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Dealing Cool #3: A Retailer Perspective from Automattic Comics

Published Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:00:34 -0500

Welcome to the third installment of Dealing Cool, our new regular feature which shares retailer perspectives from among the racks and at the register. Today, we're proud to present insight from Matthew Booker of Automattic Comics. Enjoy!

MY SHOP, DEFINED

Set the stage for the Bleeding Cool viewer — what's the core of your business? Where are you located, and what's your primary clientele? Would you consider yourself and/or your store as a specialist in a particular product genre or era?

The shop has been in business since 1994, starting off selling comics, tapes, CDs and VHS movies. It's progressed over the years to sell comics merchandise, and now our business is one-half comic store and one-half toy shop. More display area is dedicated to toys, with a large focus on Lego and Star Wars action figures / related merchandise. We are predominantly a standing order service shop and don't carry a huge range of new weekly comics, but will happily order for customers if we haven't got what they want. Comics are still the core love of the shop, but we have moved with the times and strive to supply what the town needs. I consider the store as a "Marvel Store," as that's what our customer base orders more of, but DC Comics' New 52 has garnered a lot of customers looking for something new and exciting… and with more stable release schedule and creative teams, which Marvel isn't offering at the moment. We are very passionate about what we sell and offer a very personal, knowledgeable service. We also co-run the annual Corsham Sci-Fi Family Funday, which is like a comic convention, but more focused on the family and community. Some of the local costumers often come and do promos at the shop.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

What are the hot items in your store this month? Even more interesting, what would be an item (or items) that surprised you?

DC's New 52 are still going strong and gaining new customers all the time, and their reprint program is a big winner.
Kids comics are on the up at the moment (DC needs some more kid-friendly books, in my humble opinion).
Marvel is losing my customers on Spider-Man and X-Men books. The customers don't like the inconsistent frequency and constant creative team changes (fill-in teams).
Liberty Meadows is coming back. I cannot wait, nor can a good percentage of my customer base. Go, Team Brandy !

HYPE VS. REALITY

Considering sales and customer feedback, how did a particular big-ticket series or event perform at your store?

Good vibes for Avengers Vs. X-Men managed to get a lot more subscription customers than I hoped for.
Avenging Spiderman… the return of fan-fave Joe Madureira, and all we get is three issues before a fill-in artist. Please! Customers were not happy and a good few asked that we not order more unless Madureira returns. When this kind of thing happens, it's such a shame.
DC's reprint program for all the New 52 is a total win. With the way our store works, we can restock fairly quickly on runs of the popular sellers like Batman, Justice League, Action Comics, etc. without spending loads of money (and hoarding lots of stock that may not sell for months). Top marks to Bob Wayne and the DC staffers for a superb program that's helped me keep lots of customers happy, and for adding more new standing orders in the last few months than I can remember during the last 5+ years.

GUILTY PLEASURE

What's a favorite pick for your store, something you wholeheartedly endorse as a high quality and entertaining product?

Fables
Rachel Rising
iZombie
Star Wars: Crimson Empire
Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi
Daredevil
The Boys
…and the biggest guilty pleasure book of them all is Crossed. I really enjoy this series, though it's not everyone's taste (that's for sure).

THE DOWNRIGHT STRANGE

Any humorous observations from behind the counter from the past few weeks?

Twelve year-old kids looking on the top shelf (mature reader stuff) and wanting to buy Halo, Gears of War, Kick Ass, Watchmen, and other graphic novels for which they have played the game or seen the film. I won't sell these without parental consent. Half the time, parents will buy it for them without really looking inside, even though I try and point out why they may be rated for mature readers. But then again, some of the rated 12 movies that I have seen at the cinema, bemused me at how they get that rating.

Matthew Booker
Automattic Comics
17 Pickwick Road
Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 9BQ
United Kingdom
Phone: 01249 701647
E-Mail: automatticcomics@dsl.pipex.com
Website: www.automatticcomics.co.uk
Twitter: @automatticcomic