Retailer site ICv2 is collecting the opinion of retailers about Marvel’s Civil War being delayed. And, well, they’re pretty much what you’d expect.

Ted Mays of Honolulu’s Gecko Books and Comics:

When Marvel announced the Civil War event, did anyone read the list of creators and NOT THINK that delays were inevitable?  I’m actually astounded they got three entire issues of Civil War out in the months for which they were solicited!

Ilan Strasser of New Jersey’s Fat Moose Comics and Games:

My opinion is if you can’t be professional with your scheduled delivery dates, then don’t join the ranks of the already arrogant.  If you are already in the ranks, but don’t care to work in such a way that your books come out when they are promised, then you can get the hell out too.

Jay Bardyla of Alberta’s Happy Harbor Comics:

This disrespect, which will go unnoticed by execs at the companies, is just part of the downward spiral of the industry that suffers not only from inconsistency but also from inflated costs due to exclusivity contracts and an inability to understand how to create single issue comics.  They need to sit back and examine how to properly run a business and practice their customer relation skills, something Marvel’s Joe Quesada sorely lacks.

David Whelan of West Virginia’s Comic Castle:

I hear customers complain about these things for years.  It leaves them with a bad experience.  Especially for a company as large as Marvel and a series as hot as Civil War,  #5 should have been drawn and ready to print before #1 was advertised.  I realize there are constraints for the publishers and this may not be easy or particularly cost effective.  But having only one Civil War title coming out for an entire month and making old and new readers alike wait extra months before the climax of one of the greatest comic stories I have ever seen or sold, is going to be more costly in the long run.

Marc Bowker of Alter Ego Comics, in Ohio:

I know that some retailers and fans feel like this is being blown out of proportion, but I think that it’s the straw that broke the camel’s back when it comes to late shipping books — Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk, All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder, Daredevil: Father, Secret War, Daredevil: Target, Wonder Woman #2, Ultimates — the list goes on and on.  As many others have pointed out, the comic book industry appears to be the only industry in the world where chronic lateness is acceptable.

 

Then, to make matters worse, Marvel editor Tom Brevoort is interviewed on Newsarama and basically brushes off any responsibility for the Civil War delay.  Frankly, I viewed that interview as an insult to comic retailers and fans everywhere.

(Am I the only one who finds it ironic that it’s being called the straw that broke the camel’s back, considering the overuse of that phrase in Civil War #1? Probably. Ah well.)

Jesse Leon McCann of California’s Comics Unlimited:

We thought we were clinking on all cylinders until this ugly turn of events.  Retailers had a pretty good idea how many to order, how many fans to expect buying the books.  Unbeknownst to everyone else, the publisher wasn’t pulling its weight, or rather, couldn’t maintain pulling its weight, and everyone is disappointed.  Yes, many Civil War books will sell whenever they arrive, but it won’t be the same.  It was a beautiful thing we all thought we had going, but it was an illusion.

Steve Bennett of Ohio’s Dark Star Comics:

I’m keen to learn just how Marvel plans to demonstrate its regrets.  Are we talking higher discounts, more retailer incentives, perhaps some absolutely free comics with variant covers?  Even your local radio station is willing to give away free t-shirts and key chains to pay for some cheap good will.  But given past history frankly I’ll be surprised if they even make any of the Civil War-related comics returnable.

Jim Brocius of Nevada’s Cosmic Comics:

Comic book customers are doctors and lawyers and professionals, to be sure.  But a lot of them are also dishwashers, ditch diggers, fry cooks, pizza delivery drivers and a hundred other low/entry level jobs.  These people work hard for their money at jobs they hate but can’t afford to be late to.  Many of them would cut off a finger to have such a cushy job in comics.  It is insulting beyond description to these folks that so many people with such a great job can’t seem to get up in the morning and DO IT.

And finally for now, Kathleen Bottarini of California’s Comic Book Box:

Whatever happened to the role of editors in comics?  Is it my imagination, or wasn’t it the editors who kept artists and writers on schedule?  Who kept the “big picture” on schedule?  Whatever happened to that?

…It seems reasonable to think of Civil War as a summer event book, which means that there should be some attention paid to deadlines, since it’s also reasonable to assume that the impact of this series will have ramifications to the rest of the Marvel Universe.  Evidently, that is not that big a deal.  And, is it a surprise that Quesada, as Editor in Chief, does not pay the least bit of attention to deadlines?  He is NOT leading by example, or he would be bothered to complete Daredevil: Father. There needs to be accountability. 

 

If a publisher, such as Marvel, cannot meet their deadlines, then they need to take a page from DC Comics and offer the ability to return the leftover product after the conclusion of the series.  DC Comics is not without sin, but they reach out to the retail community–it’s called “good will.”  Marvel should give it a try, not just for the retailers, but also, more importantly, for the Marvel fans who support us both.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006 at 11:49 am and is filed under Industry, Internet, Marvel, Retailers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.