You've all heard me talk about Previews. For those of you that aren't familiar, it is the monthly magazine published by Diamond Comics, showcasing all the new product that is forthcoming from most of the comic book publishers. The magazine is published once a month, and usually ships the last Wednesday of the month. For example the current issue of Previews came out the last Wednesday of May and is for product shipping in two months times, starting in August. Again, we see this mag once a month like clockwork. You can flip through it publisher by publisher to see the covers for all the books shipping in that particular month and read the solicitation information provided by the publisher to Diamond Comic Book Distributors. It's a handy thing, for both consumers and retailers alike. This is the bible that we use every month to judge what to order for EVERY comic coming out and every graphic novel, every magazine, every manga, every toy, every t-shirt etc. This handy dandy magazine lets you know, when we are retailers are notified, that a particular item will be coming out. This is the magazine you would use to tell your favorite local retailer, Amazing Fantasy Books and Comics, that you would like to PRE-ORDER a comic, a graphic novel, etc. See, if people tell us BEFORE the item comes out that they definitely want a certain item, we, the wonderful retailer, will order one ESPECIALLY for you! That way it will be waiting in your subscription box for you, when the item is received. For those of you that aren't subscribers at your local A/F, do not despair, each of our locations can still take a pre-order from you, talk to the store manager to see what you need to do in order for that to happen. (Sometimes we will need a deposit from you towards the forth-coming item. Again, talk to your local A/F manager for their policy concerning pre-orders). If you are already a subscriber, you are indeed in luck. Not only can you purchase your very own copy of Previews as soon as the new issue becomes available, you can get it for the low low price of $2.70. That's right, we sell Previews at COST to our subscribers. If you aren't a subscriber, you can still buy a copy of Previews for regular retail, $4.50. In addition, when you purchase a copy of Previews Magazine, you will receive a copy of Marvel Previews FOR FREE! Yes, Marvel is SO cool that they get their own Previews magazine, that way Marvel comics do not have to share the magazine with other lesser publishers. Anyway, Previews is an indispensable source for ALL THINGS comicbook-y. The whole reason I bring this up because way more people wanted the newly released Final Crisis Hardcover graphic novel than I expected. There is NO way for me to judge how many to order of a particular item unless folks tell me AHEAD of time. It was a new release, so naturally I ordered several, but they blew out of here, in an instant. If everyone of my regulars that wanted one told me when the book was originally offered in Previews, their copies would have been waiting for them on the day the book was released, which was last Wednesday. The beautiful thing is that I will be receiving more copies of this highly sought book on Thursday, making many folks pleased as punch. You might wonder, why do we not order 25 copies off all the major new release graphic novels? Well, it's just too risky. Remember, your local comic shop, Amazing Fantasy included, orders all product on a NON-RETURNABLE basis. This means if I order 25 copies and I ordered incorrectly, only selling 5 of those 25, I would lose a TON of money. In these tough economic times, that is obviously not the way for us to run our business. SO, in summary, IF you know BEFORE an item is released that you will DEFINITELY want a copy, tell us, so we can make sure to have enough on hand. See how easy that is? Ask for Previews next time you are in the shop, and we will gladly show it to you and explain how it works. It really is an indispensable source of comic book related goodness. I still have copies of the latest issue of Previews on my shelf at Frankfort as I type this. I love looking through every new issue of Previews, it makes me feel like a kid all over again. It's like looking at the old Sears Wish Book at Christmas time. Lots of cool stuff just waiting for you!
Ah, I've said my peace. I feel much better now. :D
And just in case it isn't obvious, I want you all to know that we here at Amazing Fantasy appreciate every single one of you, our customers, and we just want to do our utmost to have all of the comics and graphic novels you want when you want them. If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to ask your local A/F. We are friendly folks and are always happy to be of service!
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