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Saturday Politics, Unions, Marriage, Pirates And Marketing

Naturally, because I live in Britain, I've been asked about the American healthcare system and whether some system of socialised health care should be created for the country, will it fail under American expectation, and will death panels be set up to condemn the elderly and infirm?

Put it this way. Every year for about the last ten years I have asked to contribute to three or four campaigns to raise funds for American comic book creators who cannot afford their healthcare costs.

I have never been asked to contribute towards a British comic book creator's healthcare costs.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the difference. Please advice your government representative accordingly.

bigappleI understand that the WizardWorld comic conventions have chosen to absorb all "union fees" from dealers until the end of 2010.

At San Diego this year, watching the convention come down, I was made aware of the fairly sizable costs charged by the workers who took down publisher and dealer displays, backed up ready to be shipped back across the country, and was told that one display deconstruction could cost around multiple-thousands of dollars to take down. As a result, despite health and safety requirements, many dealers were happy to do it themselves and the convention officials looked the other way.  And I'm aware that in New York, these fees are traditionally higher.

As a result, Wizard's promotional move is one that should resonate well with potential vendors…

A big hand to Archie's publicity people for getting the Archie-Marries-Veronica story into soooooo many news sources months after it was announced. And bonus points by pushing the Betty-loving guy who is selling his Archie #1 in disgust.

And congratulations too to Watchmen for being the number one pirated movie of the year, and Heroes for being the most pirated TV show of the year. Who said superheroes were over? Clearly, for people who don't want to pay a cent, or watch adverts breaking them up, they're busting!

And as marketer Percy Carey resigns from Mayhem in disgust at the creators' antics, copies of the book remain unsold on the shelves as anticipated orders, often it seems generated by astroturfing (fake grass roots movements) various stores, fail to turn into actual sales. Will issue 2 represent the biggest percentage drop in orders between two issues ever?


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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