Jamie Graham of Graham Crackers Comics Ltd. in Naperville, Illinois read about the controversy surrounding reorders for Captain America #25 (see 'Death of Cap Press Overwhelms Retailers') and wonders why Marvel held back additional quantities:

I was reading all the comments my fellow retailers have posted here and I have to say there are things here that will curl Marvel's hair.  I wrote a letter to the editor and in return he accused me of calling him a cheat. I guess many irate retailers got to him before me.

I wrote a bunch of letters to the Marvel sales dept (people who I like very much) but there really isn't much they could do.  This whole problem seems to go higher, and since Joe's letter had such a 'tone' to it, I suspect this was part his idea.

My many complaints to Marvel went above this main issue of why weren't we informed -- whether informed 'better' or informed at all -- is a major problem.  From my point of view and one that angered Joe (I never heard from Dan Buckley), was that Marvel treats retailers like children.  They talk down to us and are very arrogant. And Cap #25 shows both.

Then we get the e-mail about the second printing.  Who read it?  'Gee Dad, can I have the keys to the car, huh?'  Talk about Marvel's paternal attitude.  How many other retailers thought that this was a test?  A test to see how long it took someone to narc.  This was the main reason, I believe, of that release.  Why?  Because Marvel overprinted Cap #25 and knew they had PLENTY.

Why else move a second print release date so far out?  Marvel overprinted -- according to my sources -- by 100% minimum.  Diamond now has in excess of 100k to 150k copies of Cap #25 to get to us.  Gee thanks, Marvel.

But -- and with Marvel there always is a 'BUT' -- why did you hold them so long?  They were printed at the same time as the ones we were shipped on Wed/Tues.  Marvel knew they were there.  Marvel knew we were dying for copies and Marvel knew they had them.  So why wait all the way until late Thursday night to get them shipped?  They were at the printer a week before ready to go.  So why did Marvel in the midst of all this bruhaha  HOLD THE REORDERS at the printer an extra day or two?

Wish someone could answer that one for me.

This was a multi-faceted screw up of major proportions pointing to Marvels lousy attitude toward the direct market and its retailers.  It also reinforces the point I made to Marvel about their inability to review the past and learn from it instead of repeating it.

Marvel repeats past mistakes over and over and over.  What  are they repeating now?  How about too many sub par titles?  Anyone remember 1983?  How about 1993?  We almost lost an industry with the Heroes World debacle.  Some retailers will say they have our best interests at heart, so I say to all of you, if they put their comics up online for your customers to read, how many customers would still buy their books from us?  How many would even still come into your store?  If 75% of all Marvel readers left, could retailers survive with a loss of sales?  A loss of sales, lets say 20% off the top?  25%?  Not including trade sales and back issues sales.

Think about it.  What this shows me is M arvel is all about MARVEL.  Period.  Licensing, Movies and DVD sales are their main focus.  Face it folks, we are number four in their hearts.

Another serious problem is at heart here:  where Marvel goes so goes the industry.  OK, this is a general term but think about it.  And if Marvel goes digital, then were do we go?

The opinions expressed in this Talk Back article are solely those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com.