A Few Thoughts
It is a fact that Bristol is one of the largest citys in the UK. It has a huge student population and one of the best mixes of ‘ethnic’ populations you can find.
Indian,Bangladeshi,Pakistanese,Bhutanese,Malayan,Sri Lankan,Korean,Chinese,Japanese,Russian,Italian,Czech, French,Turkish,Polish -and the list goes on.
There is a large enough population of 16-50 year olds which is targetted by businesses. This age group encompasses the core of comic book buyers.
In the 1970s-1980s Bristol had Quicksilver Comics,three Forever People stores and a couple of Independent stores.
Going back about 3 years we had Forbidden Planet,Area 51,Kathy’s Comics and Travelling Man.
Comic prices were evening out.
All stores were in great locations but Kathy’s Comics closed despite being in the prime City business location of The Galleries. It seemed almost impossible to believe that a store in such a location could fail. The problem seemed bad management and,like other stores,Standing Orders meant little [you might/might not get your order] and it seemed getting enough copies of new titles was a problem.
The same is true of Travelling Man. great staff but Standing Orders were hit or miss and at one point it was in a far better geographical location than Forbidden Planet. Most of us know the problems but the result was closure.
Area 51 has a huge chunk of the city to itself,however,it is primarily interested in gaming and comics seems an add-on. Now that is how the owner wants it and,therefore,cannot be criticised for not running a comic shop.
So,we are left with Forbidden Planet which is not my favourite any more. Standing Orders? I’ve missed so many issues and heard excuses that I just don’t care any more. From a good store with a competent man keeping an eye on stock and orders it’s sunk low.
So why is it that no one comes along with a long term plan to set up a store and make it work? It isn’t that difficult and,to be honest,if I had the money I’d set one up myself.
The monopoly of Forbidden Planet is rather like the monopoly Diamond Distributors have in the UK,it makes things very stale and it’s a case of “take this deal or **** off!” The loser is the comic fan/buyer.
I’ve noted how,like others,I’ve been told “We can’t get hold of Dr Master” or how it’s “Difficult to get Cinebook or Classical Comics” -sheer and utter bull! I think that,having seen the Turnaround Catalogue,offering Manhua,Cinebook and more,that there is a deliberate stranglehold on what we as customers are being allowed to see/buy.
Look at what Cinebook have published -and yet,in Bristol,you’ll only find 3-4 titles tucked away on a dark shelf because “there is no interest”. No interest probably because no one can see them -Cinebook did very well at the Comic Expo and I noted a lot of those going to the table were from Bristol!
What is needed is a well positioned store which does not just pander to Marvel or DC [though you cannot ignore them] but that also stocks a range of up-to-date Independent Comics,Undergrounds,Cinebook,Classical Comics and even Small Press titles.
Will it ever happen?
I can dream. We just seem to have lost the common sense to understand that customers read all sorts of books and if you supply and promote you can’t really lose.
Now,where’s my copy of Northern Lightz?
Comic Bits Online is the web version of the Comic Bits magazine Edited and run by Terry Hooper. Currently Interviews Editor at Manga Life,Terry has over thirty years experience in the comic industry as script writer,artist,freelance Editor,publisher and much more. But if you want the facts:
Curriculum vitae Name:Terry HooperDob:6th June 1957 [50 yrs]Currently living Ashton Vale,Bristol,United Kingdom ...
4 Responses
Mr Hooper
Good to see you getting back to some good old ranting,as opposed to the usual pleasantries. I would be interested to know exactly what percentage of comic-buying is now done on-line as opposed to via shops. Methinks comic sales for shops are far lower down the sales pecking order than toys or models these days.And it’s no good entirely blaming the shops or distributors for a predominance of Marvel-DC product-you only have to see the number of “readers” who stock up on every big two title on the shelves when they appear.Let’s be honest here, a great many comic readers are hardly discerning in their tastes.Unfortunately, this country still has a snobbery concerning comics as a viable adult artistic medium.But let’s face it, when you see the contents of most of the stuff(and it’s not just the obvious targets of your mainstream publishers either, there’s also more than enough indie crap thats equally bad), it’s hardly suprising.Phew, time i stopped ranting, and went and read a good book methinks.A good novel.One that isn’t prefixed with the misnomer, “graphic”.
Posted on May 18th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Hmm. Trouble is that people WILL buy online because they can get the comics cheaper. The problem is that comic prices are getting higher and whereas there are lots of Independents out there you will pay twice as much for them.
The Mighty Avengers =£1.80
Love & Rockets =£2.60-£3.60
Because Forbidden Planet is “hidden away” and comic fans have to walk up the steep Park Street comic sales dropped from when they were based in the city centre area.
It’s down to what you want to do/be. An “Entertainment centre” or a comic shop.
A comic shop is a comic shop. It should sell comics and offer a wide variety of books so that people know they can go there,pick up comics and order books.
A small range of action figures..nah.
It would be nice to go into a comic shop and pick up a comic,graphic novel,etc.,maybe talk to friendly staff who don’t have to look over their shoulder all the time and,if you can’t find a book you want,order and KNOW it will turn up.
Seriously,if you were a regular comic buyer I’d take you more seriously! A copy of Speak Of The Devil [last issue out 28th May!] every month don’t make you a spokesman for the comic shop community!
oooh,if I could slap Northall now as well my day would be complete.
Long and the short of it:I KNOW what I’m talking about..book boy!
Posted on May 18th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Hmmm…I spoke to at least one person at the Bristol Expo who told me that Forbidden Planet had told them that they couldn’t order Eleventh Hour for them. With that kind of support from retailers in the UK can there be any hope for the British comic industry?
Posted on May 18th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Hmm, it’s difficult really.The bottom line for the shop is always going to be “what sells”.Well, Marvel and DC. Unless you have an evangelical store that wishes to inform and educate their readership that there is other material worth pursuing, then nothing is likely to change.One also has to take into account that historical and traditional market dominance plays a part.
Perhaps the answer will lie in the expanding on-line sales market.If you consider how the specialist shop changed the market, in effect allowing the development of the indie titles(albeit for a brief time), then I can see that buying directly from the publisher via the net may lead to an enviroment encouraging more scope and diversity. It is however, as much about the quality of the material, and the willingness of the readership’s tastes to mature, as anything else.Sadly, the real problem always lies in how literate your readership is.That to my mind, is the real problem we now have in the UK.Most people rarely read a book these days, and the comic strip narrative form is actually, a pretty idiosyncratic language in itself. What’s needed is, as always, education.
Posted on May 20th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
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