Comments on: Fat lady sings for retailer magazine — UPDATE http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:56:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: John Jackson Miller http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-603248 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:15:28 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-603248 More than a third of the readers of the magazine were mainline game stores in the late 1990s, and Knights of the Dinner Table was often the only comic book they carried. That didn't impact the sales charts derived from the stores -- the numbers weren't on the scale of what the comics shops were doing -- but we did publish the retailers' comments. So, yeah, just on comments it always got disproportionate buzz. (Its curious appeal is genuine, though -- after 130+ issues, there's a lot of very devoted readers out there. I know that years later, it's one of the comics that I personally, read the day I get it.) It was also one of the comics significantly underreported in the Diamond numbers -- there was a time when the game distributors' numbers on the book were so much higher than the Diamond numbers that, had we been able to fuse them, it would have ranked as many as 100 places higher. --JJM More than a third of the readers of the magazine were mainline game stores in the late 1990s, and Knights of the Dinner Table was often the only comic book they carried. That didn’t impact the sales charts derived from the stores — the numbers weren’t on the scale of what the comics shops were doing — but we did publish the retailers’ comments. So, yeah, just on comments it always got disproportionate buzz. (Its curious appeal is genuine, though — after 130+ issues, there’s a lot of very devoted readers out there. I know that years later, it’s one of the comics that I personally, read the day I get it.)

It was also one of the comics significantly underreported in the Diamond numbers — there was a time when the game distributors’ numbers on the book were so much higher than the Diamond numbers that, had we been able to fuse them, it would have ranked as many as 100 places higher.

–JJM

]]> by: Al http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-601173 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:02:15 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-601173 CBG seems to straddle the border between the Comic Retailer and Reader CBG seems to straddle the border between the Comic Retailer and Reader

]]> by: mark coale http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-599590 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:48:00 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-599590 I used to love reading Comics Retailer, but of late, it was wafer thin and not very interesting. This move is not 100% surprising. I used to love reading Comics Retailer, but of late, it was wafer thin and not very interesting. This move is not 100% surprising.

]]> by: Tony Bedard http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-599552 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:29:01 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-599552 There's a scene in SECRET WARS where Galactus summons Reed for a cosmic tete-a-tete, and Reed starts by saying, "It is an honor to be acknowledged by Galactus." That's how it feels to see your name mentioned in The Beat, folks. Tony B There’s a scene in SECRET WARS where Galactus summons Reed for a cosmic tete-a-tete, and Reed starts by saying, “It is an honor to be acknowledged by Galactus.”

That’s how it feels to see your name mentioned in The Beat, folks.

Tony B

]]> by: Dick Hyacinth http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598956 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:00:30 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598956 Wasn't there some magazine at the height of the speculation boom which posted regional sales charts, with short commentary by area retailers afterwards? Am I thinking of this very magazine? Either way, yes, I'd love to see that kind of ground level retail commentary on the web. Wasn’t there some magazine at the height of the speculation boom which posted regional sales charts, with short commentary by area retailers afterwards? Am I thinking of this very magazine? Either way, yes, I’d love to see that kind of ground level retail commentary on the web.

]]> by: Nat Gertler http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598826 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:43:19 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598826 Yeah, <i>Knights of the Dinner Table</i> is one of those examples (like <i>Comic Zone</i> and my favorite fallback, the <i>Super Diaper Baby</i> graphic novel) of how the actual business of comics extends far beyond what direct market observers might assume... although in the case of <i>Knights</i>, it's something that actually sells in DM shops. Yeah, Knights of the Dinner Table is one of those examples (like Comic Zone and my favorite fallback, the Super Diaper Baby graphic novel) of how the actual business of comics extends far beyond what direct market observers might assume… although in the case of Knights, it’s something that actually sells in DM shops.

]]> by: michael http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598782 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:13:16 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598782 KoDT is a very fun book for the role-playing inclined. Therefore it does well with the current and ex-military people, Kenzer people included. KoDT is a very fun book for the role-playing inclined. Therefore it does well with the current and ex-military people, Kenzer people included.

]]> by: Brian Jacoby from Secret Headquarters Tallahassee, Florida http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598766 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:06:00 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598766 Oh, and I'll miss C&#38;GR. Without it I would not have had nearly enough information to open my store. Oh, and I’ll miss C&GR. Without it I would not have had nearly enough information to open my store.

]]> by: Brian Jacoby from Secret Headquarters Tallahassee, Florida http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598765 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:05:19 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598765 I have more subscribers to KoDT than I do to many Marvel and DC monthlies. It's a series that appeals to multiple demographics: Humor comics fans, game players, and people who just like offbeat comics. The art is deliberately amateurish. The quality of the writing is quite high. I have more subscribers to KoDT than I do to many Marvel and DC monthlies. It’s a series that appeals to multiple demographics: Humor comics fans, game players, and people who just like offbeat comics.

The art is deliberately amateurish. The quality of the writing is quite high.

]]> by: JimShelley http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598533 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:42:53 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/12/04/print-retailer-magazine-to-end-%c2%bb-comics-worth-reading/#comment-598533 It's funny because Phil Looney and I were wondering how another magazine geared to gaming and comics could be in this age. I think this gives us some idea... It’s funny because Phil Looney and I were wondering how another magazine geared to gaming and comics could be in this age. I think this gives us some idea…

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