Comments on: ComicsPRO Responds to Civil War Delays

By: Comics Worth Reading » Happy Birthday, Tom Brevoort

Comics Worth Reading » Happy Birthday, Tom Brevoort — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 17:25:44 +0000

[...] I also appreciate the way he keeps showing readers of his blog what it’s like day-to-day working as an editor, even when they (or I) take out frustrations on him that he doesn’t have much to do with. [...]

By: Journalista » Blog Archive » Jan. 9, 2007: How to get laid in Roppongi

Journalista » Blog Archive » Jan. 9, 2007: How to get laid in Roppongi — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 12:07:01 +0000

[...] As if it weren’t obvious enough that Marvel Comics views the Direct-Market retailer as its own personal toilet slave, Rich Johnston (second item down) notes that the House That Jack Built sent out last week’s comics with eMusic.com inserts that resulted in damaged books reaching retailers — books that won’t be returnable, since the stock at Diamond is damaged as well, and Marvel has no plans for a second printing on the product in question. Also, Marvel sent separate eMusic.com giveaway cards to retailers — who were then billed for shipping charges. Isn’t that nice? What’s next, Marvel editorial staff snidely celebrating the grief Marvel’s inflicted upon shopowners in song, or something? Oh, wait… (Last link via Johanna Draper Carlson.) [...]

By: Lisa Lopacinski

Lisa Lopacinski — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 20:05:29 +0000

I am a ComicsPRO member, and I was glad to see the board step up when this happened. My fear is that they did it because a number of the board members are on the West Coast and were impacted, but if it happened to the East Coast or Midwest they wouldn’t have done the same. I HOPE I’m wrong.

I am continually disgusted by Marvel’s “I’m better than you are” mentality when it comes to retailers. They really seem to be forgetting who actually pays for the bulk of the comics they make. SURE Civil War sells well, even when it’s late, but that is NOT a good reason to strut around acting all self-important. 52 sells well too, and it has consistantly, and it has come out every week WITHOUT a delay.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 01:06:38 +0000

I was definitely surprised that Tom Brevoort made fun of the whole Civil War allocation problem. I imagine the part that was cut, was cut by the Marvel PR guys for that EXACT reason.

Marvel has alot of blame to share in this. Not for the allocation so much, as for the constant shipping delays and general atmosphere of disappointment of their being unable to be on deadline.

I would hope Marvel would learn from this situation, not make fun of it.

By the way, the same day as he released this blog Tom B. basically came out and said issue 7 wouldn’t make it out on the current-updated-for-the-3rd-time ship date. More on Tyesday the 9th.

By: Jer

Jer — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 15:41:40 +0000

Re: the update – Ah the Internets – once again allowing the fans to glimpse the “professionals” acting like 10 year olds. Geez. In what other industries do producers actively mock their customers (in this case the retailers) like that in a public forum? (Yes, I know about the mocking that goes on in back rooms, but generally its kept away from the customers themselves).

I mean, mocking the fans is one thing – they’ve done that for as long as I remember and as I’m always reminded “the fans aren’t really the customers, the retailers are”, but mocking the retailers? Yeesh. That’s fairly new, isn’t it?

Of course, its not like the retailers are in any position to do anything but take it. Marvel and Diamond could pretty much decide to yank them around however they feel like and given the market there’s not really a damn thing that the retailers can do about it. But you’d hope that Marvel would act a little professionally about the whole thing, wouldn’t you?