I've got to congratulate Marvel on their summer marketing plan. Doubling up on the frequency of key books like Uncanny X-Men is a far better plan than past summers when retailers and consumers were deluged with non-relevant mini-series and massive crossovers. But I also have to admit that I'm hesitant to offer this praise. As a retailer, I'm scared that if I tell Marvel something is working they'll take it away. I know that Marvel in turn is sensitive to what they call 'Marvel bashing.' It's not that retailers are antagonistic to Marvel, but ever since the Heroes World Distribution debacle, it seems that Marvel has been making one bad move after another. Then Bill Jemas was hired, and his negative attitude towards retailers has always reminded me of a new landlord being put in charge in order to clear the building of existing tenants. With the number of retailers now being reported at nearly 10% of the population from 10 years ago, a lot of retailers feel endangered.
When there is a problem, and retailers speak up for change and offer solutions; that is not bashing - it's survival. All retailers are asking for is help in selling comic books. That's why we never agreed with the logic of no over-printing by Marvel. Marvel's perceived job is to sell comics for a profit - not to try and recreate the disaster of a speculator's market by manipulating demand. The statement by Jemas that retailers, knowing Marvel's strategy, should hold back copies and then mark them up the next month sounds like a violation of Sherman's Anti-trust laws - consorting to manipulate a market through hoarding and price gouging. It's not only illegal, but in my opinion it's just plain and simple bad business.
When Pokemon demand went through the roof, I never raised my prices. I can still sell Pokemon today, with customers refusing to shop at the places that gouged prices on them. Developing customer loyalty can never be underestimated. It's something that Marvel seems to have forgotten about in dealing with both the consumers and the retailers. I've seen an exodus of Marvel customers jumping ship to DC and CGE.
That is why this new strategy by Marvel surprised me. Doubling up on successful titles falls in the same category as printing extra copies to meet demand on a hot title. It's a smart move. But until recently, Marvel hasn't been doing it.
If this new marketing strategy of part of an ongoing change in Marvel's thinking, then 2003 will definitely be the year this industry turns around. The fans are there. The public awareness and interest in comics is there. Marvel has great characters and substantial talent working for them. Now all we have to do is satisfy the customer with supply. Do that and only good things can happen.
