Joe Krolik of Comics America in Winnipeg, Manitoba, saw the comments on comic street dates (see 'Fran McGarry of Acme Comics & Collectibles on Street Dates,' most recently), and shares his thoughts on the discussion, as well as a question about having comics 'ready to ship' on Tuesday:

First, as to the example of Wal-Mart breaking street dates and being 'fined', does anyone hear the peals of laughter emanating from Bentonville, Arkansas?  As if some supplier will actually send them an invoice for a street-date fine.  Wal-Mart would drop that supplier faster than you can say 'Price Drop!'

Y'see, unfortunately, the rules that apply to everyone else don't necessarily apply to Wal-Mart, and if you're a supplier in this field, you don't want to rock the boat.... even if you're DC or Marvel.  Anyway, that's just my slightly skewed view of reality as it applies to the thousand ton elephant of the retail world.

Now, the important part of this missive: This past Tuesday, I was thinking about the concept of street dates that several of the other contributors to this thread have commented upon.  I was doing it while checking out eBay.

Just for the heck of it, I did a search on 'Eternals #1 variant', a book due to arrive in most areas on Wednesday and in our particular neck of the woods on Thursday (being where we are in the great Canadian middle-of-nowhere--the prairies--it takes an extra day due to shipping logistics to get the books to us).

To my utter surprise and amazement I found several listings from a southeastern-based dealer showing a scan of a properly sealed sketch variant (you could read the small white label), offering the issue for bid or as a 'Buy It Now.'  But most amazing of all, the listing touted the fact that the issue was 'in hand and ready to ship.'

This of course brings up the extremely interesting questions of::

a)  How did this dealer get the copy (or copies) to scan?

b)  It being Tuesday, how did the dealer have those copies 'in hand and ready to ship?'