GregMO ROberts
01-19-2010, 11:51 AM
by Joey Esposito
Jan 15, 2010
Earlier this week, as I opened a press release e-mail from Marvel Comics, I didn't expect that in mere moments my gag reflex would kick in and I'd find myself with a hefty amount of phlem filling my mouth and accentuating the bitter taste buds on my tongue. What could possibly cause me to be so repulsed? Surely, a world renowned publisher of some of the worlds best superhero comic books couldn't provide enough of a reason for me to literally throw up in my mouth.
Yet, it happened.
Though I never posted it as a news item, Marvel announced a rather peculiar retailer incentive earlier this week. Essentially, the publisher is offering retailers the chance to send in the stripped covers of unsold comics as incentive to receive an "extremely rare" Siege #3 Deadpool variant. For every 50 stripped covers they receive, the retailer will get one copy of this book in return to sell in their store. They give a list of 6 comics that qualify for the program, and any combination of them adding up to 50 will count. This list is as follows:
Adventure Comics #4
Booster Gold #26
Doom Patrol #4
Justice League of America #39
Outsiders #24
R.E.B.E.L.S. #10
Notice anything funny about those books? Me too. They are all from Marvel's #1 competitor, DC Comics. Now listen, I'm fully aware that comic books are a business, an industry. Every publisher's goal is to make money and be the very best. However, taking a cheap shot at your competitor like this, which in my opinion is akin to a smear campaign in a political election, is a low blow and ultimately makes Marvel as a company look foolish and juvenile.
The concept of this program is novel enough; allowing specialty shop retailers to "trade-in" unsold books towards a high value item, presumably in thanks for their business and ongoing support. Except, these trade-in books should be from Marvel's own selection of poor selling titles. Regardless of what they'd have you believe, not every Marvel book sells like hot cakes and breaks sales records. Why can't retailers send in their leftover copies of the Dark Reign: New Avengers: Manifest Destiny: War of Kings: Dark Spider-Man: Clone Saga Ultimate Comics one-shot?
Jan 15, 2010
Earlier this week, as I opened a press release e-mail from Marvel Comics, I didn't expect that in mere moments my gag reflex would kick in and I'd find myself with a hefty amount of phlem filling my mouth and accentuating the bitter taste buds on my tongue. What could possibly cause me to be so repulsed? Surely, a world renowned publisher of some of the worlds best superhero comic books couldn't provide enough of a reason for me to literally throw up in my mouth.
Yet, it happened.
Though I never posted it as a news item, Marvel announced a rather peculiar retailer incentive earlier this week. Essentially, the publisher is offering retailers the chance to send in the stripped covers of unsold comics as incentive to receive an "extremely rare" Siege #3 Deadpool variant. For every 50 stripped covers they receive, the retailer will get one copy of this book in return to sell in their store. They give a list of 6 comics that qualify for the program, and any combination of them adding up to 50 will count. This list is as follows:
Adventure Comics #4
Booster Gold #26
Doom Patrol #4
Justice League of America #39
Outsiders #24
R.E.B.E.L.S. #10
Notice anything funny about those books? Me too. They are all from Marvel's #1 competitor, DC Comics. Now listen, I'm fully aware that comic books are a business, an industry. Every publisher's goal is to make money and be the very best. However, taking a cheap shot at your competitor like this, which in my opinion is akin to a smear campaign in a political election, is a low blow and ultimately makes Marvel as a company look foolish and juvenile.
The concept of this program is novel enough; allowing specialty shop retailers to "trade-in" unsold books towards a high value item, presumably in thanks for their business and ongoing support. Except, these trade-in books should be from Marvel's own selection of poor selling titles. Regardless of what they'd have you believe, not every Marvel book sells like hot cakes and breaks sales records. Why can't retailers send in their leftover copies of the Dark Reign: New Avengers: Manifest Destiny: War of Kings: Dark Spider-Man: Clone Saga Ultimate Comics one-shot?