I should have touched upon this earlier but I thought everyone knew but apparently they do not. Please be aware that I know there must be good comic fans out there just like there must be (I'm told) a decent comic shop owner. "Generalisation" is used.
I may have mentioned that back issue sellers are claiming they need to increase prices on old comics "because of Brexit". If you have a shop owner or dealer tell you that just explain to them that they are liars and crooks. Or just pay over inflated prices because you are a dumb-ass.
The "advisory" referendum on the EU membership was 29th June, 2016. Until article 50 is set in motion, which may not be during this or the next governments life time because our un-elected leaders know they will go down in history for what follows so do not want to get that schtick. We ARE in the European Union.
The United Kingdom is IN the European Union
Nothing has changed. The UK has not left. However, "because of Brexit" comic fans in the UK are now being hit with £4.50+ cover prices and rumour has it £5.00 a comic is not that far off. Why? I'm sorry but would you fucking wake up and realise that the distributor is screwing you for every penny and the comic shop owners are not that much better. WHY are people in the UK paying more "because of Brexit" when we are still IN the EU? You are all being penalised for....financial profit. Still the same price to print and send comics to the UK so why are prices hitting so hard that people are dropping comic titles to 2-3 a time now.
Also, this was tried on me by a dealer at the last Bristol Expo, how does Brexit affect the cost of comics from pre 29th June 2016? Comics from 2014, 2013, 2012 or as far back as 1985? How? These are comics that have gathered dust in boxes in stock rooms and that the dealer has not been able to sell at a cut price over the last 30+ years in some cases. But now "because of Brexit" these unsellable books are more expensive. I asked that dealer "Why?" He shuffled his feet and seemed shocked at the question: "Well, because of Brexit the prices have increased" and I, again, asked "Why?" No response because there was no possible reason. It is a con.
I talk to people who work in shops. I mentioned to two different people on different days, how steep the prices had gone up. Both said, quietly, that they had mentioned people saying this to their manager. Response? He laughed and said "Tell them its because of Brexit -the ones voted for it will shut up and those that didn't will have a go at the ones who did. We're quids in!" Same thing talking to staff in Sainsbury's who were told that if anyone mentions price rises to tell them "It's because of Brexit".
In fact, this week, there appears to have been some discussion about Brexit and false pricing but not on the BBC which you have to remember is not independent but the voice of whichever government is in power -if you haven't noticed this by now....
Anyway, the current talk is that once the UK actually really leaves the EU (if it does) that a comic could rise in price to £5.00 a copy that's almost Euro 6 or $6.50 US. We've been over the whole collapse of the comic market, particularly in the UK, but here is the thing: Independent comics can be a bit pricy -but zines or even, for example, Black Tower Comics, will not increase in cover price or use a false "because of Brexit" excuse.
Then again, Small Press and BT Comics are not allowed in 99.9% of any UK comic shop -we ain't Marvel or DC.
I may have mentioned that back issue sellers are claiming they need to increase prices on old comics "because of Brexit". If you have a shop owner or dealer tell you that just explain to them that they are liars and crooks. Or just pay over inflated prices because you are a dumb-ass.
The "advisory" referendum on the EU membership was 29th June, 2016. Until article 50 is set in motion, which may not be during this or the next governments life time because our un-elected leaders know they will go down in history for what follows so do not want to get that schtick. We ARE in the European Union.
The United Kingdom is IN the European Union
Nothing has changed. The UK has not left. However, "because of Brexit" comic fans in the UK are now being hit with £4.50+ cover prices and rumour has it £5.00 a comic is not that far off. Why? I'm sorry but would you fucking wake up and realise that the distributor is screwing you for every penny and the comic shop owners are not that much better. WHY are people in the UK paying more "because of Brexit" when we are still IN the EU? You are all being penalised for....financial profit. Still the same price to print and send comics to the UK so why are prices hitting so hard that people are dropping comic titles to 2-3 a time now.
Also, this was tried on me by a dealer at the last Bristol Expo, how does Brexit affect the cost of comics from pre 29th June 2016? Comics from 2014, 2013, 2012 or as far back as 1985? How? These are comics that have gathered dust in boxes in stock rooms and that the dealer has not been able to sell at a cut price over the last 30+ years in some cases. But now "because of Brexit" these unsellable books are more expensive. I asked that dealer "Why?" He shuffled his feet and seemed shocked at the question: "Well, because of Brexit the prices have increased" and I, again, asked "Why?" No response because there was no possible reason. It is a con.
I talk to people who work in shops. I mentioned to two different people on different days, how steep the prices had gone up. Both said, quietly, that they had mentioned people saying this to their manager. Response? He laughed and said "Tell them its because of Brexit -the ones voted for it will shut up and those that didn't will have a go at the ones who did. We're quids in!" Same thing talking to staff in Sainsbury's who were told that if anyone mentions price rises to tell them "It's because of Brexit".
In fact, this week, there appears to have been some discussion about Brexit and false pricing but not on the BBC which you have to remember is not independent but the voice of whichever government is in power -if you haven't noticed this by now....
Anyway, the current talk is that once the UK actually really leaves the EU (if it does) that a comic could rise in price to £5.00 a copy that's almost Euro 6 or $6.50 US. We've been over the whole collapse of the comic market, particularly in the UK, but here is the thing: Independent comics can be a bit pricy -but zines or even, for example, Black Tower Comics, will not increase in cover price or use a false "because of Brexit" excuse.
Then again, Small Press and BT Comics are not allowed in 99.9% of any UK comic shop -we ain't Marvel or DC.
The whole brexit thing, well it does have some impact, the pound took a massive shit the day after the brexit vote and has yet to recover, at the time it was about 60p to the dollar, now it's just shy of 75p to the dollar....not that much really, but if like me, you buy lots of gear from overseas it makes a massive fucking difference, my margin on just about everything isn't worth shit now....the back issues statement you make is absolutely bang on, you're being worked over by greedy owners, the brexit thing should have no impact on back issue sales whatsoever, unless, whoever is selling them is buying them from overseas (which they almost certainly are not). Every other avenue of retail has jumped on this to hike their prices, some will be affected like I am, most will not.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is the point. Job losses, businesses nose diving then, Theresa May goes to the G20 Summit and "a sudden and unexpected rise" so we were beating the Brexit gloom. It was over. May returns to the UK and...economy is down to shit again. But I've given up trying to make people see sense. They want to be ripped off okay. Europe still gets its Marvels and DCs at the same old price -the point is we are IN the EU. But people in the UK always sit back and get conned. I think they just like that.
ReplyDelete