History of the Direct Market

[SRoweCanoe]

Once upon a time in the 1960s, comics were distributed three ways. The
regular comic would go from printing press to National distributor to
local distibutor to your local newsstand. These were returnable.
Underground comix went to anybody who wanted to buy a handful to sell at
their headshop, and some local distributors would also order a regular
shipment to sell at the local headshops.These were returnable. Fanzines
were sold by mail and were non-returnable (and sometimes they got your
money upfront and never published or returned your money).

You wanted comics, you went to your local newstand, headshop, mailbox ...
or used bookstore.
Some of these used bookstores also carried new magazines and new comics,
picked upfrom the local distributor.

Phil Seuling, teacher and part time comic book dealer, decided to go to
DC and Marvel to see if he could bypass the middle man and buy direct
from them. One company said "yes" , one said "no". Thus was the
beginning of the direct market. Prior to this time, no one could judge
what was then called the "fan" market, and the best selling comic (outside
of Mad) in c 1970 was ... Archie. With the other Archie titles close
behind.

By 1980 headshops were basicaly dead. The newstand market was still
crumbling. But a small group of direct comics were being published
(direct in this case meaning, they weren't sold through the traditional
distribution channels). DC produced a comic Superboy Spectacular for a
book club, and decided to print up orders for the direct market. It did
real well. And in early 1981 Marvel printed it's first direct market
book: Dazzler #1. It sold extremely well, and all non-returnable. The
rest is fairly well known history.
Note- my copies of THE COMIC READER from 1969-1978 are
inaccesable, or I'd try to pinpoint the year the direct market started.
Add corrections based on first hand knowledge, not stories Bob at the
comic shoppe told you. Thanks.

Steven Rowe