Gail Burt of Metropolis Comics in Downey, California saw the Talk Back comment from Bill Norris of New Age Comics on the new cover stock on Marvel's Ultimate line (see 'Bill Norris from New Age Comics on New Marvel Cover Stock') and chimed in with this comment:

Couldn't agree more.  These cheap, flimsy covers are way too slippery to hold onto, are difficult to manage and display (so flimsy they just sag on the shelf) for my staff, are, as he pointed out, easily damaged, and are hated by me and 99% of my customers.  They buy them anyhow, but all would gladly pay a little more for a better product.  I have noticed a decline in sales in the past two months, however, and I attribute that to the crappy look and feel of the books now.  While the hardcores may purchase no matter what, the casual customer does not.  When will Marvel (and all publishers) get that?  When you have a winner, why screw with it? - nobody likes the feeling of getting 'LESS for the same money.'  

As a retailer, I'll also be getting less for the same money.  In spite of the fact that it may affect my discount level, I intend to cut down my orders on the Ultimate line, because with the sales drop-off, I will need to - these things are just too hard to store.  And, as Bill points out, there's some weird chemical reaction that causes an odd odor to be exuded when they're stored together.  God only knows what's going on there - but customers have commented on it, and I can't handle the smell.  I suspect I'll find them sticking together at some later point, but that remains to be seen.  What am I, the retailer who has no idea, supposed to tell my customers when they ask me, 'What's that smell?  The cover almost feels oily -- do you think they're going to damage my other books if I keep them in the same box?  Are these covers acid-free?'  How am I supposed to answer this when Marvel changes its product without warning or explanation?