Disney comics in the USA

[Tryg Helseth]

Wilmer Rivers wrote:

>stones, Harveys, and Archies).  She then turned to the cashier, pointed 
>to LOS # 1 (which obviously had obviously no significance to her), and 
>asked, "These aren't like regular comics, are they?  I mean, people
>don't collect them and they won't ever be worth anything, will they?" 

Wilmer, your story reminds me of a visit I made to a comic store here about 
10 years ago.  Someone had brought in some comics for sale on consignment.  
A couple of kids (about 10-12 years of age) glanced through the comics and 
promptly dismissed them as "nothing but silly stuff."  I then looked at the 
comics which were mostly Dinsey and other funny animal comics from the '50s 
and found some that I considered classics.  To each their own, I thought at 
the time.  

Today when I visit that same store I see kids (sometimes with checkbook 
bearing mothers in tow) selecting comics for what seems like purely 
speculative value; when I see that, I thankful the when I was a kid we 
didn't place monetary value on comics like that--we bought them to read
and enjoy.  On the other hand, I really wonder how long Disney comics can 
survive in that kind of market--if the kids shun them, where are the future 
readers going to come from?


>The clerk mumbled something about "Well, some people buy them [after 
>all, he had just seen ME pick up several!], but they don't have much 
>collectable value.." and then the mother gave the clerk her kid's 
>superhero titles, paid for them, and left.  I really wanted to shout 
>at her, "Won't be worth anything?  How much is a great story ever 
>worth?", but I refrained from saying anything, since it was obvious
>that she wouldn't have had a clue about what I meant.  The idea that
>you might buy a comic book just to read the story and enjoy the art
>was completely alien to her, and I assume that it was likewise alien
>to her son, who must have picked his list of titles based on price
>speculation published in the fan-boy press.  If customers continue to
>make their purchasing decision based on "collectability", how much
>longer will it be before this store joins all the others in this area
>in using that rack space for "hot" titles rather than for Gladstones?
>And, when this kid eventually sees that his comics AREN'T escalating
>in price as he had supposed, how much longer will he continue to buy
>any comics at all?  And what will happen to the stores then?  Unless
>kids start buying comics simply because they want to read them, with no
>regard to "investing", then soon enough there will be no comics industry
>left in the USA at all, I fear...
>
>Wilmer Rivers

Tryg Helseth  <trygve at maroon.tc.umn.edu>   Minneapolis, MN, USA
          or  <tryg.helseth at tstation.mn.org>

"I wish they all could be Calisota Ducks!" -The Beach Drakes