Comics Are Great! 12 – Calling all LCS!
February 23, 2011 by Jerzy Drozd
Filed under CAG Podcast, Podcasts
Whatever its intent, the recent news about Diamond Distribution’s attempt at digital distribution has stirred up a lot of talk about the future of Local Comics Stores (LCS). Digital delivery of comics through services like The Illustrated Section or Comixology has certainly disrupted the business of selling and distributing physical comic books, but does this mean that comics stores are no longer relevant? Is there more to what ails LCS? Can they adapt their business model to become more relevant than ever before?
I’m grateful to be joined by two people who lend a boat-load of insight on the subject:
Eli Neiburger is the Associate Director of IT and Production at the Ann Arbor District Library and author of Gamers… In the Library?!
Barry Gregory is the owner of the Ka-Blam Digital Printing service as well as the IndyPlanet and ComicsMonkey fulfillment and distribution services.
Together we explore how LCS can reach new audiences and find their unique value proposition by partnering with local cartoonists and begin thinking of themselves as much as a content creator as they are a content seller. We use some successful strategies used by libraries as models for consideration.
Some links mentioned in this episode:
- Eli’s “Libraries are Screwed” talk he led at the Library Journal/School Library Journal Online Summit
- Green Brain Comics
- Vault of Midnight
- Wondermark
- Achewood
- Raina Telgemeier
- The Dok Library
- My talk at Ignite Chelsea, The 21st Century Cartoonist
- A blog post I made on the topic of LCS pursuing local talent to create content
We talk a lot about interactive comics events during our discussion, which reminds me to point you at the Kids Read Comics Extravaganza on March 12 in Ann Arbor, MI!
Follow Jerzy, Barry, and Eli on Twitter!
Podcast (comicsaregreat): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:37 — 61.1MB) | Embed
Jerzy they just keep getting better & better. What an awesome discussion with barry & Eli! Thank you for all that you are doing for the independent comic community.
Hey, thanks! Glad you’re liking it. I wish I had more time to do more of these CAG shows. I always walk away mentally on fire after these roundtable episodes. Hopefully once I get through this year’s KRC event, I can do more than one a month!
I totally agree with Sam. This was one of the best ones! I enjoyed the talk about libraries more than the LCSs.
The way things are looking, Barry’s business is on the verge of an explosion of business I think. I know of quite a few artists who wishes that Ka-Blam had some business sites on more continents. I’ve heard that POD is mostly an American thing. I think Ka-Blam would do great if they opened up some shops on other continents. Of course, I don’t know if it’s feasible for them to do so right now.
Anyways, LOVE the CAG podcast. Keep it up.
Hey guys,
Fantastic episode. Just want to point out that there really are great comic shops that are doing many of the innovative things you brought up. On the forefront is Challengers Comics + Conversation in Chicago. They have a drawing area, with drafting table for visiting cartoonists:
http://www.challengerscomics.com/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&func=viewcategory&catid=3&Itemid=200104
That is terrific to hear and see! Here’s hoping more shops follow their example.