Comic Distribution Will Begin in a Few Stores and Move From There
GameStop is getting into the comic book business, and it will start with the distribution of DC and Marvel at a selection of stores. Other comics include titles from Oni Press, as revealed in a leaked image.
After entering the realm of collectibles, comics seem like the next big step in GameStop’s appeal to pop culture. Besides, the superhero tie-ins in games easier facilitate the mesh between illustration and electronics. A series of leaked images reveal that the comic books are already available at certain retail locations, and the list of locations may soon grow. According to BleedingCool.com, the new move stemmed from the brain matter of Jay Parker.
Parker recently oversaw a comic and collectibles initiative at retailer Hastings, but the chain never managed to keep up and the chain of stores closed down. He has since made the transition to GameStop, which in turn brings a transition to comics. To kick things off, comics books are making their way into 20 GameStop stores and 20 ThinkGeek stores. The inclusion of a new entertainment medium is part of the company’s gambit to keep up with trends, Parker said in an interview:
“We are indeed getting into comics, as a retail test forum. Comics are often a part of our promotional entertainment industry environment, including video games – we can learn from this tribal knowledge. We have indeed partnered with Diamond to carry a small selection of comics in 40 stores utilizing their new spinner rack. The comics are mostly from Marvel and DC with a focus on key series and titles. This is just a small launch to bring comics to some of our collectibles stores as they fit with the current trend of Collectibles that are performing in the market. Should this prove successful, we may consider rolling out to additional stores in the future but plan to keep it limited to the spinner rack for the foreseeable future. Of course, you can expect to see some exclusive variants from us in the future.”
Next time consumers walk into a GameStop, they may witness spinner racks of Marvel and DC alongside shelves of used video games and display case collectibles. More or less, the store is becoming a one-stop shop for geek culture. But only time will tell if the trend sticks and expands to more stores. It certainly doesn’t hurt comic book publishers, who might be jumping at the chance to distribute content across GameStop’s 6000-store network. We’ll be watching closely as the results of this new move unfold.
SOURCE: ComicBook.com