Marvel Comics’ webslinging hero is making appearances all across the country this month as big time retailers Walmart and Target attempt to profit off of Marc Webb’s reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, which debuts on July 3rd.  Walmart had added a thousand The Amazing Spider-Man-related items to its product mix including action figures, t-shirts, video games, and comic book packs.

 

Target is creating a special Spider-Man online boutique as well as using interactive floor graphics at its stores to promote an extensive line of Spidey movie-based products including toys, clothing, bedding, décor, DVDs, comic books, and party decorations.

 

Not to be left out Toys ‘R’ Us claims that its stores will have the largest selection of toys inspired by the new movie.

 

Since Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man trilogy was such a mega-success, Spidey has a real track record with these mass merchants, who understand how effective the wallcrawler can be with the help of a little focused merchandising.  With Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man currently tracking to open big with estimates hovering around the $125 million mark (see "Spider-Man Heading for Big Opening"), it is possible that the younger-skewing Amazing Spider-Man movie might end selling more toy and apparel merchandise than either The Avengers or The Dark Knight Rises, even though both of those films will likely earn more at the box office.

 

Although they did help sell lots of merchandise, one thing that the original Spider-Man trilogy failed to accomplish, was to stimulate sales of lots of Spider-Man graphic novels.  In part this was because the movies were not based on any particular Spider-Man graphic novels (unlike say Watchmen).  The same was true for Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, but evidence (especially in the bookstore market) indicates that the hit movie did indeed result in major increases in sales of Avengers GNs. 

 

The improved graphic novel sales performance of The Avengers indicates that big two comic publishers have gotten better at merchandising graphic novels that can be tied in (however loosely) with hit movies based on their characters.  DC has even come up with a special "sampler" promo program to boost sales of Batman graphic novels in the wake of what everyone suspects will be a mammoth opening for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises on July 20th (see "'Dark Knight Rises' Promo").

 

While heavy mass market competition will make it difficult for direct market retailers to sell toys and apparel items based on hit comic movies, at least the publishers are getting better at creating and merchandising comics based on these properties.