BORDERS IN TROUBLE

Wow. Something really was going on at Borders. I observed they were pretty switched on regarding comics, i.e. a decent graphic novels section, stocking Crikey! magazine, and US Marvels. I then saw that they had Nickelodeon Magazine on sale too.

Over the years, I’ve read online on various bulletin boards people discussing this kid’s comic based on the TV cartoons of Nickelodeon, and how it features a lot of top notch cartoonists including Nick Bertozzi, Sam Henderson, Kaz, James Kochalka, Roger Langridge, Jason Lutes, Brian Ralph, Scott Roberts, Art Spiegelman, Jay Stephens etc. Really a ludicrously good roster of people, and many more too. But this was the first time I’d seen it in the flesh, as it were, and so I was all set to write it up, when news of Borders going into administration appeared. It’s a great shame.

Then I saw yesterday they are even stocking Dodgem Logic, Alan Moore’s new magazine!

I hope something can be sorted out, because someone at Borders really knows their stuff and is making a good effort to get in quality stuff.

COMICS WITHIN BORDERS

Something is going on in Borders.













They actually have US Marvel comics on sale, which is nice to see.

As far as I can remember, that's the the first time Marvels been available to people outside comics shops in the UK for about fifteen years. Up til 1994, Comag was distributing them - complete with fairly huge stickers plastered on the covers.

Along with their carrying Crikey!, this shows a new interest in comics is happening at Borders (they already had a pretty good aisle or two of graphic novels). Borders is charging a fortune for single issues though - I'm pretty sure some of those single issues cost £4.25, which is a lot to ask for an impulse comics buy.

In the UK, these US originals have to compete with British comics that reprint up to 3 US comics from a couple of years ago. These collections are all colour, cost about the same price or cheaper, and are a lot thicker.

And the US originals still have a big sticker stuck on front too.

But it is part of a pleasing trend on the part of the chain. Long may it continue.

CRIKEY! at BORDERS


















A nice surprise in Borders bookshop yesterday - the latest issue of Crikey! sitting on the shelf at the comics section. I've bought Crikey! a couple of times before through mail order; the first issue to try it out, and the fifth as it had an Eagle /Dan Dare cover article.

They have obviously expanded their distribution network to include Borders now, which must be a financial gamble. It's good to see a comics magazine in a mainstream outlet though, even if it does deal solely with nostalgia.


















There is Comics International, but even as the new editor vastly improved the content, the magazine's publication schedule fell apart. I think there's been 1 issue of the (previously monthly) magazine this year.

So I wish Crikey! all the best and hope it enjoys a lengthy run.


















Images: cover and pages from Crikey! #11