Many a Mile to Freedom, by Martha Thomases – Brilliant Disguise
When I was a child, I remember a time before both Hawaii and Alaska achieved statehood. I pledged allegiance to a flag with 48 stars. I remember a time before color television. I remember a time before zip codes.
And I remember when there was no Free Comic Book Day.
Yes, those were barbarous times.
Free Comic Book Day was created so that people who didn’t read comics could sample them without risk. It was a way to get them into the store so they might consider becoming regular – or even occasional – customers. The price to give away comics can be high, but publishers participated by providing specially printed, low-cost copies. A person who would walk into a store, even if only to get something free, is presumed to be somewhat interested in the product. For example, you don’t see a lot of people lining up for free swine flu samples.
Over the years, the event has evolved into something more than an introductory offer for new readers. The date is now in early May, to coincide with the release of the first summer blockbuster movies. Instead of all publishers offering all-ages material, some offer titles with cussing and boobage. Stores advertise well in advance on their websites and in-store. At least one of my local outfits promises that the first hundred or so people who come in will get all the different books.
In these difficult time, it warms my heart to see an industry that’s investing in marketing. However, in this case, it seems to me to miss the point. I mean, I know that every store is different, and relies on individual relationships with customers both current and potential. The store I frequent offers steady customers a discount on new comics. Others may offer price breaks for those who order ahead. Still others give free bags and boards with purchase.
However, I’m already a regular customer. I routinely pay for those comics I want to read. While I have my regular books that I follow like soap operas, I’m also open to trying new titles. For me (for now), an extra five dollars or so to see if I like something doesn’t seem like too much of a risk compared to the chance of finding joy. I don’t need anyone to offer free samples to me.
The person who needs the free sample is my neighbor. She’s a busy single mom, and she’d probably appreciate a book like Persepolis. Her daughters might have a good time with Leave It to Chance.
I don’t know what they would do with this year’s titles. The Avengers, Savage Dragon, Blackest Night — these are not for them. More friendly titles include media tie-ins like the Archie, Boom!/Pixar, Star Wars, Transformers or Bongo books.
Still, in my opinion, none of these really shows what fun graphic story-telling can be. Instead, they’re either heavily geek-oriented, or counting on the readers’ familiarity with the source material.
Even more to the point, it’s not anything that you need to offer your regular customers. Most likely, they already have it, or they know enough about it to know they’re not interested. Instead of your regular customers getting all the issues, I think they should get none.
In my day, we didn’t need introductory comics for newbies because every comic was introductory. Every comic contained at least one complete story. Publishers didn’t do this out of the goodness of their hearts, but because distribution was so funky that no one knew where or when the customer would find the comic. At the same time, it was understood that comics were for kids, specifically between the ages of six and twelve, so that a significant percentage of the market was always new.
The direct market and the emergence of retail catering to hard-core fans over the last three decades changed all this. To my mind, this has been mostly a good thing. The quality of the material, at least at the high end, is much better, and there is more variety in tone, style and subject.
The medium is ready to bring happiness to millions (or at least twenty minutes or so of cheap, escapist entertainment, which is also a good thing).
We just have to find a way to tell them.
—
Media Goddess Martha Thomases is neither cheap nor escapist. As for entertaining, you’ll have to judge that for yourselves.
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May 2nd, 2009 at 7:14 am
I remember the free comic book day in which my dad actually grabbed a sampling of “Atomic Robo.” Now, my dad reads comics out of nostalgia for the characters. It’s a nice slice of his childhood, so he buys. He’d buy a whole lot more of them if the original Captain America came back (he LOVES the original Cap, holy crap). Thus, anything new or created since the seventies, he would be hard-pressed to try. It’s hard to imagine that I, the wannabe indie snob who loves his superheroes, ever came from his loins.
So I’m always trying to get my dad to read stuff out of continuity, or not owned by the Big Two. Hellboy, Blankets, heck, All-Star Superman should have been a no-brainer, but that was hard.
But one bright morning, on a Free Comic Book Day, someone gave my dad a free issue of Atomic Robo. And he took it!
So, thank you, Free Comic Book Day. Thank you.
May 4th, 2009 at 8:59 am
“In these difficult time, it warms my heart to see an industry that’s investing in marketing. ”
An industry, maybe. Stores? Not even close.
There’s at least one MAJOR comic shop in my area (located in a mall, even) who does not participate in FCBD. Others just cram the books into their regular customers’ bags as soon as they arrive, which is how Blackest Night #0 got into so many people’s hands (and scanned and posted on the torrent sites) two weeks ago.
And once in a blue moon, a store takes real advantage of the opportunity and has their single best day of business for the whole year by giving away free books.
There are too damn many stores who view customers as an annoyance, let alone NEW customers. How many stores sold their Spider-Obama books for five times cover, made sure the hundreds of people that came into their store would never come back, and STILL think they came out good?
I was very pleased to see that several Major Metropolitan Newspapers actually did pieces about FCBD BEFORE it happened, as opposed to showing pictures after the fact. That’s incredible progress.
Now it’s up to the local shops to run with it. Not a lot will.
May 4th, 2009 at 11:09 am
@Vinnie: The smart stores — the ones with a chance of staying in business — invest in marketing. That’s true in comics, and it’s true in all forms of retail.
Which is why cutting the marketing/promotion/PUBLICITY budget is penny-wise but pound foolish. Advertising et al. is an investment in the future.
May 4th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
“Don’t know much about history…”
Actually, I know a few things.
Growing up in Las Vegas, I’ve never forgotten the old-time casino owner who passed on these pearls to me one late night, “You know the secret to this town’s success? Two worlds: free drinks. Well, that and lots of pussy…”
Last I checked, that industry, even the legal end, never hurt for customers–even now.
Seems to me you don’t make new friends and keep ‘em with brushoffs or bullshit. People are too busy and wise for that shit.
Like casinos, comics are selling illusion and fantasy. A wink, smile and welcome all go a long way accompanying the freebies. Just check with those original mass marketers on the front lines–every town’s working girls.
And I know they still line up by the boatloads for those cheap casino key chains, tee shirts and hot dogs. Marketing works, eh?
As ever Martha, on the money.