THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING YOUR LCBS

This may come off as a fluff piece, or even a rant, but whatever.

To any comic book fan, this should be gospel. What I am talking about should be your place of worship.

As yourself this simple question: What is the most important part of the comic book industry?

It is the publisher? The Creators? Diamond?

I know, your favorite artist?

Wrong on all accounts. The most important part of the comic book industry is your LCBS.

(Drawn to Comics, Glendale, AZ

WWW.drawntocomics.com)

Don’t know what LCBS is? Then maybe you should check you comic book fan card at the door, because really, if you don’t know what LCBS is, you shouldn’t be let in the door in the first place.

LCBS is Local Comic Book Shop (Store).

But you knew that, right?

Despite what many people think or believe, it is the retailers who drive the industry and, directly or not, effects how the industry grows.

It is the retailers who place orders for each title(s) from each publisher(s) based on how they gauge their customer interest. For established titles, retailers typical order copies to cover their box subscribers and some extra for ‘the wall.’

For new titles it is somewhat different, some retailers don’t want to take the risk and won’t order any copies unless a customer specifically request it. Some retailers order a few copies to see if it sells. This especially holds true if the new title comes from a smaller or a new publisher.

Retailer orders are what typically determine print runs, especially for the above mentioned new titles and smaller or new publishers.

Keep something else in mind, retailers put their orders in about 3 months in advance. Meaning books that are published in March, orders were placed in December.

I want you to ask yourself a question: How many comic book stores are in your area?

Now ask this: How many used to be in your area?

I know this, in the last 5 years ten comic stores in the Phoenix Metro area have closed shop. Including a store I went to for 25 years. Many of these stores were hit hard by the down turn of the economy. Others were a victim of something worse: piss poor customers.

Yes, Piss Poor Customers. What is a Piss Poor Customer? A Piss Poor Customer is a person who opens a subscription box at a store, has the store order copies of titles strictly for them – yet rarely or never comes in to pick up their comics.

One doesn’t have to come in every week, but every two weeks, once a month at least. This is an ongoing issue in the industry – customers who rarely show up to get books the retailer ordered for them, and the retailer paid for. This hurts the retailers and takes away from their profit margin.

Because of this, some stores do charge a subscription box fee, or ask for a down deposit on the box, to cover themselves for just that reason. You can’t really blame them.

Oh, and yes, the retailer may love comics, but they need to make a profit to keep in business.

Okay, that part was a rant . . . so why is it important to support your local comic shop?

Because it is healthy for the industry. The more comic book stores there are, the more locations to buy comics. It also means more comics being ordered. It is better for the economics of the comic book industry.

How do you support your LCBS?

Simple: Get a subscription box at a store and PICK UP YOUR BOOKS on a regular basis.

Also, if you learn of a title that is coming out that you want to get, don’t expect your store to order it. Ask your LCBS to order you a copy – if it is a new title or a title from a smaller publisher the copy you ask them to order may be the only copy they order.
And who knows, you asking them to order a copy, may be the impetus of them ordering copies for the wall.

Another easy way to support your LCBS is this: spread the word. Just tell people about them, mention them on twitter, tag on Facebook.

All this can also be applied to online book stores and digital only sites (ComiXology), especially if you live in an area where there is no brick and mortar LCBS. If digital is the only way to get your comics, then support the site.

Hey, I love comics. We all love comics. We need a place to get our comic fix.

All this said, there are bullshit retailers out there. Guys who jack up prices on books, who price incentives covers way to high, and even sell ‘signed editions’ that aren’t legit. You now these guys, these ones, don’t need our support.

Ace