Polite Dissent

I brought all my kid-appropriate comics from Free Comic Book Day into the office and scattered them among my exam rooms. They’ve been a great hit with kids and adults alike. Who wants to flip through another news magazine with another political story when they can be reading about Batman or Spider-Man. By now, these comics have become some of the most beat up and abused comics I’ve ever seen, but that’s fine with me. They’ve given people something fun to read in my office, and maybe — just maybe — someone will develop an interest in comics from what they’ve read in my office.

That got me to thinking that there should be a way to promote comic books in doctor’s (and dentist’s) waiting rooms. After all, it’s a captive audience happy for any form of escapism.

I would love to see comic book publishers (or Diamond or local shops or somebody) offer a “professional discount” on comic books. Most magazine publishers offer these discounts. After all, we’re not just ordering one Newsweek for the office, but five or six. The same with various sports magazines, home magazines and the like. I would love to be able to do the same with comics. There are at least five or six titles I would buy multiple copies of and place in the waiting room and the exam rooms. If a publisher could arrange this, they would be a big hit with doctor’s offices, dentists, barbers – basically anyone with a waiting room.

Even better, I’d love to be able to send kids home with comics. There could be a special comic put out just for waiting rooms. It wouldn’t have to be long, just about 10-pages, and the old newsprint paper would be fine. A monthly issue would be nice; maybe several publishers could take turns or combine for a digest comic. These could be sold in bulk for a low price. That way, each child (or adult) could keep their copy when they went home. Instead of handing out lollipops or cheap toys, we could hand out comics. It would be a reason a kid would look forward to coming to the doctor: “I get a comic!” Comic publishers could place house ads and subscription forms in these comics, or local shops could stamp their name and/or include coupons. This would be a way of to bring new readers into the comics world, plus let them know that their doctors are cool.

Something similar could be done with the military. When I was deployed in the Middle-East with the Air Force, our little air base had a small library. Almost all the books were donated by various publishers. The companies were clever: they wouldn’ ship their latest books, but instead the first two or three books from a series. For instance, there were multiple well-read copies of the first three Honor Harrington books. This way, soldiers got good books for reading, but also got interested in a particular series and might be inclined to pick up the rest on their return from duty. It may have already been tried, but I think the comic book companies should do something similar and donate some of their trade paperbacks to the military. Marvel could send copies of Ultimate Spider-Man or some of their Essentials volumes. DC could send Batman and Superman storylines. It would be a good way to re-introduce people to comics. It’s a captive audience, and trust me, they’ll read anything they can get their hands on.