Why You Should Have A Pull List And How To Get One

Have you ever gone to a comic book shop hoping to find the latest issue of your favourite comic only to find out it’s sold out? It’s really inconvenient. Now you’ve got to visit multiple stores or pay a premium on eBay to find it. If this has happened to you one too many times, perhaps it’s time to get a pull list.

What’s a pull list? It’s a system in which a comic book shop will reserve comic book issues for customers as they are released. Instead of picking comics off the rack, you can go up to the counter and collect the comics reserved under your name.

If you’re not sure if a pull list is for you, take a look below at the advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of a pull list

A pull list guarantees you will get the latest issue of your favourite comics.
When it comes to popular titles, it means that you don’t have to visit the store on the day of release or risk missing out.
Retailers don’t always order comics from smaller publishers and unknown creators for the rack. The best way to secure a copy is by letting them know that you want the comic on your pull list.
You don’t have to worry about forgetting to pick up a comic.
You also don’t have to keep track of release dates for every issue.
Some comic book stores offer discounts for comics on your pull list.
You have peace of mind that your favourite comics have been reserved if you can’t make it into the comic book store for a few weeks.
You can put trade paperbacks on your pull list too.
You can ask your comic book shop to put a crossover on your pull list. That way, you won’t miss a chapter of the story.
Many stores offer mail-order options – especially since the pandemic.
If you have a good relationship with your local comic book shop, they may add titles they believe you will enjoy to your pull list.
Pull lists are not limited to brick and mortar stores. Many of the larger online shops offer the service too.
Retailers can use pull lists as a way of communicating with readers, slipping event flyers or promotions in with your reserved comics.
For retailers, the more customers who use pull lists, the better they can gauge demand for a comic book series. It takes the guesswork out of ordering and allows them to take risks with smaller publishers and unknown creators.

Disadvantages of a pull list

You often have a window of opportunity before a comic is released to get it onto your pull list. You’ll have to wait until the next issue if you leave it too late.
You will have a specific time frame to get a comic on your pull list before it is released. You’ll have to wait until the next issue if you leave it too late.
Some stores may require a minimum amount of titles before you can qualify for a pull list.
Stores will only reserve comics for you for a certain period. After a while, they may sell them to someone else if they think you won’t pick them up. Although, this can be avoided by arranging mail orders or letting them know you can’t make it into the store for a while.
It’s exceedingly rare, but I have heard of some comic book shops that charge for the service.

How to get a pull list

As you can see, the positives outweigh the negatives. But how do you get one?

It’s easy! All you need to do is let your local comic book store know that you want to start a pull list.

The person behind the counter will explain their rules (each store does them differently) and hand you a form. Give them your contact details and a list of the comics you’re interested in buying regularly and you’re done.

Some stores use an online system such as Pullbox or Comichub. These allow you to add and remove comics from your pull list without having to go into the shop or call them up.

Final tips

Before finishing up this guide, here are a few final tips to get the most out of your pull list.

Make sure you pick up your comics with some form of regularity – weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. From a retailer’s perspective, the worst thing you can do is let your pull list pile up for months. To them, it’s unsold products.
Let the comic book shop know that you want to remove a comic from your pull list sooner rather than later. They can readjust their orders if you tell them early.