Free Comic Book Day Proposition Betting Odds (5/7/17)
–Comic book sales are very volatile in the short term but have shown steady longterm growth .
–Since the early 2000’s Marvel has dominated the marketplace.
–So far this year Marvel’s sales are off and DC may be closing the gap.
The fifteenth annual ‘Free Comic Book Day’ will take place on Sunday, May 7 at comic book shops in the United States, Canada and Internationally. Like the name on the marquee suggests, on this day participating comic book stores give away free comics to anyone who comes in the front door. ‘Free Comic Book Day’ (abbreviated FCBD) started in 2002 as a way to get new readers involved without the sometimes steep investment.
You’re not going to see your local 7-11 giving away free comic books on May 7 or any other day (not counting the ‘five finger discount’). The promotion is limited to comic book shops or as they’re more formally known in the biz ‘independent comic book specialty shops’. There are thousands of these shops nationally with even more outside of the United States. To find your local ‘independent comic book specialty shop’ and get the 4-1-1 on what comics they’re giving away just visit the Free Comic Book Day official website.
A BRIEF TUTORIAL ON THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY
Comic books have had a wild ride over the past century. They’ve gone from a genre of lurid, sensationalist crime publications heavy on violence and gore to a more tepid realm of super heroes and humor following the creation of the Comics Code Authority. This era is a fascinating slice of American parental hysteria and paranoia fueled by meddlesome scolds seeking a career boost and personal power by framing comics as a source of youth corruption. In fact, the 1954 book that started the hysteria was called “Seduction of the Innocent” by psychiatrist named Frederic Wertham. The book is infamously replete with innacuaccies and enough over the top alarmism to make ‘Reefer Madness’ look thoughtful and well researched by comparison. This quote from Wertham is really all you need to know:
“I think Hitler was a beginner compared to the comic-book industry”
Wertham should have been the punch line of countless jokes but instead he was taken seriously. At the time, comic books were the most popular form of entertainment in America. Somewhere between 50 and 100 million were sold every week to an audience of primarily children and teenagers. It was the first pop culture phenomenon to terrify parents but far from the last. More recent subjects of parental hysteria are heavy metal, the Dungeons and Dragons role playing game, video games and anything else that delusional hucksters can fan the flames of paranoia over.
THE MODERN WORLD OF COMICS
The game has changed considerably since the 50’s and 60’s. The Comics Code Authority is an anachronism and comic books are more of a niche specialty market. Although comics might not be as pervasive as they were ‘back in the day’ they still generate over a half billion dollars worth of sales every year. Their influence on popular culture is even more significant as evidenced by the legacy of movie box office hits inspired, if not derived directly, from comic books.
The structure of the comic book business has also changed. Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. (often called Diamond Comics) is the last comic book distributor still standing. Diamond dominates the direct market in the United States and has exclusive arrangements with most major US comic book publishers including Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics and Marvel Comics. It’s effectively a monopoly situation but no one is showing much concern about that. The reason you need to know this: the following comic book proposition bets make frequent reference to ‘Diamond Comics’.
COMIC BOOK SALES PROPOSITION BETTING ODDS
Overall 2017 North American Dollar Sales for Comics, Trade Paperbacks, and Magazines sold by Diamond Comic Distributors to comic book stores per Comichron?
Over $579.5 million US: -130
Under $579.5 million US: +110
2017 Dollar Sales for All Diamond’s Comics per Comichron?
Over $382.5 million US: -150
Under $382.5 million US: +130
2017 Dollar Sales for Diamond’s Top 300 Comic Books from each month per Comichron?
Over $345.5 million US: -120
Under $345.5 million US: +100
2017 Unit Sales for All Diamond’s Comics per Comichron?
Over 97.5 million: -130
Under 97.5 million: +110
2017 Unit Sales for All Diamond’s Comics per Comichron?
Over 100.1 million: +130
Under 100.1 million: -150
2017 Unit Sales for Diamond’s Top 300 Comic Books from each month per Comichron?
Over 87.5 million: -150
Under 87.5 million: +130
Average 2017 price of comic books in Diamond’s Top 300 from each month per Comichron?
Over $3.80: -130
Under $3.80: +110
Average 2017 price of comic books in Diamond’s Top 300 from each month, weighted by orders per Comichron?
Over $3.80: -120
Under $3.80: +100
Who will have the best selling comic book title of 2017 per Comichron?
Marvel: -350
DC: +225
Other: +500
Who will have the best selling comic book title for the month of May 2017 per Comichron?
Marvel: -400
DC: +250
Other: +500