Contest of Challengers

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

SHELVADOR
•The Plight of the 1950s Crosley Shelvador Automatic Refrigerator.
•Calling Peoples Gas, AGAIN.
•Breaking up longer episodes.
•Receiving graphic novels packed standing on their spines.
•Breaking down our first Lunar invoice containing Image books.
•Listen to all these amazing events coming up!!
•The Ultimate Guide to Comic Books! 
•Comics talked about in this episode:
     Wonder Woman #1 & #2
     The Flash #1
     Urban Legendz
Contest of Challengers #652

NO MORE EASY ANSWERS
•Unboxing original Becca Hillburn art!
•The 3 ways orders are placed for the product we sell:
     1. Initial Orders (including New To Order and Order Increases)
     2. Final Order Cutoffs
     3. Reorders
•We’re changing how we order!
•We’re also making a change in how we source our comic supplies.
•Check out the Evie and the Helsings Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stevebryant/evie-and-the-helsings-12/

Contest of Challengers #651

COMING SOON
•The current run of Amazing Spider-Man
•The JOY Reward Program experience
•Draft orders
•Sending invoices
•We do not want to check your bag
•Small Press submissions
•Covers
Contest of Challengers #650

14 YEARS LATER
•The current (meteorological) climate of business.
•14 years of Contest of Challengers! What is wrong with us??
•All of the paying jobs we’ve held in life.
•Thanks, Patrons!
•2 Manage Comics topics discussed
     Mail-order subscribers not being able to pay invoices
     Previously purchased subscriber books reappearing in their cart
•Atom Eve
•Dear Comic Creators, always include a PDF of your book in emails to retailers. Thank you.
•Comics talked about in this episode:
     Rumpus Room #1
     The Madness #1
     Superman Annual 2023
     The Penguin #1
     Batman Gargoyle of Gotham #1
     Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1
Contest of Challengers #649

NEGATIVE DIFFERENTIAL RESISTANCE
•Our UPS driver’s thoughts on how the comics are boxed, guest-starring Jeanna Challenger.
•The saga of our light fixtures.
•Pitching upcoming comics on this podcast before FOC’s.
•The continual quest for returnability.
•Our differing philosophies regarding our weekly New Comics Instagram pitch videos.
Contest of Challengers #648

THAT’S THE EXCLUSIVE PART
•RDJ AI
•It’s SDCC week! We know the official name is Comic Con International San Diego, but SDCC gets to the point quicker.
•Ryan Browne is signing at Challengers in 2 days!!
•The amount of solicitation emails and phone calls is completely out of hand. Go Huskies!
•Omnibussing
•DC’s offerings for October 2023.
•New Marvel books, also for October 2023.
Contest of Challengers #647

“OH, THE CHEAP STUFF”
•No, we don’t sell Mylar; we only sell “the cheap stuff.”
•"Shops Discuss the Often Difficult Year So Far in Comics Retail" (READ IT HERE)
•Yes, Black Lives Still Matter.
•The Department of Truth team takes on Universal Monsters’ DRACULA.
•Will THE MIDNITE SHOW be our new The Sixth Gun??
•Pre-Paid Pre-Orders.
•Comics talked about in this episode:
     Children of the Vault #1
     Harley Quinn Black White Redder #1
     Hawkgirl #1
Contest of Challengers #646

LEGS OF ANY KIND
•Office jobs.
•The Toys That Made Us.
•The mid-year check-in with David Harper for SKTCHD.com.
•Inconsistent publisher invoicing.
•OF THUNDER & LIGHTNING from Silver Sprocket looks great!
•The first week of KNIGHT TERRORS (pronounced ‘KUH-nite tuh-TER-errs”) sales.
•Comic talked about in this episode:
     Of Thunder & Lightning
     Ribbon Queen #2
Contest of Challengers #645

A TWO-HANDER
•Hasbro invoicing.
•Our Jeff & Tillie signing.
•An AEW Fight Forever interlude.
•The Devil’s Cut email.
•Insignia covers.
•The latest Tilting at Windmills column by Brian Hibbs.
•Comic talked about in this episode:
     The Devil’s Cut
     Swan Songs #1, #3
     Plot Holes #1
     Knight Terrors #1, KT First Blood
     Superman Last Days of Lex Luthor #1
     Sacrificers #1, #2, #3
Contest of Challengers #644

BECAUSE, COMICS
It’s a special off-site episode, recorded at Club Lago in Chicago’s River North neighborhood!* Thrill to the sounds of an active Italian eatery as we have a scintillating conversation with the man who came all the way from Canada to taste some Chicken Marsala, Manage Comics’ BRIAN GARSIDE!!
You’ve heard us talk about Manage Comics a whole lot the past year and a half, now hear about it from the man who built it!!

*not the first episode to be recorded here, nor the last, I’m sure.

Contest of Challengers #643

FIREJET AND JUMPCLIFFER
•Why publishers decide to do second printings (possibly).
•Robert Kirkman’s fun publishing ideas.
•John Romita Sr and the definitive Spider-Man artists.
•Kelly Thompson!!
•Avengers Inc.
•What is a Green Tea Shot?
•Comic talked about in this episode:
     Void Rivals #1
Contest of Challengers #642

WE CAN KEEP YOUR SECRETS
•A change in Reward tiers.
•Void Rivals #1
•What’s the #1 thing retailers want?
•Kelly Thompson!!
•Transformer questions.
•Diamond shipping fees…
•Comics talked about in this episode:
     Sins of the Salton Sea #2, #3
     Ribbon Queen #1
Contest of Challengers #641

HISTORICALLY, NOT CURRENTLY
•Business Is.
•Dal on collecting.
•So many super-hero popcorn tins…
•The end of Moon Knight and a new start for Captain America.
•Saga sales numbers.
•Eisner award drama.
•Comics talked about in this episode:
     Barnstormers #1
     Fishflies #1 (again)
     The Cull #1 (again)
     In Hell We Fight #1 (again)
     Wonder Woman #800
     Creed #1
Contest of Challengers #640

TO THE MOON
•When Dal gets angry…
•Is Marvel raising cover prices?
•Image Comics leaves Diamond Comic Distributors.
•Comics talked about in this episode:
     The Hunger and The Dusk #1 & #2
     The Schlub #1
     Fishflies #1
     The Cull #1
     Klik Klik Boom #1
Contest of Challengers #639

FOILED!
•Marvel Legends Puffadder build-a-figure.
•Interacting with our customer-facing tablet.
•The Great British Bump Off #2 misprint resolution, thanks to Dark Horse’s Amy Huey.
•Recent ways Diamond has actually helped us.
•A disastrous trucking accident delays Marvel and PRH books for Diamond customers.
•Restocking reorders! Pins! Posters! Supplies! Andy Bell! Rachel Bard?
•SOME of the many things Patrick hates from the July Marvel Previews catalog! 
Contest of Challengers #638

MAKING IT FUN FOR EVERYONE
•A Kyle Starts kidnapping, including a phone call to Melbourne.
•Free Comic Book Day 2023 recap, including the live AAW Wrestling show we took Kyle, Steph and Gabo to.
•No Green Lantern rings for GL #1!
•CTA Bus ticketing nonsense.
•We never add un-asked-for books to subscriber pulls lists without sending an email first.
•Our new Rewards Program offers MORE than what the pre-order discount did.
•Comics discussed in this episode:
     Flash #800
     The Nasty #3
     In Hell We Fight #1
     Parasocial GN

Contest of Challengers #637

ARTSPOSITION
•Patrick is joined by the next generation of comic book fan, Jess and Allie!
Two people new to Challengers and recent to comics, but enthusiastic and ready to read! Their journey has only begun...
Contest of Challengers #636