Kathy Bottarini of Comic Book Box in Rohnert Park, CA comments on President-Elect Barack Obama’s upcoming appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #583 (see “Spidey Meets the Prez”):

I am so very, very tired of Marvel constantly leaving retailers in the idiot's seat.  The solicitation of Amazing Spider-Man states "You asked for it!  You got it!  Peter Parker on a date!"  Does that say that President-Elect Obama will be in the issue?  No, it does not.  What it does say is that this will be another mediocre issue of a title that used to sell amazingly well.  We need new customers.  We need to have a buzz about our industry.  But, we need to have a heads up that there is something special happening prior to those new potential customers phoning to request  a comic that they will in all probability have to go to eBay for.  That is not helpful, and rather contempt filled, but typical of Marvel. 

There's a second print coming, but do you think that we will really be getting a second chance of getting these potential new customers to come back since we were stupid enough to not order enough copies?  That will be their take, since we won't be able to provide immediate gratification, and we have to ask them to come back.  I don't seem to remember asking to see Peter Parker on a date.  I also don't seem to remember having asked for Peter's marriage to be lamed away.   And, for Marvel to have Amazing Spider-Man three times a month for the reading pleasure of whom?  They made it one of the easiest titles to drop in extremely rough financial times.  I would really like Marvel to work with us in good faith.  I hate feeling stupid.  They had lead time to disclose to retailers that there was going to be a content change, and chose not to.  That's love.

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