About Time Comics website

[ljiles]

Hello Guys and Gals!
We have made a few changes to the About Time Comics website and now have a facebook page and group as well as a twitter account!
You can check out our site here, www.abouttimecomics.com
links to our facebook page and twitter account are on the homepage.
Keep checking back for updates on our titles, Dreamer, Godsend, and In-Flight Service.
Thanks for looking!

Lee Jiles
About Time Comics
www.abouttimecomics.com

[GrimFinger]

Hello Guys and Gals!
We have made a few changes to the About Time Comics website and now have a facebook page and group as well as a twitter account!
You can check out our site here, www.abouttimecomics.com
links to our facebook page and twitter account are on the homepage.
Keep checking back for updates on our titles, Dreamer, Godsend, and In-Flight Service.
Thanks for looking!

Lee Jiles
About Time Comics
www.abouttimecomics.com

Hi Lee,

I was checking out a number of independent comic books, this morning, and ended up visiting the About Time Comics website, and the Facebook page for the same, as well as the Facebook page for Godsend, your superhero character.

On your website (http://abouttimecomics.webs.com/), over on the right hand side, postings to your company' Facebook page get streamed to your actual website. The dark gray text on a dark gray background make it hard to read.

I haven't really checked out your company's other comic book titles, though I have glanced at some of the cover art for them depicted on your company's site.

I used to read a lot of comic books, as a kid growing up. I really haven't bothered with them in a long while, though. It's not that I no longer like comic books. Rather, in my visits to local comic book stores over the last few years (which only happen on very infrequent occasions), I invariably end up leaving those stores with nothing purchased to show for my time spent there.

The core problem, for me, isn't that none of the new comic book titles aren't visually attractive. Many catch my eye, whether in a physical comic book store, or in an online store that sells comic books. While I'm sure that the reason that people decide against buying a given issue or title varies from person to person, for me, personally, it is the price that tends to leave me just shaking my head and making the decision to not buy.

I've got your Godsend issue # 1 over at Indy Planet pulled up in my web browser, right now, as I type this to you. The price? $3.99.

If price points lower than that from the major comic book publishers, such as DC and Marvel, make me shake my head, then explain to me, if you will, why I should take a gamble on spending four bucks for your product.

Overall, I just feel that comic book publishers are pricing themselves out of the market. It's a trend that I see independent comic book publishers repeating, following in the shoes of the major, name brand comic book publishers.

I understand, of course, that you are largely working within the range of publishing options available to you, and particularly where actual print copies of your comic books are concerned.

On your company's website storefront, you offer a PDF version of issue # 1 of Godsend for 99 cents. So, I am not oblivious to this less expensive alternative to an actual print copy.

http://abouttimecomics.webs.com/apps/we ... ow/3658073

As a kid growing up, my parents didn't have a lot of money. Even still, they bought me comic books on a fairly regular basis. Now, I have a son of my own, and at seven years old, he can read, now. Yet, even as a comic book lover as a kid, myself, I am disinclined to buy him comic books at four dollars a pop.

Am I inclined to buy him comic books in electronic format, such as PDF, at a dollar an issue? Not really.

However, let's assume for argument's sake that I can bring myself to bite that bullet. There are tons of independently produced comic books out there, both on Indy Planet and elsewhere, that I can spend a finite set of funds allocated to comic books on. Why your comic books? Why Godsend?

When I was a kid, I would go into various local drug stores, and I would head straight for the comic book spinner rack. If my parents were shopping, either at the drug store or at the store next door (Ben Franklin was usually the store next door), then I would often browse (or even read) many other comic books, before making my actual purchase (which was typically just a single comic book on most trips there).

Now, I can sit at home, and browse far more comic book titles on my computer than any comic book spinner rack was ever capable of holding and displaying. Yet, even with a broadband Internet connection, browsing comic books if far more time consuming, now, than it ever was back then.

Major comic book publishers, such as Marvel and DC, often get criticized for their respective marketing approach to selling their comic book titles to the masses. Yet, I tend to see less innovation from many independent comic book publishers, than I do from DC and Marvel.

If I, or someone like me, is going to spend four bucks for a print comic book in this day and age, then why not just go with the major publishers and their first-rate artists and established characters, such as Superman, Spiderman, or whichever superhero sparks my fancy?

If one wants to get back into reading comic books, even via the electronic format, how many independent comic book publishers can one person reasonably support, on average?

Currently, my son does not receive an allowance. Suppose that I change that, or suppose that we just consider his apparently bottomless-well of "treats" that I or his mother treat him to. Why would my son want to spend a dollar for an electronic format copy of a comic book, in this day and age? What would you say, to persuade him, or someone his age, to become recurring patrons of the comic book fare that your company publishes? Or is your company only interested in attracted individuals who are older than he is?

Just curious on what your thoughts on such matters are.

[ljiles]

I'm not really sure how to answer your questions. Why would or should someone buy my comic books? Really? Why is my book priced at $3.99?
You stated that you haven't bothered with comics in a long while, maybe that's where you need to start.
If you were looking at Godsend on Indyplanet, then surely you have looked at other books on Indyplanet as well. If you have, then you must have noticed the prices on the other books, most of which, I can tell you, are $3.99 or more.

Perhaps I should ask you why, of all the indie comics publishers out there, you decided to send me this message, questioning me about an industry that you obviously know very little about?

Here are a few things for you to consider
Marvel and DC have an endless supply of money with which to advertise and pay top artists and writers
Marvel and DC pay somewhere around .25 to .50 cents per issue for printing
Marvel and DC have numerous titles published each and every month and from the ones I've see and the titles that I buy, they are, in fact, priced at $3.99 each.

I have a full time job, a wife with a full time job, two young daughters, a mortgage and other expenses, all of which come before I have any time or money to spend on producing my books.
I don't have an endless supply of money with which to advertise and pay top artists and writers
I pay much, much more per issue for printing, at $3.99 per issue, I barely make any money
I currently have one title available, and it isn't printed monthly, shooting for quarterly
I pay for everything out of my pocket because I enjoy making comics and I believe in my books, I have no problem putting Godsend beside any Marvel or DC book on the shelf because I know the art and story are top notch.
Many Marvel and DC books have only 20 pages of story whereas Godsend actually has 22 pages of story, Marvel and DC rent out their other pages for ads, yet another way they make their endless supply of money.
Also, I'm not sure what titles from the big two that you saw that were less than $3.99, because I'm looking through the recent titles I've bought and they're all $3.99.
I can't tell you why you should buy this comic or that, that's your decision.
I can, however, say that Godsend #1 printed copies are selling quite well online and through my local comic shops and I've also sold several digital copies. Godsend has also received some really good reviews, of course, that's neither here nor there as everyone has their own taste in comics.
I have absolutely no need or reason to defend my book or tell you why you should "bite the bullet" or "take a gamble" on my book.
My honest opinion is that you need to stick with Marvel and DC, go with what you know and what makes you feel safe.
If it's stressing you out this bad to consider buying an indie comic then just don't do it, problem solved.
I don't get why you felt the need to send this note to me out of the "tons" of indie publishers out there, but I really appreciate it.
It's the things like this that motivate me to keep publlishing good indie comics.

Thanks for your time,

Lee Jiles
About Time Comics
www.abouttimecomics.com

[GrimFinger]

Lee,

Thanks for responding.

As far as why I "picked you" to send this note to, it's because I came across your posting that initiated this discussion thread, and I decided to take you up on your invitation to check your comic book company website out. Other than taking an interest in checking out your product, there was no ulterior motive. You posted in a discussion thread, and I responded with some thoughts of my own about comic books.

As far as your characterization of me stressing out, the fact is that none of anything comic book related causes me stress. I did check out numerous other comic book titles on IndyPlanet, as well as on other sites, as well.

I was merely interested in your thoughts. You don't have to defend your book from me, if for no other reason than the fact that I'm not attacking your book. I do, however, think that price points impact purchasing decisions, where comic books are concerned. At approximately four dollars per issue, I'm not sure that it's a winning formula for attracting a sizable following. Again, that's just my opinion, though, and it is as applicable to any independent comic book as your own company's offerings, certainly.

I appreciate your opinion on what you think that I should stick to. I'll take it under consideration. It really isn't an issue of "feeling safe," though, as that doesn't factor into my decision-making process, where comic book purchases are concerned. Perhaps it is for some, but it isn't, for me.

I'm glad to learn that Godsend # 1 is selling well. That should help to ensure its longevity.

I did do a little exploring, recently, on publishing options and costs for comic books in print format, as well as on sales figures for the comic book industry in years past. I didn't really encounter much in the way of sales figures for contemporary independent comic book publishers, though.

Some of the more interesting material that I encountered about comic books in my recent online exploring dealt with the number of panels in older comic books, compared to more recent comic book offerings, amongst other things.

At any rate, I appreciate the response. Best wishes to you on your company's future success in the comic book market.