Direct Sales/ News stand

[buffster88]

I don't know if this is the right place to put this topic and being new to the comic book medium, I was just wondering whats the difference between the two?

[Hellbound Hyperion]

A long time ago, in supermarkets just a bike ride away, comic books would be sold on newsstands in a similar fashion to newspapers and magazines. This stemmed from their origins in the papers as comic strips, and also from the pulp magazines. By the 70s, however, the retail outlets where these stands could be found were dying out, especially ones that sold comic books. In its place comes the direct market. The idea is this: you solicit a soon-to-be-released comic book from a publisher, and then they mail it to you directly when the issue is finally finished and printed. It's like subscribing to a magazine. This is the system behind all comic shops now - they order a set number of issues based on what they think their patrons would like, then you come in and buy them.

These days, the direct market usually has a middle man to handle transactions - pretty much every comic book shop around uses Diamond Distribution to aid in the distribution of comics from the publishers to the shops.

[buffster88]

Thanks, so I'm guessing that most of you collectors go for the direct sales?

[Skytteflickan88]

I assume I do. I don't know how to tell the difference. I think I "direct sales" something on the bar code label once, for Angel #2 (Darkhorse run)

[Hellbound Hyperion]

Aug 10, 2010 8:06:08 GMT -5 buffster88 said:

Thanks, so I'm guessing that most of you collectors go for the direct sales?

It's about the only way to buy comics these days. Even places I've been that sell comics on a rack are actually just subsidizing an old comic book shop, and they've just inherited the direct market deal from the old shop. And subscriptions to publishers (Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, IDW, Image, etc.) are rare these days. So yes, most likely if you are buying a comic book it is a result of the direct market.