Will Comic Book Stores Survive?
In recent years, the sale of comics all over the world has undergone a substantial degree of deterioration. Life has been very tough for retailers who have focused solely on comics. Meanwhile, the activities of retailers who sell both graphic novels and comics have stayed normal.
All good things come to an end
Comics and graphic novels enjoyed a great boom in the early ’80s till the midstream of the 2000s. But the growth has drastically declined almost to an abysmal level in recent years. Going by the sales trends in the sales records of comics and graphic novels, according to ICv2, 2017 witnessed a sharp drop across the board.
Things are not normal
Although the drop was not as bad and as sharp in 2018, it was never ‘business as usual’ for many comic retailers. The drop-in sales are biting the comic’s market sections harder than the graphic novels. General bookstores are still making headways with robust graphic novels.
The Scepticism of Sellers is Reasonable
Major comics retailers entered into 2019 not sure of what the comics market situation would be, the same fear that gripped them in 2018. 2017 witnessed a terrible drop in the sales of comics, a condition that drove some comics stores to close down. The case has not recorded a noticeable change.
ICv2 reported a 1% drop in the comic sales in 2018 from 2017. According to PW’s comics retailer survey contacted some comics and graphic novels stores. Many of the stores are still doubtful and pessimistic about this year’s comic market outlook. Their fear is premised on the slow pace of the comics market at the beginning of 2019; the economic uncertainty brought about by the prevailing political climate. Good incentive programs for retailers will add some pep into the efforts of the retailers.