START // 1.30.03

ALL IN COLOR FOR A DIME-OR AS GOOD AS
by Dave Potter

One of the frequently surfacing complaints about the comics industry-and something that's often cited as a reason for the collapse of the direct market, the lack of new readers entering the direct market, and also a primary cause of cancer-is the price of a serial comic.

Long time fans (which are unquestionably a sizeable if not dominant demographic in the direct market) talk about how inexpensive comics were when they were kids, and how they were easy impulse purchases to make at 60 cents an issue, or 50 cents, or if they're real old-timers, even 40 cents.

These geniuses overlook the fact that comics were impulse purchases because they were racked in 7-11's, grocery stores, and other newsstand-like venues in that era and not a specialty comic shop that most folks don't go into unless they're already predisposed towards buying a comic, but that's a whole 'nother sticky wicket.

The crux of the price issue today is that low priced comics generally don't sell well for retailers because there is a perceived lack of value to a 99-cent comic versus a full priced one-anywhere from $2.25 to $3. Moreover, the profit margin for a retailer on a discount comic is low, low to the point where it's almost not worth the effort to stock and sell it.

Do the math. If UNTOLD TALES OF SPIDER-MAN was still being published at its 99 cent cover price, a retailer can gross somewhere between 40 and 50 cents for every issue sold. Compare that with ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN at $2.25 a pop, where the retailer probably grosses a bit more than $1 for every issue sold. And be sure to keep in mind that despite the critical acclaim UNTOLD TALES got, it didn't really sell in the comparable tier that ULTIMATE is today.

Since comics sold in the direct market aren't returnable to the publisher, which product do you think retailers have a vested interest in seeing do well?

This is the backdrop for the recent surge of promotional comics from the major publishers-serial comics produced with a low cover price (anywhere from 9 to 25 cents) that are designed as marketing tools for their properties. We had two hit the stands at the same time a few weeks ago-SUPERMAN THE TEN CENT ADVENTURE and DAREDEVIL #41, which read right after each other provide a clear, contrasting look at how the major companies are approaching marketing their franchise characters and potentially how retailers can use this marketing campaign to increase their sales to their customer base.

The choices for the books-a Superman book and a Daredevil book-make a lot of sense. Superman is the focus of the successful SMALLVILLE television series, and Daredevil has the feature movie opening in a few weeks. Giving retailers a marketing tool to help sell the ongoing comics to the millions of people who sample the TV and movie but don't read the comics is a smart thing to do.

It's hard to call these books outreach tools, because I believe outreach would be something that's specifically targeted at bringing in readers who aren't traditional direct market customers. The recent rise of magazines-predominantly manga-that rely on a business model that views the direct market as bonus sales are true outreach publications. The two books here are predominantly about moving people to buy Superman or Daredevil comics-probably at the expense of the customer not buying a different book, and hopefully (from the publishing companies point of view) one that's put out by a different company.

These books aren't focused on outreach. A retailer may be able to use them for outreach work, but that's on the retailer, not the publisher. At a minimum, I believe the publishers are supplying these books to market to customers that are already in the direct market and just not buying these character's regular serialized work.

And with that in mind, its clear that Marvel has a better idea of how to better entice a reader. Which will doubtless frustrate and annoy the anti-Marvel crowd out there, but the truth hurts sometimes.

SUPERMAN: THE TEN CENT ADVENTURE is the first part of a multipart, crossover story. It can't seem to decide what its here to do: present the character of Superman to someone who hasn't seen it before (as an outreach project would do, but as I've already said this really isn't such a project), or convince people familiar with the Superman character to "come back" and try the regular books out again.

And I say "again" because I believe the vast majority of direct market comics customers have at least READ a Superman comic book at some point in their lives.

Since the book can't seem to decide which audience its actually shooting for, it winds up serving neither. It spends a lot of its time explaining the concept of Superman to the reader, which is something you really don't need to do if they're already familiar with the character. This is Superman, arguably one of the most iconic fictional characters of the last century. We don't need to be reminded about faster than a speeding bullet, leaping tall buildings, x-ray vision, etc. We get the concept. Tell us a story with the concept if you want us to buy the book on a regular basis.

And moreover, make it LOOK good. TEN CENT ADVENTURE is printed on standard newsprint, which keeps the publisher's costs down, but really hamstrings the artists as well. Coloring and inking loses its fine detail. The project feels like a giveaway, like the publisher doesn't really care.

Since they don't care, why should I? If this is putting the best foot forward, I'm not interested. Show me your "A" game if you want me to even consider tuning in next time.

The contrast with the Marvel product would embarrass the hell out of me if I was an editor at DC. DAREDEVIL #41 is the beginning of a story arc in the title, so this marketing campaign is more structured around getting the first chapter of a story as a giveaway. The investment to get the other four parts of the story is $12 (4 issues at $3 per), compared to however many parts the Superman story would be.

Marvel is also smart here in doing the issue exactly as a regular issue would be structured and presented. By that I primarily mean paper stock and production values. But that also means story structure; Marvel's whole "recap page" initiative, to bring any new/returning readers up to speed on the character in general and what's just happened to them without having recaps as part of the story itself, works like a charm here. Just like a "Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer" or "Previously on NYPD Blue" that you get at the beginning of a serialized television show, a new, returning or continuing reader is seamlessly brought up to speed.

Yes, the cover price (and thus cost to retailers) is about twice as much. But with the Superman book, it looks and feels like a ten cent comic. The Daredevil book feels like its worth more than the two-bit cover price. You're definitely getting something for nothing or close to nothing here.

And that creates a higher perceived value. It makes you more interested in coming back to try it again. And paying full price this time, too. Marvel is also smart in scheduling another issue of Daredevil to have shipped two weeks after the promo one. This gives readers an incentive to try the regular issue quickly, while its fresh in their minds, and it makes sure that the retailers don't lose a month's worth of revenue from the title.

You can say that since the Superman story continues in whatever issue of Superman shipped the next week, it's the same thing. In fact, you continue, since it's the first chapter of a storyline, it's the same thing Marvel is doing. But you'd be wrong. Because I read the damn TEN CENT ADVENTURE BOOK and couldn't tell you what title or issue number the story continues in. With Daredevil, I just say, "Next issue of Daredevil in yet?" and purchase it. Much, much easier for me as the consumer.

Now, the one thing that DC did really, really right with TEN CENT ADVENTURE was offering retailers the chance to have a coupon printed in/on the book as part of the cover. My comic store and several others in the Southern California area banded together and had this done, offering anyone who received a copy of TEN CENT ADVENTURE at their store $5 off on a future purchase.

This is a great idea. This idea almost makes up for the banal and poorly done comic that accompanies the coupon. The coupon guarantees that additional people will take the book home with them, which guarantees more people will at least flip through it to see what its like. And that is the goal of this marketing initiative-to get the product in front of as many eyeballs as possible in the hopes some of them will start paying for it on a regular basis. It's just too bad that the product, in the case of TEN CENT ADVENTURE, was not terribly impressive to either a long time comic reader or a newcomer.

The coupon does increase the retailer cost. I know my retailer paid more than the cover price for his versions of TEN CENT ADVENTURE with the coupon on it, but it's a great marketing tool and a decent investment. I don't know if Marvel could do something like this and still make the product affordable to retailers, but I hope someone is talking to them about it, because there are two Marvel movies coming out later this year and its not improbable to me that an X-MEN or HULK 25 cent issue with a coupon attached wouldn't become an invaluable outreach tool for the retailer and thus the publisher, as well as a marketing tool.

Start talking to your retailer today. Ask what they have planned for the forthcoming outreach program Free Comic Book Day. Ask if there's anything you can do to help-dropping off comics at theaters for distribution with X-MEN 2, putting together grab bags for customers the night beforehand, being an extra pair of hands in the store for the actual event.

Start planning now. Marketing opportunities like the ones I talked about here will doubtless come around more than once later this year. True outreach opportunities-the chance to get new people into the stagnant pool of the direct market-those won't come around en masse very often. Lay some groundwork now.