ICv2 has discovered several instances in which newsstand copies of Marvel Comics arrived before direct market copies, putting specialty retailers at a potential disadvantage. Marvel's Matt Ragone responds to inquiries from ICv2 and explains what is going on...

ICv2 recently submitted a number of written questions to Marvel President Jemas, and he took time to respond in his usual frank style (we guess it's not just the spoken interviews that bring out that trait).

Marvel President Bill Jemas announced at a press conference today, April 25, that Marvel will continue its relationship with Diamond as exclusive direct market distributor and will also expand the relationship so that Diamond will handle Marvel's trade paperback business to bookstores as well as the direct market.

Here's a typical example of the kind of reactions we received. 'After reading Mr. Jemas's comments on the overshipping, I must say that I can count the number of digits in his IQ by his 'I know better than you do' attitude (zero).