Jim Crocker of Modern Myths in Northampton, Massachusetts saw the comment by Dave Autzen of Reader's Choice suggesting that Marvel cover variants simply be automatically distributed to retailers based on their draw for the title (see 'Dave Autzen on Ordering Variants') and disagrees:
[From Autzen's comment]: 'I am very busy here. When I forget to order the variants, the customers that want them aren't happy with me'
If a retailer 'forgets' to order something, then they have no one but themselves to blame for not doing the single most basic part of their job.
Marvel should be lauded for not forcing retailers to receive product they did not order. Forcing retailers to accept extra comics they didn't order is out of line, whether those comics are variants of hot books or obscure indies. In point of fact, they still have much-needed progress to make in this area, particularly DC, whose forced variants continue to cause ordering headaches from Green Lantern to All Star Batman & Robin to JSA Classified (and don't even start on Red Sonja...). This ought to be easy: If it's a separate book, give it a separate code.
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