What Happened to the Cheap Comic Book Retailers?

Oh, remember them now. Well do you miss them? I loved seeing one of those things arrive. I revelled in it. I started with those premium Moore and Bowen pieces and went to the new set of Buffy cards. I went straight to the blowout page. They had comics at prices no one could beat. I was a fanboy in heaven. Digging through couches and dirty jeans because 25¢ meant one more comic. Specials that ranged from a quarter for dollar books, 50¢ for $2.50 books, and $1.00 for $5.00 books. Pretty soon you had to edit the list down to what you had to have, which really meant what you could afford. Those were the days. Setting at home watching reruns of Ninja Turtles eating Cool Ranch Doritos and thumbing through the new American Entertainment catalog was a perfect after-school day. Oh sure you ran the risk of not getting something you ordered but they let you list alternatives. The local shop would not guarantee you would get all of your order. There was always something missing whether it was that new Wolverine shirt or a Batman bandana. Hey do not misunderstand, I love local shops and I wish we still had more of them, which you will hear about in a future RANT article. Those catalogs just got the adrenaline going. Maybe it is because I am older now but the internet just does not get me excited about ordering comics. It just does not have the feel those comics gave me as a kid. It could be because I know how easy it is to throw up a website. Those catalogs were almost as cool as some of the comics you were ordering. I guess the fact that the catalogs were tangible made a difference. Most website comic sellers seem dry, cold, sterile, and impersonal. Websites are also here today and gone tomorrow. Website retailers do not have a feedback rating like ebay, but a person cannot find the books I am talking about on ebay anyway. Well not unless you purchase a huge bulk buy with just anything in it and then you have a huge shipping bill, and worrying about losing the auction to another bidder. How is that fun? It isn’t any fun. That is just my point. I have spoken to other collectors/dealers across the country and they miss those flashy catalogs as well. I know a few places that still produce catalogs, but the items are usually higher grade stock. I want the cheap stuff. 25¢ books. Cyberforce, Nomad, and Dark Horse Presents just to name a few. There is a solution for everyone involved. Big to small retailers everywhere even those website guys that work out of mom’s basement should put together a neat and clean flyer, brochure, or catalog (whatever you want to call it) of all that bulk of cheap stuff, but don’t just sell it as a lump to a so-called dealer. No expensive ads, colors, or wild designs are needed. The simpler the brochure the better it will be and the fans will appreciate it. Let the collector feel special by ordering what they wants. You cannot sell Gambit #4 to 100 different people so let them list alternates. Hey, if I was placing an order and received an alternate instead of one of the books I ordered I was never upset because I still chose that book as well.