Now that's what free comic book day is all about: rewarding regular customers
Successfully got a free comic book at one of the three participating stores in my area. One of them had that sign up, one wouldn't let me in with a backpack. I guess they were afraid I'd steal the free comic books. Great promotion, y'all
Guy at the third store was clearly pissed I didn't buy anything. After I picked one out, I said "thanks!" and turned to leave, and on my way out he said "um, okay?!"
I can see why everyone was so eager to start going to stores again. This was awesome
Also I just noticed the "no backpacks" sign under the "fuck off" one, so I guess I wouldn't have been allowed in that store anyway 🆒️
@matt I used to read a blog by a comic store owner and he would get hopping mad about this shit every year, because he saw it as an important vector for getting new people in the door and recognized that the ecosystem is dying out because it's so unfriendly to novices. Successful comic shops actually think about how to get families in the door and corral the sweaty nerds where they won't scare them off
@matt if the goal was reading them, probably they would, but a lot of them are more concerned with the having. This is the funko pop demographic after all
@robotcarsley that's what's so weird about the "regular customers" one, wouldn't sweaty nerds who hang out in comic shops turn their noses up at them anyway? They're like weird promotional crossovers or excerpts from real comics, they're basically ads. Why even participate if you're not getting them in as many non-comic readers' hands as possible?