The 3 Buyer “Types” at Any Given ComicCon

I got alot of feedback on the 3 Vendor “Types” at any given ComicCon so, by request, here are the 3 Buyer “Types” at any given ComicCon.

1.)  The “Bargain Hunter” Type:

This is the person that waits until the last day of ComicCon to make his purchases so that he can get everything he wants at deep discounts.

The Issue:

A vendor really does have it rough.  They buy a booth, show up at ungodly hours to set up, hope they sell enough to make the event worthwhile, and then pack up and drag what’s left home.  So, on the last day many vendors will deeply discount prices so that they can make a little money and not have to pack so much for their trip home.  So, bargain minded fans wait until that moment to buy.

The Bigger Issue:

In order for a vendor to come to a ComicCon it has to be worth their while.  The fact is, like any business they are there to make a profit.  Deeply discounting things may lighten the load on the way home, but it also reduces profits.  In order to maximize their income vendors will skip certain events if they have no history of making money there.  This can hurt the buyer in the long run.

2.)  The “Haggler” Type:

This is the person who feels that the price tags are just for decoration and have absolutely NOTHING to do with what they have to pay.  So, instead of offering to pay full price they start every sentence with “Will you take______ for these?”.

The Issue:

Although I have seen this rise to ridiculous levels, this is how our current system of exchange started many moons ago.  Nothing had a price tag and everything was negotiable.  The fact is, however, we have evolved since then.  We now have a system of currency for the exchange of goods.

The Bigger Issue:

Haggling has caused an issue on both sides of the table.  As much as a buyer will offer a lower price, I hear many vendors, when seeing someone looking at the price tags, say, “I can do better than that.”  There are also those vendors who prepare for negotiation by raising prices so they can “haggle down” to a reasonable price.  The fact remains that people are there to make money and they won’t come back if they don’t.  So, although haggling can be good, it can also cause a landslide effect that is bad for everyone.

3.)  The “Thinker” Type:

This is the person who says that they will “think about it” and never do.  They are either too uncomfortable telling the vendor that they don’t feel good about the deal OR they just forget about it while walking around.

The Issue:

I haven’t seen any studies on it, but I would venture to say that 9 out of 10 people who say they are going to “think about it” don’t actually think about it.  There aren’t enough pages to speculate why a person can't just say, “I think I’ll pass” so I won’t even guess.  Needless to say, the words, “I’ll think about it” translate into “a lost sale” to most vendors.

The Bigger Issue:

It’s only polite to let someone know that you’re not interested or won’t do something.  For instance, how would it be if you took your car to a garage, and asked what it would take to fix your car and how much it would cost, and the mechanic said, “I’ll think about it”.  How about if you proposed and your significant other said, “I’ll think about it”.  You may argue that it isn’t the same because the car being fixed and proposal are more serious matters that require answers.  Hogwash.  The vendor’s livelihood is in what you are looking to buy.  If they offer you a deal they are trying to put food in their mouths without losing their shirts.  It’s a serious matter to them.  If enough people turn a deal down it may even force a vendor to change the price on a book and everyone wins.  They make a sale and the buyer gets a good deal.  Isn’t that worth the occasional, “I think I’ll pass?"

It’s actually funny.  After the first of these two blogs I got feedback that there were Vendor “Types” that I missed.  I also fully expect that there are Buyer “Types” that I missed...alas, those are for another day.

Suffice it to say that for every “I’ll think about it” or “Haggler” or “Bargain Hunter” there are those who will just be thrilled they found what they were looking for and pay the asking price.

I’d still like to see a study on all of this...

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A Public Service Announcement - Some Things Written In Comics Aren’t True

This is a Public Service Announcement from 
The Comic Whisperer.

Through years of reading and experimentation I have found that NOT all the things you read in comic books are true!  This probably comes as a surprise to all of you.  It’s OK, I was shocked as well.

True, there are some things in comic books that have been accepted as universal truths.  You know, the standard stuff:

• Be strong, ethical and true to yourself so you can serve as an example to others
• The good guys tend to win in the end
• Brains can beat brawn
• Work as well on your own as you do on a team
• Mutants and humans will never live together peacefully

They are valuable tidbits of truth to be taken to heart.

But, which of the time honored lessons taught by comic books are falsehoods?  They never make it obvious, so I had to learn for myself.  I did so by attempting some of the things I considered facts and, in some cases, paid a great physical price.

Since I am now fully recovered (and have full use of my hands again) I have compiled a list of things that comics teach that are NOT true (you’re welcome):

• It’s possible to reduce my body fat to 1% and look like a Greek god.
• Putting on a cape will keep me from plummeting 20 stories from a hotel window.
• I can breathe fine in a mask with no holes for the mouth and nose.
• Covering myself in random chemicals will give me super powers.
• Someone dressed as a bat will keep me from getting mugged in New York.
• I can walk into a police station dressed in flashy pajamas and get instant respect.
• Inhaling a gas of unknown content will activate my Inhuman gene.
• Setting myself ablaze gains me instant membership into the Invaders or the Fantastic 4.
• Shooting a bow and arrow in the middle of a crowded city is OK.

And

• I can taunt the police, get arrested, and easily break out of jail.

I sincerely hope that reading this will help you sort out the lies from the truth.  You owe me one.  

This was a public service announcement from 

The Comic Whisperer.

And please don’t write in asking me if any of this is true.  It is.  There’s a hotel chain that won’t let me stay in ANY of its locations anymore and I’m told the 10 people hit by arrows are recovering nicely.  OF COURSE IT’S NOT TRUE.

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The 3 Vendor “Types” at Any Given ComicCon

I have to admit, I have trouble buying comic books at a ComicCon.   It’s never WHAT to buy, it’s WHO to buy from!  There are 3 vendor types at any ComicCon:

The “Nice” Vendor

These are the vendors who don’t have any concerns about what they make or how high or low the price is compared to market value.  They just want people to like them and they want to be "good to people."

The issue (pun intended):

Comic book pricing is similar to the pricing of real estate and antiques in that it is based on other comparable comics.  So, if I have two of the same comic, in the same condition, they should have the same, or similar, value.  This isn’t usually the case with the “Nice” vendor.  They want to charge well below market value to be nice to people because “it’s just a side business anyway”.

The bigger issue: (this pun was not, in any way, intended)

Buying from them gets me a great bargain (I bought a “first appearance” comic for 25% of its market value).  But, if done in too big a number they can deflate the value of the comic.

The “Market Value” Vendor

These are the vendors that price everything by the “Overstreet Guide” or some other pricing guide.  So, if a Grade 9.2 is valued at $300 then it’s priced at $300.

The issue (this will be the same pun format as before):

Market values are created for a simple reason and that is to make sure that people have a basis for comparison for the item being sold.  For example, I am completely stupefied by the real estate market.  A house I think should be worth $1 million is worth $250 thousand and vice versa.  If it weren’t for a “Market Value Analysis” on a house that I want to buy I could pay way too much (if there are any real estate agents who will charge me way too little, give me a call).  So, a “Market Value” vendor uses the philosophy that they are selling it at what it’s worth and, if I want, I can look it up.

The bigger issue:

A comics value is only what the buyer will pay, not what is in a pricing guide.  Going back to the real estate example, the house could be worth $1 million but no-one in their right mind would pay that price.  Look at what happened when the real estate market bubble burst...lotsa people owing more than what their house is worth.

The “Comic Books Will Get Me Rich” Vendor:

These are the vendors that take advantage of a passionate marketplace by pricing comic books well above what they will ever be worth because someone will pay that price...eventually.

The issue:

This is the exact opposite of the issue with the “Nice” vendor.  If enough of a certain edition sell way beyond market value it can falsely raise the price of a comic or collection.  Then, when the bottom drops out of the market, all sorts of things can go wrong.

The bigger issue:

With people buying at a fevered pace at a ComicCon, and the threat that “if you decide to walk around and think about it, it may not be here when you get back”, people pay ridiculous prices.  At the most recent ComicCon I saw the same comic, in similar conditions, differ in price by almost  $100.  A quick glance at eBay, right now, shows Daredevil #131 (the first appearance of Bullseye) selling as low as $49 and as high as $1,999 (supposedly in the same condition).  I promise you that there will be a buyer for both of them.

So, who do you buy from?  The answer is simple:

There are no “right” or “wrong” vendor types.  In the end it’s you who are responsible for making an informed decision on a comic book purchase and a comic is only worth what you are willing to pay.  Do your homework as you would with any purchase and set limits for yourself as to what you will, and won’t, spend.

Oh, and one more thing;  Go ahead...walk around and think about whether you want to pay that price or not.  I guarantee that if it’s not at that particular stand when you get back it will surely be at another.

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ComicCons Aren’t Events, They are Happenings.

It seems like everyone has at least one story where they talk about a thought that sounded great in their head but sounded ridiculous when they said it.  This is a story of something I was positive I knew in my head UNTIL I went to say it.

Before we dive into this story, I should point something out.  Despite my love for all things comics this was the first time that I put any significant thought, or money, into cosplay.  As you can see below, The Winter Soldier was nominated to be my alter ego during ComicCon.  I was told that any costume that contributed to covering up my entire face was preferable.  (I could only assume they meant that too many people recognizing me would cause massive outcries for my autograph and private photo sessions.)

But I digress...

I think you will agree that a ComicCon is not just a place that you go or a thing that you do...it’s a living, breathing organism.  Whether you are there to meet the cast of Sons of Anarchy, to explore the many iterations of “Doctor Who”, to dress up as a character who can snuff a planet with a sneeze, or to spend your child’s college account on all the variations of Spider-Man #700, you are with at least one other like-minded person.  How and why that happened was clear in my head until that fateful moment I was asked to explain it to someone.

picture wavy lines and “time traveling” music to signify that I am thinking back in time....

It was during the above photo session that my daughter and I were queried by a woman with a list of questions that, really, seemed to be one big question.

“Why do people do this type of thing?  There are alot of them right?  I mean, what’s the fascination with people coming here and playing dress-up?  What’s the draw of it all?”

There wasn’t a hint of sarcasm or nastiness in her voice.  She was completely sincere.

Ummmmmmmmmmm...what?  Is this a trick question?  Who are you here with and didn’t they explain any of this to you?  

I mean, I knew the answer but I had never been asked to verbalize it before.  I didn’t know there’d be a pop quiz!  I was never good at those things!  That’s why I cheated all the t.... (never mind all that, stay focused on the story)   Looking back, that probably wasn’t the right thing to tell her.  If I could go back in time to that very second and answer it all over again, this is what I would tell her:

A ComicCon is not an event, it’s a happening.  

It’s a gathering of thousands of people who believe that the time for heroes isn’t over, because it never ended. 

They are filled with individuals who don’t question why you’re different, nor are they bothered if you’re the same, they just want their photo taken together.

Are there alot of ComicCons?  Yes, there are.  But when you look at them close enough you realize that one is merely a continuation of another with a small pilgrimage in between for a change of scenery.

They are happenings where the words “stranger” and “introvert” are never used because there aren’t any there.

They are where there are loud flourishes of creativity through ideas, costumes, pencils, and pens...not through sub-committee meetings and majority votes.

Where a signature adds hundreds of dollars to the value of something already priceless.

Where the Joker and Harley Quinn get along and Bucky is fine with, or without, Cap.

It’s where geeks and nerds are only different because they sit at the top of the food chain.

Yes, if I could speak to that woman again it would be completely different and it would include a “thank you” for reminding me not to take things for granted.


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I Put the “Needy” in "New Release Wednesday"

If I look at myself honestly, I can say that I’m not a real special guy by any stretch of the imagination.

I don’t put the “fun” in “funeral”

or

the “laughter” in “manslaughter”

or

even the “riot” in “Iron Patriot”

but I DO put the “needy” in “New Release Wednesday”  (OK, it’s a stretch but what can I say?  I’m needy.)

You and I probably have one thing in common, it’s that our week is filled with the following recipe:

           -Wake Up
           -Go to Work
           -Come Home
           -Go to Sleep
           -Repeat 

So, I literally NEED Wednesdays and the new releases that come on that day.

But, as a comic collector/lover/reader how do you maximize your Wednesdays with the local comic book emporium?  Here’s how I do it:

Start by making a list of all the comics you simply must have.  Your list can be as small or as big as your wallet can afford.  My list is big enough that I am trying to work out some way for the comic store to just do payroll deduction so my bill comes straight from my paycheck.  (Just kidding, although the idea has merit.)

Then go to your favorite website that advertises the new releases for the coming week(s).  My personal favorite is www.comiclist.com.  Tell them The Comic Whisperer sent you.  It won’t get you any type of discount or special treatment but it’ll sure make me feel good.

Check the list(s) which are sorted by publisher and see which comics on your list are coming out this week.  Make a shopping list for yourself or a “pull” list for your local comic shoppe.  (As you are probably aware, a “pull” list is a list of comics which you would like the store to set aside for you weekly.  Some stores even offer a discount if you have them pull for you weekly and pay for them weekly.  What they don’t offer is a “pull them weekly, never pay for them” plan.)

If you don’t want every issue offer to send the list of your weekly picks to the local comic store  proprietor and ask them to put the specific comics you wish to purchase aside.

Then, when Wednesday shows its beautiful face, go to the store and pick up your books! (don’t forget to pay for them, many stores frown on stealing)

If you are a collector there is a pretty good chance that if someone even touches your new comics or, God forbid, bends them, you blow a gasket.  That’s why, with my Marvel comics, I just enter the digital comic redemption code and read it on my iPad.  I then do my weekly chuckle at DC for their thought that I will purchase both a physical AND digital version (another of the many dumb decisions by the DC bean counters.)

But I digress...

Last, if you don’t do so already, you can keep track of your collection as it grows.  I highly recommend doing so on a site such as www.comicbookrealm.com if you don’t mind having it just online.  If you want to use an app to keep track, my personal favorite is a comic inventory app put out by CLZ at www.clz.com.  It’s available on the iOS platform, I’m not sure about Android.

One last thing, keep a list of the specific comics you miss, or don’t get that week, so you can shop for them at the next ComicCon!

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Sell it all! Two weeks ago, if possible.

It hurts me to say this, but:

If you own a comic book store or you are looking to get any type of return on your comic book “investments”,  sell now.

The industry as we know it will be unrecognizable 5 years from now and not in a good way.

The readers of this blog aren’t dumb, you know that sales of any consumer goods have their peaks and valleys.

Look at Apple.  20 years ago you couldn’t give their stock away.  The computers were priced very high and they were known as computers graphic designers used, not corporations.  If you held on to your Apple stock, however, you are probably doing well on the investment.

Comic books are also hitting their peak right now.  The movies are coming out, the cartoons are all over the place, DC has all but cornered the market on animated motion pictures, and product licensing is running rampant.

But don’t let it fool you, it’s already hit it’s peak....you’re now looking at the downside of the comic industry as we know it.

Why?  It’s simple, really.  The bean counters are running the show at the Big 2 and all they are interested in is the almighty dollar.  The problem is no one appears to understand that it’s an industry that survives on originality and collectibility.  Neither of which the Big 2 have sustained.  Let’s look at some examples:

-The Fantastic Four franchise, the literal first family of comic books has been made a joke of in both comic books and the movies.  Has anyone ever looked forward to a Fantastic Four movie once the first one proved to be just this side of mediocre?  Does anyone even care if there is ever another Fantastic Four movie?  How many more times will Marvel license out to a company that could care less what they do to the brand in production?

-The #1 of virtually any series anymore is rarely a #1.  With DC and Marvel “resetting” their respective universes they are releasing a whole new series of #1 comics....again.  How many more #1 X-People and Justice League of Whatever can there be?  How many different uniforms, haircuts and power-sets can Superman have?  How many times are we going to clone Peter Parker and reinvent the story behind Spider-Man?  How many more of Batman’s family members can the Joker kill?  It’s getting to be a joke (pun intended).

-It’s a matter of supply and demand.  Many collectors will know exactly what Silver and Bronze Age comics to buy.  The first appearance of Wolverine, Hulk, Thor...any of the classic characters really, is valuable for one reason:  there just aren’t that many out there and even fewer that are in great condition!  If there were still 5 million copies of the #1 Spider-Man, and they were all in Near Mint condition, it just wouldn’t have the same value.  Today, the market is flooded with #1s and places like eBay make them easy to come by if you miss them in a store.  Why do you think variants were introduced?  Fewer of the variants makes them more valuable.  But, trust me, the well is running dry.  The desire to sell as many as possible makes current and future value remarkably bad.

-The lack of creativity is maddening.  I know people who have stopped reading Marvel comics because of the blatant money grabbing involved with Secret Wars.  Seriously, how many different comic storylines can one series have?  I also know people who have stopped reading DC because of the lackluster ending to Convergence.  I know I’ve mentioned this in other blogs, but changing a character’s sex or race or religion does not count as creativity.  So, what do you have to look forward to as a Marvel fan?  Will Iron Man design his 1,916th armor?  Maybe one that has a Coke machine built-in for mid-fight refreshment?  If you’re a DC fan are you anticipating yet another Justice League, maybe Justice League Geriatric for the older heroes?  I will give credit where credit is due, Telos, Secret Six and New Suicide Squad by DC are fantastic, so kudos to DC for at least trying to make something different (yes, I know that Suicide Squad and Secret Six have been out many times before, but there are differences with the new ones and they are outstanding).  And, seriously, if I read another interview with “creators” who say they are doing something “new”, I ’m going to scream.

-Last is product licensing.  What product can you buy today that doesn’t have some sort of comic book hero twist?  Build-a-Bear has a superhero line of teddy bears.  You can get toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, bubble bath, and any other type of hygiene products with some superhero or another.  Listen, I’m not complaining.  I love superheroes all over my house, but talk about diluting your brand!  My son even has Avengers Cereal in our pantry.  Do you know there are a number of sports stars that limit the number of autographs they give out or jerseys sold?  It keeps them valuable.  It keeps people looking for them and paying good money for them.  

Please don’t get me wrong, I have been a collector for 45 years and still look for Superman stuff to put around the house, but if you are looking to make money on your comic book stuff....sell it...like right now.

But I digress...

So, who will win in the end?  Company’s like Image.  Company’s that come out with new creations often and allow their creators to keep the rights to their creations.  It wouldn’t surprise me to see Image become the top comic company in the next 5 - 10 years.  Although The Walking Dead has been commercialized, it hasn’t been overdone.

Would I like to see an Autumnlands:  Tooth and Claw movie?  Absolutely!  Do I want the characters on a band-aid, not so much.

Place your bets on the future of the “heir apparent” Image Comics.  It’s where my money is.

Disclaimer:  I do not work for, nor do I own any part of Image Comics.  This is my opinion only and does not, but should, represent the opinion of a majority of the planet.

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Bad Guys, Your Mom and Semantics

“Reason" according to the dictionary is defined as:

Noun:  a cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event.

“Excuse" according to the dictionary is defined as:

Noun:  a reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense.

“Semantics" according to the dictionary is defined as:

Noun:  the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text.

I was reading the latest “New Suicide Squad” last night and saw something that applies to bad guys, your mom, and comics, not necessarily in that order.  The topic today is the difference between “Reason” and “Excuse”.  Frankly, it’s all just “Semantics”.  But let’s look closer.

If you’ve read the latest “New Suicide Squad” Annual (actually, it’s not just the latest, it’s the first one.) you will see yet another group trying to take over the world.

This time it’s a subset of the League of Assassins.

This particular subset is trying to bring about a change that, let’s say, outlaws the simple things in life such as freedom of speech, the ability to think for yourself, and worst of all...recess!  I do agree with one thing on their agenda and that is more, and better, education.  It’s not fun that it goes all year ‘round for the kids, and there are no summer breaks, and recess isn’t allowed, and....well, you get the idea.  In the midst of it all, however, Harley Quinn does her best to cheer the kids up.

But I digress...

There are the usual panels where people are overworked, and killed, etc.  There are also the usual panels where the people say, “I’m sick of excuses!!” at which point someone usually gets shot as an example to others.  Did you ever notice that no one ever says, “I’m sick of reasons!!”.

I put the definitions up top so you can see the subtle difference.  The “Reason” is justification for an action or event whereas the “Excuse” is to justify a fault of offense.  So let’s take an example.

“I’m sorry sir!  I can no longer work in your iron mine due to the fact that you have not fed me (ever) and I am only allowed 1 hour of sleep a week, sir!  I need water and a Twinkee.”

In my mind this is a pretty good “reason” for being unable to work in an iron mine.  It is not a fault or offense, right?  The person is tired, famished, and needs water and a Twinkee!  But what does the bad guy say?

“No Excuses!  Get back to work or die like the others!"

Now let’s look at this from a different angle.  Would the bad guy really sound like a bad guy if he said, “That’s not a good reason!  Get back to work or die like the others!”.

It IS a good reason!

Can we agree that the famished, tired worker gave a “reason” not an “excuse”?  It really is an issue of semantics.

Excuse, however, is often conveniently used in real life.  If I am late to work for the 17th time in 17 days, and I claim today that it was due to a flat tire, is that an “excuse” or a “reason”?  The flat tire is an action to be justified, but if I’m late to work all the time it could be an “excuse” to justify my ‘fault’ of always being late at work.  See!  It’s semantics!  (Isn’t it nice to know you will always learn something when reading this blog?)

My theory is that “reason” has a much softer sound to it and “excuse” has the hard sounds of the ‘x’ and ‘c’ in it.  It seems in comics and in life semantics kind of fly out the window and become an issue of what sounds better.  It’s my opinion so it must be right.

Think about it, it just wouldn’t be right for your mom to tell you as a child, “There’s no excuse to be afraid of the dark” and for the Red Skull to scream, “I WILL NOT TOLERATE REASONS!”.

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