I have almost had two, shall we call them "disagreements"? Both with people who have worked in comics -one at a now defunct comic magazine. The disagreement came when neither fellow would believe that with over 3 million CBO views, Twitter,LinkedIn, Google+, Face Book, Pinterest and any number of Yahoo groups and book sites being used to promote Black Tower Comics & Books, I had sold only 10 over recent years.
"Publishers would kill for that sort of established publicity" I was told. Both were sent the sales statements. Even then there was disbelief.
My online store has 93 prose books, comic albums, graphic novels and anthologies over some 11 pages. These are not the most expensive books you can find and in the past I made special offers that meant I got no money back just to sell and promote. Twice I even offered free copies. Nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I just have no idea how to quit a business I've been in for decades and it is the only real work I've done. With the books prepared, before Green Skies is ready, the total number of books on the online store would total 108. However, I am not releasing these books since no one is buying anything so why spend all the time uploading and up-dating the web store?
I am not the only one in this position. I have heard from three comic publishers who have online stores and books but are now out of business because no one buys and for some the cost of a table at a convention is so high that, if they are allowed a table they know that it would be impossible to make enough money from sales to even pay for the table.
Apparently, because of the dwindling number of comic events in the UK (which I predicted a few years ago) you have no real chance of getting a table at any one of those still going because only the same old same old have that privilege.
The things I predicted for UK comics for years are now happening but still no one will admit it or do anything about it. The "comics mafia" (run by the self styled comic 'nice guys') do not want a vibrant creative industry and have proven that again and again because they realise that it would mean they would have no say in things and they love to shout -and event organisers do what they are told because the idea is to milk every attendee and exhibitor for every last penny.
Unfortunately, unlike in Europe or the United States, you cannot just set up an event such as Donna Barr's Clallam Bay Con or the one day events organised in peoples gardens in Germany. The UK has so many different local authorities and so many different legislations that it actively prevents a fan(s) organising their own events.
I had hoped that more European comic fans might have jumped into the Black Tower books but no. I write that but two of the mystery books sold to France and Italy and I was not hit with tax on those sales!
One former publisher tells me he keeps his online store open to remind him why he hates people!
Not a good time to publish at all-and it will not be improving.
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