Art Gala once or twice a year where local artists, amateur and pro, can display and sell their comic related art. It's a black tie event with wine and food, too. Pretty snazzy. =D
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Ran, does Ottawa have any comic shows yet that are worth driving to? Last I checked there weren't any, but if there ever is one I will probably attend...
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There are a few that happen in Ottawa, but they're all warhammer/magic-cards/tabletop gaming or anime cons. Ottawa has one Anime convention called naru2u, but it's kind of ass. Most of the conventions, trade-shows and events that my store goes to are ones that we're willing to cart all of our stuff to Toronto for, anyways.
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Well, if you're coming to a Toronto show (TCAF, perhaps?) let me know! :)
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Haha, sure thing.
I'm headed out to Anime North, and I believe my store goes to Fan Expo every year, but I don't go with them because there's nothing worse than standing behind a dealer's room booth for three days with no chair and no real breaks. Sure, I'm paid, but I think I'd rather kill myself than do that again :S
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Heh. You guys are hella lucky in the USA with comic shops. There is no ,,Local comic book store" here in Hungary, here we have ,,THE comic book store".
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Yeah. :-\
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Heh. You guys are hella lucky in the USA with comic shops. There is no ,,Local comic book store" here in Hungary, here we have ,,THE comic book store".
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Yeah. :-\
Actually, TTallan and I are both from Canada. And would you believe that my comic book store is called The Comic Book Shoppe? Hahah. :D
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Ran you know the rest of the world just considered Canada a suburb of Buffalo... Canadians; Americans without guns and so on. :D
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Canada: Alaska's Mexico
I do feel fortunate that I have access to a friendly local comic book store. I know some parts of the province don't have a L.C.B.S. and fans have to pool together their resources to order direct from Diamond.
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Canada: Alaska's Mexico
I do feel fortunate that I have access to a friendly local comic book store. I know some parts of the province don't have a L.C.B.S. and fans have to pool together their resources to order direct from Diamond.
L.C.B.S.? Which store is that? I tried googling for a website, but no luck. Which province are you in?
Also, I was under the impression that diamond doesn't do that sort of thing--they require paperwork which proves that you're a real store and have a business license. ???
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Uh... I think L.C.B.S. probably stands for "Local Comic Book Store" and I think our fair Woodsman may not be up to date on his Diamond Publishing history.
Yeah Ran, I'm pretty sure you are right. Diamond made it pretty clear around this time last year that they were done with small comics and short print runs. (http://comics212.net/2009/01/19/diamond-order-minimums-beginning-of-the-end-for-the-direct-market/)
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@ran
Yep, Rob is right, L.C.B.S. is the acronym for local comic book store. I see it used elsewhere and thought it was more common. My apologies.
It's very probable that a business license is required but I do not think a business license is too difficult to obtain. When I registered my Trade name, I was handed paperwork to fill out for a business license and I was given a gov't URL if I wanted to fill out the paperwork online. I'm in Alberta, so between Edmonton and Calgary there are a fair amount of rural towns, villages, hamlets, etc.. From what I've heard (so it may just be hearsay), you and your friends pool together your order to meet Diamond's minimum, maybe set-up an online presence [like an eBay store], and then you pick-up the box of comics that were ordered from the nearest FEDEX depot. Maintain that month after month, in order to keep a good standing with Diamond. Basically, operating the store out of your basement.
I can see how "fans have to pool together their resources to order direct from Diamond" misses all the details I just mentioned above. :-[
I should have written that fans pool together their resources to become a comic book store and order direct from Diamond
@Rob
The article you linked describes how much harder it is for a small publisher to distribute with Diamond. I read Chris's blog regularly and I agree that the minimums will hurt up-and-coming artists and independent publishers. If I published a comic book, and not enough orders came in from the comic book stores, book 2 could no longer be offered through Diamond- regardless of its (let's pretend it's great) merits. The example that Chris used was that if Scott Pilgrim 1 was to be measured by Diamond's standards of sales today, there would not be a Scott Pilgrim 2.
Fun Fact: (http://comics212.net/2009/01/19/diamond-order-minimums-beginning-of-the-end-for-the-direct-market/) Do you know what it costs to be a direct market retailer? $600 minimum order each month. A cost between 4 and 10 times less than what it costs to be a publisher, apparently. Figure that one out.
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This can also be done with youth centers and libraries. Anywhere that wants to promote reading in the youth or in general is often not shy to leave some bookmarks and what not to the side for people to check out and pick up. That said, you can also look into free comic book day and possibly give out a free sample chapter of your comic. So just remember you are not limited to comic book stores alone.
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Excellent point, SleepyKiks
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I just remembered this thread.
Well, I was at my local comic store, Forbidden Planet, and asked them if they would be willing to distribute some mini-flyers advertising my comic if I printed them out and gave them to them.
They said they'd be glad to.
I then asked them if they had any job positions available, but it seems like that was pushing my luck a little bit, as they had just given away the last position.
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Ran you know the rest of the world just considered Canada a suburb of Buffalo... Canadians; Americans without guns and so on. :D
As a rest-of-the-worldese pereson, I kind of consider Canada as the better America. The one with better healthcare and education, funnier accents, and not so much gun crime. I've never been, but TV portrays Canada as vaguely utopian.
Although the French Canadians are reputed to be Extra Rude, presumably to make up for them not actually being French.
Back on topic: There's a Forbidden Planet in Dublin, and they're pretty good about supporting local artists. In the late 90s there was a photocopier-produced-comics movement with maybe about 20 comics, and FP put up a stand for Irish Comics. The stand is still there, and that little indie comics movement is what got me interested in making my own comics in the first place :)
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I've been to the southern states. The U.S. wins the funnier accents contest. ;D
I really like the idea of comic shops promoting local talent by putting them together on a special stand (or rack, or shelf). Bookstores do this all the time, and it works great. People are interested in supporting the home team!
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I've been to the southern states. The U.S. wins the funnier accents contest.
I've been to the NORTHERN states and that's a funny accent goldmine all on its own.
Any comic shop I've seen worth its own power bill has had an indie comics section. At present, I don't know for sure if my local shop would support webcomics, though I suspect they would. At the very least, I'm certain they'd let me put down flyers or something. I know the shop where I used to live did a lot to support our webcomics...we were even low-level celebrities there.
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I've been to the southern states. The U.S. wins the funnier accents contest.
I've been to the NORTHERN states and that's a funny accent goldmine all on its own.
Yeah I live in Connecticut and I've got the Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine Yankee accent above me; the Boston-Providence Southie accent to the east, New York which has accents for every region (Brookly, Bronx, Long Island oh my GAWD LonGUILAND!)... even the Stamford-Greenwich area, CT has a good deal of that Thursten Howell III thing going on with all the insanely rich people.
I missed out on all of it. When I was in the Army people used to guess I was from Ohio. They said I had no discernible accent. As such I've always picked up a bit of local flavor somewhat unconsciously every where I go. When I was stationed in the south (Georgia) I actually picked up a small southern twang and I've noticed it happening to me whenever I talk to someone with a thick accent for a long period of time.
Fortunately they are either usually too polite, too oblivious or too tickled to say anything.
back on topic though, the local shops in my area that are privately owned will sell your mother on consignment if they have the space... at least in my experience. The corporate shops like Heroe's or Pink Pineapple you might have to deal with some area manager type but it's worth it if only to increase local awareness and that in turn may increase traffic at your next local convention which, considering that there is usually less traffic and housing costs involved is going to maximize profits.
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For being such an artsy town, Austin's comic stores are pretty close-minded about comics. The only exception is Dragon's Lair which recently hosted a Webcomics Weekend (with some big names - Jeph Jacques, Danielle Corsetto, Scott Kurtz...) Other than that one, I haven't seen any postcards or anything related to webcomics.
I've noticed the same thing Amanda. Austin for hosting one of the bigger Indy conventions around (STAPLE) certainly doesn't support the small press creator and even less the webcomic creator. I've had little success getting stuff in a couple of stores, but honestly I have never set foot in the Dragon's Lair and now that I know about that one I'll definitely check it out! There's SO much creative talent in the Austin area you'd think we'd be in better shape!
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My friends from Rooster Teeth are right down town near the capital.
Then again I think maybe they recently bought a building... so maybe they moved.
But I was in Austen last year and it really is ridiculously well kept. I've never seen such well maintained and well decorated highway off ramps in my life.
The star of Texas is literally on everything. It's like it's some kind of unspoken law or something. You MUST have the star of Texas (or in lieu of that the Marshall Shield) on EVERYTHING.
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My friends from Rooster Teeth are right down town near the capital.
Then again I think maybe they recently bought a building... so maybe they moved.
But I was in Austen last year and it really is ridiculously well kept. I've never seen such well maintained and well decorated highway off ramps in my life.
The star of Texas is literally on everything. It's like it's some kind of unspoken law or something. You MUST have the star of Texas (or in lieu of that the Marshall Shield) on EVERYTHING.
Dude our forefathers worked HARD for that star! We like it! :)
But yeah man Austin is a GREAT city and I love it like no place I've ever lived. The music scene is SO awesome and I don't play music for shit, I just like listening to it. The indy comics scene is really strong and getting stronger all the time as well. Pretty much anything arts related is booming in Austin and the people are so supportive, at least outside the comic shops. That seems kinda backwards...but hey we'll get feet in the door somehow!
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Our nearest comic store is a branch of Travelling Man. As well as having the likes of Perry Bible Fellowship and Penny Arcade in their normal stock they have a 'small press' section which has everything from freebie photocopied comics to pretty professionally put together things, which is really awesome.
Unfortunatlely our nearest comic store is also in the second nearest city from us.