Comic Books Collecting Big Business

In the Miami News today in 1973, they printed a story about the rising prices of old comic books.

Miami News, January 3, 1973, pg 6B

This article had run in the New York Times on January 1st, under the title "Comic Books Can Prove SuperInvestment".  It also ran in the Meriden Conn. Morning Record on Jan. 5,  the Anchorage Daily News on Jan. 7th and probably others.  The Morning Record article titled "Holy Cow, Batman, Comics Are In Great Demand ..." also included the following picture.

Don't you just love the legacy of the Batman TV show?  You can still occasionally see inane headlines like these even today.

Ed Summer of Supersnipe says he has 600 copies of the first Shazam issue and ordered 2,000 more.  He's "stockpiling for the future".    Bet he still has copies if you want any.  This was one of the early comic shop speculation issues where retailers bought copies so that they could sell them later at higher than cover price.

Kitchen Sink Pipeline 100

Kitchen Sink Press Pipeline #100 (December 1993) [Kitchen Sink Press]

This was a promotional flyer available to retailers in bundles of 25 to be given out to customers.  This was for items expected to ship in December 1993.  Enjoy a great Berni Wrightson cover of his humorous sf series Captain Sternn.  Here's the actual cover to issue #2 as it shipped. 

Compare the cover to the one solicited below.  At the time, Kitchen Sink was doing four series as well as many one shot comic books and related material.

Since these all were supposed to ship in Dec. 1993, lets see what actually shipped on time.  Here are 7 of the titles listed and when these issues got to the retailer from Diamond.

Captain Stern: Running Out of Time #2  - 12/1/93  (note that Diamond miss-spelled Sternn)
From Hell v. 3   - 1/12/94
Melting Pot #2  - 12/22/93
Spirit: The Origin Years #10  - 3/9/94
Messozoic  - 12/14/93
Druuna: Morbus Gravis 1  - 12/1/93
Visions of Arzach  - 1/12/94

Not bad, more than 50% came out in December.   Fans of Kitchen Sink books would not be overly disappointed by a week or two late.

Also of note is that Kitchen Sink "distributed" 3 of those titles.  From Hell was published by Mad Love Publishing, while Morbus Gravis and Visions of Arzach were published by Heavy Metal.   Sometimes a larger publisher would include another actual publisher's title under their solicitations to help them out, probably hoping for better orders or other reasons.  These were actually physically distributed to direct market retailers by the regular distributors like Diamond and Capital.

Diamond Dateline Dec. 17, 1992

Today's publication came out this week from Diamond Comics Distributors to their retail accounts.  This 4 page, slick weekly publication gave retailers the latest information on products they ordered and other industry news before the internet was well established.  This issue has the latest on multiple printings of the Death Of Superman storyline and Image leaving Malibu.

 

 Slid in between these 4 pages was additional information sheets.   A 2 page Star System list of TPBs, books, videos, and games that Diamond kept in stock to supply retailers on short notice. (Quite a bit smaller than today.)

A returns list for late shipping product and an Advance Reorder list for books that hadn't shipped yet, but on which retailers could increase their order.

A Previews promotional slick that retailers could copy and give to their customers to sell more copies of the Diamond catalog, and a 6 page list of everything that shipped this week.  I've only included the first page.

Also included were 2 items that were only included to the Hayward CA distribution center accounts, Diamond Discussions and a flyer about Christmas hours.  Local information mainly. 

This batch of papers was pretty typical for this weekly newsletter, though many times it also contained promotional posters, cards, or flyers from the publishers that retailers could post in their stores or learn about products.  This went out to about 4,000 Diamond accounts, which was only a portion of all the retail stores in North America in 1992.

Probably more than you ever wanted to know about what a comic store got each week.

Advance Comics #14

Advance Comics V2 #14 (Feb. 1990) [Capital City Distribution]

Customer orders to the retailer were due today in 1989 for Capital City stores.  As you can see by the cover, one of the highlights was the Batman: Digital Justice hardcover solicitation.  The entire book was created on a Mac computer.  Not the first comic book done entirely on the computer, as Shatter from First Comics came out in 1985.

I like to compare the solicitations to what actually is published to see what changes there are during the time between solicitation and shipping.  Here it says that it will be 110 pages, while the GCD has it at 120 pages.  It also says there will be a trade paperback edition six months after the hardcover ships.  It don't think this ever came out.   Must not have sold as well as expected.  The cover has a few minor differences as the Registration and Trademarks are in different places and the back ground color of "Computer Generated" is white.

One of the best thing about Advance Comics is that it prints the top 100 comics shipping that month from Capital City.  There are no actual circulation numbers, but you can compare how titles are doing against each other.

Here is a sample page of listings:

 

Here is an ad for the Disney Kyle Baker Dick Tracy mini-series, and the first issue cover.   Baker is much better in color though they should have made the background bricks a lighter color to bring out Flattop's shadow better.

The Comics Journal #229

The Comics Journal #229 (December 2000) [Fantagraphics Books, Inc.]

On Wednesday Dec. 13, 2000, retailers buying from Diamond Comics Distribution put this issue of TCJ on their shelves.  Interestingly, Diamond was on the inside as well.  Two stories lead off the news section of the issue.

As you can see, neither are very complementary of Diamond.  With the Harvey art lawsuit, Fantagraphics also let Geppi respond with his side.  The lawsuit was settled in 2002 with Geppi retaining the art and no payment made on either side. (Details at ICv2)

The Department of Justice investigation was about the virtual monopoly that Diamond had become in the Direct Market.  The DOJ decided not to take any further action.  This result was expected in the industry despite Diamond's exclusive deals with the major publishers as retailers could get the same comics via newsstand distributors.  To this day, Diamond's exclusives preclude any other distributor from challenging them in the Direct Market.

The other significant news was about Marv Wolfman's claim to Blade and Kramer's arrest.

The other highlights of the issue were the Dan DeCarlo interview and the beginning of Ted White's column:

Another fine issue worth reading from cover to cover.

On The Shelves Today in 1999 - Part 2

December 1, 1999 was a Wednesday - New Comics Day.  The following new comic books were on the shelf when you walked into your local comic shop, IF the owner had ordered every new comic book for that month.

There were 95 new comic books that arrived on stores shelves.

24 DC Comics
12 Marvel
12 Image Comics
6 Dark Horse Comics
4 Archie Comics
37 independent/alternative

How many have you read?  I've read 26, but not all of them when they came out.

MYSTERY DATE #2    2.95    LIGHTSPEED PRESS    12/1/99
NIGHTFALL  BLACK CHRONICLES #3 (Of 3) (MR)    2.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
NINJA HIGH SCHOOL VERSION 2 #5    2.50    ANTARCTIC PRESS    12/1/99
OH MY GODDESS THE FOURTH GODDESS #8 (OF 8) (001)    3.50    DARK HORSE COMICS    12/1/99
PENNY CENTURY #6 (MR) (001)    2.95    FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS    12/1/99
****POP CULTURE AND 2 MINUTE NOODLES #3 (MR)    3.50    COWTOWN PRODUCTIONS    12/1/99

PREACHER #58 (MR)    2.50    DC COMICS    12/1/99
R I P D #3 (OF 4) (001)    2.95    DARK HORSE COMICS    12/1/99
RISING STARS #3    2.50    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99
****SILENT INVASION VOL 1 & 2 COMBINED ED    16.95    NBM    12/1/99
SILKY WHIP EXTREME #7 (A) (C: 3)    3.95    EROS COMIX    12/1/99
SIZZLE #4 (A) (C: 3)    4.95    NBM    12/1/99

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #79    1.79    ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS    12/1/99
SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #2 (Note Price)    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
SPIDER-WOMAN #8    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
STARMAN #62    2.50    DC COMICS    12/1/99
STUPID STUPID RAT CREATURES ADVS OF BIG JOHNSON BONE #2 (001    2.95    CARTOON BOOKS    12/1/99

SUPERMAN #153    1.99    DC COMICS    12/1/99
SUPREME THE RETURN #3 (001)    2.99    AWESOME ENTERTAINMENT    12/1/99
TERMINATOR THE DARK YEARS #4 (OF 4) (001)    2.95    DARK HORSE COMICS    12/1/99
THOR #20    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
TIME TRAVELER AI #2 (MR)    2.95    CENTRAL PARK MEDIA CORP.    12/1/99
****TOHUBOHU #3 (Note Price)    3.00    NEW BREED COMICS    12/1/99

 

TROUBLE MAGNET #1 (Of 4) (RES)    2.50    DC COMICS    12/1/99
UNCANNY X-MEN #377    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
UNDERTAKER #9 REG ED    2.95    CHAOS! COMICS    12/1/99
****VAMPEROTICA MAGAZINE VOL 2 #2 (MR) (003)    4.95    BRAINSTORM COMICS    12/1/99
VERONICA #96    1.79    ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS    12/1/99
****WICKED UNIVERSE #1 (A) (C: 3) (003)    3.50    BUFFALO NICKEL COMICS    12/1/99
WILD THING #5    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99

WILDCATS MOSAIC    3.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
****WORLD WAR II 1946 #5    2.50    ANTARCTIC PRESS    12/1/99
X-MAN #59    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
X-MEN THE HIDDEN YEARS #3    2.50    MARVEL COMICS*    12/1/99
YEAH #5    2.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
YOUNG JUSTICE #17    2.50    DC COMICS    12/1/99
****YOURE UNDER ARREST LIGHTS & SIREN TP (C: 2)    10.95    DARK HORSE COMICS    12/1/99

On The Shelves Today in 1999 - Part 1

December 1, 1999 was a Wednesday - New Comics Day.  The following new comic books were on the shelf when you walked into your local comic shop, IF the owner had ordered every new comic book for that month. 

I got most of the covers from The Grand Comic-book Database, but ones with **** were missing an entry.  As usual, click on any image to see a larger version.

100 BULLETS #7 (MR)    2.50    DC COMICS*    12/1/99
2000 AD #1167 (C: 4)    3.25    DIAMOND COMIC DIST.--ENGLAND    12/1/99
2000 AD #1168 (C: 4)    3.25    DIAMOND COMIC DIST.--ENGLAND    12/1/99
ACTION COMICS MILLENNIUM EDITION #1    3.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
ADVENTURES OF EVIL & MALICE #3    3.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99
ALL STAR COMICS ARCHIVES VOLUME 5 HC    49.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
ARCHIE #492    1.79    ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS    12/1/99

 ARIA #4    2.50    IMAGE COMICS*    12/1/99
ARSENIC LULLABY #6 NOVEMBER 1999    2.50    A SILENT COMICS    12/1/99
ASCENSION #21 (Note Price)    2.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99
****AVELON #9    2.95    KENZER & COMPANY    12/1/99
AVENGERS #24    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
BATMAN & SUPERMAN WORLDS FINEST #10 (Of 10)    4.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
BATMAN GOTHAM ADVENTURES #21    1.99    DC COMICS*   12/1/99
BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #126        1.99    DC COMICS    12/1/99

BATMAN TARZAN CLAWS OF THE CATWOMAN #3 (Of 4)    2.95    DARK HORSE COMICS    12/1/99
BATMAN THE CHALICE HC    24.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
BETTIE PAGE QUEEN OF THE NILE #1 (OF 3) (MR) (001)    2.95    DARK HORSE COMICS    12/1/99
BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #109    1.99    ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS    12/1/99
BIRDS OF PREY #14    1.99    DC COMICS    12/1/99
****BOOKS OF LORE SHAPE OF EVIL #2 (Of 2)    2.95    PEREGRINE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT    12/1/99
BOX OFFICE POISON #16 (MR)    2.99    ANTARCTIC PRESS    12/1/99
BRAVE AND THE BOLD MILLENNIUM EDITION #28    2.50    DC COMICS    12/1/99

CARTOON NETWORK STARRING #6    1.99    DC COMICS    12/1/99
CAVEWOMAN PANGAEAN SEA #1    4.95    BASEMENT COMICS    12/1/99
****CURSE OF THE SPAWN TP VOL 2 BLOOD & SUTURES    9.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99
DARK ANGEL #7    2.95    CENTRAL PARK MEDIA CORP.    12/1/99
DARKNESS WITCHBLADE SPECIAL    3.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99
DEADBEATS #38    2.50    CLAYPOOL COMICS    12/1/99
DEADPOOL #36    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
DEATHLOK #5    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99

DUNCANS KINGDOM #2    2.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99
EXPOSURE #3    2.50    IMAGE COMICS*    12/1/99
FANTASTIC FIVE #4    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
FANTASTIC FOUR #26 (Note Price)    1.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
FLASHPOINT #3 (Of 3)    2.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
FURRLOUGH #82    2.95    RADIO COMIX    12/1/99
GAMBIT #12 (Note Price)    2.99    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99

GEN 13 CARNY FOLK    3.50    DC COMICS    12/1/99
GREEN LANTERN #121    1.99    DC COMICS    12/1/99
****HADER AND COLONEL    12.95    MU PRESS    12/1/99
HEARTBREAKERS SUPERDIGEST YEAR 10    13.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99
HEAVY METAL JAN 2000 (MR)    4.95    HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE    12/1/99
****HERO ON A STICK #4    2.95    BIG BABY COMICS    12/1/99
KATMANDU #18 (MR)    2.95    SHANDA FANTASY ARTS    12/1/99
KINGDOM TP    14.95    DC COMICS    12/1/99
KISS PSYCHO CIRCUS MAGAZINE #4    4.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99

LOVE IN TIGHTS FALL SPECIAL #1    2.95    SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS    12/1/99
MAD XL #1    4.99    DC COMICS    12/1/99
MARTIAN MANHUNTER #15    1.99    DC COMICS    12/1/99
****MARTIAN SUCCESSOR NADESICO #4 (001)    2.95    CENTRAL PARK MEDIA CORP.    12/1/99
****MARTIAN SUCCESSOR NADESICO #5    2.95    CENTRAL PARK MEDIA CORP.    12/1/99
MARVEL SELECTS FANASTIC FOUR #2 (Of 12)    2.75    MARVEL COMICS    12/1/99
****MISTER BLANK #12    2.95    SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS    12/1/99
****MOJO MECHANICS #3 (MR)    2.95    SYNDICATE PUBLISHING    12/1/99
****MORE THAN MORTAL COLL ED #2    6.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99
MORE THAN MORTAL OTHERWORLDS #4 (Of 4)    2.95    IMAGE COMICS    12/1/99

The rest of them I'll post tomorrow.

Seuling Kicks Off The Direct Market

In November 1973, Phil Seuling convinces National Periodical Publications (DC Comics) and Warren Publishing Co. to sell new comic books to him on a non-returnable basis for distribution to comic book dealers.  Marvel Comics follows suit a month later.  This small start represents the beginning of the Direct Market distribution system of comic book stores that we have today.

Scholar Robert Beerbohm has said that Seuling didn't create the direct market but expanded the underground distribution system that already existed.  There is some truth to that, but not the complete truth.  As part of that system, Seuling undoubtedly was just adding items to his product mix that he was selling to dealers.  But the addition of new newsstand comics enabled a store to have enough continuous new product to survive on comic books and related materials alone.  Underground comix creators did not produce enough material to do that.  It also nearly guaranteed stores could get every comic book issue they wanted, which was not the case with the newsstand distribution system.  This was a fundamental change in distribution and created a new system, the Direct Market.

This new system also saved and marginalized comic books in North America at the same time.  The Direct Market's growth in the 1970s and 1980s rescued the comic book from an increasingly hostile newsstand environment while at the same time focusing the product on a small segment of superhero fans.  This focus excluded most women, girls and non-superhero readers.  This marginalization also meant that comic books were harder to find, so new readers declined.  This trend continued until the acceptance of manga trade paperbacks and graphic novels by bookstores in the late 1990s and early 2000s.