CAPTAIN AMERICA #25 GETS A SECOND PRINTING

[MattBrady]

<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/CapAmerica/DDream/f_Cap25_01.jpg" border="0" align="right">As perhaps an example of just how quickly the <b>Captain America #25</b> situation is changing at Marvel, earlier this afternoon (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=104488), Senior VP Sales, David Gabriel told us that currently, there were no plans for a second printing, but that could change, as the publisher wanted to wait and see how the overprint copies met demand for retailers still needing copies of the book. Turns out that those copies didn’t last long.

Newsarama has learned that the call has been recently made, and Marvel has decided to go back to press on the issue. A second printing will be made available to retailers and will be in stores on March 28th. The second printing, according to sources, will feature a cover by Steve Epting, which will use interior art. Orders for the second printing are due in at Diamond by March 15th, and orders will be filled on a first come-first served basis.

(<i>Newsarama Note: an earlier version of this article implied that Gabriel said in his earlier article that there would be a second printing, when in fact, he did not. The above article has been edited to reflect an accurate accounting of the previous article. We apologize for any confusion.<i>)

[Boxful]

Wow, this stuff will end up in the dollar boxes much quicker than expected.


.

[johnny.blaze]

Maaan we still have Ultimate Cap and IMHO he's the TRUE representation of what the current state of America is.

[Kolimar]

Good news for everyone. Except the speculators. :p

[Kolimar]

Turns out that those copies didn’t last long.

Not really surprising.

[Fletcher]

This AWESOME!
AWESOME AND AWESOME>

I can get more for my copies on eBay.

:D

[flamebird867]

Kinda expected this.

[tgail]

yeah, I'm shocked. shocked. And two weeks from now they'll announce a 3rd printing probably...

[ROBRAM89]

Good news for everyone. Except the speculators. :p

Oh no, I'm sure they'll still be able to get $50-$75 for a first-run copy eventually. They'll just have to find people who don't want to READ them.

[Boxful]

The current situation with this Captain America issue seems to make the 'digital download' angle seem like a pretty damn good idea.

The casual reader would not have a problem getting to read it while the collectible side of comics would be very much alive and well.

I'm just saying.

[The Guvnor]

Good stuff. The cover will probably be him lying on the steps or on the hospital bed at the end.

[Spiderguy34]

Maaan we still have Ultimate Cap and IMHO he's the TRUE representation of what the current state of America is.

You have got to be kidding! Ultimate Cap is not anywhere as cool as 616 Cap!!

[kwbam]

This will bring everyone back to Earth. There will be no more over spending for a copy of this on ebay (except the collectors). I can hear the groans now!

[imemine98]

Good stuff. The cover will probably be him lying on the steps or on the hospital bed at the end.

With his lifeless eye staring at the reader.

[Don Mega]

I for one am really pleased to hear that. First of all I was a big doofus and forgot to order issue 25 at my LCS and second: the story is so big it´s fantastic that quality comics still sell out!

[johnny.blaze]

You have got to be kidding! Ultimate Cap is not anywhere as cool as 616 Cap!!

I'm not talkin about who's cooler. IMHO old-school-goody-too-shoes-i-fight-for-the-american-way cap is cooler (and subsequently weaker). I'm talkin that Ultimate Cap is the "AMERICA F#CK YEAH!" version of our country. All out intensive in your face John Wayne Cowboy Bad Ass. Ultimate Cap would have 616 Cap surrendering n crying like a little B.

[Spiderguy34]

I'm not talkin about who's cooler. IMHO old-school-goody-too-shoes-i-fight-for-the-american-way cap is cooler (and subsequently weaker). I'm talkin that Ultimate Cap is the "AMERICA F#CK YEAH!" version of our country. All out intensive in your face John Wayne Cowboy Bad Ass. Ultimate Cap would have 616 Cap surrendering n crying like a little B.

You are really funny! Keep dreaming!!:D

[johnny.blaze]

You are really funny! Keep dreaming!!:D

Ultimate Cap would tell 616 Cap that the A on 616's forehead stands for France :p

[ill_fenomeno]

This AWESOME!
AWESOME AND AWESOME>

I can get more for my copies on eBay.

:D

Because of the likes of you, collecting can be a b@tch sometimes!

[Jed Saxon]

Maaan we still have Ultimate Cap and IMHO he's the TRUE representation of what the current state of America is.

A big, backwarded, faschistoid idiot who only knows to respond with violence?

[Gordon McAlpin]

Because of the likes of you, collecting can be a b@tch sometimes!

That's why I don't collect comics, I read them.

[johnny.blaze]

A big, backwarded, faschistoid idiot who only knows to respond with violence?

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^ see Ultimate Cap

EXACTLY!

[tralfaz]

the only downside is that theyre not giving it a new cover but are using interior art as a cover

[Starpilot]

Great! I hope that means more people will actually read the book and not just slab it and speculate it on its value. I'm curious to know what Marvel's original print run on the book was, including the overprinting that should hit stores next week.

[Somebody]

the only downside is that theyre not giving it a new cover but are using interior art as a cover
Well, that's what they've done with MOST of their second-print covers recently...

They could have at least done a sketch version of the "hand" cover. Or, hell, just reprinting the "hand" cover with "SECOND PRINTING" in the corner box would have been better.

[Mundungus]

Ultimate Cap would tell 616 Cap that the A on 616's forehead stands for France :p

I agree with this assessment. I love both Caps. But Ultimate would totally tear him down.

[EMeadow]

Good news for everyone. Except the speculators. :p

Bah who cares bout them. We just want them to like the story and buy more issues so they learn how to read! :p

[Ozmodiar]

Ultimate Cap would tell 616 Cap that the A on 616's forehead stands for France :p
A big, backwarded, faschistoid idiot who only knows to respond with violence?
Oh, we're down to "Cap vs. Cap"?

Awesome. But dead guys hardly win.



unless you're John Ashcroft...

or eaten by a zombie

[EyesBL7]

They (Marvel) knew this was coming. I got a bulletin from Ed Brubaker on March 5th reminding me to buy this issue as it was "a comic that everyone who's anyone, or even anyone who's nobody, will want to get a copy of." He even mentions the fact that it will go to multiple printings in the bulletin. For Marvel to play the "we had NO idea the reaction would be this overwhelming" card is a little silly.

[bigdaddyhub]

Am I the only one hasn't seen the Cap Vid that was posted? I accidentally laughed out a shart!

[JohnLynch]

Ultimate Cap would tell 616 Cap that the A on 616's forehead stands for France :pI don't know which Cap it was but I loved the one that became offended at those who derided the French because of what he saw during WWII and how much the french people fought back.

[Cray_ws]

You have got to be kidding! Ultimate Cap is not anywhere as cool as 616 Cap!!I disagree, Ultimate Cap has a more plausible personality. He's a soldier first, then a man out of time. He's John Wayne in pajamas. You don't dare to laugh at him, because he'll punch you in the face.

616 version comes off way too chivalrous and his adventures exceed his square-pegged mentality. He's Donnie Osmond in a knight's armor. You are left waiting for him to sing a song about Global Warming.

[JohnLynch]

I agree with this assessment. I love both Caps. But Ultimate would totally tear him down.Only if it was in Ultimate Avengers or some Ultimate book. Otherwise 616 would tear Ultimate Cap down, because whoever wins a fight 9 times out of 10 depends on whose book it appears in.

[davester]

Interesting...

My email from Diamond had this:

"SPECIAL NOTE FROM MARVEL COMICS: No announcement will be made to the press
about this book until March 26. Marvel would like retailers to refrain
from disclosing this information while First Printings are still selling."

[nacdeadking]

This is what I think is Marvel should only reprint this issue once and not do like multiple printings on this issue. More demand the 1st two printings will be. but I am sure it wont happen that way.

[Scooby2099]

yeah, I'm shocked. shocked. And two weeks from now they'll announce a 3rd printing probably...

Well, if there is demand from retailers then Marvel should have a third printing... and maybe a fourth. What's so shocking about this? Supply and demand.

[tralfaz]

Well, that's what they've done with MOST of their second-print covers recently...

yeah, i know. for some reason theyre just not visually appealing.

[EyesBL7]

Well, if there is demand from retailers then Marvel should have a third printing... and maybe a fourth. What's so shocking about this? Supply and demand.


I think what he's getting at is that Marvel knows that moronic Captain America completists like me will also buy 2nd, 3rd and 4th printings simply because they have a new cover to collect.

[theodoros2]

I'm not talkin about who's cooler. IMHO old-school-goody-too-shoes-i-fight-for-the-american-way cap is cooler (and subsequently weaker). I'm talkin that Ultimate Cap is the "AMERICA F#CK YEAH!" version of our country. All out intensive in your face John Wayne Cowboy Bad Ass. Ultimate Cap would have 616 Cap surrendering n crying like a little B.

Are these people for real? How come people are proud of the American F#cked Way?
I know the Big Brother of the room is looking now, but I feel ashamed to live in the same planet with these people...

[papafatass]

HEY MARVEL: Kill more Heroes.....More sales !!!!!:p

[IronWolf]

Colbert is always funny, i liked the Word this week i don't know if the Studio Audience got it lol but still good stuff.

[Alextron]

Maaan we still have Ultimate Cap and IMHO he's the TRUE representation of what the current state of America is.

Unfortunantly, Ultimate titles don't count. Hey, the Ultimates don't even come out. Captain America came out ON TIME!

I notice Joe Quesada hasn't shown his face yet today on Newsarama. I'd admit I'm too cynical to hear about the next five New Avengers titles that will becoming out this next year and how late they will be. I'm just saying.

[coy_dog0]

I hope I get top dollar from speculator suckers on eBay, but this thing will be worthless in two week.

Here's a question for Joe Quesada:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwPZsSgoXP0

What did you gain ???

[jmyoung]

A big, backwarded, faschistoid idiot who only knows to respond with violence?

Well, there are many who hold that view or at least understand how non-Americans may have developed that opinion.

[TheTourist]

Curses! Now my plans of selling my 1st printing McGuinness variant and using the money to buy a house in Malibu are ruined! DAMN YOU MARVEL!!! DAAAAAAAMN YOOOOOUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!:mad: :mad: :mad:

[wjer]

Maaan we still have Ultimate Cap and IMHO he's the TRUE representation of what the current state of America is.

Hey JB: How does he represent the true current state of America? By disappearing for months at a time and falling behind schedule? :p

[jmyoung]

Are these people for real? How come people are proud of the American F#cked Way?
I know the Big Brother of the room is looking now, but I feel ashamed to live in the same planet with these people...

I think the OP was serious about liking Ultimate Cap, but I think he was being somewhat facetious in his comments. Just because he likes U. Cap. does not mean he likes that image of America or the people whose acts foster that perception.

I am a Green and fairly liberal by most people's standards, but I like Jack Bauer on 24, although I realize he fosters a false perception of counter-terrorism including when and how torture is used, etc.

I liked Rorshach and the Comedian in the Watchmen as well. Doesn't mean I would like them in real life.

[IronWolf]

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^ see Ultimate Cap

EXACTLY!


best post ever!

[BornToRun]

yeah, I'm shocked. shocked. And two weeks from now they'll announce a 3rd printing probably...

Hey, but at least the current trend is to vary the covers. I still have all five printings of Superman #75, and all they have is differently-colored lettering!

[ajax]

yeah, I'm shocked. shocked. And two weeks from now they'll announce a 3rd printing probably...

and then a zombie cover for the 4th printing...

[Corpse]

Kudos to Marvel for continuing to ass rape the Avengers franchise...WTG!

[beta-ray]

I hope I get top dollar from speculator suckers on eBay, but this thing will be worthless in two week.

Here's a question for Joe Quesada:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwPZsSgoXP0

What did you gain ???

:confused: How would it be worthless? Did you not like it?

[Barry Strange]

I hope I get top dollar from speculator suckers on eBay, but this thing will be worthless in two week.

Here's a question for Joe Quesada:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwPZsSgoXP0

What did you gain ???

And they called Tony Stark a War profiteer...

[emanon]

Ultimate Cap would tell 616 Cap that the A on 616's forehead stands for France :p

That's because he's (U-Cap) is so dumb, he does not know how to spell. U-Cap is the reason I dropped Ultimates.

By the way, I loved the Captain's re-phrasing of that particular statement on Nextwave. It cracked me up.

[JLAJRC]

I disagree, Ultimate Cap has a more plausible personality. He's a soldier first, then a man out of time. He's John Wayne in pajamas. You don't dare to laugh at him, because he'll punch you in the face.

616 version comes off way too chivalrous and his adventures exceed his square-pegged mentality. He's Donnie Osmond in a knight's armor. You are left waiting for him to sing a song about Global Warming.

You know, if Al Gore dyed his hair blonde he does look quite a bit like Steve Rogers. :D

[Yardbird]

Killing off Cap, in my opinion, is, and was a bad move overall. It reminds me, or stinks of the death of Superman, which had more to do with boosting interest and sales and less about killing him, and justifying it. Evidence of that is that Supes came back; which wasn't suprising.

Either way Cap is an American icon. And icons don't die, which is why it would not suprise me if he they brought him back somehow. Maybe a clone of Steve Rogers. They could preserve his brain underneath Tom Sawyer's island next to Walt Disney's head out in Orange County, yeah...

As creative as Joey and co. are at Marvel. I expected more out of them here. I really liked Civil War and the interesting empass it has brought the MU too, but this was just such a lame way to end, or beign. It's almost like they wanted to end on a really shocking note, just to be shocking or to really shake things up, just for the sake of shaking them up. I don't think it was neccessary. Cap would have been much more interesting as a war/political prisoner. Alive he could have really fueled the underground cause.

Instead, like his DC counterpart, Big Blue, it seems like he was offed for sales, i.e. second printing, third printing....

Respectfully,

Yb

[Yardbird]

You know, if Al Gore dyed his hair blonde he does look quite a bit like Steve Rogers. :D

Have you seen how incredibly FAT Algore has become. He looks like Cap as much as Michael Moore looke like Cap. Maybe the Krispy Kream Cap.

Plus Algore is a tool.

At least we still have Ultimate Cap. God Bless Him!

Yb

[Kerouac]

I don't know which Cap it was but I loved the one that became offended at those who derided the French because of what he saw during WWII and how much the french people fought back.

Yeah, that Cap seems to have forgotten that most of the French surrendered to and cooperated with Nazi Germany, with only a small percentage actually participating in the Resistance. Plus, the Vichy French officially collaborated with the Nazis, as opposed to just remaining silent.

So...uh...yeah.

[ANGELDOGGIE]

I think what he's getting at is that Marvel knows that moronic Captain America completists like me will also buy 2nd, 3rd and 4th printings simply because they have a new cover to collect.
You got that right!!! I'm right there witchya!!:D

[Big Dog]

I just want to give kudos to Comic_Doctor. I had a few buds of mine who weren't able to get a copy and he really came through for us. I dropped him a PM and the very next day he had copies in the mail at cover price. He could have said no and made a mint on eBay, but he took care of us. What a class act.

Ever need a comic...look him up! Thanks again Doc! :D

[eelnats]

You have got to be kidding! Ultimate Cap is not anywhere as cool as 616 Cap!!

yes he is. he is much cooler than the 616 cap..ultimate cap would never surrender like 616 cap....this has nothing to do with opinion. you are wrong and i am right.

[jonw]

Ultimate Cap so far is perfect. Once Millar is no longer writing him, who knows? I hate to think of anyone but Millar/Hitch on that title. Its that pitch perfect.

[Jeremy Williams]

Hawkeye becomes the next Captain America.

I called it.

[NedPepper]

Maaan we still have Ultimate Cap and IMHO he's the TRUE representation of what the current state of America is.


Which explains why I hate Ultimate Cap...

[skywatcher]

Am I the only one hasn't seen the Cap Vid that was posted?
You should rent or buy the DVD of "Team America" which is where that tune came from. It's a whole lot funnier in the original context of that film!

[Blind Assassin]

Kudos to Marvel for continuing to ass rape the Avengers franchise...WTG!

Yeah, how dare Marvel make New Avengers, a title that finally surpassed the decades old dominance of the X-books on the chart! :mad:

How dare Marvel give us two Avengers ongoing series! :mad:

How dare Marvel increase sales on books like Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man! :mad:

How dare Marvel give us ongoing and mini-series featuring Avengers characters, like the Spider-Woman mini, the Ms. Marvel ongoing, and The Sentry mini! :mad:

How dare Marvel actually make books that people seem to be scooping right off the shelves! :mad:

How dare Marvel appear on national television and radio due to requests for interviews over this Captain America issue! :mad:


And yes, all of the above comments were sarcasm. :D

[c_andrew_s]

It's too bad that they couldn't have had a larger 1st run, so that stores could get more copies sooner. I hope that this will bring some people back to comics

[Corpse]

Yeah, how dare Marvel make New Avengers, a title that finally surpassed the decades old dominance of the X-books on the chart! :mad:

Wow, throw Wolverine into a book and it sells. That's genius...not.

How dare Marvel give us two Avengers ongoing series! :mad:

One of those series is New Avengers, see my reply above.

How dare Marvel increase sales on books like Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man! :mad:

Just because you increase sales, does not mean that the stories contained within are worth those corresponding sales. A lot of people watch Dragonball Z, and wear Hollister shirts...

How dare Marvel give us ongoing and mini-series featuring Avengers characters, like the Spider-Woman mini, the Ms. Marvel ongoing, and The Sentry mini! :mad:

Buddy, if those are the main Avengers characters you want to see, you are a lost cause. Someone pray for this guy, please.

How dare Marvel actually make books that people seem to be scooping right off the shelves! :mad:

So sales are all that matter...gotcha. Integrity of the original vision of the Avengers doesn't...gotcha.

How dare Marvel appear on national television and radio due to requests for interviews over this Captain America issue! :mad:

Getting rid of an American icon for sales, and shock value...sad. Everyone knows it's for nothing as he will be back, which is even worse as it dupes people like you into thinking it was for something. Why kill Cap? Captain America is the ultimate soldier, and such men never die. They never let their guard down.


And yes, all of the above comments were sarcasm. :D

I still ripped them to shreds in case anyone else believes those statements. I'm just pissed at Marvel's whole approach to the Avengers. They should just call it the X-treme Avengers and get it over with.

[Fletcher]

For Marvel to play the "we had NO idea the reaction would be this overwhelming" card is a little silly.


That is a very well made point that I do not think anyone has pointed out yet. You have a character that comic book readers and non comic book readers both know. The non comic book reader may not know the name of the character under the mask but they all know Captain America. Then on top of that you "kill" this character. It was going to be huge, Marvel knew it. Now I am not bashing Marvel for making a dollar, but they know that when this sold out they would make a second,third, and even fourth printing all with differnt covers. They also knew that a vast majority of people would pay for those printings even after already paying for the first print.

The best thing to do in times like this is to speak with your wallet and voice. Don't buy the first printing ,or if you do don't buy the printings that follow. Write to Marvel and tell them what you think. Writing on this board really does't do much good. Yes, I know a lot of the comic book creators visit this site and even post, I have read them, but they are not the policy makers. And yes I know Joe Q visits this website and posts sometimes. That is to say if it is him posting, if the man is half as busy as he says I don't know where he would find time to post anything ( unless it is actually an intern posting for him)...but anyhoo...even Joe Q has a boss he has to answer to. Write to them.
Your wallet and voice can be powerful things.

[Blind Assassin]

Wow, throw Wolverine into a book and it sells. That's genius...not.


Yeah, those sales of X-Men/Power Pack just skyrocketed, didn't they?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v447/shwicaz/xmenpowerpack1.jpg



One of those series is New Avengers, see my reply above.
See my reply above. ;)



Just because you increase sales, does not mean that the stories contained within are worth those corresponding sales. A lot of people watch Dragonball Z, and wear Hollister shirts...
Correct. And if people didn't like the products, they wouldn't continue to buy them, and yet the sales on the above title (New Avengers) have not, to my knowledge been out of the top 20 for the last two years or so. Surely, if people thought the stories were bad, the title would see significant drops. Especially after 2 years of stories. Unless you are one of those people who continue to buy something you don't like, just so you can complain about how bad it is every month. (not sayin you are, just giving an example)



Buddy, if those are the main Avengers characters you want to see, you are a lost cause. Someone pray for this guy, please.
I didn't think I wanted to see some of them. But I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly they grew on me. *No need to pray for me, I am not the religious type.



So sales are all that matter...gotcha. Integrity of the original vision of the Avengers doesn't...gotcha.
Integrity of the ...? Those were stories written over 40 years ago. These characters change and evolve. They have done it before and they will do it again. In the entire 40 something year run of The Avengers, when exactly was it, that you felt the book stopped living up to the Integrity of the original?


Getting rid of an American icon for sales, and shock value...sad. Everyone knows it's for nothing as he will be back, which is even worse as it dupes people like you into thinking it was for something. Why kill Cap? Captain America is the ultimate soldier, and such men never die. They never let their guard down.


Marvel is a business. Of course they are going to do something for sales! Comic books always have shocking moments and cliffhangers. at what point does something that has been going on in the comics industry since the invention of the serial/surprise/shocking cliffhanger suddenly become something being done for 'shock value'? And yes, I think it was done 'for something', and that it was done to serve the story.

If you have been reading Cap monthly, you can see that the resolution of the issue #25 was very shocking, only because many readers suddenly realised what's been going on/been introduced in the past few months.



I still ripped them to shreds in case anyone else believes those statements. I'm just pissed at Marvel's whole approach to the Avengers. They should just call it the X-treme Avengers and get it over with.


you merely offered up a counterpoint to my points. And I just offered up a counterpoint to yours. Neither one of us ripped anyone 'to shreds'. I merely thought we were having a discussion.

[Earth2Comics]

Well, that's what they've done with MOST of their second-print covers recently...

They could have at least done a sketch version of the "hand" cover. Or, hell, just reprinting the "hand" cover with "SECOND PRINTING" in the corner box would have been better.

This is similar to the second printing of Civil War 2 with the Spider-Man Unmasked image. The interior art will probably be Cap on the steps with a Death of the Dream or Death of Captain America logo.

This is a good way to do a distinct second printing that we can order to meet demand for the story, rather than another collector cover.

When new or returning customers show up interested in the story they heard about on the news, it is incredibly helpful to have a comic to sell them that meets their expectations. Civil War 2 second printing, even with the spoiler cover, told people it was the issue they were looking for.

New people coming in were confused by the two covers, especially the McGuinness variant because it did not look like the story they were expecting.

[DarkJared]

They (Marvel) knew this was coming. I got a bulletin from Ed Brubaker on March 5th reminding me to buy this issue as it was "a comic that everyone who's anyone, or even anyone who's nobody, will want to get a copy of." He even mentions the fact that it will go to multiple printings in the bulletin. For Marvel to play the "we had NO idea the reaction would be this overwhelming" card is a little silly.


Where do I sign up for this great inside info? This is what Marvel should have said to all of the retailers instead of just select ones. Does Ed have a website?

[DarkJared]

It's too bad that they couldn't have had a larger 1st run, so that stores could get more copies sooner. I hope that this will bring some people back to comics

Nah - interest will have passed by the time this comes out. And the new interest is primarily speculators who won't care about a second print as much as the first print. If Marvel really wanted to help us (retailers) with this it should have been with a better warning and a ton more copies of the first print. The second print will be a benefit only to those few who actually wanted to read the story and they likely already had the book on their pull lists and got a copy.

first prints always sell more than the second because demand subsides. Marvel would have made a mint if they had made sure to have a ton more available for when the news hit. No one will be talking about this. CNN will not announce on their web page that a second print of Cap #25 has hit stores. No one but comic related sites will be talking about this by then.

They missed the boat completely on this. If nothing else was an indication over the years of JQs reign of how bad an operator he and the senior staff at marvel was this should be it. The chance to sell millions of the comics passed on because of bad decisions. This is a worse business move than the delays from publishing decisions in Civil War.

I've always said it - Marvel needs to work a lot closer with retailers to make more money and to make the industry stronger as a whole. They need to do more than just offer us some pre-made admats and such. There should be retailer reps from Marvel hiting their top accounts and giving them merchandising tips and heads up on products outside of the previews chain (like Cap #25) and offering any and all advice and support to make the industry bigger. Donating merchandise to events and charities OUTSIDE the comic industry to increase awareness etc... arg. If I was a stockholder I'd be pissed at another missed opportunity to make me a crap load of money.

I work for a cell phone retailer and we get rep visits from the carrier and the manufacturers all the time to pimp their stuff, give us heads ups on new products and cool swag and all sorts of useful tips. It helps and it works. I am never caught short of the next hot phone or accessory and I know just how best to merchandise them to customers to sell the most possible. The music, movie, book and gaming industry all do it with their retail partners - why won't the comic book industry do it too?

Marvel acts like the retailers are the bottom feeders of the industry when they are the front line in the industry. The world doesn't see Joe Q out on the street peddling his books - they see Joe Comic Book Guy in his store doing his best DESPITE Marvel.

[JoeMaggio]

Actually, I think Marvel handled this almost perfectly. In a time where most books are "printed to orders" - so we can read how they all sold out - they purposely overprinted this book so that they would have a huge supply of first printings available for reorders. Diamond has offered special shipments to get the books in the stores by Wednesday. Of course, that doesn't mean some stores won't take advantage of it and jack up the price (my LCS has already confirmed that their copies will go on the shelf with the rest of the new releases at cover price).

The only way they could have handled it better would have been to double ship everyone's initial order and make the book returnable. I still think everyone would have sold out.

[3r41n14c]

If you live in the city, 1st prints will be all over the place in the next five days. Tell those jerks on eBay to take their $50 auctions and __________________________ (insert appropriate action here).

[Alan Coil]

A second printing will be made available to retailers and will be in stores on March 28th.



TOO LITTLE TOO LATE, MARVEL.

[Alan Coil]

Ultimate Cap would tell 616 Cap that the A on 616's forehead stands for France :p

I laughed.

I know I shouldn't, but I did.

[Alan Coil]

They (Marvel) knew this was coming. I got a bulletin from Ed Brubaker on March 5th reminding me to buy this issue as it was "a comic that everyone who's anyone, or even anyone who's nobody, will want to get a copy of." He even mentions the fact that it will go to multiple printings in the bulletin. For Marvel to play the "we had NO idea the reaction would be this overwhelming" card is a little silly.

So Brubaker knew and didn't tell ALL of us? I am so going to tell my mom.

[Alan Coil]

Interesting...

My email from Diamond had this:

"SPECIAL NOTE FROM MARVEL COMICS: No announcement will be made to the press
about this book until March 26. Marvel would like retailers to refrain
from disclosing this information while First Printings are still selling."

Well, I hope that someone tells the newspapers right away BECAUSE THERE ARE NO FIRST PRINTINGS AVAILABLE!

Unless one is stupid enough to pay eBay prices.

[Alan Coil]

HEY MARVEL: Kill more Heroes.....More sales !!!!!:p

And start with papa's favorite---HULK!

[Alan Coil]

It's too bad that they couldn't have had a larger 1st run, so that stores could get more copies sooner. I hope that this will bring some people back to comics

I would also hope that it would bring more people to comics, but as the issue is unavailable, how can it?

[khuxford]

Interesting...

My email from Diamond had this:

"SPECIAL NOTE FROM MARVEL COMICS: No announcement will be made to the press
about this book until March 26. Marvel would like retailers to refrain
from disclosing this information while First Printings are still selling."

That doesn't even make complete sense. The press wouldn't find out until Monday? Graham Cracker's Comics post their list of Wednesday's comics on Friday and Midtown updates on Saturday...so it would have gotten out before that.

That's not even dealing with how silly trying to hide the second printing seems. It isn't as if it is a Director's Cut version that will have all sorts of goodies in it, so it isn't much of a competing product.

[Alan Coil]

Nah - interest will have passed by the time this comes out. If Marvel really wanted to help us (retailers) with this it should have been with a better warning and a ton more copies of the first print.

They missed the boat completely on this. If nothing else was an indication over the years of JQs reign of how bad an operator he and the senior staff at marvel was this should be it. The chance to sell millions of the comics passed on because of bad decisions.

I've always said it - Marvel needs to work a lot closer with retailers to make more money and to make the industry stronger as a whole.

Marvel acts like the retailers are the bottom feeders of the industry when they are the front line in the industry.

Marvel have been treating the retailers as if they were bottom feeders for quite some time.

Is Barnes & Noble the future of Marvel comics?

[Alan Coil]

The only way they could have handled it better would have been to double ship everyone's initial order and make the book returnable. I still think everyone would have sold out.

True, but Marvel wanted to do it this way because they wanted the publicity. Getting publicity was more important than servicing their customers.

[khuxford]

Yeah, those sales of X-Men/Power Pack just skyrocketed, didn't they?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v447/shwicaz/xmenpowerpack1.jpg

Wolverine in an All Ages book is kinda antithetical to his appeal, though.

[khuxford]

Marvel have been treating the retailers as if they were bottom feeders for quite some time.

Is Barnes & Noble the future of Marvel comics?

That reminds me...wouldn't the newstand (i.e. B&N) normally have their books by now? I stopped by yesterday and they only had Cap #24, while they had Hulk & Power Pack (which was from this past Wednesday at the LCS).

[kitty_tc]

Wow, throw Wolverine into a book and it sells. That's genius...not.

Just because you increase sales, does not mean that the stories contained within are worth those corresponding sales. A lot of people watch Dragonball Z, and wear Hollister shirts...

Buddy, if [Spider-Woman and Ms Marvel] are the main Avengers characters you want to see, you are a lost cause. Someone pray for this guy, please.

So sales are all that matter...gotcha. Integrity of the original vision of the Avengers doesn't...gotcha. I'm just pissed at Marvel's whole approach to the Avengers. They should just call it the X-treme Avengers and get it over with.

Wow, yet another New Avengers basher. Does motteditor know you've stolen his posting style and talking points?

Firstly, while I'm as disgusted as anyone with the way Wolverine has been written for well over a decade now, he originally became popular because he was at one time a damned interesting character. And perhaps if you actually read the book, or assessed it with anything resembling unbiased honesty, you'd know that Wolverine has neither been written badly in NA nor has he even come close to monopolizing the title. Anyone who buys the book solely for Wolverine isn't getting a lot for their money, to be honest, as there are many issues where he doesn't appear at all and when he does, he gets nothing resembling a spotlight. But don't let the facts get in the way of good rhetoric, right?

Next you insult DBZ, which I'd presume you have never watched or you might not use it as a negative example. Most of those who disdain it are aware of it only superficially at best, and remain unaware of the very solid reasons fans of it became such. As typical for trolls of your ilk, you latch onto something popular and bash it for purposes of self-aggrandizement while knowing next to nothing about it. Worse yet, you're hopelessly out of date. Please update your ignorant bashing to something current, perhaps "Naruto", as DBZ hasn't been the big thing for several years now. Of course if you knew the first thing about it, you'd already know that.

And then you slam Spider-Woman and Ms Marvel, presumably because they're getting a spotlight right now, while ignoring that until very recently they were both obscurities just like Hawkeye or whatever underdog you champion, further proving that you will bash whatever you think is the "in" thing and will turn on your supposed favorites the moment they get the mainstream attention you claim they deserve.

And then you move on to the most tired and debunked claim of them all, that New Avengers is somehow a sudden and radical departure from a prior stretch of unmarred consistency, as if the Avengers haven't changed lineups more often than the proverbial fanboys change their underpants. Which "original vision" are you referring to? The first lineup? The second? Fourth? Twelfth?

People like you embraced the Avengers because they weren't the X-Men and Spider-Man and weren't popular among the "masses" you like to look down your noses at. Now that it's successful, you make up any excuse you can to heap scorn on it. Don't think you're fooling anyone.

[Alan Coil]

That reminds me...wouldn't the newstand (i.e. B&N) normally have their books by now? I stopped by yesterday and they only had Cap #24, while they had Hulk & Power Pack (which was from this past Wednesday at the LCS).

Someone in an entirely different thread said that the Kroger stores still sell comic books.
That is not true in Toledo, Ohio.
I checked the local book store today and didn't see any current comics, just some from a month ago.
I think that non-comics stores get their comics 2 weeks after the LCS.

[khuxford]

Someone in an entirely different thread said that the Kroger stores still sell comic books.
That is not true in Toledo, Ohio.
I checked the local book store today and didn't see any current comics, just some from a month ago.
I think that non-comics stores get their comics 2 weeks after the LCS.

Well...that's definitely not the case with Hulk & the Power Pack, though those titles are intended more for newstands than direct market, so they might be the exception.

[paulski]

Called it. (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?p=3314562&highlight=week#post3314562)

[USAgent]

Oh no, I'm sure they'll still be able to get $50-$75 for a first-run copy eventually. They'll just have to find people who don't want to READ them.

Not really. You can get both covers for around $20 right now on eBay. That's probably going to drop further.