No statues at comic stores!

[filip629]

Yesterday comic readers are today's collectors and today's readers are tomorrow's collectors.

The comic industry is dying, and so is the comic collectibles industry, it will just trail the comic industry by a decade or two.

Printed comics may be in trouble. A comic costs $2.99-$3.99 on average and that is way too high. However, Disney is too smart to pay billions for a dying indusrtry. With movies, video games, cartoons, and tv shows, this industry is far from over. My 2 boys LOVE watching Super Hero squad and know a ton of these characters. There are more ways than ever to introduce the Marvel U to kids today. That alone will keep them viable for a long time to come.

 

[budafett]

Printed comics may be in trouble. A comic costs $2.99-$3.99 on average and that is way too high. However, Disney is too smart to pay billions for a dying indusrtry. With movies, video games, cartoons, and tv shows, this industry is far from over. My 2 boys LOVE watching Super Hero squad and know a ton of these characters. There are more ways than ever to introduce the Marvel U to kids today. That alone will keep them viable for a long time to come.

I have Marvel's Online Comic Application and it's fairly cheap and fast to download! I highly suggest it!

 

[nemenforcer]

Printed comics may be in trouble. A comic costs $2.99-$3.99 on average and that is way too high. However, Disney is too smart to pay billions for a dying indusrtry. With movies, video games, cartoons, and tv shows, this industry is far from over. My 2 boys LOVE watching Super Hero squad and know a ton of these characters. There are more ways than ever to introduce the Marvel U to kids today. That alone will keep them viable for a long time to come.

I buy alot of comics and its usually the older crowd picking them up. What bugs me is when I got to borders and I see a pack of young boys sitting on the floor reading manga's and when I talk to them they know nothing of comics. How did that happen. For a good comic, 2.99 to 3.99 beats one of those black and white two words per page mangas. Needless to say they cost much more. How did it get to this, thats what the industry needs to figure out.

 

[Syrio]

It's a complete separate topic, but I'd argue that comic books stopped being written to attract kids a long time ago.

Everyone wanted to do "edgy", "dark", "grim", "the next Watchmen", etc. Too many people pushed the industry to make comic books "art" and "more adult", and forgot that kids just want stories that are fun.

So why should anyone be surprised that today's kids aren't into comic books?

 

[hairlesswookiee]

My old LCS had plenty of statues in the store. Unfortunately for the owner it was the same statues sitting on the shelves day in, day out. He had the Planet Hulk Bowen statue in the display cabinet forever, and I kept asking when he was going to drop the price from $400. I tried telling him about Hot Toys back in the day when the TDK figures were coming out, but he told me he was waiting for his shipment of DC Direct figures. A year and half later a couple DC Direct Joker figures are still on the shelf for full retail.

It's understandable that they have to make money, but when you can order the same figure for less money shipped I really don't see an incentive to going to the LCS for figures/statues.

 

[Vince-Vell]

Comic stores i used to go to either closed down or completely got out of the statue market. Years back when busts and statues were affordable, they could get them in on a wednesday and be sold out by that night when all the collectors would come in after work.

Now the owners i talk to cant compete with ebay sellers selling stuff under cost. Also a lot of the guys who did collect stopped pre ordering thru the comic stores since they knew they could get it cheaper on ebay. Even i started to do that with items i wanted, was no sense in paying $300 for a statue when i could get it off ebay $180 shipped or even cheaper at a convention.

So the one store that does have some left are items that go for pennies on ebay, so at this point they just collect dust. I feel for the owners who have stock that cant move, so much money lost on those items. But you cant blame the collectors wanting the items cheaper, this day in age have to stretch your dollar as far as possible.

 

[jye318]

Comic stores i used to go to either closed down or completely got out of the statue market. Years back when busts and statues were affordable, they could get them in on a wednesday and be sold out by that night when all the collectors would come in after work.

Now the owners i talk to cant compete with ebay sellers selling stuff under cost. Also a lot of the guys who did collect stopped pre ordering thru the comic stores since they knew they could get it cheaper on ebay. Even i started to do that with items i wanted, was no sense in paying $300 for a statue when i could get it off ebay $180 shipped or even cheaper at a convention.

So the one store that does have some left are items that go for pennies on ebay, so at this point they just collect dust. I feel for the owners who have stock that cant move, so much money lost on those items. But you cant blame the collectors wanting the items cheaper, this day in age have to stretch your dollar as far as possible.

but if you want a flawless one, it's batter to buy with LCS, I brought my spiderman there and it's perfect and only cost me $325

 

[nemenforcer]

but if you want a flawless one, it's batter to buy with LCS, I brought my spiderman there and it's perfect and only cost me $325

Great Point! My whole issue with online shopping is you dont get to see it in person and judge if you really like it or not. Ill spend a little more at my LCS if they have something out, and it looks good. Its nice to know exactly what you are paying for.

 

[jlprjlpr]

You can pretty much blame that on technology and online retail. Many online stores offer discounts which brick&mortar store's cant compete against. Also given the minimal profit margins offered by the producers it does not become cost effective to hold stock of this pricy items. I'm lucky that a county away there's a comic shop that holds pretty much everything. I purchase my HT figures from him and although I do not get a discount like the online retailers he doesnt mark it up either. So, the way I see it, buying from him keeps him in business and gives me a place to visit. A lot of the individuals that purchase at the store have the same mentality and loyalty and a think that is what keeps him in business. You can check out the store online -Tatescomics.com - The shop has come a long way and the owner is a hell of a guy.

I'm from South Florida too and Tate's is great. We are lucky to have that store.

 

[DarthTrafford]

I'm new to the forum and I just wanted to pose this question: How are the dealers in your areas as far as stocking statues/busts? I live in MA and many dealers who used to carry statues have gone away from this. They constantly stocked "random" statues and then complained that these items were not selling thus losing money. The random person walking into these stores if they were so inclined to spend 100 dollars plus on a statue would do so for mainstream characters not a bust of fing fang foom or the crimson dynamo. I just find this to be extremely frustrating for me due to the fact that I have to rely on ebay or buying directly from the companies websites. I have always just liked the time where I could walk into a comic book shop and browse all the statues/ busts on display.

What part of MA are you from?
I use to get high end items such as life size bust and PF figures at Newbury Comics in North Attleboro and Norwood but I haven't seen any newer items on the shelves in a while.

 

[The Mike]

but if you want a flawless one, it's batter to buy with LCS, I brought my spiderman there and it's perfect and only cost me $325

Great Point! My whole issue with online shopping is you dont get to see it in person and judge if you really like it or not. Ill spend a little more at my LCS if they have something out, and it looks good. Its nice to know exactly what you are paying for.

This depends on shop. There are quite a few shops who will not open and inspect a statue before selling it because then they have to disclose it was opened and that sticks with some people. I've gone to shops that have a ton of displays but when you buy the actual piece its still sealed in box still vulnerable to the same issues as buying it online since it still was shipped to said shop.

For example I bought my Green Lantern Museum statue by DCD for $200 shipped, roughly $185 before shipping. If I went to my LCS I would have paid the MSRP of $325 plus tax roughly about $352. For me personally $152 more to be able to look at it isn't worth it. I'd rather take my chances with an auction or even an online retailer and deal with the issue of a return or exchange if there is an issue. Some online retailers have better return policies than brick and mortars.