Click for larger image

Brass Tacks and Spinner Racks

The period beginning in the early 1970s and into the 1980s was a crucial time in comics history. During that time, comics moved out of newsstand distribution -- in which comic books were primarily available through corner drug stores and magazine stands -- and into direct market distribution, where they were sold to comic-book specialty shops on a non-returnable basis. Although many rightfully mourn this move as the comic-book companies making a Mephistophelean bargain that guaranteed the audience for their product would erode due to systemic lack of availability, what some forget is that in many ways comic books had no choice but to find a new way to sell their product or die.

This memo, from 1973, shows the frustration that many comic-book publishers then felt with the changing newsstand distribution market. Specifically, Lee is bothered about the placement of Marvel's line of 75-cent magazines at the 7-11 chain. It's doubtful any comic-book company today would examine this type of account as closely, making this document from the Stan Lee Archives in Laramie, Wyoming, of nostalgic interest as well.

The changing business of comics since 1970 is discussed at length in the final third of the book.

  • Full list of Book Extras!