I read the comments by Jerri Ringi of Amazing Fantasy, where in retaliation for Marvel's new policy, he was considering switching to newstand copies of Marvels.  I've used Ingram Periodicals for years to supplement my Marvel inventory, and this additional stock has been very important as a result of Marvel's short-sighted short-print policies.  But over the last two months I have received no Marvels at all from Ingram.  When I questioned this, they replied that they are being massively shorted by Marvel, along with massive damages of what stock they do receive.  It looks like Marvel has anticipated this response, and already taken steps to cut off the newstand market from the Direct Market.  Hey, if they don't want me to sell their books, I'll sell comics by another publisher.

Right now I've seen a large new influx of customers, largely thanks to the exposure by Marvel Properties in the theaters.  But Marvel continues to shoot the toes off their feet by not making their product available to these new customers.  I would really like to help Marvel be more profitable, and myself in the process.  But it takes cooperation -- not market manipulation.  It would be nice if Marvel's management would adopt of the mantra of one of their characters, 'With great power comes great responsibility.'  With these kind of management policies -- the great power part may become a thing of the past as more savvy publishers pass them by.