Mile High Comics vs. SDCC

fredzilla

Not sure if any of you have heard about this or even care. I think Peter touched upon this in the most recent Listener Feedback episode and this is something Chris has also spoken to with regards to back issues.

Mile High Comics May Pull Out from SDCC Over Exclusive Variants

And more recently...

Driven by "Emotional Response," Mile High Comics Will Return to SDCC

For me it's a business decision. As a business if you're losing profit going to a con, you stop going. However, I don't know how much of it is the publisher's fault. For the longest time--and still--MHC has been known for over-priced back issues. Sure, they've recently recanted that business practice, but decades if such business practices do not come without consequences from consumers. I haven't bought any back issues from MHC for years because I couldn't/can't afford it. How many con goers looking for comics skip MHC because they've known for years that the prices are too high? At least that's why I skipped them when I went to Denver Comic Con.

nweathington

I went to SDCC for several years, and I rarely bought back issues there, because nearly every dealer was overpriced at that show. But I wouldn't even bother looking through Mile High's boxes because I knew there was no chance of finding what I was looking for at a price I was willing to pay.

rebis

nweathington said:

I went to SDCC for several years, and I rarely bought back issues there, because nearly every dealer was overpriced at that show. But I wouldn't even bother looking through Mile High's boxes because I knew there was no chance of finding what I was looking for at a price I was willing to pay.

Way back in the day, MHC used to offer in-store coupons that they would give to customers after a purchase. They called them Chuck Bucks and they worked like the stamps that grocery stores used to do. The only way I would buy back issues from MHC is if I had enough Chuck Bucks to discount the purchase.

MacGillicutty

I heard about this, and the last episode of Major Spoilers they get into this quite a bit, a very good listen as they cover it from different angles.

Torchsong

I think Rozakis/MH is pulling a James Brown here.

He gave us the article where he's too tired and he just can't give any more and lose money on this convention. Que James limping off the stage and an attendant putting his cape over his shoulders.

Two days (was it even that long?) later he's back in because of the "emotional response". We (the fans) must have called James back to that microphone because he has more to give.

What did he get out of it? 2-3 days worth of free media (social and otherwise) exposure for his business. He's no dummy. :)

I didn't stop at his booth at SDCC this year because he didn't bring any trades. It was all single issues, and I pretty much don't pick those up anymore. And to be honest, Torpedo Comics scratched that itch for me so nicely I'll likely be hitting them up again if I'm fortunate enough to go back next year.

mwhitt80

We also got a 60% off sale until Saturday morning.

David_D

Torchsong said:

I think Rozakis/MH is pulling a James Brown here.

He gave us the article where he's too tired and he just can't give any more and lose money on this convention. Que James limping off the stage and an attendant putting his cape over his shoulders.

Two days (was it even that long?) later he's back in because of the "emotional response". We (the fans) must have called James back to that microphone because he has more to give.

What did he get out of it? 2-3 days worth of free media (social and otherwise) exposure for his business. He's no dummy. :)

I didn't stop at his booth at SDCC this year because he didn't bring any trades. It was all single issues, and I pretty much don't pick those up anymore. And to be honest, Torpedo Comics scratched that itch for me so nicely I'll likely be hitting them up again if I'm fortunate enough to go back next year.

It's like we keep trying to put Chuck's shirt back on him, and he's waving us away like, "I can't, I can't!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n62J9-WP1A&list=PLsNB88nnkc4BOgDtg9LWAcrnX0gHhMJzM

Flagwaver

Torchsong said:

I didn't stop at his booth at SDCC this year because he didn't bring any trades. It was all single issues, and I pretty much don't pick those up anymore.

The last few years that I attended SDCC (2011 being the last), it seemed he had nothing but trades, or at least that was the majority of what he was selling.