Marvel has hiked the price on its promotional comics by almost 300%, from 9 cents to a quarter, but it is unlikely that any retailers will complain. Today Marvel Comics announced that it planned to publish several 'quarter comics' during 2003.  The concept behind the program is to focus retailers' and readers' attention on key Marvel titles at crucial 'jump-on' points.  The first title chosen for this treatment is one of the publisher's best, Daredevil, currently in the midst of a major revival from the creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev.  The next story arc begins with issue #41, the first issue in the 'Lowlife' saga, which is slated to hit stores on January 8.  In order to maintain momentum, the following issue of Daredevil (#42) will go on sale just two weeks later on January 22.  Marvel is obviously hoping that fans will take advantage of the 25-cent comic and then come back for more.

 

The timing of the promotionally priced Daredevil comic is actually quite fortuitous given the February 14 release date of the Daredevil movie starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner.   For the 25-cent Daredevil promotion to make a major impact, Marvel needs to get the word out to the general populace in the hopes of luring in new customers and bringing back some of the comic book readers who have let their comic-collecting lapse.  Retailers will have to do their part as well, but properly promoted, the 25-cent Daredevil comic should provide another opportunity to use the 'juice' generated by a big-budget Hollywood movie to increase readership of the comic upon which the film is based.