Contest of Challengers

FALLING OVER ON THE SLOPES•So many semi cab horns! •Less of a Palace than you'd hope. •Share the GOOD, not just the bad. •PINE AND MERRIMAC #1 is SO GOOD!! •A disturbing lacy of Body bookplates. •If only new comic shipments came on the same day each week. •An electronic Gift Card is just as good as a physical Gift Card. •Data Nerd Dal loves the CovrPrice 'Reflective' feature. Contest of Challengers #662

I GUESS YOU COULD ALSO JUST KILL ME •Comic shops undergoing changes. •The reality of store events. •Event Spaces •No more Back Issues? •Thanks, Patrons! •Mile High's Chuck Rozanski responds to Phil Boyle. Dal responds to them both. •Comics discussed in this episode: If You Find This I'm Already Dead #1 Action Comics #1061 Avengers Twilight #1 Duke #1 The One Hand #1/The Six Fingers #1 Contest of Challengers #661

https://icv2.com/articles/talk-back/view/55717/chuck-rozanski-mile-high-comics-can-comics-be-saved

https://www.comicsbeat.com/anyone-comics-is-closing-and-reopening-around-the-corner/

HOW MUCH MORE ROPE? •Post-Thanksgiving retail sales. •Retailers talking about the Biz. •A new 1-star review. •All we're really asking is for you to pay for the books you asked us to buy for you. Contest of Challengers #660

TOON IN WITH US •What we sell vs what we buy as consumers. •Vintage shops vs not. •Wouldn't it be fun to sell comic book trading cards again? •Our adventure on Toon In With Me. •Broken web links. •The free comic books for 2024's Free Comic Book Day. Contest of Challengers #659

COME BACK! GET EXCITED! •The Marvels was pretty fun! •Some comics are just bad. •LOTS of retailer chatter this week about the state of comics. •What big names can revitalize the Big 2 publishers? •Imagine trying to run a shop today with only cycle sheets and no subscription management system. •What does the future of the shop's interior look like? Contest of Challengers #658

A LITTLE LESS HAPPY

•Reading publisher previews on Box.com. •Most comic retailers have been at this a long time. •Thanks, Patrons! •The What and Whys of Draft Orders (as promised!!). •Comics talked about in this episode: Crave Titans: Beast World Batman Santa Claus Silent Knight•We're having a Back Issue Sale in late November! Contest of Challengers #657

STOP GIGGLING LIKE A CHILD

•Wimpy Kid thief. •Health insurance premiums. •What's up with Blue's old location? •Marvel barcode placement. •SO MANY PRH emails. •How we would format cover descriptions for invoices. •Comics talked about in this episode: Masterpiece #1 Somna #1 Batman Off World #1 Lotus Land #1 Animal Pound #1 Captain Marvel #1

Contest of Challengers #656

Smash-and-grab burglars plow vehicles into River North boutiques https://cwbchicago.com/2023/10/chicago-river-north-smash-and-grab-burglary-sneaker-boutique-little-black-dress-news.html

Car con Carne (Candy Corn Carne) https://carconcarne.com/2023/10/23/a-visit-to-13th-floor-haunted-house-with-patrick-brower-of-challengers-comics-episode-897/

NO MORE SACRED COWS

•It's true; we'll eat ALL the cows. •This episode is kind of a stark look at the industry from a sales perspective, but also from other sides. •It's a lot of, 'how things have changed.' •It's not dark, but it sure ain't bright. •It's just what you expect from CoC, we guess? •We sadly can't be your everything. •Especially if your 'everything' includes many single issue comics. •Comics talked about in this episode: White Widow #1 The Deviant #1 Universal Monsters Dracula #1 Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees #1

Contest of Challengers #655

UNDERSERVED •We're back! For this week, anyway. •Wizards of the Coast product will no longer be available from Penguin Random House. •The dwindling sales footprint of Magic the Gathering. •Dark Tower buys G-Mart's stores! •Thanks, Patrons! •How our subscriptions work (for any new subscribers). •Brian Posehn came to Challengers! •Daniel Warren Johnson and the appeal of Transformers. •Comics talked about in this episode: Nights #1 (and #2 and #3) Contest of Challengers #654

THE ONE LINE PITCH with HOLLY AITCHISON Patrick is joined by longtime Challengers supporter, Patron and friend, HUMANOIDS Director of Sales HOLLY AITCHISON! It's a conversation that could have lasted forever about all things comics, publishing and retail (but it's mainly about Morgan and Esther)! Holly illustration by Katie Longua https://www.klongua.com/ Contest of Challengers #653