The changing world of retail comic books

Article at Business Insider

"Graphic novel print sales reached $635 million in 2018 and single-issue (or periodical) print sales were at $360 million.

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Superhero comics are now trumped in sales by graphic novels for kids - this is a phenomenon which actually reflects a return to roots for the medium. You would think this would be great for direct sale comic book shops, but:

"More comic stores are experimenting, though, and buying from the book channel through publishers like Penguin Random House and Simon and Schuster, according to Griepp. But a big problem is that parents don’t shop at comic stores. They’re already in book stores and online and comic shops have been slow to catch up.

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The next interesting take on the economics of comic book sales is in streaming. The article quotes David Steinberger, the CEO of Amazon’s digital comics service Comixology, that "binge reading" is where they think the medium is headed for online sales.

The article isn't all about opportunity and a view at growth, though. It includes a short section at the end quoting long time comics writer Gerry Conway who flat out states that the current comic shop retail model is simply "not sustainable."

Comic Book the dilemma

Related: Comic Book Reviews