Sometimes, I just can’t help myself from tuning in…
Yesterday, MILEHIGH Comics did their very first show on Whatnot. I was actually a bit surprised that they decided to participate in that platform. I’d be curious to the talks and behind the scenes that went into that partnership.
Truth be told, they did a very good job with their show (especially for the first time). A good mix of books. Pacing was decent although I believe the timer could have been set shorter.
What is absolutely incredible to me is the comic market. The way in which influencers, promoters, hype, and the system has a role in this hobby.
I see some amazing sellers on Whatnot with incredible books struggle to get 10 viewers and they, because of influencer raids, media blitzes, hype, etc pretty much had over 300 (and up to around 500 viewers) for the majority of their show.
I may be off a few dollars here and there but I saw books like a X-Force #11 go for like thirty something dollars?? At the same time, I saw some nice books go for fair prices simply because it felt like folks didn’t really know what they were. This hobby is just so darn odd. People also just don’t seem to completely ignore condition on Whatnot sometimes. I don’t blame the seller either. They would put up a pretty bool like ASM #298 and tell everyone it is a VG or Fine…and yet people would be bidding on that bad boy like they told them it was NM. Uncanny X-men #251 going for more/same than a Stevens Vanguard Illustrated?
anyway, it was just interesting. Again, the show itself was actually great. Good books, diverse offerings, great flow, professional, constant give aways. Kudos to them as it will be one heck of a revenue stream for them given their inventory.
Making more money and buying a huge house without a steady source of income, then not being able to afford the house is such a common story.
I do feel bad for Stephen, but the last few years he really went hard with the salesman schtick and drove away a lot of viewers. Seeing more and more people who drank the what not Kool aid starting to regret not doing new things or evolving when they were at a spike in popularity.
Not that Bleeding Cool was ever top notch; but an eon ago I did occasionally read their articles.
What they have become today; even compared to a couple years ago, is an absolute disgrace.
I don’t ever remember BleedingStool being good …I mean a couple of years ago they put out an article that Tosin was the next Miles. Any one with a human brain cell would realize that article was complete BS.
I still wonder what their motivation was behind putting out that article. It can’t simply be just for clicks, articles like that can really damage your reputation. Not that they were the gold standard for journalism but this takes it to a whole new level of incompetence. They saw a first appearance of a new character who happens to be black and concluded that this would be the new Miles, having none of the history or fanfare.
Why would they thought that it would be suitable to be put into print?
I was reading Bleedingstool quite extensively during the pandemic. Was stuck at home and I was seeking coverage about what would happen to the comic book industry. There were a lot of confusion at that time (most likely being sensationalized by bleedingstool) and there were real fears that the industry could collapse. Comic book shops could go under and there was no end in sight.
Steve Gespi from Diamond was on every comicbook youtube channel, i think it was at this time that led to the rise of the comic influencers. I went down this rabbit hole and found channels like ComicTom and KCC
I can dig out that photo of he and I together where he told me he reads the site. I was like I know you do if I posted about a spec book you would post about it later.
Truth be told in the early days I was advising KCC on some stuff and even provided weekly picks to them. Help get them started. I was there at the beginning of CBSI as well helping out. It was fun in the early days. Things got very cut throat later.
I had a story ran on Bleeding Cool about the TV show Black Sails that was reposted on a variety of different sites because I broke the story on it.
Yet here I am still sitting here doing my own thing.
Doing your own thing is best! I’m happy I do my own my blog and it bums me out some stuff I wrote for other sites doesn’t exist anymore due to those sites folding years ago.
It’s not trading cards. It’s mystery comic packs. They’re trying to insert gambling into the comic hobby like sports cards. Rare variants and autographed books randomly inserted into packs like sports cards.
Wow, you reallly have to dig into the verbage to get there. They even make the picture look as if they are trading cards. Do they think they will sell more if they try and attach it to trading card pack gambling. Almost guaranteed you will be better off just buying the ones you like off ebay at a later date. I’m a big X-men 97 fan and this type of marketing just turns me right off.
…I mean a couple of years ago they put out an article that Tosin was the next Miles. Any one with a human brain cell would realize that article was complete BS.
and trying to sell it on their claim sale.