'I Think I Can Manage' is a weekly column by retailer Steven Bates, manager of Bookery Fantasy, a million dollar retail operation in Fairborn, Ohio. This week, Bates is mad as hell and he's not going to take it any more.
When ICv2 founder Milton Griepp first asked me to write a column for him, it was understood that I would write about things relevant and interesting to specialty retailers and industry personnel supporting them, such as publishers, distributors, and creators. Based on my letters to ICV2.com prior to becoming an in-house columnist, Milton probably thought I would be the 'angry young retailer:' edgy, acerbic, and maybe just maybe witty. Sorry to disappoint you, Milt. I'm not young, nor edgy. I haven't been particularly acerbic, and I'm pretty sure I haven't been all that witty. As for 'angry'?
Well, there have been some things that got my goat, lately. Rather than try to fill up a column with single-minded unrelenting bile and hatred, 500+ words directed solely at one unsuspecting shlub, I'll spread the 'good news' to a variety of victims. Sound reasonable? Good -- let's rant and rave.
Marvel Sues City of Heroes Producers
Marvel has filed suit against NC Soft and Cryptic Studios, Inc., claiming that the character generation software used in the popular on-line super-hero game City of Heroes violates protected, trademarked characters (see 'Marvel Sues Over City of Heroes'). Players can use the software to create super-powered people with powers similar to extant Marvel Characters, even costumes that resemble the publisher's own heroes and villains (and, presumably, those of DC, Image, Valiant, Malibu, CrossGen, Gold Key, Charlton, etc.). Marvel claims infringement and damages, arguing that their own on-line gaming system being developed by Vivendi will or has suffered.
Who's next, Crayola? Kids all across America, maybe even the world, use crayons to color pictures of heroes they create, and most of them are based on existing characters, probably quite a few Marvel ones. I know I did. Heck, Rob Liefeld still does. But where's the harm in it? Gamers and artists have long borrowed from comics and SF/fantasy fiction for their own endeavors, 'swiping' or referencing their favorite characters and adventures. At least they're buying and reading the source material, right? So hack and slash them some slack, okay?
Don't get me wrong, Marvel must move to protect itself from unscrupulous plagiarism. On an unrelated note, Marvel has asked me to inform readers that its Identity Disc is not in any way related to DC's Identity Crisis, and the characters appearing in Supreme Power are NOT the Justice League.
Disney Buys CrossGen
Utilizing the same covert tactics employed to buy up all the swampland in central Florida 50 years ago, The Walt Disney Company has purchased the rights to the CrossGen library of characters (see 'Disney Publishing Acquires CrossGen Assets'). Won at auction in October by Disney (bidding under the name 'Cal Publishing Inc.,' a 'subsidiary') for a mere $1 million, the most-notable properties include the Jackie Chan-esque Way of the Rat and the L. Frank Baum-ish Abadazad. Disney has supposedly made motions already toward reviving some of the titles in graphic novel form, along with the imported W.I.T.C.H.es and others.
Does anybody remember the last time Disney made comics? In the early 1990s, Disney ripped away from Gladstone Publishing the North American rights to publish comic books based on classic Disney characters like Mickey, Donald, and Uncle Scrooge. Now, Gladstone wasn't getting rich, but they were successful, a true labor of love with the best Disney comics ever published, a mix of reprints by masters like Carl Barks, Paul Murry, and Floyd Gottfredson, and new material by upstarts William Van Horn and Don Rosa. Without the Disney license, the company foundered.
Disney published its own books for about three years before deciding it was too much work for too little profit (they even briefly teamed with Marvel for a Disney imprint based on more recent properties like Aladdin and Little Mermaid). Gladstone's Bruce Hamilton regained the license to do Disney books, but had lost much of its momentum, and publication of Gladstone Comics ceased in 1999 (Steve Geppi's Gemstone Publishing now holds the rights to those classic Disney characters).
Disney is not interested in seriously publishing comic books these days. The acquisition of CrossGen is purely an investment in previously researched & developed properties, to be mined for animated features, movies, television shows, theme park attractions, and Disney-On-Ice extravaganzas. Publishing will be secondary, if not tertiary (what comes lower than that -- I'm all out of Latin here) in their plans. Which is fine-except there are a bunch of us out here who actually like reading CrossGen Comics. What are the chances we'll ever see a new issue of Sojourn or Negation War? Another Mystic or Meridian? Probably slim to none-unless someone like Bruce Hamilton cares enough to do it right.
Barnes & Noble's Exclusives from Marvel, Dark Horse
Yes, it makes perfect sense for Marvel (see 'Barnes & Noble To Publish Ultimate Spider-Man Collection') and Dark Horse (see 'Barnes and Noble Has Exclusive Trigun #1 Hardcover') to license their properties to BN for hardcover reprints of material previously offered in the direct market. Get the word out to the masses -- lure them in with a lower cover price, expanded page counts, deluxe packaging. That'll convert them to comic book loyalists in a heartbeat, and drive them in to comic shops like lemmings.
Where they'll find smaller, more expensive, cheaper quality versions of the same thing.
Good plan, guys. Thanks.
Wal-Mart's Next Victims
Forbes and MSNBC recently reported on Wal-Mart's continuing push to crush every other retailer in America. Singled-out as targets (no pun intended) were Best Buy (consumer electronics), JC Penney (fashion), Toys 'R' Us (duh, see 'Wal-Mart Applying Toy Category Kill Shot'), and Walgreen's (pharmacy), as well as gasoline stations and banks. Wal-Mart owns and operates nearly 4000 stores already, including 1600 'supercenters,' which will double in number in the next decade. Have you been in one? Ever notice the book section there? Though Forbes didn't mention any booksellers on their 'hit list,' it's naive to think Wal-Mart is not gunning for Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Waldenbooks, and others. And we've seen how those stores have ramped-up graphic novels, manga, and gaming in recent years.
If you don't want Wal-Mart gobbling-up the comic book, graphic novel, game, and toy markets altogether, don't support them now. Specialty retailers are not much different than the 'Mom & Pop' businesses Wal-Mart drives out of business everyday, offering a smaller, more personal shopping experience, better customer service, and an over-all friendlier environment. Sure, you'll pay a bit more for paint or batteries, and let's not even talk about diapers and formula, but if it keeps the wolves at bay, isn't shopping anywhere other than Wal-Mart an investment in your future? Your community's future?
Don't get me wrong -- I'm not chicken little. And Wal-Mart is not the 'evil empire' people make it out to be, either. What they are is smart, aggressive, and well-funded. All I'm suggesting is that you don't hand them the keys to your business next time you pay for that Wal-Mart brand diet cola.
For the Record
Just to keep things on the up and up, here are a few facts that you all should know about the columnist. Consider this a partial disclosure, an attempt to avoid criticisms and accusations of hypocrisy -- or the pleading of a guilty mind.
- I don't play City of Heroes. But I do color pictures of comic book characters (with my kids). I'm sure I've infringed quite a bit in the last 42 years.
- I'm a Disney fan. I'm even planning my next vacation to Walt Disney World (well, my wife's planning it -- I just go to ride rides).
- I shop at Barnes & Noble -- though not for comic-related merchandise.
- Likewise, I have bought stuff at Wal-Mart recently. I still feel dirty.
