Jerry Ringi of Amazing Fantasy Comics in Chesapeake, Virginia takes issue with Marvel's policy of limiting the information it puts into Previews about its books, and feels that he could do a better job of selling them with more informaiton.

The Marvel section in Previews needs some serious improvement to help their customers (us retailers and not the fans who are the retailer's customers) better order the number of copies of a book.  True, we will order for our pull or subscriber customers but the numbers for the shelf will vary depending on the content and the art work of the issue.  Currently Marvel does not put in any art work or much of what the story is about in Previews.  This, added to their no reorder policy, forces us to purchase product almost unseen.  Too much product that does not sell for us will hurt our cash flow and if this continues over a period of months or years it will take it's toll and Marvel will lose another outlet to sell their product.  This will be bad for the industry.  We need to support each other and help each facit of this industry to grow stronger.  If one part of the industry is just interested in their bottom line and couldn't care less that it puts unneeded pressure on another part of the industry then they are just being short sighted and not looking to the future.

Marvel has become just that with their current policy of no reprinting or over printing and little or no information in Previews.  Now I'm not going to get into the reprinting or over printing problem this has been done before.  I want to address the problem with not giving us adequate information to order the monthly titles that they offer.  For example, look at Marvel Double Shot #1.  Great cover art that makes the book attractive to customers but once you turn the page the artwork, the lettering and the story turns you off.  If I had a chance to see the art work for this book I would have never ordered the numbers that I did.  I know that this is just my opinion and some may argue with me that the art work deserves to be called professional but my customers seem to share my feeling that this was not up to professional standards.  I have had pullers who put this book on their list ask me if they could pass on it.  Now, unlike Marvel I try to help my customers and accepted the book back from them.  My loss, but good customer service.

Marvel, give us a look at the art and storyline and then let us decide or make it returnable.  Help us so that we can help sell more books so that your next movie will have people who want to see it.  No fans no movie profits.  Let's share the risks and the benefits so that our industry will continue to exist and maybe even grow.