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Orbital to stop selling weekly comics

Started by IndigoPrime, 06 November, 2019, 03:22:00 PM

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Frank


John Freeman and Down The Tubes suggest Orbital's decision is more about sticking it to The Man (Diamond) and recognising that new monthly comics represent a shrinking part of their business.

Customers will still be able to order new monthly comics through the shop, but the walls will no longer be lined with them:

https://downthetubes.net/?p=112365



Tjm86

Plus, they might be anticipating the effect of the next stage of the current interminable political mess that results in the pound reaching parity with the Zimbabwean dollar, US comics priced out of existence and the whole import market dying on its feet overnight ....

Frank


For all I know, maybe, but they'll still be fulfilling standing orders for new US monthly comics, effectively acting as a getmycomics pick-up centre within a toy store.

Which is what most comic shops have been for almost as long as I've been going to them. The Spawn dollies moved in and the long-boxes went down to the basement a generation ago.



Tjm86

Fair point.  FP has to be the finest case in point.  I managed a single visit to the old Denmark St store back in the day.  It was light years away from what it is today.

TordelBack

There is a balance to be struck, but the best comics shops I've been in across Ireland, UK, Belgium, Holland and France these past few years have universally had current monthlies and longboxes tucked away at the back somewhere, with collections and original GNs taking up 75% of floor-and-wall space. Everywhere that looks like it's doing well looks like Page 45 did back in the '90s.

Jimmy Baker's Assistant

Reigate's Miwk stopped stocking new comics pretty much the moment that Brexit hosed the currency. Although, strangely sales of Funko Pops don't seem to suffer.

I personally don't really like to own physical comics, but I can't abide digital so I'm pushed very much to the big books.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: TordelBack on 10 November, 2019, 12:53:07 PM
There is a balance to be struck, but the best comics shops I've been in across Ireland, UK, Belgium, Holland and France these past few years have universally had current monthlies and longboxes tucked away at the back somewhere, with collections and original GNs taking up 75% of floor-and-wall space. Everywhere that looks like it's doing well looks like Page 45 did back in the '90s.

Yeah definately this. Dave's Comics in Brighton has the model absolutely right. Okay so they have the luxary of space. 4 floors over two shop next door but one to one another. You can stick the monthly floppies anywhere and the folks who want to get there will get there regardless. MAke the stuff front and centre appeal to the more casual shopper.

Mind having said I love my LSC -Sheffield Space Centre and looked at objectively that's a bit of a nightmare. Cramped and 1/4 of the wall real estate - the most visible - a wash with confusing monthly titles... but I loves it - then I'm a crusty old goat who first discovered comic shops in the 80s and so I really shouldn't be the audience anymore!