So, every year, Diamond Comics Distributors and Alliance Game Distributors co-host summits for retailers; they’re somewhere for retailers to meet with distribution and publisher reps and talk shop away from the prying eyes of customers and Rich Johnson. Oh, the things they get up to there…! Secret ceremonies and wild, debauched orgies featuring kinky sex games* and live renditions of infamous monologues from the pages of 1970s Marvel Comics** are just some of the things that retailers find themselves involved in. But really, they’re just there for the freebies:
The schwag list from the Diamond/Alliance Summits are now complete and include unique collectibles that can help retailers cover the cost of their trips. Highlights from giveaways list include [a] Justice League of American Retailer Variant #1 (features Ed Benes artwork from JLA#1 A and B editions as a single piece of art) [and a] X-Men Phoenix Warsong 2006 Summit Sketch Variant #1 (Rare Wolverine Origins Promo Variant #2)… Many other giveaways and door prizes will greet retailers at the event, which will of course also feature valuable programming, the opportunity to meet with key suppliers to the trade, and to learn from interacting with other retailers.
(* - This is not true.)
(** - Neither is this.)
August 24th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
I did a presentation at the Sept. 2001 Retailer Summit held in Fort Wayne, IN - I lived and worked there at the time. It was a few days after 9/11. Anyway, the retailers take these summits pretty seriously; my presentation was on how they could work with schools and public libraries. Yes, I was a librarian then. I’m a library consultant now. It was fun, I was able to meet some comics creators and make some contacts for the reviewing work I was doing, and I had a chance to see how some retailers try to learn more ways to do the things they do and how to improve what they do.
And yes, I know you were just kidding …