Originally Posted by
EccentricSage
I don't think those sales are ridiculous though. That's a standard practice to move back stock or over stock in pretty much any retail establishment. The only problem is that I got the impression that the shops aren't getting a big enough cut of the profits to begin with, so at the point where they are having huge sales, they're going to just be trying to make back losses. I remember one of the workers at the little shop I used to frequent complaining about it.
If the big comic book companies continue to destroy their own market, the licensing deals will eventually dry up. Nobody is going to care anymore.
I understand why the glossy fancy books exist, but maybe those should be limited edition and cheaper cold press should be sold cheap through corner stores, news stands, and hobby shops again, with reasonable profit margins for the shops, of course. Book stores are perfectly capable of selling comic books, but won't usually right now because the profit margin does not even make it worth the space on their periodical section. Why are magazines of all things still doing better than comic books, when much of the printed news is made obsolete by bloggers, tutorials, and online news? An entertainment industry that focuses on art and fan loyalty seems like it SHOULD do better than magazines, especially since the movies are making super heroes seem more accessible and less silly to the mainstream whom used to view comic book fans as childish outcasts. Comic book characters are beloved pop culture icons nowadays, with big name celebrities clamoring to play them. Why on earth can't comic book companies grow their core fan base anymore? It's just so weird.