NEW AVENGERS #1 BACK TO PRESS: GETS THIRD PRINTING

**MattBrady** · 12-10-2004, 04:53 PM

Press Release

Marvel Comics has announced its New Avengers #1 has sold out at the publisher and at Diamond less than a week after its in-store date of December 1, and that an all-new David Finch Variant Cover (NOV048028D) is now available for order to help meet demand!

Scheduled to arrive in stores on December 29, New Avengers #1 Finch Variant Cover carries a Final Order Cut-Off (FOC) date of Thursday, December 16.

"We are extremely pleased by the numbers on all the editions that have come out to date," said Marvel Sales and Marketing Manager David Gabriel. "However, we now are hearing from retailers that fans are asking for more and they could have sold double the copies had they had them available. Most retailers tell us that a reprinting, made readily available, with a brand new cover is a sure-fire hit for fans and also brings with it the possibility to generate new readers, because with more books to sell, retailers can hook in new readers.

"So we came up with a third printing. However, this time, to keep those retailers who want to have another collectible book on their shelves we are going to limit the amount of books we print and urge retailers who want this book to get their orders in by Thursday, December 16. This variant will be on sale December 29...Happy New Year! If they all go, they all go, if we have leftovers, we'll make them readily available as the excitement grows on subsequent issues. We think this is a great way to end the year."

Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by David Finch, New Avengers spins out of "Avengers: Disassembled," the cataclysmic ending to Marvel's long-running Avengers series. The new title relates the events that bring together a new team of Avengers, comprised of some of Marvel's most popular, foundational characters, including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Iron Man, Luke Cage, and others.

In addition to New Avengers #1 Finch Variant Cover, retailers should note that the New Avengers #1 Joe Quesada Variant Cover (OCT048022D) edition is scheduled to arrive in stores next week. Furthermore, an expanded Director's Cut (OCT041747D), which features the original story and a bevy of extras, has an on-sale date of December 29.

HowAreWeToLive · 12-10-2004, 05:07 PM

"Collectible"

If retailers want a collectible, they won't flood the market with more copies of the same book. Variants rarely sell as many as the first printing, nor are worth as much as the first printing.

I think retailers are more worried about selling through all of the copies they order of a comic they have to order more of to keep the business of the people asking for the 1-in-20, 1-in-65, or one-for-every-10-copies-you-buy-of-5-other-titles-we're-relaunching-with-a-brand-new-#1-again variant covers.

Of course, DC does this second and third printing stuff, so I'm sure it's due to retailer response, right Marvel?

JDooley · 12-10-2004, 05:13 PM

I was plesently suprised by the first issue. I was hoping it wasn't going to be Ultimate Secret Defenders. I hope Marvel goes the way of DC and does different covers for printings instead of variants. Either way, I like them all, Marvel & DC. Yeah comics!!!
(trying to start a positive follow up thread)

RedmoonDeux · 12-10-2004, 05:14 PM

GOD FUCKING DAMMIT! WHO IS THAT GUY WITH THE HELMET??? (not Iron Man :P)

Blind Assassin · 12-10-2004, 05:18 PM

Great news, I think our store sold out.

Jason Galvin · 12-10-2004, 05:28 PM

Stop bitching about variant covers. I cannot for the life of me understand why message board people constantly bitch about variant covers. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THEM THEN DON'T BUY THEM. It's that simple. I think half of you that bitch about these end up buying them anyway.

And spare me the idea that variant covers hurt the sales of other more deserving comics. Believe me, if someone is shelling out the money for just a different cover of New Avengers, they are either a rare die-hard Avengers fan, or selling it on ebay, so chances are that person is NOT going to walk into a comic book store & think , "gee, since there is no new variant covers from MArvel or DC this week , I think I'll take that $2.95 I saved & pick up the new issue of Small Gods". That is not how it works.

As I retailer I'm all for Marvel & DC doing this. We aren't selling gold here. It is tough to be a retailer & our discount is not as great as people me believe. If there is a hot comic that we can eventually mark up for a few $s more, & people are willing to buy it, then it only helps up make more money & in the long run help all you guys that bitch about variant covers hurting the smaller books, b/c now with the extra money we make on variant covers, I can now order an extra copy or to of Trigger #1 or a smaller title.

saiyanspider · 12-10-2004, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RedmoonDeux
GOD FUCKING DAMMIT! WHO IS THAT GUY WITH THE HELMET??? (not Iron Man :P

I'm saying, all the focus has been on hat green nunchuck dude, and this guy is only on the one cover. who is he!!!!

Dragavon · 12-10-2004, 05:51 PM

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Could the guy in the helmet be the Sentry? He is either currently being held over for trial or actually serving time for the murder of his wife. Even with public opinion of Spider-Man and Wolverine's spotty reputation, Captain America is not going to hang around with a known (probable) felon who should be serving his sentence.

raven1979 · 12-10-2004, 06:22 PM

Wait , so the Quesada cover variant and the directors cut are 2 different books?.

So isn't this like 4 print then.

Isn't that image the solicited cover to issue #2?

CrazyFool · 12-10-2004, 06:26 PM

No, because Marvel's already told us and shown us that the Sentry is featured in the series. This is someone that marvel wants to keep under wraps. I'd like to say that helmet guy is also ninja guy, especially because his hands appear to be in some martial arts stance.

neondisease · 12-10-2004, 06:50 PM

"uncharacteristic"? say what?

jasinmartin · 12-10-2004, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by raven1979
Wait , so the Quesada cover variant and the directors cut are 2 different books?.

So isn't this like 4 print then.

Isn't that image the solicited cover to issue #2?

1st print regurlar cover
1st print 1/20 Young Guns variant
Directors cut
Quesada 3rd cover varaint
2nd print variant cover

That would make this the fifth cover for the book, all in the course of what, less than a month?

For those who think, or claim the escalating efforts of one-upmanship by the big 2 don't affect the rest of the industry, well, that's your opinion. Their business strategy of bleeding the market for every penny they can (with multiples of top sellers, and variants) has to come at some kind of price or affect. Comic fans just can't keep allotting more funds to their hobby, lines must be drawn. Not exactly faulting them for running their business how they see fit, just concerned for the ramifications...

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Galvin
[b] chances are that person is NOT going to walk into a comic book store & think , "gee, since there is no new variant covers from MArvel or DC this week , I think I'll take that $2.95 I saved & pick up the new issue of Small Gods". That is not how it works.

Uh, pretty sure extra money in the pocket has at least a chance of being spent on different items. To assume buyers don’t have a limit to their spending seems, well odd.

Regardless of any of that, I thought it was a very solid book on all fronts, so hopefully this turns even more people on to it.

Chris Hunter · 12-10-2004, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RedmoonDeux
GOD FUCKING DAMMIT! WHO IS THAT GUY WITH THE HELMET??? (not Iron Man :P)

Matt Murdock. Daredevil.

phoenx · 12-10-2004, 07:24 PM

Same went for Scott Lang. He was a criminal before he joined the Avengers and Cap seemed okay to be working with Ant-Man...I know he didn't do anything similar to what Sentry did to his wife, but it is something to include...Ya know what I mean, right?

Jason Galvin · 12-10-2004, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jasinmartin

Uh, pretty sure extra money in the pocket has at least a chance of being spent on different items. To assume buyers don’t have a limit to their spending seems, well odd.

I totally disagree. I'm not saying buys do or don't have limits to their spendings. What I'm saying is that I watch the customer & what they purchase every week at my store, so I have a little more insight than an average fan. No, my store doesn't represent the entire world, but it is definitely a representation to a certain extent. And the customers that buy every single variant cover, especially on such mainstream comics, are not the same customers that are buying the smaller books. The comic book fan that has interest in an indy titile or Vertigo book or whatever but also like variant covers, are going to get both, & the speculator that wants the variant covers never was or is going to buy the smaller titles. That is just the way it is, & I think it's vastly overrated, that variant covers are hurting the chances of smaller titiles selling more.

Like I said, if retailers can get extra money by marking up variant titles, that mean more profit for us, & the more money we have to take risks & order & support more lesser known titles.

sleepyturtle1 · 12-10-2004, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by HowAreWeToLive
"Collectible"

If retailers want a collectible, they won't flood the market with more copies of the same book. Variants rarely sell as many as the first printing, nor are worth as much as the first printing.

I think retailers are more worried about selling through all of the copies they order of a comic they have to order more of to keep the business of the people asking for the 1-in-20, 1-in-65, or one-for-every-10-copies-you-buy-of-5-other-titles-we're-relaunching-with-a-brand-new-#1-again variant covers.

Of course, DC does this second and third printing stuff, so I'm sure it's due to retailer response, right Marvel?

I just watched the Spider-Man 2 DVD with the "Spider-Sense" subtitle track on. One of the factoids that spewed forth was that in 1990, due to the "cleverness" of Marvel's marketing dept., Spider-Man #1 (1990) was the best selling comic of all time because of different colored covers and "pre-bagged" editions for the collector market. It was a lousy trick then and certainly worse now with the knowledge of the speculator bust that followed the last time they tried it. And calling a reprint "variant" takes balls. Sure fit my ass.

lukeleal · 12-10-2004, 08:51 PM

I don't think the mystery character is Matt Murdock simply because he is in the first few pages of the first issue and it's waaaay to obvious. I don't think it's the Sentry because they both appear together on one of the covers. I'm guessing its Danny Rand or Shang-Chi.

Raphael · 12-10-2004, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MattBrady
"However, we now are hearing from retailers that fans are asking for more and they could have sold double the copies had they had them available. Most retailers tell us that a reprinting, made readily available, with a brand new cover is a sure-fire hit for fans and also brings with it the possibility to generate new readers, because with more books to sell, retailers can hook in new readers.

Simply amazing.

Retailers have been saying this for years and Marvel ignored their entreaties. Wolverine Origin, anyone? So someone finally saw the continuing sales that DC was having with Identity Crisis, GL Rebirth, etc and decided that, policy be damned, there's cash money to be made here. Expect more policy-breaking reprints in 2005. It should take a few months for Marvel's heel impressions to fade from the corporate mattress but it'll happen.

Never say never.

jmarshall · 12-10-2004, 09:25 PM

Why the hell is Luke Cage not wearing a shirt!? That's a little weird, all the white guys with their spiffy costumes, but who cares if Luke can afford to clothe himself? Would Cap run around shirtless?

Blind Assassin · 12-10-2004, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Raphael
Simply amazing.

Retailers have been saying this for years and Marvel ignored their entreaties. Wolverine Origin, anyone? So someone finally saw the continuing sales that DC was having with Identity Crisis, GL Rebirth, etc and decided that, policy be damned, there's cash money to be made here. Expect more policy-breaking reprints in 2005. It should take a few months for Marvel's heel impressions to fade from the corporate mattress but it'll happen.

Never say never.

You say that as if it is a bad thing.

Our shop could have sold lots more issues of the excellent, under-rated, and under-ordered Powerless mini-series.

Secret War, we could have sold LOTS more in the months between the actual issue, and the latest reprint.

Early issues of The Pulse sold out.

Madrox, She Hulk, and District X are all series that have benn getting critical acclaim. But when people come into the store to try it out, and they can only find issue 3 and 4 of the books, they are less inclined to hop on, and instead decide to 'wait for the trade'. Yeah, great, we have a potential sale of the trade 'somewhere down the road', but I think it would have been better to have an instant sale right then, if those back issues were available for re-order.

If Marvel finally realises that they are losing sales due to this police, and finally start to correct it, then I see that as a good thing.

algertman · 12-10-2004, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lukeleal
I don't think the mystery character is Matt Murdock simply because he is in the first few pages of the first issue and it's waaaay to obvious. I don't think it's the Sentry because they both appear together on one of the covers. I'm guessing its Danny Rand or Shang-Chi.

And calling the "Avengers: Dis." arc CHAOS was waaaay obvious but they did it anyway

TroyCarter · 12-10-2004, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Why the hell is Luke Cage not wearing a shirt!? That's a little weird, all the white guys with their spiffy costumes, but who cares if Luke can afford to clothe himself? Would Cap run around shirtless?

does Cap have unbreakable skin?

jmarshall · 12-10-2004, 10:14 PM

does Cap have unbreakable skin? [/quote]

What does that have to do with it? You don't wear clothes just to protect you from injury. Does Superman always go shirtless because he's invulnerable? No, he has a uniform. Why doesn't Cage, is what I'm asking. OK, so it doesn't have to be a "uniform", but how about even a shirt.

goofball814 · 12-10-2004, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blind Assassin
If Marvel finally realises that they are losing sales due to this police, and finally start to correct it, then I see that as a good thing.

NOPE!! NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!! Marvel only looks at this as "demand" for a TPB. This has been their strategy since they started their "no reorder" policy. They expect the little comic stores to bear the burden of precision ordering, and if the series is a sales success, hurry the TPB into Borders, B&N, Amazon, etc. If the series is a flop and the retailers have tons of leftovers, then don't do a TPB for the big-boxes.

Raphael · 12-10-2004, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blind Assassin
You say that as if it is a bad thing.

Our shop could have sold lots more issues of the excellent, under-rated, and under-ordered Powerless mini-series.

Secret War, we could have sold LOTS more in the months between the actual issue, and the latest reprint.

Early issues of The Pulse sold out.

....

If Marvel finally realises that they are losing sales due to this police, and finally start to correct it, then I see that as a good thing.

I see it as a good thing, too. Never said it was bad. Just that it shouldn't have taken Marvel years to clue in. Your store's examples prove the point. You could have made more money and Marvel could have made more money. Everybody makes out like a bandit and customers' needs are fulfilled. Win/win/win situation all around. It's so elementary that I just am amazed that a publisher would NOT want to sell more copies. What took them so long?, is all.

[/b]

Quote:

Madrox, She Hulk, and District X are all series that have benn getting critical acclaim. But when people come into the store to try it out, and they can only find issue 3 and 4 of the books, they are less inclined to hop on, and instead decide to 'wait for the trade'. Yeah, great, we have a potential sale of the trade 'somewhere down the road', but I think it would have been better to have an instant sale right then, if those back issues were available for re-order. [/b]

Exactly.

(And I think my retailer has some Powerless issues for you.)