I saw that anecdote too. I think the poster said he subsequently decided to take his business to a comic shop that wouldn't insult him like that. The sad thing is, the employee is probably stupid enough to believe that means he's won - he got rid of the "stupid" customer.

I've also seen a Youtube reviewer raking over the Spider-Man comics who is Comic Book Guy minus the ponytail and it really is disturbing.

Posted by Fetsur on 2008-01-30 18:10:46
Welllllll...
It's hard for me to judge the situation without knowing more. "That issue is so bad it will give you AIDS" sounds like a joke to me. It could be that the clerk is a jerk, or he could have a terrible sense of humor. I've said things as jokes that I later realized were much more insulting than I meant. And the poster may not be remembering it perfectly, or he may actually have been completely fair. It's really hard to know what happened without having been there.

Posted by Jason M Bryant on 2008-01-30 18:44:54
Tom brings up an funny point.

It's interesting just how many Comic Book shop owners out there ACTUALLY are that guy from The Simpsons.

My own shop owner thankfully seems to be a pretty nice guy so thank god for that.

Posted by Dr. Chaos on 2008-01-30 19:38:22
And speaking of the comicbook guy in the Simpsons his store was recently shut down when friendlier competition opened up across the street from him.
Thank god the place I frequent is friendly and helpful.

Posted by doncorswhazie on 2008-01-30 20:01:10
Thanks for saying all this
Long time reader, first time poster. You're spot on with your observations here. Like you said, this doesn't apply to the majority of stores out there, but it does happen in just enough to be infuriating. Across several states over several years, I can only think of 2 comic stores that provided me with "decent" customer service, with one of them actually being quite stellar in their performance, but unfortunately they closed shop about 10 years ago. Your observations, along with several other acts of poor customer service are what have pushed me towards an online subscription service to get my comics, as well as making me stop complaining and do something about it by opening my own comic shop (hopefully later this year). Yes, I miss the tactile experience of walking into a comic shop on Wednesday to browse the new titles and pick up my stash, not to mention that by the time my comics arrive in the mail, everybody is already done talking about these no-longer-new comics (and don't me started on dodging spoilers for a month). But... the service is great, I must say. Never missed a comic I've requested (unless it was a distributor issue), and they quickly fix any problems. But for what it's worth, if I had a retailer here with decent service, I'd be there in a flash. At least I hope to be able to rectify that in the near future by offering what the handful of retailers here are unable to do. Thanks for having such a great blog. You're one of my regular online destinations.
-richard-

Posted by RMelendez on 2008-01-30 21:03:30
Nice old lady
There are two comic book stores in my hometown. One is very well-organized and comprehensive, and the owner is somewhat overly eager to sell things and ramble on for hours about the things which he wishes to sell you. The other one, which I recently switched to, is a bit more poorly run, but has far better customer incentives like "bonus buck"s for every $10 you spend (you get $1 back towards half the purchase of a future back-issue) and it is run by the _nicest_ old lady. I don't know HOW she came to be running a comic book store but whenever you check out, you think she's going to offer you milk and warm cookies.

Posted by goat77 on 2008-01-30 22:58:12
Actually, I've seen this many times. As a matter of fact, the local hobby store owner does this a lot. He'll carry certain products to appease clients he knows will want them but whenever someone new expresses an interest in the product, he quickly directs them to another product.

I think it's a cultural thing. Many comic and hobby store owners have those businesses not because they want to be filthy rich (like many hobby stores can get filthy rich anyhow) but because they genuinely like the hobby. So, sometimes they'll sacrifice "business sense" for giving their honest opinion about a product. Sure, it might be like comicbook guy in the sense that it's geeky and unbusinesslike but at the same time I can't complain about someone who gives me blatant honesty and takes what they feel is the moral high road.

Point of note, this guy also just put -all- his Upper Deck games in the 50% off bin because he's angry that Upper Deck apparently decided to cut some sort of deal with Walmart that they get things before his shop can. So at this point he makes, what, 10% to 0% profit on the cards but at the same time he's making a statement about something he feels strongly about.

Posted by dutchb on 2008-01-30 23:57:11
Nice Old Lady
I am also a customer of the "nice old lady" that goat77 referred to, and I have been for around 20 years. She has never given me milk and cookies, but she often has free hershey's kisses available, especially around the holidays. As to how she came to sell comics, she and her husband were selling martial arts stuff and decided to expand into comics as well, probably at least in part because her son was a big comics fan. This was around the time in the late '80s when the direct market was starting to really grow. It wasn't long until they were selling comics almost exclusively. Neither she nor her husband were actual comic fans, so they treated it strictly as a business and thus avoided the downfall of so many comic store owners. They were always knowledgeable of comics, but not emotionally involved with them. After her husband died in 1995, she continued the business herself. Of that I am very thankful. I have lived other places and frequented other shops, but this is the only one that is "home" to me. Most comic shops just don't make you feel that way. As a result she will always have my business as long as I live in this area.

Posted by jascott on 2008-01-31 00:35:52
plus there just the offensive nature of making a joke about AIDS to a complete stranger...

Moron.

Posted by NewChad on 2008-01-31 04:13:18
When I was 12, I worked part time in the summer for my comic shop, which also did movie rentals of all things. And I remember once discussing some comic or other (I'm pretty sure it was the newest take on a Street Fighter adaption) with a customer and I was pretty harsh on it. My boss immediately grabbed and took me to the back and read me the riot act about it. I don't blame him, in retrospect. But I was obviously very distressed and upset about it at the time, and learned that whatever the customer asks about it or buys, either be enthusiastic or say "Oh, that looks cool but I haven't read it myself."

Posted by ljacone on 2008-01-31 07:29:55
There's an estate agent in London (real estate agent?) known for honestly listing its properties, often in a sarcastic fashion.

One example: "'All the charm and poise of a vicar on crack. Hall, cloak room, sitting room, kitchen, bathroom, parking and rear courtyard garden. Suit midget on a budget."

Also, near me, is a Chinese restaurant famed for its rude and insulting staff, who often pour scorn over what you order. Been going 30 years.

Posted by RichJohnston on 2008-01-31 09:43:26
I work in retail. If I made a response like that I would be fired. So should that comic book guy.

Posted by DRock1 on 2008-01-31 10:30:56
*smacks head*
I didn't like OMD. But that's my opinion. For a retailer to do this and lose a new customer and a sale. As Bugs Bunny would say, "What a maroon."

Posted by Deadpond on 2008-01-31 10:59:52
Marvel may want to look into this
Turns out a local paper down has an article about a photographer putting immigrants dressed up in superhero costumes on display. I'm not sure what Marvel would necessarily want to be part of this display. Here is a link
http://miaminewtimes.com/slideshow/index.php?gallery=35455&type=1¤t=6
As far as the above topic my comic store owner just shakes his head at the copies of Brand New Day that no one is buying.

Posted by mre2u on 2008-01-31 11:37:09
yeah...!
...I think I got the idea with the kind of employee you're talking about...
In my Art-students days, there was the same kind of guy working at our favourite local comic-shop, it quick appeared that he had some destroyers speechs about some comic books, it appears also very quickly that he's himself a cartoonist-yeah sometimes angry because he's not published cause he's far better and professionnal that the 95 % of the people working for you, so who wouldn't be ?- and his advices makes my friends and me spend our money in the first issues of Stray Bullets ( you know, David Lapham ) instead of the Clone-Saga...c'mon , don't be disappointed , that's part of the game...

Posted by notapotatoe on 2008-01-31 12:45:58
The faulty memory of humans
Okay, I'm tooting my own horn here and I know it, but I spent an hour on this so I wouldn't mind more people seeing it.

Tom, at newsarara's blog page they quoted one of the posters from the message boards saying that JoeQ and Marvel have been lying to them about the Spidey unmasking. I didn't think this matched what he actually said, so I went through a ton of the New Joe Friday interviews and actually found the quotes where he talked about the unmasking.

http://blog.newsarama.com/2008/01/31/unmasking-gate/#comments

My comment is number 7. I don't know that this is completely relevant to your post, but it's another example of people getting angry. In this case, so angry that they not only remember things incorrectly, but they repost those bad recollections without doing some fairly easy research to find out if they actually happened.

Posted by Jason M Bryant on 2008-01-31 12:52:44
If a store owner ...
does steer customers away from what he feels is a bad book, knowing he will lose money on it, I have nothing but respect for him. Here's a guy I know won't just hype this weeks hot book regardless of whether he thinks it is any good or not. He's probably won a customer for life. That is NOT short sighted behavior.

For short sighted behavior, see all the premium covers and bad crossovers Marvel foisted on the public in the 90's.

Posted by izzatrix on 2008-01-31 13:02:34
By the time i got to the end of the second paragraph i was thinking "man this is the type of guy who would shoot himself in the foot just to see what it feels like.
Imagine my surprise to see that Tom had the same thought in mind at the end of the third paragraph.

My thoughts. I think the customer should have informed the owner of the store about the employee's great sales skill before taking his business elsewhere.

Posted by BIGW1966 on 2008-01-31 15:55:37
I'll never understand this behavior. Now, I will support something and praise vocally, and I will be disappointed if someone doesn't like something, but I will not tear them down for it. Why is someone wrong for not having the same point of view as someone else. Maybe being on the boards more has push this more, but I really feel like comic fans in particular are guilty of this. It is kind of a snobby, arrogant point of view that they think someone is beneath them for liking something that they don't. People like different things, that is great and it makes for interesting views on things; however, going out of your way to harass someone or talk down to someone for liking something should not be commended or acceptable. That is the one thing about this Spider-Man thing that has really started to bother me, people are actually hoping the new teams will fail at the new direction.

Posted by ZacGoyette on 2008-01-31 16:30:32
good vs bad customer service
Hey, i worked for years at Lee's Comics in the SF Bay Area [specifically in Mtn. View] and we prided ourselves on excellent customer service. We would greet every customer with a friendly greeting, ask them periodically if we could help them with anything, make recommendations if they ask, and generally be as helpful as possible. We talked with every mother with a kid so that she would know that we were there to help her child & her. We had many moms return to our store in order to buy a gift for their child, as they knew that we were trustworthy, knowledgable, and approachable. We didn't get paid any extra for doing this, it was just the way that Lee & his staff insisted on working with & for our customers. That is the way each and every store in America should be IMHO. dan j

Posted by danjack on 2008-01-31 18:00:49
I dunno Comparing what they have done to spiderman to aids sounds about right to me

Posted by Seru1 on 2008-01-31 20:37:45
Wow, Seru1... that's an amazing thing to say to make all the deaths AIDS has caused seem pretty insignificant. Good going on trivializing that.

Posted by doncorswhazie on 2008-01-31 23:25:32
You know, a lot of people working in comics claim that comic readers are some of the most intelligent people out there. After reading about what this guy did, and then reading Seru1's post, I think they should reconsider that claim. Comparing a virus that has killed many in this country and is considered an epidemic in other countries to fictional work about a fiction character is tactless and ignorant. It's not funny, and is very disgusting. Spider-Man is a form of entertainment, AIDS and all the death it has caused is a real as it gets.

Posted by ZacGoyette on 2008-02-01 00:10:27
I guess amazing Spider-man sales aren't as good as Marvel would have us believe. If Tom is so concerned about some statement that he read about, of one store employees opinion.

Do I think the guy was trying to be funny? Yes. Do I think the joke was in poor taste? Maybe. Will I be ridiculing anyone I see buy AMS. You Bet.

If a comic shop decides to not push a book that is garbage, it shouldn't matter to Tom.



Posted by jjcomicfan on 2008-02-01 06:48:10
Go Bender, Go Bender
There was this Futurama episode in which Bender became an actor on Calculon's soap opera. I think it was bender's first sceen or maybe his audition, in which he delivered his lines and added a few of his own. Calculon's response to the sceen was,

"That was so bad, I think it gave me cancer."

I think he was trying to be funny, but came off sounding like a jerk.

Posted by flat4sti on 2008-02-01 07:24:21
Plain Ol' Customer Service
Honestly, I don't need to know any more about the individual situation. The fact is a comic store is a business. You can either run a business well, and make money, or poorly, and fail. Seeing as how there are enough failing comic stores out there, you'd think current business owners would try harder not to devalue their own merchandise.

I currently work customer service at a bank. Do I agree with every policy and fee? No. Do I get dozens of customers who call in and MIGHT have a fair reason to think our fees are stupid and costly? Yes. In order to strengthen our bank and continue banking, should I as a representative of the company put down what we sell simply because my personal opinion differs? Absolutely not!

If a comic store wants to flourish and be honest they can hype up items they personally think are good and politely sell the rest. If an employee or owner is ridiculing customers, which is probably the most painfully obviously poorest version of customer service ever, they're not going to stay in business. Only if the bulk of customers feel obligated to continue to shop with you will you survive with that kind of attitude. Would that work for, perhaps, the only chinese store in the area? Maybe, cause people have to eat. But they sure as heck don't HAVE to buy comics, so don't make it hard for them!

All in all, it sounds like there are a lot of people who want to run businesses and make money as employees, but don't want to treat it like a real job. If you want to be an outspoken advocate for art, go be a critic or artist. If you want to hold down a job where you're dependent on happy customers, work at a retail store. And keep your attitude in check!

It's just another example of modern day crappy work ethic. Everyone wants millions of dollars, but they don't want to pay attention and put any real work into it. So, in the end, they're going to end up broke with a bunch of people who don't like them.

Posted by PseudoSherlock on 2008-02-01 09:37:52
GOOD FOR THAT SHOP GUY
I just typed out an amazing (and long) rant offering a ton of reasons that I repect that guy for standing up against Marvel's disregard and disrespect for the long time Spider-man fans.

When I went to post it, I got an error page, and my post seemed to be lost. Not going to even try to re-write it, but solid business and integrity reasons clearly support the Store Guy and not the Marvel Mouthpiece.

Other than taking AIDS lightly, I salute him for standining up for what is right in spite of the loss of revenue for doing so.

Maybe if Marvel would have been up front to retailers that they ought to be careful ordering the first part of BND, becuse the final part of OMD would enrage so many fans, the shop guy would have ordered about half as many BND's, and not been put in a position to either support garbage in order to make his pre-order money back, or loose money by looking out for his customers. But Marvel would never do that, as that kind of integrity would cost them money. I SALUTE the comic shop guy for taking higher ground and putting his integrity first. Marvel could take a lesson there.

Hey Brevoort...ever stop and think that the customer who was embarassed out of buying OMD is one less fan slashing their Marvel pull list in half due to being so pi$$ed?


Posted by Steve Zoovie on 2008-02-01 10:59:23
For alot of people who read comics, the LCS is the only place where enthusiastic and open discussion of comics books takes place...the only time it seems reasonable to talk about the Marvel U like its a real place and not come across as a raving lunatic. In a business sense this was a bad move by the comic book guy, however, I commend him for stating how he felt about what Marvel did to Spider-Man and his fans. And who the hell is Marvel comics to tell anyone right now about how to relate to and appeal to their customers. Marvel just told us pretty clearly that what we liked about Spider-Man was not what we were supposed to like about Spider-Man and we don't understand what the core of the character is supposed to be. Comic book guy stating how he feels about BND is another attempt of a dedicated fan asking other fans that they demand more from the publisher. The fact that it has drawn attention from Brevoort is an unsubtle way of them telling us to shut up and stop talking about OMD and BND and just buy the damn comics.

Posted by TConway on 2008-02-01 12:27:54
Are jokes about AIDS more offensive or less offensive than deals with Satan?

Posted by TConway on 2008-02-01 12:38:39
offensive
TConway:
More offensive than deals with Satan, less offensive than dead baby jokes.

you're welcome.


Posted by pete on 2008-02-01 12:52:13
Slippery Slope
Alright...so you have some die-hard, "respectable" fan in every comic shop in America. You give them the freedom to voice any and all opinions on the comics and implicitly make them the mouthpiece of each individual comic store. They ridicule every customer that purchases a comic they don't like - and for every half dozen people who hate the current Spider-Man run there's going to be another half dozen who hate what those people love - and a large percentage of people stop coming into the stores because they don't want to be put down while paying for something they like.

Then where does that leave the comic industry?

It's respectable in an "everyone has a valid opinion, so please let's hear them all" way, but it's business stupid. And even fan-loved comics have to be built like any other business, otherwise they have no market and another media swallows them whole.

Obviously, Tom understands this.

Posted by PseudoSherlock on 2008-02-01 13:18:09
You Know
It seems that one of the major divisions here comes from the tendency to turn what is equivalent to a throw-away opinion statement such as: "gee, I think that shade of red is more appealing than that other" into some sort of expressive declaration that deserves picket lines and manifestos.

"Free speech" is getting a bit out of hand when people feel that they should make a court case because they were expressing their freedoms by telling someone else that they think they're ugly.

In other words, personal responsibility still has a place within freedom of speech, and some opinions really don't have a place everywhere.

Posted by PseudoSherlock on 2008-02-01 13:31:40
tom's worried about customer service????
i think it is funny that the way marvel has just disrepected the legions of spiderman fans/CUSTOMERS, and now tom b. is trying to
give tips and analysis on customer service and "what it's really all about?" the AIDS reference was not funny, but tom's philosophy on customer service, now that's funny no matter who you are!!!!

Posted by y2jr on 2008-02-01 14:19:26
has anyone heard of brass eye or alan partrid
sorry for the brit-centric reference there, but this is almost surreal. ol' tom gettin hot and bothered about an ANECDOTE, ie there's nothing to suggest this actually happened.

for a man in publishing, you have been displaying remarkably thin skin mr brevoort.

Posted by Knight of Fury on 2008-02-01 16:48:25
If Only You Stood Up For Fans Like This
Seriously, Tom, after the business practices and "customer service" at Marvel, how do you even post something like this with a straight face?



Posted by Dusty. on 2008-02-01 22:38:33
I don't disagree that this is a poor business move, and I can understand why Tom would be upset, but from my perspective, I think it's great when someone puts passion before lucre.

Posted by theazor on 2008-02-02 00:53:40
While I do think it is incredibly foolish to undercut your own sales, that is the perogative of the retailer. If it was my employee, I would fire him. Comic shops don't do so well that they can afford to alienate or push away customers; and before the rants about Marvel doing it start, the retailers pay for the books without the option to return them. Even if they didn't like it, it would still be in there best interest to try and sell them. Changing the direction of a character is not the same as customer service. Marvel doesn't pick on you or single you out and alienate you for liking or disliking a product of theirs. Find a way to be tactful and not come off like a psychotic ass. I know some people used the example of "I told so and so who doesn't read comics about OMD and they though it was stupid too". Well after hearing the way some of you reacted to OMD, those people who don't read comics were disgusted, creeped out, and dumfounded. The "majority" response was "These people know it is a fictional character, right?" That clerks comment falls into that catergory. Is this really way we want to portray ourselves to the general public? If the guy was truly passionate and really making a stand, he would come up with legitimate, logical reasons for someone to not buy the book, not compare it with a lethal virus or some angry rant.

Posted by ZacGoyette on 2008-02-03 17:15:06
Why would the shop owner bother?
In my experience, the customers/fans are so busy complaining about Marvel that there is really no reason for the owner to have to get involved. I can't remember the last time that I heard a conversation in a comic shop about Marvel where anyone was happy. However, no matter how disgusted everyone seems to be, they still keep buying them month after month. It's like an addiction. I am beginning to think there is some sort of mind control involved. Is it possible to plant subliminal message in a comic?

Posted by jascott on 2008-02-04 20:20:37
I find that the complaining is about mainstream comics in general. It is very rare to here some complain about indy titles. Marvel and DC get slammed all the time. I think people just like to complain. It doesn't matter what it is about, but its popular to be a comic snob who tears down everything and everyone, especially online. What happened to the days of just enjoying a comic for what it was? You read what you liked and didn't read what you didn't like. Now, everyone is a damn critic. People are online bashing stuff they are not even reading. It really has gotten ridiculous.

Posted by ZacGoyette on 2008-02-05 07:56:50
I think Tom's missing the point
So what if someone gives you an honest opinion. There are a lot of people buying ASM no matter what. They'll keep buying it, so you stock up, but if someone asks an opinion give them the truth. Typically people come in with a set amount they're gonna spend. If they don't get this and they see something else they'll try that. Knowing your shop owner is going to actually be honest and not let you waist money on inferior products guarntees customer loyality. So you steer someone away from ASM and to say spider-girl or iron fist (two vastly superior books) that money wasn't lost just redirected. Most owners are fans and why wouldn't a fan want the good books with great stories to keep getting published. If you can get someone reading ASM or say Countdown away from that and onto a book that actually needs your support, do it. Be proud. People will respect that you're not trying to pressure sell or misdirect them. Any honest car dealer would be vastly more popular with consistant repeat customers, they just don't exist.

This is the problem. Tom's speaking like a seller or buisnessman, not an artist or creator. People don't like comics because of a straight hard nosed buisness approach (I think most fans find those guys to be tools), they get into it because they like the artistry of a great story and brilliant art. They don't want to be sold something by a salesman spitting out the same generic lines, they want someone to honestly as a fan tell them how they feel, share some of their passion for this medium, and try and get them into a book they'll truely enjoy and comeback to. Something when they're older they can look back on fondly and admire. It's not always about money, sometimes just sometimes, it's about people appreciating the art.

Posted by moral_d on 2008-02-05 12:27:46
To moral_d
What that guy did was not even close to someone appreciating art. I see no problem with a retailer steering someone away from or toward a product if their opinion is asked. In many ways, it is the responsibility of the retailer to give advice or opinions on such things; however, it is crossing a line when said customer did not ask for the retailer's opinion and got ridiculed for wanting to buy a certain title. Tom does seem to be speaking from a business P.O.V., but that is what a retailer is, a business. Ridiculing and alienating customers is bad for business, and I can see how people of a company would be upset if a retailer went out of their way to keep someone from buying their product. What started out as unhappy fans has turned into this ugly smear campaign. It is spiralling out of control. If you don't like something don't read it, but don't crap on someone else because they want to.

Posted by ZacGoyette on 2008-02-05 17:07:42
Short-Sighted
This rant was short sighted. Why do you really care about one guy in one comic shop on how he sells his comics? Who cares, like you stated Marvel doesn’t offer refunds so what difference does it make. Your company has already got the money and has the credit of being Sold Out, so again why care so much? Maybe because next time the retailer orders his comics from diamond he will order a much fewer volume of not just Spider-Man but other Marvel comics. I think that should be and is your concern.

Posted by Ebonyblade on 2008-02-06 09:28:05
Why would the shop owner bother?
It is true that some people complain just to be complaining. Some just are not happy unless they are unhappy. However, I think there is some frustration as well. The concept that "if you don't like it, don't buy it", does not take into account how much someone might have personally invested in a title. For example, I have only been reading D.C. for 5 years or so. There are a lot of things going on in D.C. that the hardcore D.C. fans hate, but I think are great stories. I just don't have a lot personally invested in their comics. Marvel, for me is a different story. It really is "my universe". I have been reading Marvel since I was 6 or 7. I grew up with these characters. Furthermore, it is hard to stop buying a title when you have every issue for the past 40 years in your collection. In a way you feel sort of trapped. For instance, I am not fond of the direction the Avengers titles have taken, but quitting Avengers is just not an option because of how long I have collected them. Therefore, I feel I need to make my feelings known; otherwise, I will continue to collect a title that I am not enjoying. As a result, I complain. I guess what I am saying is that it is not so much whether you complain, but how you go about doing it. There is criticism that is constructive, then there is that which is not. The shop owner mentioned obviously did not understand that distinction.

Posted by jascott on 2008-02-06 13:52:17
to zac
It's not a smear campaign, it's a boycott. Smearing would be to take someone and do something that's the opposite of their beliefs. Like say, peter parker making a deal with the devil that sacrifices his love to perserve an old woman that's asked to die in peace. A boycott involves fans/fanatics (whatever you choose to call them) drawing a line in the sand. The only reason why we picketers are upset and going out of our way to disuade people from purchasing this is that with every issue you buy, I now have to wait that much longer for a return to the real spider-man. Maybe the comic shop guy felt like me. Chances are he was just cracking a joke, and venting a bit. People who don't want opinions or dealings with other fans should just order online, get subs, or do something else that eliminates the comic shop presence. Other's like myself kinda like those geeks that might be odd and insulting at times but have real passion about what they do and a willingness to turn their backs on best buisness strategies to say what they really feel. Frankly it's their store and they can do and say what they want with their products. It's not the first or last time this has happened. Plus shop owners have to be pretty pissed right now for all the questions they're getting that they have no answers to. Imagine a new kid comes in and likes this "new" spider-man. He/She comes back to read some old issues. Tell me they wouldn't confuse the hell out of anyone. Marvel has in essence made these stories not relevant in many ways and therefore cut back interest in any spider-man back issues. When this gets fixed in a few years then the issues will have a purpose other than just being good stories.

Posted by moral_d on 2008-02-07 13:23:50