I feel like today is comics day.
Over at ComicsBulletain, Kate Leth discusses how she lives in a pretty rad world of comic geeks where being a lady-type isn’t that rare and kind of taken for granted. And then she recognizes the uniqueness of that:
My shop, though, is a bit of an exception. I tend to forget it until I travel, until I wander into a badly-lit basement outlet with one guy behind the counter who talks to exactly nobody. Until moments like the time I went into a store that sold magic cards and the staff completely refused to believe that I worked in comics. ‘So these are the places they’re talking about,’ I think to myself, before the fifth time I try and get someone’s help locating an item.
But then, she talks about solutions which makes me happy because I’m all about solutions.
Now, if you’re a comics retailer, what can you do so that girls aren’t so scared of you? Ladies’ Nights are a great idea – ours run about two hours, are staffed by women, and aim to create a comfortable environment where anything can be talked about with a room full of like-minded individuals. It shows that it’s important to your shop to be open to everyone. After that, a lot of it comes down to promotion. Girls who aren’t already regulars won’t see signs in the store, but they will see social media, newspaper ads, etc. Bring in female artists. Our most successful signing since I began working was Kate Beaton’s, and she had a lineup outside and around the block for the entire duration of her visit.
I hope LCS see this and take note!