Monthly Archives: April 2020

Normally, Cory!! and Joe go over what is in Previews every month. They discuss the new series, collections and oddities to help you make your order. However, everything is up in the air. Shops are closed, Diamond is closed, orders aren’t due yet, and we still don’t know when comics will be available again.

So,. It’s the monthly Previews episode with lots of extra comics discussion and background on the stuff in the monthly catalog, extra shenanigans and an episode that clocks in after over TWO AND A HALF HOURS! They discuss previews, and things like:

Cory!! and Joe go over the current state of comics distribution

Cory!! says something bad about an EC comic. YES, HE DID!!! How DARE he?

The show gives investment advice!

Why Cory!! turned on John Byrne’s Superman

Joe wins a trivia challenge!

How is the art in the Spider-Man Annual where he married Mary Jane?

AND, cooking suggestions?

All of this, the usual shenanigans, over an HOUR of extra comics discussion for a truly super-sized episode!

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It’s a strange time for us comic books fans. Stores are closed due to Covid 19. The ones that are open aren’t getting new comics because Diamond Distribution is closed. Even some publishers are having trouble getting comics printed due to printers being shut down.

There are tons of stories out there abut what happens next.

To get a good picture of what is going on in the comics industry on the retail level, we speak with Tim Schulte, owner of Granite City Comics. He gives a history of how he purchased the store.

How did the stay at home order in Minnesota affect his shop?

What happened when Diamond shut down

How he was able to bulk up on graphic novels before the shut down.

What about Free Comic Book Bay this year?

Stuff he has been doing with his shop since the shut down.

You can visit Tim’s shop on his site and on eBay:

https://granitecitycomics.com/

https://www.ebay.com/usr/spidre64?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

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Diamond is the only distributor of direct sales comics, but how did that happen?  How did we go from comics at grocery stores, five a dime stores and newsstands to shops only?  What is that path that got us here, and what does the future hold in these uncertain times?
Cory!! and Joe break down the history of comics distribution and explain how Diamond got to be the last company standing in the wars of the 80’s and 90’s. They also discuss things like:

Why was the creator of Marvel hauled into court repeatedly in the 1930’s?

What nearly killed comics in the 50’s?

Why did the direct market come about?

Where did the whole idea of the Direct Market for comics come from?

How does the direct market work? 

What happened to get rid of as bunch of distributors in the mid 80’s

Why did the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles nearly kill comics?

How Marvel almost killed comics in the 90’s.

How distribution changed after the 90’s collapse.

Where do we go from here?

All of this, the usual shenanigans and much, much more!

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We have a special guest on the show this week, as we talk comics with artist, comics broadcaster and all around wonderful person Sabrina Zaremba! Wwe find out ahout how she did extra homework for comics, hwo she has studieed fine art and comics, and is using Instagram or Facebook to generate an audience for talking about comics!

We also discuss the comics we love, how you can help support your comics shop, and the growing rumor than comic publishing may come back with a Big Time Crossover story!

Check our Sabrina’s websites for more information, awesome pictures and to commission art!

https://instagram.com/thegeekypinupredhead?igshid=1om4l01yv8e79

https://www.facebook.com/sabrina.zaremba.3

https://sabrinazaremba55.wixsite.com/thegeekypinupredhead

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