Marvel's no reprint policy was on retailers' minds again this week with the news that Amazing Spider-man #36, which is selling very rapidly coast-to-coast, will not be reprinted as a stand-alone issue but will instead by re-issued as part of a Marvel Must-Have book in December (see 'No Stand-Alone Reprint of Amazing Spider-Man #36').  This comment is from Bill Eckman of Classic Cards and Comics in Castle Rock, Colorado.

 

I  had to comment on Marvel not reprinting Amazing Spiderman #36 and bundling it with other 'must have' titles.

 

What the customers want is Amazing Spiderman #36.  They don't want a copy of the issue in another comic.  They don't want to pay $3.99 for a comic that originally retailed for $2.25.  They probably don't want to read the other 'must have' stories that got put in the 'must have' compilation.

 

If a new customer comes into my stores looking specifically for Amazing Spider-man #36 and I can't provide it, then I've just lost a customer and Marvel has lost a new reader.  If a customer comes in looking for Amazing Spiderman #36 and I'm able to reorder it, then I'll get the customer back when the book comes in.  Marvel picks up a new reader and I get a customer who'll probably come back again.  More customers/readers leads to a profit for me and for Marvel.

 

To illustrate my point, take a look a DC and Green Arrow.  Over the past month, I've picked up several customers, who for some reason or another, got 'turned on' to Green Arrow.  The first question I got was, 'Can I get any back issues.'  Every time, I was able to say, 'Yes', because DC keeps reprinting the book.  (With the exception of #3, Diamond Comics still shows issues 1 to 9 available today.)

 

Let's take a look at Heroes.  I realize the book was for charity, but I was able to reorder.  I was able to take potential customers names and phone numbers who wanted the book, place a reorder and then tell them I could get it for them.  Some of these customers have now starting shopping in my stores.

 

Now imagine if I was able to do the same thing with Amazing Spiderman #36.  Customers come in looking for it, I don't have it, but I can reorder.  They'll be back, I'll make a sale, Marvel gains a new reader.  Instead, Marvel bundles the book with some others that the customer wasn't looking for, raises the price and wants the customer to wait a month.  The only one who might be happy with this is Marvel.

 

I realize Marvel is a business and they need to stay profitable.  I don't think they should print a lot of excess comics in the hope that one will be a 'hit'.  When they have a 'hit', they need to have some mechanism in place to handle it.  A blanket 'no reprint' policy doesn't make good economic sense if they have enough reorders to make another print run profitable.  Marvel needs to change their reprint policy instead of coming up with these 'must haves' that no one wants.