Wait - how does this business even work? Image credit: The DragonĮach month, the owner, or employees in charge of ordering, combs through the catalogs of upcoming merchandise, and estimates how much of each item they can sell. ![]() Your shop will have a selection of graphic novels, and will usually order anything you’re looking for, but graphic novels have their own release schedule, and not everything can be found in print all the time. The name has become a catch-all for collected storylines from regular series (also called trade paperbacks), to original work presented in a longer format. Graphic novels are what you’re looking for. I’m not interested in single-issue comics books, really. If you want to get a specific comic, you need to let your retailer know. But on the flip side, there are hundreds of comics that come out every month, and by sheer numbers, most stores don’t order most of the comics that come out each month. An issue with a specific or new character or anticipated 'event' may see the shop owner order multiple hundreds of copies. The store may have some on display for different prices, but if your retailer has multiple variants on sale for cover price, just buy the one you like the best. Variant covers are often released at certain ratios with less-common variants selling for more, due to scarcity. Sometimes it may be just two different versions of the cover, or sometimes, it may be 25 or more. What’s going on? Image credit: Challengers Comic + Conversation Some of these issues have titles on them, some don't, and some have different covers, but they’re all the same issue. Most series ship a new issue every month, although some ship less frequently, while occasionally, series may bump up to biweekly, or weekly shipping. Issues surrounding the new comics are other series that came out this month, just not this week. The issues that came out this week usually have some kind of indicator on them, occasionally with recommendations made by the staff. Hopefully, your local shop is one you're comfortable with.Īlright - once you’re in the door, let’s start with comic books. Generally speaking, full-service comics shops - those with a little bit of everything just have the word 'comics' in their name. Manage your expectations - if a store's name includes the words, 'Comics & _', believe them. If you're lucky, you'll get a little from all those categories: monthly comics, a deep graphic novel selection, a healthy back issue stock, some toys, and some collectibles. You also may find shops for whom monthly issues are a sideline, and the bulk of the floor and shelf space is taken up by toys or games. ![]() Some shops deal mostly in graphic novels, and art books - slightly higher-end, more literary stuff. There will be those that focus just on the new monthly books without too much in terms of back issues or even graphic novels. Just as there are a huge number of items a comic shop can sell, there are different types that cater to specific areas of the larger market. Yes it pays their bills, but there are a lot less stressful ways to make a living. Whether they admit it or are a little 'Comic Shop Guy' about it, they love this stuff. It’s a vibrant, constantly-changing place run by someone with a passion for the industry and the art form. The basics of comic shopping Image credit: The DragonĪ standard comic shop gets new comic books and graphic novels every week, along with toys, statues, and other collectibles, and a little bit of everything else. Maybe you know where your local comic shop is and have even heard people talk about one, but you just haven’t taken that leap. You binge the shows - yet, the whole 'comic book' side of things has you a little…hesitant.
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