In a move that seems to be from business theory and practice in a time before the internet; The LA Times is reporting that Barnes and Nobles book sellers is deciding to pull DC comics in a deal involving digital comics.
It’s pretty simple; DC offers it’s comics as books in Trade Paper Back format and Barnes and Noble sells them. Barnes and Noble has an e-reader called the Nook. But DC has signed an exclusive digital distribution deal with Barnes and Nobles main competition Amazon.com for the sale of it’s comics in a digital format. SO – Barnes and Noble decided to make the move of refusing to stock the physical copy of DC’s books if they didn’t get access to the Digital format as well.
It can’t be denied that Barnes and Noble is a giant force in publishing world. With Borders all but fully in the ground they are hands down a 2,000 pound gorrilla in the room that the VAST majority of publishers literally can not afford to ignore because they make up such a large market share of retailing. More importantly they KNOW it. But while a tactic like this might have a lot of leverage with a smaller book publishing company with a less than tech savvy demographic base. But what with comic books traditionally being a main stay of the nerd and geek crowds – will a douche move like this really so anything but bite Barnes and Noble in the butt?
It comes down to the question of WHO is buying what? Are digital comics drawing in uninitiated readers? Or does that giant bookshelf of TPB’s at B&N bring in more new comic fans? Do either really or is word of mouth really what still gets new people to pick up their first comic? Then of seasoned comics fans – will this effect them at all? I know that personally – I am not really ready to make the leap to digital, and if I want to pick up a DC print run in it’s trade paper back collection I PREFER to help the closest tradition comic shop to me if I am able to shop at such a store. Then there is the fact that according to this decision now Barnes & Noble won’t have the digital copy OR the physical copy for sale either. When Amazon.com will have BOTH, and often times in the case of the physical TPB – for less than cover price.
Chime in to let us know how this will effect your buying habits if at all. OR to just make snarky comments. I prefer the snarky comments really.