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- FCBD 08: I Apologize (No, Really) - alert nerd. - [...] regret taking more than three comic books on Free Comic Book Day. It was a jerk move–low-rent, immature, and…
True Geek Confessions: I Stole FREE Comics!
True Geek Confessions: I Stole FREE Comics!
May 04Complaining about Free Comic Book Day seems like a true asshole move. After all, it is a day that has become a kind of Nerd Christmas, when the geek masses flood their local geek emporiums in order to receive FREE COMIC BOOKS. In a perfect world, they rub elbows with the great unwashed masses who don’t know from comics, yet also receive FREE COMIC BOOKS, and everyone celebrates the art form and hobby I love.
So first: Thanks to all the stores participating in Free Comic Book Day. You’re doing good work, and mostly, you’re doing it well.
Now let me bitch, like the whiny weasel bitch that I am.
I had a small window of time to celebrate FCBD, and two stores to hit. The second my kid’s head hit the pillow for her afternoon nap, I was on the road.
My first stop was a store that had just remodeled, occupying a new space straight across from a huge mall multiplex movie theater. It’s a gorgeous place, roomy and well organized, giving off more of a warm Borders vibe than anything else. The perfect locale for new fans to be born, as they rushed over for free stuff either before or after catching the fantastic new Iron Man flick.
Except that this store had the free comics buried deep within the confines of their new space; it took me a few minutes to find them, when it should have taken seconds. They also had a THREE COMIC LIMIT, and no fewer than four store employees standing around the free books at any given moment, noting the limit every few minutes and basically policing the nice random strangers from getting TOO MUCH FREE STUFF.
Call me the Grinch What Stole FCBD, but I think a limit on the number of comics you can get sorta defeats the purpose of Free Comic Book Day. As it’s evolved, FCBD has basically come to serve two audiences: Diehard comics readers who want to get free stuff and maybe check out material they might not otherwise see, and non-readers of varying descriptions who turn up because they heard about the free stuff.
Neither of these audiences is served by a limit, because no one gets to really TRY anything they don’t already WANT. Like most fans, I went into FCBD with a small list of titles I knew I wanted to check out, and it was way longer than three. So it’s possible I would have just gotten material I already was reading, like DC Universe Zero, which this store had for free (admittedly, a nice move) but which isn’t really gonna convince me to try any additional DC books, since I’m already gonna get most of them anyway.
For the novice, a limit just forces them to pick up stuff they already recognize, so you may see a few more of the mainstream Marvel and DC type books in the hands of people who otherwise would never read them, or maybe some Disney or Simpsons books in the hands of kids. Instead, these people should be leaving with embarassingly huge stacks of comics, each one an opportunity to engage a new reader with material they’ve never experienced–in other words, the promise of mainstream superheroes may get them in the door, but the Owly or Hellboy or Graphic Classics books would leave with them too, and may open their eyes to new experiences.
(I realize this is all in theory, too; we could debate the actual merit of FCBD in both bringing in new readers and selling new material to existing readers. Ideally, some of both is happening, and even if it’s little more than an ideal, shouldn’t that be what we’re all trying for anyway? Achieving ideals?
(Yes, you can quote me for your motivational poster.)
So there I am, standing around this table with a pile of twenty-something free books, and I finally notice the three-book limit. I get this cold clammy sweat down my back, because I don’t make it into comic shops often these days; as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve got this adorable and expensive toddler who will NOT STOP DIRTYING DISPOSABLE DIAPERS. I’d been looking forward to Free Comic Book Day for weeks, and now these people were trying to LIMIT my free comics? It’s like coming downstairs to find a pile of presents under the tree, and Santa’s standing there insisting you only get ONE.
I’m not proud of what happened next, but it’s what happened: My heart started racing a bit, I walked through a deserted section of the store toward a back exit, and I left with all twenty of my free comics.
***
Seriously, though? Three book limit on Free Comic Book Day? ANY limit on Free Comic Book Day?
Weak sauce. WEAK SAUCE.
***
The second store was far more appealing; there was a long row of tables right by the door, with short boxes full of each FCBD title, and no limits whatsoever. At the end of the row of boxes were four comics professionals signing the FCBD books and generally commiserating with fans. There was also a 20% off sale on everything in the store, which was enough to draw me into picking up a few back issues. As opposed to my antics at the Big Pretty Mall Comic Shop, where I nervously flipped through a crappy quarter bin on my way out the back door with my stolen free stuff.
Still, having hit two separate stores, one good and one bad, there remained a handful of FCBD books that I didn’t even SEE out there. I didn’t reach these stores till around 1 p.m. so it’s possible these books were out there and just got taken first, but I wish there were some way to get these books, even now–maybe a way to order online a few weeks after FCBD, or some digital downloads a month or two later?
Anyway, it was a good FCBD for me, but not a great one. Better luck next year, I suppose.
Are you even aware of the fact that we retailers have to PAY FOR the comics we’re giving away for free?
The cost to retailers of one of each FCBD comic (not including the heroclix!) offered in this year’s Previews was $11.43 PLUS shipping.
If I gave away one of each to every person that showed up on Saturday, the event would have cost my relatively small store more than $4500!
Tony Stark may be able to afford that, but most comic stores in the world can’t.
Hi Matt,
“Complaining about Free Comic Book Day seems like a true asshole move.”
You should’ve stopped right there. Every word afterward was merely a justification for hustling out of the back of a comics store with 20 comics — free to you, not the retailer — when the limit was three. Also, it’s bad form using the baby as an excuse/shield for doing the wrong thing.
Had a breakfast with a comics retailer who told me about “customer” complaints because some couldn’t take more than 10 FCBD books… How about leaving something behind for kids who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to get a freebie?
Wayne Beamer,
formerly of AOL’s Comics Alliance
Hello Matt:
First, it’s called Free Comic Book Day, not Free Comic BookS Day. (Does Baskin Robbins give you more than one scoop on their promotional day?)
Second, we’ve tried no limit and our experience was: more confusion, people grabbing stacks of the same thing, people grabbing stuff that was actually for sale as opposed to FCBD (well, you said there was no limit).
At our store, we suggest a limit of 3 but pretty much allow people to take what they like with an encouragement for a donation–this year’s charity was the HERO Initiative. We got this idea from someone else and I know a lot of stores that do that.
Even without a donation, Mom, Dad and 2 kids get to walk out with 12 comics, a couple Iron Man Heroclix and lots of other giveaways. Pretty darn cool.
The remodeled store you mention sounds pretty great, not a “bad” store at all. You might want to look beyond your needs.
Amazing! I can’t tell you how many people I’ve busted over the years who tried to justify their theft.
You are under the illusion that these are your (‘my’) comics when in fact they were bought by the LCS to give out as they see fit. If you are limited to one copy of a new hot release do you then steal a second copy because they only let you buy one? I see no difference.
We handed out THOUSANDS of FREE comics to 98% happy people. That 2% were goofs like yourself who felt entitled to grab anything that wasn’t nailed down and were upset that they only were allowed 5-6 comics. We even had one guy walk up to the front counter with an entire long white box of comics, expecting to saunter out the door with them.
Do us all a favor next year, Matt. Stay home. You’re ruining it for that other 98%.
Matt, you’re a whiney, selfish bitch!
haha. This Monday morning is fun!
Seriously gentlemen, who are obviously all grizzled vets of the comic retail wars, I think it’s pretty clear that the fact that FREE comic book day isn’t, in fact, FREE, is a common misunderstanding to the straights. I don’t know that jumping on Matt will accomplish anything, beyond clarifying that the books ain’t free.
If it makes you guys feel any better, I haven’t been able to make it to a FCBD in years, so, we’ll just say he got mine.
Hey Matt,
You know, maybe you didn’t see the comic books you expected to at those stores because some asshole stole 20 copies of it before you got there?
Just a thought.
I love that everyone complaining about this post is on the retail side of the equation.
I also, frankly, love the vitriol being poured in my direction. LOVE IT. Not sure what I’ve done to deserve being called an “asshole” and a bad father, except write my experience and share my opinion.
You know, owning and running a comic shop is not some holy vocation to be supported unconditionally. You’re running a BUSINESS. You are welcome to participate in Free Comic Book Day–or to NOT participate–as you see fit. If you choose to participate and run things a certain way, you should feel prepared to accept criticism from your customers. What, I’m supposed to crouch and genuflect because you spent MONEY on FREE COMIC BOOK DAY?
I’m also sorry the whole “stealing free comics” bit became the point of this, and I’ll cop to doing it (and to writing the post in the way that I did, my major mistake), but the real point is this, which I tried to mention:
If you place a limit on the books, you are MISSING THE ENTIRE POINT, which I believe to be introducing comics to new readers, and introducing new comics to existing readers.
To those who believed I was taking comics from poor, defenseless kids who will never be introduced to the art form because of me: I’d love to hear more about your efforts to introduce comics to kids through Free Comic Book Day. Seriously–if you really put a push out to bring in kids with this promotion, God bless you. But if your strategy was to kick open the doors and stick out the comics and assume lotsa kids are going to become magically introduced to the world of comics because of it, I think your marketing strategy’s a wee bit flawed.
I’m also sorry I mentioned my kid–I try to write as personally as I can, because it’s just my style and I try to keep it loose and funny and informal, but I forgot that there’s no mercy on the internet, so it’s okay to drag whatever you want into whatever argument you’re making–as long as you’re right, it’s okay, isn’t it?
So a very SPECIAL thanks to all you assholes who dragged my quality as a FATHER into my decision to TAKE FREE COMICS ON FREE COMIC BOOK DAY. Considering you don’t know me or my family, that takes a unique level of ignorance and spite. Congrats.
“I also, frankly, love the vitriol being poured in my direction. LOVE IT. Not sure what I’ve done to deserve being called an “asshole†and a bad father, except write my experience and share my opinion.”
Well, you brought the asshole thing up yourself. I was just running with it in an admittedly snarky manner.
But as to what you did to deserve it? You got online and bitched because you didn’t get enough free stuff. And you admitted to stealing comics when you knew it was wrong. You can see where that kind of thing might rob you of any moral authority, right?
You’re accusing retailers of having this sense of entitlement about their business, or of being overly judgmental and vitriolic, but try looking at it from our point of view. We spent a not-small amount of money and time into putting on a promotional event that was fun for customers and those who wanted free comics and would never, ever spend any money in our stores alike. And in response, several folks have gotten online to complain that we’re doing it wrong.
Can you see where folks might get a bit defensive? I mean, nothing justifies somebody making a cheap shot about your parenting skills, I’ll agree with that, but just for a second, try looking at your post from the point of view of somebody who tried really hard to put on a good event for everyone and was rewarded with the vitriol you laid down. Can you see where maybe folks got a bit ticked off?
You’re right, of course–I am an asshole. I just don’t see how it’s germane.
Seriously, Randy, I take your points. It’s interesting stuff you bring up, because where I’m coming from is that I’m a patron visiting a business and providing my view on how things went in that experience.
I think the retailers who have spoken here are taking it a lot more personally than they probably should. Hell, I purposely did NOT mention the specifics of either store I visited, precisely to avoid making this some kind of personal attack on specific stores! If I wrote about a bad experience at a restaurant, I can’t imagine the owners of other restaurants coming onto the site and attacking me.
My ultimate point was to observe a specific aspect of FCBD that I think is flawed. That’s just what I think. Frankly, there are lots of aspects of it that are flawed–shit, why should anyone have to pay for the damn comics? You’re telling me Diamond couldn’t fund publication of all the comics themselves? That’s got to be beer money for them.
I love comics retailers, I love comic shops of any kind, I spend as much money in them as I can realistically afford–but DAMN, you guys have to get over yourselves. There wasn’t even any real vitriol in what I “laid down,” from where I sit–I just blogged about my FCBD, and was vocal and specific about what I didn’t like. I’m a customer, and you’re business owners, and we probably both need to calm down a bit, I guess.
Hi Matt,
“I’m also sorry the whole “stealing free comics†bit became the point of this, and I’ll cop to doing it (and to writing the post in the way that I did, my major mistake), but the real point is this, which I tried to mention: If you place a limit on the books, you are MISSING THE ENTIRE POINT, which I believe to be introducing comics to new readers, and introducing new comics to existing readers.”
That’s a fair point (although most comic book retailers couldn’t absorb the cost of having an infinite number of copies of X FCBD book for folks like you who needed 20 of ’em). Had you gotten to it a lot sooner, perhaps, The Beat wouldn’t have used it as an example of “sour grapes,” and the rest of us wouldn’t have found you…
Funny that you bring up the bit about bringing your baby to FCBD with you too. I saw at least two guys pushing kid-filled strollers and plenty of moms and dads walking with their kids hand-in-hand to the FCBD conga line bright and early Saturday at 8 a.m. For me, watching those “passing of the torch” moments between parents and kids are the real thrill.
I introduced my oldest son (then a toddler) to a steady diet of comics — GI Joe, Batman, Spidey and the like — almost 30 years ago, and still get a thrill going with him today. Hope you’ll enjoy that very same opportunity with your “adorable and expensive toddler” in 2-3 years, as I did once upon.
Thanks,
Wayne
PS I found 9 FCBD comics of any interest to me. I’m curious what 20 FCBD titles you couldn’t live without…
Hi Matt,
A couple of other things regarding your reaction to Randy’s post worth mentioning:
“I think the retailers who have spoken here are taking it a lot more personally than they probably should.”
Just to clarify, I was just a schmuck/customer like you Saturday. Haven’t worked in comics retail in more than half a lifetime, and like it that way. And having seen up close the investment they make in FCBD, I understand why they would take umbrage…
“Why should anyone have to pay for the damn comics? You’re telling me Diamond couldn’t fund publication of all the comics themselves? That’s got to be beer money for them.”
It’s probably beer money for Marvel and DC, and maybe Archie and Bongo, but not for the rest of the 30 some indy publishers who participated in FCBD. Having worked on the indy publisher side in the past, “beer money,” more often than not, has kept many of them afloat.
Like you, I love visiting comics shops, especially when I’m traveling all over the country, so we may have more things in common than you think.
Take care,
Wayne
I thought the original idea of Free Comic Book Day was to get people who usually do not visit comicbook stores to visit them? (You know… Seduce the Innocent…)
The fans, the regular customers, that’s cool, give them free comics. You want more than the limit? Ask nicely. Offer to buy a comic to get two free comics. Write a check to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund or HERO in exchange for extra comics being pulled. (That’s what I did.)
If you’re a regular customer who has built a relationship with the owner, ask them nicely to pull copies for you. Then on FCB Day, bring in your friends and family and introduce them to the owner or manager and then select and buy some comics they might enjoy. (Ask them what they like to read, then find a comic which matches their interests.)
Man! A friend told me about this post and I thiught it would be a funny read but these guys seem to have it right, you are an asshole.
What you did was out and out theft, no different than if I went to the bank that offered me $50 to open an account and then decided to help myself to the cash drawer on the way out.
When you go to all-you-can-eat buffets do you bring plastic bags to take home extra food because they don’t advertise it has to be eaten at the restaurant?
It seems ridiculous to argue that someone who is paying to give you something for free is doing it wrong and morally indefensible that you flaunted their request and stole $6+ worth of books from them.
Why stop there? Why not help yourself to some back issues or a statue?
Who are you to decide “how the event should be run?”
Especially when you note that the day is about introducing people to comics they wouldn’t normally pick up. So you understand the reason for the day and ignore to satisfy your, in your words, whiny weasel bitchiness.
I can see where the guy above who said it would have cost over $4k for him to give one of each comic to every attendee would have a vailid complaint, especially if everyone of them decided to grab 20 books and run.
To bad you weren’t enough of a man to offer to buy the extra 17 books. I read an article that said the books cost about 30 cents ea. Would it have financially harmed you to offer the shop $6 for the extras???
It’s dinks like you that cause businesses to decide that the effort of such outreach just isn’t worth it and stop participating.
I HAS AN OPINION ABOUT UR OPINION THAT I’M NOT UNDERSTANDZ CORRECTLY, BUT IZ TALK ANYHOW!
The part where you wind yourself up over stupid shit that never happened and never would happen is the best part.
Matt, why did you stop with 20 promotional comics that the store will write off as an expense – why not rape the owner’s wife and kick his dog on the way out? Why didn’t you steal someone’s car on the way home?! Matt! Why?!
It’s an in-store policy, not a law. Matt goofed and said as much. He didn’t this that store’s policy was as smart as other store’s policies, and said as much.
And instead of using that as a point to talk about the good shops you went to, or the cool things they did to promote free comic day, most people have gone for the throat. And yes, it’s as ridiculous as it seems.
Shit, I killed a man once just to watch him die, and I didn’t get ANYWHERE near as much crap as this.
“It’s dinks like you that cause businesses to decide that the effort of such outreach just isn’t worth it and stop participating.”
Holy shit, you killed FCBD, Matt. Geebuz, you’re an asshole.
I did steal a car on the way home and I was so upset about the comics that I forgot!
Thanks to those giving this a second (or first) shake after the rocky start, and sorry for my bitchassness above. More later; must order ice cream.
The thing is, they’ve probably got you on security cam sneaking out the back door with a stack of comics. If they review the tape, they’ll see that you never went to the register to pay for that stack. They could then have you charged with shoplifting.
“The thing is, they’ve probably got you on security cam sneaking out the back door with a stack of comics. If they review the tape, they’ll see that you never went to the register to pay for that stack. They could then have you charged with shoplifting.”
…in the universe where a cop or judge would give a flying hoop about someone that took too many free comics.
The one thing this entire discussion is missing, and continues to miss, with the exception of a few, notable, level-headed, thoughtful individuals, is some perspective.
Dude took more comics than store policy (remember: not “city, state, or federal law”… store policy), which made him a jerk, to which he has admitted to both. Had he not mentioned taking too many books, nobody would have said peep. Because few are interested in debating how FCBD could be improved, or alternately how it doesn’t need improving. Everybody just wants to throw a stone. Stoning is fun. Thinking is hard.
Brian’s post is the most helpful, as it assigns a dollar value to the event – if a store were to get all 41 books available this year, it would cost a store-owner just over $450. This brings up two questions.
1) What is this cost for? Is it a per store shipping cost, or does it also cover printing? If it’s a shipping cost, is that already reduced by the middleman that will profit from attracting new readers – namely Diamond “the only game in town” Distrbutors, or is this something they should help eat, since they’re already shipping a pile of boxes to the store every week. And the same goes with the printing cost – is it reduced? Have the publishers eaten it already, in which case, is there a way to eat it more, like taking on some or additional ads in the freebies?
2) While $463 and change is a lot of money for a store (and of course, that’s the full title grab), do they not get to write it off as a promotional expense? I’m no Leo Bloom, but I’m pretty sure they can. That doesn’t help with paying up front and then having to wait until tax time, but in that case, see #1 – how can that be improved?
And there’s a loose third that’s just come to mind. What are the metrics on Free Comic Book Day? How do sales on that day compare to the last Saturday before Christmas? How many new accounts and/or repeat customers does the store gain? Are these metrics enough that simply calling Matt a jerkstore is enough, because the investment pays out big time in the future? And if they’re not, and there’s an excellent reason to be apoplectic about the whole thing, then doesn’t that mean FCBD isn’t really doing what it’s supposed to – in which case, how to make it work better?
And a final thought before I leave… While not exactly completely above board in execution, isn’t Matt exactly the right person to get a mittful of free comics? Because unlike most of us, Matt will write about them in one of several places. Just a thought. But then, hey – why ruin the fun of calling the man a terrible father by adding in some semblance of perspective?
I’m at a bit of a loss as to how a tale of shortsighted Robin-Hoodery has turned into this kind of circus. I’m of two minds: one, good for Matt – he’s sticking it to the man! I’m for that. On the other hand, I have friends who own comic shops, and I know the unique pains and aches associated with FCBD each year.
So here’s the thing: if Matt had gone out to every store in goddamn Orlando and pilfered books at each of them and flipped them on eBay to people who couldn’t get the books because their retailers are too cash-strapped and/or goons like Matt drove around and stole all of the childrens’ books, then yeah, cry foul all you want. I’ll stand in line next to you. If he’s protesting a bad consumer experience (and as the consumer in this particular instance, I don’t know that the anonymous interthrong gets to decide for him whether it was a good experience or not) by committing the frankly surreal crime of taking free things (for a given value of free – yes, I know it costs five billion US dollars to subsidize FCBD), then it’s still wrong, yeah, but it’s not the same.
Wayne wrote:
“Hope you’ll enjoy that very same opportunity with your “adorable and expensive toddler†in 2-3 years, as I did once upon.”
Thanks Wayne–I actually did get a few of the kid-friendly books for my kid (at the SECOND shop, with NO LIMITS, so there’s no danger of me giving stolen comics to a baby!) and she seems to enjoy reading them with me…so far!
“I found 9 FCBD comics of any interest to me. I’m curious what 20 FCBD titles you couldn’t live without…”
I’d have to sit down and go through the list, honestly–as I have mentioned, I view FCBD as the ideal sampling day, which is why I want to get my hands on as many of the titles as I can. I am eager to consume new types of comics, new creators, new ideas–doing so for free is pretty much a dream for me.
There’s always a handful of books I keep if I enjoy them well enough, a lot that don’t do much for me, and some that I like enough to remember what they are so I can purchase more material along the same lines down the road. I pass on all the books I don’t want to keep to other folks who might want to try them; so far, I think I’m actually keeping maybe five of the comics I read, and passing on the rest.
**
Ultimately, what I personally find interesting about this conversation/argument is what it seems to say about how people perceive Free Comic Book Day.
There seems to be a general agreement that this day is predominantly about bringing new fans to the hobby. That is AWESOME and I support that.
However, I think most shops need to place some serious support behind the concept–local PR, advertising, more of an “event” feel, whatever. This is not a “build it and they will come” scenario, in my opinion.
Is there enough being done in general to promote the event? Nationally, I can only speak to my perception, which is that pretty much NOTHING is done. Neither Diamond nor the big publishers pony up any cash to buy ads in the major papers (which I’m thinking can’t be THAT expensive for a Saturday edition); a short sweet film ad slotted before Iron Man nationally would have probably brought HUGE dividends, but I didn’t see that either. From a “rising tide floats all boats” perspective, it would be really nice to see the big companies help promote this, maybe even pony up some funds for a generic account to help small publishers defray printing and distribution costs on FCBD books.
Locally, I know it was mentioned in my area paper, in the Weekend section. It wasn’t a prominent mention but it was there. I hope shops are exploring their options for promoting the event locally–a few e-mails and phone calls would probably yield some very nice results, and a staged photo opp on Friday afternoon with some costumed folks might even make the local TV news, depending on your market. (I would, of course, be happy to help promote these events for you, in my guise as a PR/marketing professional–I’ll probably even do a bit for free just to help promote the glories of comics. Contact me if interested.)
**
I’d also submit that at this point, FCBD has become a day that is as much about existing comics fans as it is about new fans. The appeal of an in-store signing, for example, is probably almost non-existent for a non-fan, yet they seem to be a key part of how many stores choose to celebrate and promote the event. I think that’s a great idea, because it gets existing fans in the doors…
…and at that point, you have piles of free stuff to give them, which will hopefully expose them to material they may not otherwise try. If you’re smart, you also have a sale going on that will encourage them to spend.
There’s nothing WRONG with existing fans celebrating FCBD and getting all the free books they can handle. There’s lots of opportunity there, if you want to view it that way–get bodies in the door, woo them with sales,
**
We all agree on a few things:
1) I’m an asshole.
2) FCBD has a great deal of potential to help fans celebrate the art form and hobby of comics while exposing new readers to exciting material.
I look forward to next year–I think I’ll try to get some kind of donation program going at one of my local shops (give money to a charity, get all the books you want). That’s a neat idea.
I’m with Matt on this one!
I want more stuff for free than I’m already getting. And if I don’t get it, stores are missing the ENTIRE point of FCBD (which is to give me as much stuff as I want).
You’ve probably already got as much crap from retail-types as you want or need on this, but here’s my take: You give everybody 40 free comics, they aren’t coming back for a long time. If they read one a week, they aren’t coming back until what, January? And at that point, why not just wait until the next Free Comic Book Day? Why buy anything at all? Which I guess makes sense for some people, but not so much for the retailers. At the store own, we’ve done a limit 5 for the last six years, figuring, if you have to pick 5, you’ll probably actually read the five. If you come in with a family of four, that’s still 20 comics you can read. And we’ve never done an official “make a donation get more comics” (though that’s a good idea), but we have given more comics to people who asked for them and promised to read them. We are less interested in giving people longboxes of free stuff to flip on ebay. 🙂
>>To those who believed I was taking comics from poor, defenseless kids who will never be introduced to the art form because of me: I’d love to hear more about your efforts to introduce comics to kids through Free Comic Book Day. <<
We had more than 12,000 kids comics out for people to grab. We encouraged people to take home comics for their kids, nieces, nephews, and anyone else who might read them. Had we not limited them, the first few dozen goofs like yourself would have left us with nothing if they had their way. Oh, and we gave out free comics at a children’s hospital. And hosted a dozen costumed characters at our mall store for 5 hours. And brought in a guy to make balloon super-heroes. Those really did bring kids in. Lucky for us we had comics to give them because we didn’t let everyone who thought they were entitled walk off with a long box.
So Matt, what did you do to bring people into this hobby you so love? Granted, it’s not your business but you should do something to support your habit.
“However, I think most shops need to place some serious support behind the concept–local PR, advertising, more of an “event†feel, whatever.”
I’ve mentioned this on Heidi’s blog and a few other places on the web; Until you’ve been to “most” shops and can speak from experience, don’t use that phrase.
You visited 2 stores on FCBD. I don’t know how many are near you, or how many stores you’ve been to in your life, but I’m willing to wager that you haven’t been to “most” shops in your state, much less in the country.
If you don’t think those 2 stores did the right kind of/enough promotion, that’s one thing. Don’t assume we all did the same stuff just because we’re all in the same business.
As far as getting a blurb before Iron Man, it’s close to impossible. You’d be dealing with multiple theaters and chains of theaters for one. Plus, advertising on the screen is done over set periods of time, usually in weekly increments. You can’t just get 2 days (the time between the opening and FCBD) of screen time. You’d either have to put it before a different movie, which misses the target audience, or have the ad run even after FCBD has come and gone.
Sigh.
“So Matt, what did you do to bring people into this hobby you so love? Granted, it’s not your business but you should do something to support your habit.”
Well, actually, I write this blog, for starters. I can understand not believing I’m a big comics booster through this forum, since most everyone who’s come here in the past two days has turned me into some monster who wipes his ass with FCBD titles.
As I mentioned, I also have passed onward any of the FCBD books I didn’t personally enjoy. I do this frequently with back issues that I don’t want anymore–I find people who may want to read them. Largely other comics fans, but at least it exposes them to new stuff.
I can’t help but note, however, that my bills aren’t ever paid by selling comic books. Therefore, besides being a booster for the hobby, I’m not sure what else I’m supposed to be doing.
You, Phil, on the other hand, SELL COMIC BOOKS FOR A LIVING. As they say, you have a “dog” in this “hunt.”
Sounds like you did a great job on FCBD–bully for you. Hopefully you have a strong marketing, advertising, branding, and PR strategy to support both FCBD and your ongoing business efforts. I think that’s important.
“If you don’t think those 2 stores did the right kind of/enough promotion, that’s one thing. Don’t assume we all did the same stuff just because we’re all in the same business.”
HOLY FUCK DID I NEVER ASSUME THIS. I was pointing out what I believe to be a smart strategy for most stores to use, and then correlating that with my imperfect and not at all comprehensive personal experience. How could mentioning a simple, generic idea for promoting an event possibly be misconstrued so horrifically?
This is becoming exhausting so I may just have to stop soon–I guess the Angry Comics Retailers have won this battle! Great job! I hope it helped you sell more comics to kick me in the nuts.
“I hope it helped you sell more comics to kick me in the nuts.”
Having you steal certainly didn’t help anybody sell more.
Oh, Marsha.
Marsha, Marsha, Marsha.
The whole one last dig thing… so petty.
You’re better than that.
Y’know Matt, I don’t think advocating theft from your LCS is something to blog about and then claim that you’re supporting the hobby by doing so. Sure, I do have a dog in the hunt and considering I have 6 stores, it’s a pretty big dog. I’m happy to be able to claim that most of our customers are happy with us and have allowed me 25 years in the comic retail business. The rest are like you, who can find fault even in FREE.
>>I guess the Angry Comics Retailers have won this battle! Great job! I hope it helped you sell more comics to kick me in the nuts.<<
Funny thing is, I’m not angry about this biz. I LOVE this biz or I wouldn’t be doing it. Lord knows there are other things that pay far better. That does not mean I suffer the clowns who think they are owed something out of my pocket lightly. So claiming that you’re exhausted defending your indefensible position and then chalking it up to ‘angry retailers’ is either cowardly or irresponsible. I’ll leave it up to you to make that choice. Just admit that you were wrong as you’ve yet to post a single sentence that can justify that you were right and then you can stop exhausting yourself.
Besides, you love this. It’s the most reads you’ve had on this silly blog probably since you started writing it. Hate to tell you, it’s not making you look good and it’s not even making you look badboy-cool. You’re just looking like every other thief who’s tried to rationalize their actions.
Nonetheless, I wish you well but mostly, I wish you’d make an apology.
I’ll never be sorry for doing it. Thanks for reading my blog. Good luck with your stores.
You are a twisted freak. I think you are stupid. Maybe you could have offered to pay them for the additional books? I bet that didn’t even go through your sick little thief mind. You act like they are the victim, but you are not. You don’t even support their shop yet you feel obligated to something you don’t deserve. I pity any woman you tricked into having sex with you.
Also, if you are looking to make your site more popular due to this by getting lots of hits, I am happy to say I will never be back. You make me sick and I hope you get what you deserve, you prick. Stupid.
P.S. I am not a retailer. I shop at a small store who couldn’t afford it if weasel fanboys like you came to their shop. Man, what a genius.
It seems a shame that Jim’s post be so dense with text, but say very little in the way of anything useful, so I thought I’d turn it into an project;
“You are a twisted freak.” This is true. Matt loves William Shatner more than any married man should.
“I think you are stupid.” Probably true, but since Jim didn’t post any website for himself, and given that he likes to take ransom pot-shots at random strangers online, there is some small chance he is mistaken.
“Maybe you could have offered to pay them for the additional books?” Already suggested. Give us something fresh, Jim.
“I bet that didn’t even go through your sick little thief mind.” It didn’t, but it’s been bothering his neutral-good Paladin mind something awful. Hence the part in his post where he says he felt kind of bad about… Say, did you even read the whole thing?
“You act like they are the victim, but you are not.” Dammit, Jim! Keep your pronouns straight.
“You don’t even support their shop yet you feel obligated to something you don’t deserve.” You just made that up. And badly. Unless you actually meant that Matt is not obligated to the free comics, in which case, obligated to what? Read them? Yes. Yes he is. Particularly now.
“I pity any woman you tricked into having sex with you.” That was thrown out of court when the judge ruled that Margaritas did not constitute a “trick”, since the woman demanded them. Plus, that was years ago, and he’s married to a fantastic lady that puts up with his Shatner man-crush.
“Also, if you are looking to make your site more popular due to this by getting lots of hits, I am happy to say I will never be back.” See, now you’re just parroting shit off the other trolls. Besides, I’ve seen your American television – I’ve seen an episode of The Soup…
…you Americans always come back for the filth and a chance to howl.
“You make me sick and I hope you get what you deserve, you prick.” Well, he got a whole bunch of free comics. He was holding out for a meaningful discussion, but…
“Stupid.” Well… touche.
“P.S. I am not a retailer. I shop at a small store who couldn’t afford it if weasel fanboys like you came to their shop.” See, now that’s important. Good for you. Keep it up, True Believer.
“Man, what a genius.” It’s the beard. Don’t let him fool you.
Call off the dogs, Internet–I’m trying to eat all the crow I can fit in my mouth:
http://www.alertnerd.com/?p=933