I feel badly (did it again today) when I go into a store, look at some of the anticipated new issues, and walk out with nothing.

What made matters worse was hearing the owner talking to one of the buying customers that his sales had dropped off so much that he’s going to be cutting back hours.

Retailers are slow to change, but the companies are slower to change many times, and that lag time is far behind the consumer. Always.

http://inkdestroyedmybrush.blogspot.com/2010/12/event-marketing-vs-gasp-actual-stories.html

Boy, if that sentence doesn’t sum it up right there.

I ended my subscriptions long ago but it had less to do with content and more to do with getting married and buying a house. Content came last. However, if and when the economy turns around, I think people will be surprised at how quickly sales pick up and how it’s more about lack of cash than about content.

This is purely anecdotal, but I know people that have been unemployed for going on two years and they’re just now starting to cut back on the amount of comics they buy (which goes to show how much of comic buying is habit as well as simple enjoyment).

I don’t think they realized how long this economy was going to be in the tank and kept expecting it to turn around. Many are just now realizing that the bad economy might last for years to come. Even though it’s a seriously overused cliche, it’s going to get worse for comics before it gets better.