I was doing a convention panel last year and the question was asked,

"What am I doing to save Comics"

    I responded back with "we're bringing readers in one at a time and trying to produce the best work possible".  Inside I wondered, "when did it become my responsibility". Recently, I tried to negotiate a deal between two powerhouses in the comic book industry.  I mentioned to one of them that it would be good to build excitement since that's the kind of stuff the industry needed to help retailers.  He then responded back and I apologize to him for printing this:

I started thinking about a business class I took where the problem of the day was how do we help a milk bottle company survive. The answer was "you don't, the milk bottle is dead." I spent the rest of the night thinking are comic books "milk bottles". The answer is no. So, why are sales down?  Why were the 90's so good? Did the internet kill the market?

There's a store here in Orlando that opened up about two years ago.  They have great sales and loyal customers. They have a lot of competition but they still do well.  What are they doing? They are doing what every business owner does in a flooded, downturn market, they fight, they think, they give and they open their mind to new possibilities. I've had the opportunity to travel this country and see many different stores.  Some haven't changed in thirty years.  New books on one wall and long boxes as far as the eye can see. The truth is that the world has changed and displays, promotions, marketing and sales have to change with it.

So "what am I doing to save comics"? I am starting a long term campaign where I am going to enlist retailers and professional in our community to fight the apathy that festers in our industry.  From stores, to professional, to owners of comic book companies, I have heard the death cry.  Well to you I say "keep complaining, don't change and move forward with your death march" but I'm here to fight for an industry that is not destined to fall to the wayside.

The fact whether you believe it or not comic books are not like encyclopedias where we just open them for small bits of data.  A comic book is a visual, tactile medium where someone is not going to stare at a monitor for hours trying to read their ten weekly books. While I believe that online books are good for some that does not mean that there is no a place for printed ones.

Since announcing this decision to start the fight, three readers, three professionals and one retailer have joined the fight.  The fight had one voice yesterday now we have eight. Tomorrow we'll have four more. It's okay if you choose not to support the cause or disagree but all I ask is to keep your mind open.

What will we do other than scream from the roof tops.  We will share, acquire and provide sound tools, advice, ideas and support for existing and new stores.  As our numbers grow, we will turn the tide.  This is not a goal that can not be achieved. It just takes what every business since the beginning of time has learned and that is "apathy, stubbornness, jealousy and depression not change is the enemy". 

If you are interested just email us at war@bigcitycs.com. We will provide you with updates and would appreciate any ideas you might have.  What you might consider a simple maybe even idiotic idea maybe just what this industry needs. We will be preparing a section on our site that provides new ideas and suggestions.

Thanks for listening. I hope you decide to join the fight.

Jeff Kaufman

Publisher / Writer / Reader