We posed a couple of questions specifically related to retailer issues at today's Marvel press conference.  We asked whether Marvel had received any indications as to how its new order cycle was affecting ordering behavior -- are retailers ordering more knowing they can cut orders close to the release date, ordering less knowing they can increase, or waiting to order at all until the order cut-off?  The response was that it's 'too soon to tell.' 

We also asked about the recent spate of early releases of Marvel books by book chains (see 'Marvel Speeds Up Shipments of Marvel Encyclopedia' and 'More Marvel X-Books Hit Book Channel First').  While stating that he didn't know the specifics of this case, Marvel COO Bill Jemas said, 'Generally speaking, these are mistakes.  We are not quite as strict as the video industry.  We work off handshake deals with our non-comic shop retailers and if there's an early ship by a bookstore it's either because of a miscommunication or a flat out mistake because the book didn't go out on the agreed upon shelf date.'

Bookstore sales as reported by BookScan indicate that X-Men Encyclopedia Vol. 2 was the #35 best-selling title in the graphic novel category in bookstores the week ending March 16th and the  #3 title for the week ending March 23rd.  It reached some comic stores March 19th and others March 26th.