Comic-book business sees boost from motion-picture successes

From left, Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier, Anna Paquin as Rogue, James Marsden as Cyclops, Shawn Ashmore as Iceman, Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, Halle Berry as Storm and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine star in "X2: X-Men United."By Scott Moyers ~ Southeast Missourian

olverine and the rest of his mutant friends are doing more than saving the world in their new movie "X2: X-Men United." They're providing a much-needed KA-POW! to the comic book business that spawned them.

"I sell 50 percent more of the X-Men books when those movies come out," said Andrew Johnson, who owns the Comix Strip in Cape Girardeau. "Orders increase and people want to find out about back issues. It certainly helps."

On May 5, the X-Men mutated for the second time from comic book pages to the big screen, raking in $85 million in the opening weekend in America.

The next day, the second annual Free Comics Day capitalized on the blockbuster. About 2,000 comics retailers, including Johnson, gave away free comic books to anyone who walked in.

"It was a chance for people who were interested in the comic books to see more about these characters," Johnson said. "Hopefully, they'd want to stay with the characters even after the movie's gone."

Johnson and other comic book retailers report increased sales when movies or television shows with comic book tie-ins are released. Last summer, "Spider-Man" was the highest-grossing movie, and WB Network's "Smallville" -- about Superman as a teenager -- has been a hit on television.

'We see a spike'

"The Incredible Hulk" is due this June, and a Spider-Man sequel is in the works. DC is countering with the upcoming "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and projects in the works like two new Batman movies and a blockbuster "Superman" remake.

Image Comics, Cross-Gen and Dark Horse all have comic properties in the states of film development as well.

"The mass media products do help," said Ken Murphy, owner of Marvels & Legends in Cape Girardeau, which sells comic books and toys and figures. "They generate excitement, even if it's just for the short term. We see a spike."

Murphy said that customers will come in after a movie wanting more.

"People want to know where did these people get their start, how long have they been around," he said. "Then their interest dies down. You might see an eight-week window where you'll see a 10 to 15 percent increase in business."

The movies also bring a broader awareness about the comic book business, Murphy said.

"It gets people into the store," Murphy said. "That's the idea with any retail business. Once they come in, do they like the store and your product? If they do, they'll be back."

It also helps back issues, Johnson said. Those are older comic books that many consider rare collectibles. For example, Johnson recently sold an issue of "The Incredible Hulk," issue number 181, which was the first appearance of Wolverine (way back in 1974) for $900.

"That issue sat there until the movie came out," Johnson said.

Both Murphy and Johnson said that their bread and butter is the more constant, die-hard readers and collectors who will collect comic books long after the buzz of a movie wears off.

Mainstream progress

Some inroads have been into mainstream bookstores, including Barnes & Noble, Hastings and Waldenbooks. Some even offer bound collections called graphic novels.

According to Nielsen BookScan, which tracks retail book sales, graphic novel sales account for 2.5 percent of the overall adult fiction market. Marvel's trade paperback division has tripled sales over the past year alone, while the DC Comics trade paperback unit is the fastest growing in its publishing group.

Most sales still go through specialty stores, which boast a combined revenue of $500 million a year.

"We're glad to see those movies come out," Johnson said. "It generates excitement about our product and gets people into the store."

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137