Posted in: Comics | Tagged:


Comic Store In Your Future – When Google Says You Are Closed On Wednesdays

Rod Lamberti of Rodman Comics, writes weekly for Bleeding Cool. Find previous columns here.

Having all kinds of issues this week. One of them was my home computer did a Windows update and then the password screen didn't even pop up to let me enter a password thus locking me out of it pretty good.  With my phone, I saw other people having the same issue but, no real solutions.  I even watched a YouTube video and learned all it was about was a person with the same issue I am having. Very boring video with no comments on how to fix it. Was worried that I would not be able to at least get some of the store related info off the computer again. Yes, some of it is backed up and some of it isn't. Then just over an hour before I finished writing this I managed to fix it. Oddly enough even though the keyboard would work in safe mode, the keyboard and mouse was conflicting with the new update and would cut out before the password screen would appear making the computer think there wasn't a keyboard connected and then it wouldn't prompt the login for the password I guess. I switched keyboards figuring it would be a waste of time and was proven wrong. Now even the old keyboard works. Love technology.

So far there doesn't seem to be much new comic news. People instore have been talking about how disappointed they are that some of the titles they are reading are getting rebooted. From Amazing Spider-Man to Superman people here do not seem excited about more first issues of titles that have seen plenty of first issues over the years. DC recently added Justice League as getting renumbered. Instore with customers I try to put on an upbeat front and often don't even bring up what I have written in these columns. I want people to buy comics. Lots and lots of comics. Another downfall of when a comic book is announced as getting a new first issue is the title starts bleeding off readership up to the last issue before the new first issue. People don't get excited and ask which comic series is ending? I want to get on board on a comic that is getting cancelled! That has never happened here. As I have commented on before, another drawback of renumbering is no one is interested in the previous series. Marvel Now first and second tries are dead back issue wise along with DC's New 52.

Had a customer come in Tuesday and asked why I was closed on Wednesdays. I was like because we are not closed then. I thought, closed on new comic Wednesdays? Why would anyone think that? He said well that's what Google says. I was like what? Sure enough, I looked and Google had us listed us closed on Wednesdays. Someone for whatever reason did that.  Again don't believe everything you read online. It has now been corrected.

Wizards of the Coast has announced that we will be able to sell almost a week early next month's set at the prerelease. That is good news. Masters 25 sold well for us but, it could have sold better here. How you ask? Because people were able to buy it at the local Wal Mart two days before the official release date. So people, of course, bought it there since I didn't sell before the Friday release date.  Pokémon has been allowing stores that have prereleases to sell their new card sets for a while.

Wizard of the Coast Magic wise had a sales drop last year. So now they seem more concerned about things.

Action Figures I have had customers asking about this year. Such as the lack of new ones for this year. I know the Bombshells figure line with Bumblebee was cancelled in Diamond's ordering system and I do not see it relisted yet.  I keep hoping for a personal favorite of mine to be announced someday,  Shado from Mike Grell's Green Arrow run. A man can dream, right? But, sadly it does seem there are fewer action figures coming out this year.

Last few weeks I have felt like the Flash trying to run through quicksand. Just a bunch of things that should have been quick and easy dragging out and taking way longer than they should have.

The latest upcoming releases announced haven't made me feel like the industry is turning the corner yet.  I, of course, hope it does and hope to be proven wrong. Amazed that DC seems to think Bendis coming on board is so great. Hope it is. Just worried about another repeat of when J. Michael Straczynski was handed so much control over Superman for his Grounded story. Maybe Bendis can make a comeback. Grant Morrison was once in a rut years ago popularity wise after his work on Skrull Kill Krew. He wrote back in the day, a new JLA with Howard Porter as the artist and his star power returned.  Though still stunned to see so many relaunches.  DC seems to be wanting to do it more and more also. If relaunching was a good thing then why having done it so often over the years, has the industry been facing a downturn?

Maybe I should Google it.


Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!

Rod LambertiAbout Rod Lamberti

Comments will load 20 seconds after page. Click here to load them now.