Diamond Vs P.O.D. and other ramblings

**noble** · 05-23-2005, 10:49 AM

Getting your book into readers hands. Of course anybody in the industry knows that if you want your book in the stores, there�s only one way to do this. When it comes to distribution there is no one better. Sure they take over half your profits, they can decide your entire career�s fate at a moments notice, and if for some reason they decide they don�t like you, you�re dropped, and in essence dead in the water. But since they get your books into stores they�re great. Doesn�t sound too great to me either.
There had to be another way, and soon one presented itself. A little startup company called Comixpress. They promised on demand printing, and would implement a distribution system as well. This sounded to good to be true. Once I started working with them, I discovered not only were they as good as they advertised, they went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure everything with your book was perfect. After getting a book printed up with them, I suggested that everyone at Ronin use Comixpress for their printing needs. Now, I hear people saying that POD (print on demand) comics are crappy. Not the quality of the printing, but the quality of the stories and creators that use such services. You must not have any faith in your stories if you�re too scared to commit to a full print run from a �real� printer. Bullshit. Double bullshit sandwich with a dabble of bullshit on the side. Printing up 3000 copies of a book that you then have to store for the next year, when someone is offering to print them up as you need them? Well that just sounds stupid to me.
Has this ever happened to you? You hear an issue of a book you�ve been looking for is out on the stands. You hit the comic shop. Sorry it�s sold out. They can re-order them for you but they might be out of stock. If that�s the case it can take 1-4 months before there�s any more available. If at all. Best case scenario you have to wait two more weeks before you get your hands on it. Not with POD. Not anymore. Our books are always in print. You want it, you order it, you got it. Doesn�t matter if the issue came out six days or six years ago. It�s available to you. This also does away with those stupid second, third ,and fourth printings, which make the first printing oh so valuable. That�s sarcasm kiddies. Which makes the bigger dogs nervous. How can they boast that they totally sold out of superduperstupid man #1 if they�re always in print? Why would you be proud of the fact that people that want to read your story can�t? On the subject of the books themselves being of the not good variety, have you read Scar Tissue? What about Vicente�s amazing pencils on Future�s End? Tyr, Thistleheart, Slip Kid, The Venger, Corrective Measures or any of the dozens of other projects Ronin Studios is producing. Any one of these books are just as good, if not better than 80% of the product carried in Previews. It�s not that we can�t get in their book, we don�t want in.
Mark my words POD is the future of this industry. Remember Napster? When it came out, and only a few people realized it was the future of the music industry? The archaic system of distribution tried to tear it down every chance they got, however it still thrived. Now we have music stores reporting losses, and I - Tunes and a dozen other ways you can get your music from the comfort of your own home. You even have kiosks in the bigger record stores where you can pick songs and burn your own custom CD right there. You can�t hold the future back. When it shows up the old guard gets nervous and tries to fight it tooth and nail. But still it thrives, and grows until the old way is gone and forgotten.

**CraigM** · 05-23-2005, 10:52 AM

*claps loudly*

Amen Noble, amen!

Craig

**Jade** · 05-23-2005, 11:03 AM

I agree that POD is a wonderful technological advance. And I think it's something that all publishers could theoretically get a lot of use out of. But you have to look outside of the comic publishing world. POD has been in use in the book publishing world for quite a few years now. It has a lengthy history, a history which has been set. That history has set a stigma. Part of that stigma is that POD books are, most of the time, of inferior quality, content wise. And this sucks for the people who are putting out quality books.

Aside from the monetary investment, books put out by publishing companies show to retailers that someone other than the creators put their stamp of approval on the books. Having a book in Diamond says the same thing. In a world of nonreturnables, this is important to the livelihood of retailers.

So, I do understand your frustration. But I do hope you understand there are reasons for why things are as they are. I hope one day that can change.

**alexlannin** · 05-23-2005, 11:07 AM

If there was a way for me, as a retailer, to order and reorder the books online wholesale, I'd do it in a second. That's what Diamond does. Right now, comixpress is only set up for its own retail. If Ronin would set up some sort of wholesale deals, I'd look at them as a whole instead of on a book-by-book basis dealing with individual creators. If you're really going to take on Diamond and change the industry, I think that's what needs to happen.

**CraigM** · 05-23-2005, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by alexlannin

If there was a way for me, as a retailer, to order and reorder the books online wholesale, I'd do it in a second. That's what Diamond does. Right now, comixpress is only set up for its own retail. If Ronin would set up some sort of wholesale deals, I'd look at them as a whole instead of on a book-by-book basis dealing with individual creators. If you're really going to take on Diamond and change the industry, I think that's what needs to happen.

We're looking into it, and I think June 1st will be a date you're looking forward to

Craig

**Ray G.** · 05-23-2005, 11:08 AM

Damn skippy. Fuck Diamond! Fight the power!

**alexlannin** · 05-23-2005, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by CraigM

We're looking into it, and I think June 1st will be a date you're looking forward to

Craig

Awesome, I know it would make a world of difference in me carrying titles. Also, putting together some sort of newsletter shops can carry, ala CSN, would help people be able to get a glimpse at your titles when they come in to a shop.

**Artie Pink** · 05-23-2005, 11:12 AM

Remember to be mad at Marvel for running Diamond competitor Capital City Distributors out of business back in the late 90's.

**Shane W** · 05-23-2005, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by CraigM

We're looking into it, and I think June 1st will be a date you're looking forward to

Craig

That's the day Shylock #1 is released!

**CraigM** · 05-23-2005, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by alexlannin

Awesome, I know it would make a world of difference in me carrying titles. Also, putting together some sort of newsletter shops can carry, ala CSN, would help people be able to get a glimpse at your titles when they come in to a shop.

Alex, I can promise you this. At the end of this summer, you will be shocked at the transformation that Ronin is taking and the steps we're taking to please as many retailers as we possibly can as well as all readers. I feel like June 1st is going to be a huge day for us. That's not to say everything will be implemented on that date, but it will be a big start to it all, and we're only going to charge forward.

Craig