The mood at DC's retailer confab held last weekend in Dallas was definitely upbeat.  Maybe it's because the specialty market is counter-cyclical, or maybe it's because it is product driven and there are lots of good products in the offing, but according to retailers ICv2 heard from, the pulse of the industry is strong right now, at least judging from the talk at the DC RRP.  DC announced a plethora of new products as well as some innovative marketing ideas that contributed to the good mood; here are some of the side topics that retailers were discussing.

Marvel

DC held the meetings, but it was Marvel that the retailers were discussing among themselves.  In particular Marvel's no overprint policy (see 'Reactions To Marvel's No Overprint Policy') was the subject of some heated debates between those who felt that Marvel was making a mistake by not having enough copies available for new fans, and others who liked the 'heat' that was generated by fans chasing titles that were in short supply.  Although there were strong disagreements about Marvel's policies, there was agreement that Marvel comics were 'making noise' in the stores, though other lines, in particular DC's Superman titles, were also doing very well. 

Other Product Lines

Diversification of product lines has obviously helped retailers weather the ups and downs of comic sales and given them confidence that they can become even more profitable as comic sales edge upwards.  Stores that carry games swapped Mage Knight success stories (see 'December Product of the Month').  Certainly this is one line that even stores that just dabble in games should investigate.  Third Edition D&D is also selling well, and CCGs such as Pokemon, Magic, and DBZ (see 'DBZ:CCG Trunks Saga Sells Out') continue to sell at substantial rates in most stores.