Well, I must agree with Mr. Bardyla regarding this new discount process of Marvel's.  Marvel has just made the growth process more difficult, especially for newer businesses, or businesses trying to expand.  Now, instead of ordering more Marvel product than the previous year at a BETTER discount, we are forced to order more Marvel product at a WORSE discount.  They are effectively penalizing shops whose business is actually growing?  Who thought this was a good idea?  I mean, really guys.  While it's true Marvel will see an immediate return and we get credit for reorders, this does not bode well for the long run.  Most small shops don't have the operating capital (or the manpower to do a bunch of extra paperwork) to plan ahead and consistently order higher this year than the previous year, in order to ensure their discount for NEXT year is in place.  In a perfect world, growth should be measurably steady for established businesses and this would naturally happen without any inordinate amount of additional effort or capital on the shop's part.  One question though: how are they going to figure discounts for newly opened shops who have no historical ordering?  Maybe Marvel thinks we have enough comic shops and the ones we do have are big enough.

Marvel is being very difficult lately.  I think we can all see the immediate monetary benefits for Marvel as a company in all of these moves.  However, they are certainly not making any friends.  I usually don't get overly upset by such things.  They're going to do what's best for them, and I can respect that.  I let my opinion be known and then go about my business.  However, from the inflammatory comments insulting our intelligence, to the exclusivity contracts (Marvel Masterworks TPBs) to the release of product to giant chains months before direct market release (Marvel Legends Series III figures) to the silly no-overprint policy, and on and on.  Over the past year Marvel has consistently annoyed me, while other companies like DC and Crossgen have consistently pleased me (or at least made the effort).  So, guess what?  If there's a question on whether I should order more of something from Marvel, it won't happen.  I will no longer 'sell' Marvel product.  I will carry strictly what my customers order and what I know will move from my shelves for my regular walk-ins.  I will order extra from DC, Crossgen, Dark Horse, even Image and 'sell' their products.  And if someone comes in wanting a recommendation of something cool to read, it'll be Batman, Way of the Rat, Star Wars, Powers, Courtney Crumrin, Private Beach, or any number of the myriad awesome titles published by someone OTHER than the House of Ideas.  Marvel may have the best heroes, but they have the worst ideas.