Bleeding Cool reported that Barnes & Noble is to expand their comic book offering significantly in June.They reported the following Barnes & Noble statement:
"In early June, we will begin carrying both Marvel and DC Comics titles that until now have only been available in comics specialty stores. We’ll also have new assortments from such publishers as Dynamic Forces, so series like the popular Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris will come straight to your store. We will continue to search for new and exciting titles to add to this category to drive customer interest and sales. To feature these new titles, we will be creating new layouts for all stores. With your help and support, we believe Newsstand sales will increase and Barnes & Noble will become the destination for comics lovers."
Also they reported that Barnes & Noble will move towards the digital comic market as well. With the new updated Nook Color.
"The update included the addition of an app store, so that you can now purchase and run apps in addition to reading e-books.And what are some of those apps? Why they just happen to be some of the most popular graphic novels provided exclusively through Graphicly!"
Nook Color owners can look forward for the following graphic novels:
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 (Archaia) Wanted (Top Cow/Image) Irredeemable (BOOM! Studios) and more on the way, you can get the Nook Color for only $249. This could be a great opportunity for you to jump into the digital market.
As for Barnes & Noble adding a comic section to their stores could prove to be a good chance for new readers to jump into the comic book market without the constrains of a specialty store. But with Borders gone, could Barnes & Noble be far behind? We don't know but every time a big store like this opens a comic section could mean a growing comic book market, and more options to readers for getting their new comics each week. But let's hope this doesn't affect your local comic book store.
Source: bleedingcool.com