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Slicing Cold Cuts with Lance Stahlberg
By: Kurt AmackerDate: Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Greetings, Maniacs, and welcome to another crime-bustin’, crypt-rockin’ edition of Comicscape! This week, I’m going to give some love to a love I haven’t loved nearly enough in a long time. I’m talking about the small press! Here’s the thing: when I came back to monthly comics about ten years ago, I swore up and down that I’d have no superheroes. I still felt burned by the ‘90s boom, but I realized that I couldn’t let go of the medium. And, in the late 1990s, black and white independent comics had carved their niche with Slave Labor Graphics and a few other small publishers. Eventually, I came back to the capes and I’ve never looked back, but I fear that the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. I’ve long considered myself a champion of the oppressed small press, urging everyone to try independent books – everything from the bigger names like Top Shelf and Oni to the guy printing his mini-comics at Kinko’s. But, it occurred to me that in my efforts to stay current on mainstream comics – mostly for this column – I’ve all but stopped scouring websites and underground book stores for buried gems.
While I plan to step up my efforts to read small press stuff, I feel the need to atone for my negligence. Cold Cut Distribution has long served as the biggest alternative to Diamond in the business, carrying everything from self-published comics to larger small presses like Slave Labor Graphics and Bongo. When Mark Thompson and the guys at Cold Cut announced that they wanted to sell the farm, I honestly thought that it would be the end. But, Lance Stahlberg and the guys at Rogue Wolf Entertainment stepped up to the plate and bought Cold Cut. Rogue Wolf offers print and web comics of its own, but now it will distribute small press books with Cold Cut. Editor, publisher, and writer Lance Stahlberg was kind enough to answer some of my snarky questions about the future of Cold Cut and independent comics in general. I hope this makes up for my years of neglecting the small press in favor of crossovers.
Kurt Amacker: In your own words, explain Cold Cut and its intentions to the thousands of Maniacs reading Comicscape this week. It's your show. Go nuts.
Lance Stahlberg: Cold Cut Distribution has always been a haven for independent comics. The core of its business is the small press and will remain so. But in today’s market, the number of “small presses” if you define “small” as “smaller than the Big Two or the combined studios of Image Central” has grown significantly. There are too many solid publishers producing quality books for us to continue skating along under the radar and be happy just being known as that alternative distributor.
Our mission is to tap into the growing indie market and bring it (at least closer) to the mainstream. We are going to reach out not just to retailers, but to customers to let them know that these quality books are out there looking for an audience.
KA: Obviously, Diamond Comics has the market cornered on mainstream comics distribution. So, the only alternatives are Last Gasp and Cold Cut. I'm thinking of David and Goliath here. How do you plan to compete in a marketplace dominated by what is practically the only game in town?
LS: Compete is a loaded word. Diamond didn’t make itself into a monopoly by being stupid or bad at what they do. We’re not here to run around, guns blazing, screaming for the destruction of the primary distribution channel for every comic shop out there. Let Diamond do their thing. We’ll do ours.
That said. There’s a lot of underlying rage among not just creators and publishers but among store owners out there. I’ve run into more than a few retailers who have not carried indies before that are willing to try pushing them in their stores, if only to start getting their orders filled accurately and with fewer customer service hoops.
We will continue to offer flat discount rates. We’ll be working with the indie community to raise awareness so that customers 1.) know that these books exist and 2.) start asking for them. We are a lot more accessible to a lot more publishers and retailers in the Midwest, which drops freight costs and shipping times by more than half in most places.
Once more and more retailers see what we can do, who knows what the playing field will start looking like?
KA: Your other business, Rogue Wolf, creates subscription-based web comics. What the hell possessed you to expand into the sucking black hole that is print distribution? I hope you don't expect to survive this experience.
LS: Well who’s not a little crazy in this business? There’s something not quite right about anyone who willingly goes through so much aggravation and expense for love of their art.
But in our case, it’s not just about a labor of love. We’ve got a financial backer who, although he likes comics too, likes his money a lot more. He would not be investing so much if he didn’t believe the business had potential for a solid return. His confidence in this venture is a huge motivator for me.
Have you heard the saying that luck is when opportunity meets preparation? Well Cold Cut going up for sale was the most unbelievable stroke of luck imaginable for us. It was too good of a deal to pass up and the timing was perfect for everyone concerned. It was a chance for Mark Thompson to see the business that he built live on. It was a way for me to increase my network in the comics industry and establish a distribution channel for Rogue Wolf. And it all came together at the same time that our investor was looking to expand his own distribution business.
Ours isn’t a story of some wide-eyed fanboys getting in over their heads. I may be idealistic, but I’m not naïve. I know trying to get the slice of the market share that indies want and deserve is going to be an uphill battle. But it’s not an impossible one.
KA: A lot of guys that would ordinarily publish in the small print press are just taking their show online, as Rogue Wolf has. It's cheaper, and it takes care of a lot of logistical issues. Do you think there's much of a future for small press print comics or is everything going to be on the web in a few years?
LS: Everyone who is on the web will tell you that their money still comes from the same places it always has, the same place Marvel and DC have been making their money for decades… printed trade paperbacks and merchandise. I do foresee web comics and e-books replacing the monthly 22 page pamphlet? Yes, they are becoming less and less cost effective to produce every year. The whole business is focusing more on graphic novels. Print comics are not going the way of Betamax any time soon.
KA: The great selling point of small press comics is the wider range of genres available. Granted, you still have independent superhero and horror comics -- more traditional stuff -- and mainstream publishers have branched out into other genres, too. But, with small press, you can do virtually whatever you want, because no one expects to make any money. Do you see that openness -- that leeway for experimental or offbeat material -- as a lifeline for independent comics? Will that keep it afloat in the same way it has?
LS: Yikes.
Nothing against experimental or anti-mainstream comic creators, because we’ll still be happy to be an outlet for those guys because they definitely do have an audience. We’re here to showcase indies in every size and variety that we can, not just what an artist would consider “offbeat”.
I think that’s been part of Cold Cut’s problem. They stayed small and dug themselves too deep into the “alternative” niche. I repeat: we’re not abandoning that niche, but it will only be one segment of what we carry and promote.
That said, customers definitely do find a lot more variety on the indie side of the shelf than on the side dominated by Preview’ top four clients. The smaller presses have more freedom to explore more genres and styles. That is true, and we will definitely push that angle as a way of drawing more people over to the cool side of the store.
KA: For that matter, Cold Cut used to turn away superhero comics, and now it won't. Was that decision based strictly on the state of the market, or was there some other motive?
There are a lot of viable superhero books that have an audience. That audience may not have been as big as Previews’ listing requirements demanded to stay buried in the green pages, but it was an audience that was paying money to read the book. It just seemed foolish to cut them all out of the equation. So, it was just as much a reaction to Diamond’s effort to squeeze more quality publishers out of their catalog as it was a desire to see more superheroes on shelves than just those owned by the Two Towers.
Of course, the memory of Cold Cut turning down my own superhero book a few years back may have colored my opinion a little, too.
KA: A while ago, Cold Cut started carrying mini comics. Are you all interested in expanding into alternative formats, like mini comics, ashcan size, or web comics?
LS: If there’s a market for it, we’ll look into it. We’re going to hit the web comics hard. So many of them are doing their own distribution and they shouldn’t have to. We can help each other out because we can move their books more efficiently, and they can introduce us to new markets that Cold Cut had not ventured into in the past.
KA: Cold Cut can't distribute comics from Marvel, DC, or any other publisher that has an exclusive deal with Diamond. But, you still carry some of the largest independent publishers, like Slave Labor Graphics and Bongo. Would you tell the Maniacs reading this some of the comics they're likely to have heard of that you carry?
LS: Again I say, Yikes. Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Lenore, Strangers in Paradise, Knights of the Dinner Table, Athena Voltaire, Simpsons, Ranma 1/2, Dork Tower, Cerebus, Love and Rockets, Battle Angel, Milk and Cheese, Asterix, Shaolin Cowboy, Me and Edith Head, Kolchak the Night Stalker, Grimjack, Scary Godmother, Usagi Yojimbo, From Hell, Lost Girls, Blankets, Girl Genius, Zap, Maus, and Bone.
Now, I’m positive I’ve offended some of our top suppliers by not mentioning their books, but that was just a spot check. We’ve got over 200 publishers.
KA: For anyone that might be interested in submitting to you, or for any retailer that might want to work with you, can you briefly explain some of your new policies and procedures? I realize that's two questions and it's really broad, but I think it would help give everyone a basic understanding of how you all work.
LS: Not to be evasive, but we’re still setting a lot up. Stay tuned for more press releases for more info. I will say that for retailers, we will continue the flat discount structure, meaning you get the same discount extended by that publisher regardless of the size of your order. We are also going to have a wider channel for publishers to funnel into our catalog. Again, stay tuned for more details.
KA: This is the bonus round. What would you like to leave the readers of Comicscape with, now that you've got their attention? Go nuts.
LS: As you can probably tell, I’m not one of these folks who buy into all the doom and gloom that seems to saturate comics forums and blogs. I won’t deny that things aren’t like they used to be, but the industry is far from dead. The sandbox is way bigger than most struggling creators realize (or that some people want you to believe). I’m not here to hand out Kool-Aid and make lofty promises about saving the industry because I don’t think it needs to be “saved” – just pushed a little. It is my sincere hope that we can inject some of that optimism back into the market by showing the skeptics that indies can compete.
The Spinner Rack
By Ben Johnson and Kurt Amacker
DARK HORSE COMICS
Deadrider #2 (Of 4) $2.99
Kurt: Most of us just call it necrophilia, but whatever.
Savage Sword Of Conan TP Vol 02 $17.95
Kurt: I should really be getting these. I’m getting way behind on Conan stuff.
Shaman Warrior TP Vol 06 $12.95
Star Wars Legacy #20 $2.99
Ben: I am seriously excited for the CG movie in August. What a nerd I am.
Kurt: I know, I’m having a nerd outbreak, too. I’m taking antibiotics, but I feel the strong urge to play WoW and not bathe for days on end.
DC COMICS
Action Comics #862 $2.99
All Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder #9 $2.99
Ben: The reigning champ of the So Bad It’s Good Award works to keep its crown.
Army @ Love #12 (MR) $2.99
Authority Prime #5 (Of 6) $2.99
Batman #674 $2.99
Kurt: If I were Grant Morrison, I’d wake up every morning and just flex in the mirror for about 20 minutes before I started my day.
Birds Of Prey Dead Of Winter TP $17.99
Blue Beetle #24 $2.99
Blue Beetle TP Vol 03 Reach For The Stars $14.99
Cartoon Network Block Party #42 $2.25
Countdown To Final Crisis 9 $2.99
Kurt: I’m so glad that Ben is doing the review of this.
Crayon Shinchan Vol 01 (MR) $7.99
Ben: Poor use of the Cartoon Network license.
Crime Bible The Five Lessons Of Blood #5 (Of 5) $2.99
Crossing Midnight #16 (MR) $2.99
Deathblow #9 $2.99
Ben: You’d think after the first eight she’d be sitting on death row.
Kurt: You know damn well that guys would still be lining up for it.
Fables #70 (MR) $2.99
Freddy Vs Jason Vs Ash #3 (Of 6) 2nd Ptg $2.99
Freddy Vs Jason Vs Ash #5 (Of 6) (MR) $2.99
Ben: I should have waited for a read through. The wait between issues has been too much.
Hellblazer #241 (MR) $2.99
Hellblazer Joy Ride TP (MR) $14.99
Infinite Crisis TP $14.99
Ben: Who knew how appropriate that moniker would be.
Jack Of Fables #20 (MR) $2.99
JLA Classified #53 $2.99
Ben: As a complete aside, JLA: New Frontier just came out on DVD and totally rocks.
JSA Classified #35 $2.99
Justice Society Of America #13 $2.99
Ben: JSA just keeps getting better and better.
Key To The Kingdom Vol 03 $9.99
Legion Of Super Heroes #39 $2.99
Showcase Presents Superman Family TP Vol 02 $16.99
Superman HC Vol 02 Camelot Falls $19.99
Kurt: This is the second part of a good-not-great Kurt Busiek arc. It was interrupted repeatedly by Countdown tie-ins and other stuff. Still, it’s worth a read.
Teen Titans #56 $2.99
Ben: I remember when I used to like this book.
Teen Titans Go #52 $2.25
Uncle Sam And The Freedom Fighters #6 (Of 8) $2.99
World Of Warcraft #3 2nd Ptg $2.99
Kurt: My skin is itching.
IMAGE COMICS
Circle #4 $2.99
Elephantmen War Toys #2 (Of 3) $2.99
Fearless #4 (Of 4) $2.99
Krash Bastards GN $9.99
Ben: These guys are Krazy!! They Kruise around smoking Krack and then Krash their Kars.
Lazarus #3 (Of 3) $3.50
Mixtape HC Vol 01 Jim Mahfood Art $24.99
Ben: I hate the word mixtape, It brings up buckets of shame.
Kurt: So, what was on the mixtape you gave the girl that rejected you? I know the story.
Mixtape HC Vol 01 Jim Mahfood Art Ltd S&N Ed $39.99
Proof #5 (MR) $2.99
Shark-Man #2 $3.50
Urban Monsters #1 $3.50
Kurt: Will Wilson and Tone Rodriguez…and MONSTERS!
Witchblade TP Vol 02 $14.99
Kurt: Just imagine Ben making a joke about Witchblade and toilet paper here. Draw your own conclusions, no matter how horrible.
MARVEL COMICS
Best Selling Authors Sampler Pi
Ben: Denny’s goes cannibal.
Kurt: This is possibly the funniest thing you have ever written.
Black Panther Annual #1 $3.99
Captain America #35 $2.99
Criminal 2 #1 (MR) $3.50
Daredevil #105 $2.99
Kurt: Give Ed Brubaker some love and buy his comics. There are three this week alone!
Franklin Richards TP Collected Chaos Digest $8.99
House Of M Avengers #5 (Of 5) $2.99
Ben: NOOOO! Please don’t let it end!
Kick Ass #1 (MR) $2.99
Ben: I’m stupid excited for this.
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #33 $2.99
Marvel Adventures Iron Man #10 $2.99
Marvel Illustrated Picture Dorian Gray #3 (Of 6) $2.99
Marvel Zombies 2 #5 (Of 5) $2.99
Ben: NOOOO! Please don’t let it end!
MMW Atlas Era Heroes HC Vol 02 $59.99
MMW Atlas Era Heroes HC Vol 02 Var Ed Vol 92 $59.99
New Exiles #0 (Pp #802) $4.99
New Exiles #1 2nd Ptg Var (Pp #802) $2.99
New Warriors #9 $2.99
Off HB Marvel Univ A To Z Prem HC Vol 01 $24.99
Ben: Adventures in abbreviating.
Kurt: It does look like an algebra equation.
Onslaught Reborn HC $19.99
Orson Scott Cards Wyrms TP $14.99
Punisher Max HC Vol 04 (MR) $29.99
Kurt: Now, this is kick ass.
Shanna Survival Of The Fittest TP $10.99
She-Hulk 2 #26 $2.99
Spider-Man With Great Power #2 (Of 5) $3.99
Thor #6 $2.99
Ben: I don’t know why everyone hates JMS so much, this is good stuff.
Thunderbolts International Incident $2.99
Ben: I think I’d prefer if the book proper would just release.
Kurt: Talk to Warren Ellis.
Twelve #1 (Of 12) 2nd Ptg Var (Pp #802) $2.99
Ben: In case you’re wondering, no I’m not retarded. If you’re wondering about this book – it rocks my socks.
Ultimate Fantastic Four #51 $2.99
Ben: Best monthly sci-fi book around.
Ultimate Spider-Man #119 $2.99
World War Hulk Aftersmash Damage Control #2 (Of 3) $2.99
X-Men First Class Vol 2 #9 $2.99
X-Men Legacy #208 DWS $2.99
Ben: Nothing will ever be the same… Not even the title.
X-Men TP Supernovas $29.99
Young Avengers Presents #2 (Of 6) $2.99
Ben: Well, as long as the presentation is good.
Zombie Simon Garth #4 (Of 4) (MR) $3.99
Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@mania.com.
