I would imagine so, being that, new cover art aside, they were the exact same books as those found in the Walmart-first assortment.
2 Likes
When I was a kid, my grandparents got me this ‘comic collector’ thing for Christmas one year. It was an assortment of random comic books, mostly from the Big Two (this was before Image but there might have been some Archies or similar mixed in) along with one of those Comic Price Guides. There were just enough comics in there I liked to get me started, and while I wouldn’t be a serious comic fan until years later it definitely introduced me to the hobby. So while something like this wouldn’t necessarily appeal to me today, I could definitely see it being a cool gift for a kid who hasn’t discovered his or her love of comic books yet.
3 Likes
@mrmiracle Sears and J.C. Penney used to offer comic book starter sets like those in their Christmas catalogs.
Usually it was a bunch of random books from a publisher, and they came in a box adorned with artwork featuring different characters.
The two I had were Marvel-based. I don’t remember seeing DC sets like them, unfortunately. Nevertheless, they made for great Christmas Day reads.
3 Likes
I do not understand this at all. Four random comics that are not one and done stories.
They would be better off taking the Image™ Comics idea of discounted first volume trades where most of them are $9.99. Four to six issues and a complete story. Maybe reduce the size to manga volumes and make it $7.99.
I’m assuming they want to attract a mass audience or attract new young readers. Better they create targeted content and work with Scholastic. The Scholastic graphic novels outsell the direct market and that would appease their new corporate overlords.
Sales data from 2016, but you get the point.
5 Likes
We really don’t know how sales were on the 100 Page Giant books. I would say that if they were good, then DC wouldn’t be trying this stunt. At least with this you get four of something instead of one, and hopefully a reader finds something interesting in there and leads them to search for more… Hopefully this is a lead-in to having actual DC Comics in Walmarts…
@ashleywilbanks I had read that it was hit or miss depending on a few things. Some stores would sell out, some would have books pilling up, some would have local comic stores buy out their entire supply and then sell them at their own shops at a marked up price.
1 Like
A major problem is that Walmart treated them as collectibles rather than as magazines. That strategy defeated the entire purpose of placing the books in a supermarket. You’d already have to be seeking out niche items like Magic the Gathering decks to come across these issues.
6 Likes
% this.
I will never understand Walmart’s decision to NOT put the 100-page Giants in or near the book/magazine aisle of their stores – where kids and adults could actually discover them.
3 Likes
@Corey19 It’s from the backwards view that ‘comics are for children, so put them by the playing cards and small toys’.
Like someone said, there were rumors of them getting an endcap for comics and graphic novels, so I hope this leads to that.
4 Likes
Regarding sales of the Giant line, it ran for just over two years and encompassed two volumes (the first being exclusive to Walmart, with the second open to Walmart and direct market accounts), so it likely did pretty well.
On one hand, I agree that the Giants should have been stocked in the books/magazines department.
On the other hand, most of the Walmarts I frequent have that area in the furthest back portion of the store, and it’s generally barren of customers. So, putting the Giants up front, which is usually busy, was a good idea so as to put them where customers would realistically be far more likely to find them.
I’d really like to see DC institute $10 or less digests of new/reprint content. Bring back the Blue Ribbon line, start something new (my preference), whatever. Just stick 'em by the candy/tabloids in the checkout lanes and (hopefully) watch the sales take off.
Besides, Archie, Jughead and the rest have had that area to themselves for long enough. It’s time for something new to come in.
1 Like
Here’s the interesting thing about this: there’s a rumor going around that DC is expanding their Wal-Mart deal to also sell single issues, trades, and collectables, like a mini comic shop.
I wonder if this four-pack is a sort of precursor or something to this…
4 Likes
@Jay_Kay Very interesting, thanks for sharing.
I’d like to see DC do more with Target. They had two exclusive 100-Page Giants, both of which appeared to sell well, so maybe they could get Giants instead at some point?
3 Likes
I tried to find out how many comic shops there are in America- closest I could find was a 2016 report that stated slightly over 2,300. There are twice the number of Walmarts with nearly 4,700 locations. So strictly from a business standpoint, I can see the value of wanting to have a bigger presence in those stores.
But as I said earlier- local comic shops were buying out the 100 page giants and selling them at a marked up price. That was a decision made from fear- store owners feeling threatened by Walmart. And they have reason to fear- Walmart is notorious for strolling into towns and killing mom and pop stores who can’t compete with their low prices. What if they do the same thing with comics? While I would love the idea of being able to buy graphic novels for cheaper at Walmart, I would hate to see my local comic shop go away because they can’t compete. I liked the Giants, and I like the idea of an increased presence, but its a fine line they’re going to have to walk.
3 Likes
I understand the perspective of some stores who “feared” the Giants, but buying the entirety of something only to take it back to their store and mark it up is silly.
All that ends up doing is disappointing/ inconveniencing fans who simply want the books and at retail prices. Nobody who owns/works at a comic store should be inconveniencing fans, especially over something that was never a true detriment to their business.
It’s perfectly okay to buy comics outside of comic stores, but given how some of those folks acted, you’d think that’s sacrilege.
6 Likes
I’m assuming they are out of pre-produced books, and are doing this to fulfill the commitment with W-Mart.
1 Like
I saw a Batman and Robin Giant at target. It was the last one. It cost $9.99 and had about 39 pages of new material instead of the usual 24 and ocassional 30 or so pages of the usual giants. It was a little beat up, but costing twice as much put me off, too. I would have paid $7.99, for that additional 19 page Batman and Nightwing story.
1 Like
The Giant line wasn’t effected by printer shutdowns in April, so my guess is that this is more of a way to get rid of unsold stock from months back, while getting comics into the hands of those who are new to them.
2 Likes
The three comic book store owners I talked to here were fine with them. The sold well, and served as handy introduction to comics.
2 Likes
Exactly! The people I know had absolutely zero care about the Giants when they were Walmart exclusives.
They serve to drive people towards comic outlets, not away from them. Some people just don’t see the forest for the trees though.
3 Likes
I got new Wal-Mart books last week. I had to pick up a subscription for someone. Those must have been the June issues-- likely printed quite a while ago.
You know, AP sent me that Detective Comics 1000 a while ago, and you kept talking about Wal-Mart Giants-- so I GOT Titans and from From beyond the Unknown at Wal-Mart. Then I got a couple more at COMIC BOOK stores until I had all the new numbered issues.
So it WORKS.
1 Like