Andy made a new website for Comic Zone, using Wordpress, and now our blogs are incorporated onto the site, thus I will be making future posts there. There will be no need for me to continue to post to this blog, so come and visit me over there.
Our blogs are combined on the new site. If you want to read just MY blogs, click on my name and only mine will come up.
Exciting times. :)
Oh, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Celebrating Heroes
There is an Annual Arts Auction happening in South Carolina and their theme is Super Heroes! You can read about it here.
Isn't that fantastic that people can see the value in the heroes represented in comic books? The Hero is a well-known archetype. Heck, Joseph Campbell wrote his first book about it - The Hero With a Thousand Faces. The basic hero story is when a person sets out on a journey, encounters all sorts of challenges, and in overcoming them, is changed in the process. The hero returns home with a power that can help mankind. Every one of our comic book heroes can relate to a story like that.
In Anderson, S.C., they recognize the universal appeal of the hero, and how our comic books portray the popular mythos. I salute them for that awareness!
Isn't that fantastic that people can see the value in the heroes represented in comic books? The Hero is a well-known archetype. Heck, Joseph Campbell wrote his first book about it - The Hero With a Thousand Faces. The basic hero story is when a person sets out on a journey, encounters all sorts of challenges, and in overcoming them, is changed in the process. The hero returns home with a power that can help mankind. Every one of our comic book heroes can relate to a story like that.
In Anderson, S.C., they recognize the universal appeal of the hero, and how our comic books portray the popular mythos. I salute them for that awareness!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Increase in Comic Sales Nationwide
I just read an article talking about the popularity of comic books. The article, found here, states that comic book sales are up 1% over last year.
That is so cool!
Comic Zone has been in business for almost a year now. I have much more confidence after reading this article that we are on the right track, and in the year ahead, may even see increases in sales over this year.
The article also makes reference to Comichron, and I was even more encouraged by this article. Interesting, though, that September saw an overall increase in the industry, and yet, in our store, we saw a decrease in sales compared to the three or four months prior.
Goes to show how unpredictable this business can be.
Still, I am even more optimistic about business after reading these articles.
That is so cool!
Comic Zone has been in business for almost a year now. I have much more confidence after reading this article that we are on the right track, and in the year ahead, may even see increases in sales over this year.
The article also makes reference to Comichron, and I was even more encouraged by this article. Interesting, though, that September saw an overall increase in the industry, and yet, in our store, we saw a decrease in sales compared to the three or four months prior.
Goes to show how unpredictable this business can be.
Still, I am even more optimistic about business after reading these articles.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Video Games and Comic Books
When we were in the planning stages of Comic Zone, we discussed at length whether or not we should have video game tournaments. We finally decided it would be worthwhile, that there would be a lot of cross-over in our target markets, and besides, it was something Sean really wanted to do.
I have noticed that when we do get a decent showing for our video game tournaments, people DO buy comics too, so I have proven to myself that it's true to some extent. I notice that video game folks will buy comics, but not all comic book enthusiasts care to play video games. So, it really is an outreach mission to get more video game players into our store so that they will also buy comics.
I found this article about Video Games Turned Comic Books very interesting. It's a bit of a different take, but I learned a lot from it. Perhaps this is why I have seen the results I have observed between video gamers buying comic books, but not so much vice versa.
In any case, Halo has been one of our best video game tournaments to date, so I am grateful for that cross-over for sure!
I have noticed that when we do get a decent showing for our video game tournaments, people DO buy comics too, so I have proven to myself that it's true to some extent. I notice that video game folks will buy comics, but not all comic book enthusiasts care to play video games. So, it really is an outreach mission to get more video game players into our store so that they will also buy comics.
I found this article about Video Games Turned Comic Books very interesting. It's a bit of a different take, but I learned a lot from it. Perhaps this is why I have seen the results I have observed between video gamers buying comic books, but not so much vice versa.
In any case, Halo has been one of our best video game tournaments to date, so I am grateful for that cross-over for sure!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Comic Books - Good for Learning
I just read an article entitled Comic Books are Good for Children's Learning.
I have to say that I totally agree with this. In fact, I am adamant about it. Comic Zone contributes to the Kids Need to Read Foundation precisely for this reason. The foundation does a lot to promote reading in all forms, including selling comic books especially made for them as fundraisers for their causes. We carry some of them in our store.
As a mother, I can say that my younger son was not really into reading much until he discovered comic books, and since then, he is always reading something. My older son got hooked on comics years ago to the point where he aspired to be a comic book artist - and in fact, has done so with web comics. He also applied his love of drawing to a graphic arts education which he has pursued as a career for awhile now.
So, strictly speaking as a mother, I can't say enough about the value of comic books as a resource and a way for kids to learn.
As a lifelong student of psychology and with a Masters degree in Education, I see much value in comic books for other reasons also.
• Comic books have a way of presenting their stories which make them more mythologically oriented, thus with lasting interest. I could get into the archetypes but I will leave that for another post.
• The graphics are geared more towards visual learners, which gives them access to ideas and concepts that they wouldn't normally get.
• The stories themselves are abbreviated into just the basics, allowing the readers to fill in the gaps with their imaginations, a great way of maintaining healthy creative thought processes.
• The stories invariably illustrate battles between good and evil, which instill a sense of values in young, impressionable minds.
• Comic books are a great way to engage more of the whole brain, rather than just the logical, thinking part of the brain.
All in all, I can't say enough about the positive value of comic books for learning.
I have to say that I totally agree with this. In fact, I am adamant about it. Comic Zone contributes to the Kids Need to Read Foundation precisely for this reason. The foundation does a lot to promote reading in all forms, including selling comic books especially made for them as fundraisers for their causes. We carry some of them in our store.
As a mother, I can say that my younger son was not really into reading much until he discovered comic books, and since then, he is always reading something. My older son got hooked on comics years ago to the point where he aspired to be a comic book artist - and in fact, has done so with web comics. He also applied his love of drawing to a graphic arts education which he has pursued as a career for awhile now.
So, strictly speaking as a mother, I can't say enough about the value of comic books as a resource and a way for kids to learn.
As a lifelong student of psychology and with a Masters degree in Education, I see much value in comic books for other reasons also.
• Comic books have a way of presenting their stories which make them more mythologically oriented, thus with lasting interest. I could get into the archetypes but I will leave that for another post.
• The graphics are geared more towards visual learners, which gives them access to ideas and concepts that they wouldn't normally get.
• The stories themselves are abbreviated into just the basics, allowing the readers to fill in the gaps with their imaginations, a great way of maintaining healthy creative thought processes.
• The stories invariably illustrate battles between good and evil, which instill a sense of values in young, impressionable minds.
• Comic books are a great way to engage more of the whole brain, rather than just the logical, thinking part of the brain.
All in all, I can't say enough about the positive value of comic books for learning.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
No more 20% off Tuesdays
Today was the last day of our attempt to lure customers into the store on Tuesdays.... namely, offering 20% off on all back issues. It didn't work. We have offered it for months now, and have had very few takers. In fact, let's face it. People don't want to come into comic book stores on Tuesdays. They'd rather wait for Wednesdays - new comic book day.
So, we decided to end our sale. It wasn't really doing what it was meant to do. Instead, we are scheming about some other ideas - such as a punch card for trade paperbacks, and/or preferred customer discounts. So, stay tuned. We still have some tricks up our sleeves.
So, we decided to end our sale. It wasn't really doing what it was meant to do. Instead, we are scheming about some other ideas - such as a punch card for trade paperbacks, and/or preferred customer discounts. So, stay tuned. We still have some tricks up our sleeves.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Brand Man
Wow, I was reading through some other industry blogs, and came across a reference to Brand Man.
The story goes that Tom McAlister was looking for a job and decided to leverage his creativity by having an artist help him design a comic book for his resume. If you click here, you can see the actual comic resume.
Isn't that a great idea?
Reminds me of how I included caricatures and comic fonts in the business plan I wrote.
The story goes that Tom McAlister was looking for a job and decided to leverage his creativity by having an artist help him design a comic book for his resume. If you click here, you can see the actual comic resume.
Isn't that a great idea?
Reminds me of how I included caricatures and comic fonts in the business plan I wrote.
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