Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:00PM11 comments ›
Sun Aug 17, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
Amazon Now Selling Comic Subscriptions
The world's largest comic book retailer has added monthly comics to its offerings
Maybe some bean counter finally tallied up all those comic book trade paperback sales. But Amazon.com, the world’s largest online retailer of, well, just about everything is now offering comic book subscriptions. Not for collected editions, but the regular old monthly books that some call “floppies.”
Is this a direct attack against your local comic store? Hardly. Amazon has been offering magazine subscriptions for years now. Adding comics to the mix is just an expansion of that business.
The offerings from Amazon are for the more mainstream, monthly comics. Not the best-sellers only found in direct market shops, like Secret Invasion, but titles more likely to appeal to the “My son really liked the Dark Knight movie, so let me get him a subscription to Batman” set.
It’s true that this could potentially take some casual market dollars out of dealers’ hands, but today’s shared universe, interconnected comics might have those readers seeking out stores for more titles. And think of the benefit to readers who live nowhere near a comic shop.
Jump to comments (11)
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Comments (11)
Martha Thomases (6:25 PM on Sun Aug 17, 2008)
This should be great for bringing new people to comics. So great and so smart that I can't entirely believe the publishers agreed to do it.
Alan Coil (6:58 PM on Sun Aug 17, 2008)
Thus begins the end for Mom-And-Pop comic book stores.
Neil Ottenstein (9:03 AM on Mon Aug 18, 2008)
They have some DC comics set up so far and some Marvels will be coming soon (not all the links work at the moment). Some of the DC subscriptions they have are for 33% off (not all though). Considering that most comic book stores have a much smaller discount for regular customers I was thinking this could take a bite out of them. On the other hand, if these are individually delivered by mail, I don't think most collectors would want to risk the damage. So, for the casual new reader this might be a good starting point.
Vinnie Bartilucci (9:42 AM on Mon Aug 18, 2008)
Marvel was saying last week that when Amazing Spider-Man went thrice-weekly, they made a really good subscription deal available. It was such as success, the book is profitable solely on subscriptions. And I haven't heard any comic shops complaining about that.
This is a small sign, one of many to come I hope, that comics are returning to the mainstream. It's what I've been talking about for years - get the comics into new people's hands. I'll bet few if any comic fans will take advantage of this deal, but a lot of newcomers, or parents/grandparents of newcomers will.
Anonymous (7:56 AM on Mon Aug 18, 2008)
That Top 10 subscriptions list on the page is weird. Mad is the #1 book? Green Arrow is a top seller. Scooby Doo and Looney Tunes? Weird.
Martha Thomases (12:34 PM on Mon Aug 18, 2008)
Scooby Doo and Looney Tunes would be selling like crazy, if parents could find them easily. That's why they do well on Amazon.
Todd (12:44 PM on Mon Aug 18, 2008)
They've been offering single issues for several months.
http://www.indignantonline.com/2008/05/18/amazon-is-carry...
Anonymous (2:22 PM on Mon Aug 18, 2008)
I got an e-mail promotion from Amazon last week about this. That's probably why it's been getting attention.
Neil Ottenstein (5:12 PM on Mon Aug 18, 2008)
If you aren't registered on the site, can you give a name beneath your comment so we can distinguish one "anonymous" person and another when reading.
Bulent Yusuf (6:46 AM on Tue Aug 19, 2008)
This is FANTASTIC news! Comics are finally escaping direct market purgatory and venturing back into the mainstream. Thank you Amazon - now offer this service in the UK and I'll be one of the first to sign up.
Anonymous (7:27 PM on Tue Aug 19, 2008)
How exactly are they shipping the floppy comics though?
In plastic bags or in sturdy hardbound mailers?
DC Comics subscriptions still ship their comics in bags and they get damaged too easily.