DC TO AID RETAILERS AFFECTED BY KATRINA

[MattBrady]

While the immediate concern for the Gulf Coast and affected regions is the safety and health of those who were in the way of Hurricane Katrina, the livelihoods of comic retailers in the vast region which saw damage from the storm will be receiving support from both DC and presumably Marvel in the coming weeks.

In a statement released today, DC said that they will do all they can to help affected retailers get back on their feet when they are able to return to business.

From DC:

With Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath impacting Louisiana, Mississippi and other Southern states, DC Comics is taking steps to help affected area retailers.

DC's Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Stephanie Fierman, says, "We are extremely concerned about the safety of these comics retailers and their families, and DC will do everything it can to assist them both today and when they're ready to get back on their feet. For now, affected retailers will receive their DC items at no charge. We will be announcing a comprehensive set of actions next week, after consulting with our customers.”

Watch for the full announcement of DC's disaster aid coming soon.

If this brings a feeling of nostalgia, you’ve been around for a while. 13 years ago, when Hurricane Andrew hit southern Florida in August, and Hurricane Iniki hit Hawaii in September, both publishers immediately moved to do what they could to aid shops in the affected regions, which numbered, according to a CBG story, anywhere between 45 and 65.

As recounted in the article, DC provided retailers with nine weeks of free comics as well as free backlist items, co-ops ads, creator appearances and more; while Marvel shipped a “ton” of free comics to retailers as well as worked with store owners to rebuild their local traffic.

Both companies are expected to outline comprehensive plans to affected retailers in the coming weeks.

[adamcasey]

This is great news.

Anything that can be done to help out the people in the region I'm sure is appreciated.

[csGuy]

great news! props to DC for stepping up!

[Johnny Smith]

A big thumbs up for DC! Way to go!

[BUDanzig]

I hope no one posts on here saying that its a publicity stunt or for other corporate reasons. Its just good to see DC (and hopefully Marvel soon) helping out any way they can.

[BlueThunderArmy]

Very respectable move on DC's part.

[Sivvius]

I think this is a great thing DC is doing and that Marvel should follow in a similar way but what good does it do for the retailers who's shops are destroyed or underwater and what not, they won't be receiving or ordering any merchandise anytime soon so it wouldn't be costing DC anything, right? I mean am I reading this wrong?

[MattBrady]

Originally posted by Sivvius
I think this is a great thing DC is doing and that Marvel should follow in a similar way but what good does it do for the retailers who's shops are destroyed or underwater and what not, they won't be receiving or ordering any merchandise anytime soon so it wouldn't be costing DC anything, right?

They would have orders coming in that they placed pre-hurricane.

MattB

[JLAJRC]

Originally posted by MattBrady
They would have orders coming in that they placed pre-hurricane.

MattB

And how exactly are they supposed to sale those orders if their shops are gone? E-Bay? Plus, how are customers supposed to reach these shops? Especially since from what I'm hearing about some areas will be out of commission for months, if not years.

I think it would have been a better idea if the comic companies got together like they did post 9/11 and put together some sort of book with all the proceeds going to hurricane relief.

[chaosmonkey]

And how exactly are they supposed to sale those orders if their shops are gone? E-Bay? Plus, how are customers supposed to reach these shops? Especially since from what I'm hearing about some areas will be out of commission for months, if not years.

I think it would have been a better idea if the comic companies got together like they did post 9/11 and put together some sort of book with all the proceeds going to hurricane relief.
________________________________________ ___________

One step at a time grasshopper. This was but the first hand extended. It's way too early to be mentioning charity relief projects. This requires resource gathering in huge quantities. It mentioned communication w/ the shops. I would assume this initial help will be tempered per situation. I doubt any Diamond boxes will be dropped into the water outside stores.

For all that we know further efforts are in progress as we speak. It would be foolish to make promises in the interim that might not be fulfilled. Time will tell...

Until then it would be best to support any outpouring of support.

(Not that one cannot question the veracity of the nature of help...just respect it...)

[Dave Fury]

Originally posted by JLAJRC
And how exactly are they supposed to sale those orders if their shops are gone? E-Bay? Plus, how are customers supposed to reach these shops? Especially since from what I'm hearing about some areas will be out of commission for months, if not years.

I think it would have been a better idea if the comic companies got together like they did post 9/11 and put together some sort of book with all the proceeds going to hurricane relief.

Wow! People online will complain about everything.

[chaosmonkey]

Originally posted by Dave Fury
Wow! People online will complain about everything.

Man, your post completely blows yak nethers!

No, seriously, what you speak of is too true...

[Redwings83]

This isnt a damn contest... its about helping people out. Damn...

[Michael P]

Originally posted by BUDanzig
I hope no one posts on here saying that its a publicity stunt or for other corporate reasons. Its just good to see DC (and hopefully Marvel soon) helping out any way they can.

No one's that big a dickbag.

However, the PR they'll get for this will be great, and is a just reward for such humanitarian efforts.

This reminds me of sept 9/11 where the mets were promoting outwardly and publicly how much they were donating and helping out vs. the Yankees who did the same but with almost no publicity or PR statements saying that they did. Funny how here people are saying "gee I wish marvel would do that" remember people...just because you help out others doesn't mean you blab about it to everyone else

[JLAJRC]

Originally posted by Dave Fury
Wow! People online will complain about everything.

I applaud DC effort here. It's just to me, logically, it doesn't make much sense to me. I asked good questions here. How are they supposed to sell their merchandise and get customers into their if it possibly doesn't exist or is unreachable?

[chaosmonkey]

Well, help is help no matter how much you flap your lips about, and help is what is needed right now.

Whining is the same flap without the added benefits attached...

To flap, I've donated cash to the Red Cross and Salvation Army today...

So contribute unless it's hot air...

Just one monkey's opinions...It's time to get together kids...

[Gordon McAlpin]

Originally posted by Lucifugeny
This reminds me of sept 9/11 where the mets were promoting outwardly and publicly how much they were donating and helping out vs. the Yankees who did the same but with almost no publicity or PR statements saying that they did. Funny how here people are saying "gee I wish marvel would do that" remember people...just because you help out others doesn't mean you blab about it to everyone else

And just remember that putting out a press release isn't the same as "blabbing" about it. If the news sites/press run with a story, that's one thing. Tooting your own horn is another. And I'm not sure that you were necessarily knocking DC (or the Mets) or speaking more generally, but they haven't done anything that seems like they're trying to make a big deal about this.

If they don't tell the press, how else are they going to get let these retailers know that they're not going to be responsible for these orders that their now-non-existent shops have already placed? I mean, not all of these guys have STORES now, but they might have homes or friends with homes that have internet connections.

Not that I'd be reading Newsarama if I lived in New Orleans.

[chaosmonkey]

Originally posted by JLAJRC
I applaud DC effort here. It's just to me, logically, it doesn't make much sense to me. I asked good questions here. How are they supposed to sell their merchandise and get customers into their if it possibly doesn't exist or is unreachable?

Yes, it's good to ask questions. Without eternal vigilance a democracy is just another land of the blind. This is true.

If you read the article closely, this measure is only the first, to be followed by someform of help next week. Again time will tell.

This won't be solved overnight, but we'll get there nonetheless.

[The Marvel]

Very classy, on DC's part.

[jmcl89]

I'd say it is both a good thing for DC to do, and also a wise one. The area is going to need huge amounts of help to bounce back, from all kinds of sources. DC and Marvel are the obvious people to see to it that when it does bounce back, it still has comic shops.

[Jason A. Quest]

Originally posted by JLAJRC
And how exactly are they supposed to sale those orders if their shops are gone? E-Bay? Plus, how are customers supposed to reach these shops? Especially since from what I'm hearing about some areas will be out of commission for months, if not years.

I think it would have been a better idea if the comic companies got together like they did post 9/11 and put together some sort of book with all the proceeds going to hurricane relief.

They may very well do that, but something like that won't bring in any money until months from now, and this is something that may help retailers right away. For one thing, saying that retailers will receive the material they've ordered without having to pay for it releases them from a substantial financial obligation, and is a way of recognising what you point out: they'll have a hard time selling a lot of the stuff they've ordered. Sure, DC could instead say, "That's OK, we'll cancel your orders, no charge; we understand." But in the coming weeks, as the streets dry out and people begin to return to New Orleans and other cities in the area, these retailers' customers (hopefully) will show up at their re-established places of business, and want to buy some comics. This way, the retailers will actually have some.

Think about that. There probably aren't a lot of comics retailers in New Orleans with 2nd- or 3rd-floor storage space. They'll need merchandise to re-open, and this is probably the only way they'll get that while they're waiting for their insurance to pay out (if at all).

Getting back to the benefit-book idea, I'll be blunt: I find most of things of that sort to be an exercise in impracticality. If you want to help hurricane victims, don't wait for DC and Marvel to solicit a book next month for shipping at the end of the year with a portion of the proceeds (after printing and distribution costs) going to charities working to rebuild. Cut out the middlemen, walk way from the computer, and mail a check today for whatever you can afford to the Red Cross or the on-the-ground relief agency of your choice. It'll do the victims a heck of a lot more good than getting a dollar or two from you from some feel-good benefit book some time next year. Yes, it's going to take a long time to rebuild, but that doesn't mean you should wait a long time to help.

[cindercatz]

All I have to say is, BRAVO!

I hope other people in the region get comparable support from their respective communities, as well as from all of us together. This is very commendable.

[Reloaded]

This-- guys-- is amazing news. I'm from Hattiesburg, which is just 50 miles north of Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi. We're hurting bad. No power, no water for what has is most likely to be weeks. I'm typing this from a library near a shelter in Brandon, nearly a hundred miles from Hattiesburg. It's one of the few places to have power.

My best friend operates the only comic store in Hattiesburg and I've been worried how he would possibly be able to recover from the storm, the lack of business. Most people don't realize that some smaller retailers depend solely on subscribers to feed their families. In a town where there's just under 70 subscribers, it's about living from check to check and working second jobs. I'm thrilled to see that DC (and possibly others) are reaching out to these people in what's a very dark hour.

[brianscottp]

QUOTE:

________________________________________ _______I think it would have been a better idea if the comic companies got together like they did post 9/11 and put together some sort of book with all the proceeds going to hurricane relief.


________________________________________ _____

Have to disagree. What's equally important to immediate relief is helping people get their livelihoods back. People need to work and earn incomes. This disaster is so devastating that so many people will temporarily lose their incomes, not to mention their homes and then the dark state of depression may set in because helplessness quickly turns into hopelessness!!!!

I'd encourage everybody to donate cash to the Red Cross AND if you work for a company that has businesses in the region, that you volunteer for EMERGENCY RELIEF work helping your company get those area facilities cleaned up and whatever. Some of you may cry that that only helps corporations profit, BUT the corporations are made up of real people who need their jobs not just for money to support their family, but their jobs to make themselves feel useful in such dire circumstances. The sooner they can get back on the feet, the faster they can recover financially and mentally!

CONGRATS to DC and all other businesses which are working hard to provide relief via economic relief.