So why was Captain America #600 made available to be in shops today again?
Retailer Brian Hibbs of The Savage Critic(s) has made his displeasure known on the retail side of the Captain America #600 situation. Hibbs bluntly points out his belief that Marvel did a disservice to retailers by focusing the release of the issue for a Monday, presumably to coincide with a media push.
Part of the problem seems to be that while many outlets carried news on the return of Steve Rogers, precious few actually indicated that Cap #600, the beginning of the story, hit comic shops today. CNN.com’s coverage includes comments from Tom Brevoort and makes some terrible puns (details are “shielded”? Yeeesh), but there’s no mention of the issue hitting stands. Same with New York Daily News; they pimped Reborn, which begins next month, but not today’s special issue. Heck, even the L.A. Times’ Hero Complex Blog, which has a preview of Reborn #1 doesn’t mention that the lead-in is in stores now. The New York Times gets it, but hey, they are a paper of record, and reporter George Gene Gustines is a fan who’s been known to read a comic book news site or two in his time (ahem). But by and large, you can’t help but wonder if anyone at Marvel made sure to mention to these outlets that issue #600 was in stores today.
So, while some retailers went out of their way (and paid for shipping) to have the book in-store two days ahead of time, it seems that there’s little info out for the “civilian” populace that would let interested parties know that they can get the book right now. What else did Hibbs have to say?
At the end of the day, Marvel decided to fuck with retailers in the hope that news would break big. That doesn’t seem to have happened.
The shame of it is that if they had told us this at point of initial solicitation I could have played it up in store, I could have gathered subs and interest and preorders, and I would have had a stronger order placed because there would have been excitement about the “how” of it.
Now, not so much.
To be fair though, it’s hard to make the argument that Marvel just decided to f with retailers (though Hibbs obviously thinks differently about the company and has a successful class action lawsuit to prove it) rather than try to sell some books. Unless you own or fully control the media outlet, the media outlet will do what’s best for said media outlet 10 times out of 10. Who knows if a mention of Cap #600 being in stores today was in Sacks article in the Daily News (the “break” article), but it seems likely, if Marvel was pointing to major media coverage for the issue, that they felt it would be. When news stories go outside of the comics media which can be largely controlled by the publishers, you rolls the dice, and hope for the best.
It’ll be interesting to see how other retailers react. Retailing readers, how about you? Have you had phone calls, increased interest, and increased traffic? Did getting the book today make a difference for you? And what about the readers? Are you waiting till Wednesday, or did you have to have the book ASAP?
Note: As was pointed out in the thread, the CNN story did mention that Captain America #600 was available on Monday.
June 15th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I own Golden Memories Comics on Long Island, my problem with the issue is that nothing happens even remotely tied in to his rebirth in the comic!!
You just get one panel of the woman who shot cap saying they can still save him then it says continued in Reborn #1
I hope non regular comic readers and not buying the issue thinking he is reborn in #600 - I think some will and will cause some to cry rip off
June 15th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
i was just at midtown comics. empty
June 15th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
My LCS didn’t get theirs today. The owner felt it wouldn’t be worth it to spend the extra money for shipping, and is just waiting until Wednesday. Sounds like he made the right choice.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Got them about 90 minutes ago, sold 16 so far. Most people are getting both covers. Few phone calls. Most people coming in are regulars, but not subscribers. Most subs said they’ll just get their copy on Wednesday. Most people coming in are grabbing other stuff, so that’s always cool. We’ll see what the final numbers are after Wednesday.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Did Brevoort, in his interview, say that the book would be in shops today? If he did, I bet CNN would have included it in their piece. He was there to pimp the book, after all.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
I’m not even picking up Cap #600 because it’s all been pretty much spoiled and isn’t even necessary to Reborn #1.
Marvel is trying so hard to make this a big deal it seems to be a waste of resources.
I don’t remember, but when Superman was “Reborn” during the Reign of Superman arc, no one cared until he was fully back in his spot as Superman (#82 I think?). It’s the same thing here.
Couple that with the inevitable Hitch delay (even with Guice having to save Marvel’s butt it will happen), much abloo abloo about nothing.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Actually the CNN article does mention that #600 was on sell today.
“The primary shooter, Crossbones — working under the orders of Captain America’s longtime nemesis, the Red Skull — was caught. The identity of a second shooter is revealed in issue 600, which goes on sale Monday.”
June 15th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I still remember the outrage fans felt about the press release of Cap #25 and how it happened before the book was released. If the same thing had happened, fans would still be angry.
I guess what I am saying that no matter what Marvel did, people would be angry. They should have coordinated this better with shops though and sucked up any extra shipping costs.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
The second shooter wasn’t revealed in 600 like the CNN article said. We knew it was Sharon back in #25.
June 15th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Damned if they did, damned if they didn’t.
June 15th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Yeah, our store traffic is just like any other Monday. Marvel hyped this issue to us but did absolutely nothing with the national media to help us sell all these copies we got in advance.
Shady business Marvel. Real shady.
June 15th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I waited on the release of #600 until Wednesday. There’s only one other shop here in town, and he’s not even open Mondays.
I had 1 call from a regular, and 1 walk-in who I don’t recall as a regular, asking for the book. No one else has expressed any interest. I’m glad I waited.
June 15th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
This news hit with a dull thud and was trumped both by the Superman-in-USA Today announcement and Archie getting married. Can’t win ‘em all, Marvel, but I’m surprised they thought anyone would think this was a big deal except longtime Brubaker readers.
June 15th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
So this is a reversal of Cap #25 in more ways than one.
I remember at the time, that Joe Quesada had been saying over and over that Cap #25 was going to be “huge” and that people should order the hell out of it. But with little in the way of details and a history of sketchy “advice” to retailers from Joey Q, most people didn’t bother. They got bit in the ass and pretty consistently since them, Quesada has had a high degree of success in projecting which books “need to be paid more attention to.” I don’t remember any retailers feeling burned that they ordered tons of “One More Day” or the Obama issue, for example.
Now, though? Back to square one. He clearly overhyped this one just to move copies, and now who’s to say he can be believed next time around?
June 15th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
is that Brian Hibbs guy EVER happy? never have seen the cat but he seems like the stereotypical whiny comic store owner. pfft
June 15th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
The cynic in me wants to say that Marvel purposely tanked this one just so people can’t bitch next time one of their books catches a slow newsday and sells like hotcakes.
I think the Monday thing was kind of stupid, though. One would think that Mondays are probably the hardest news days to predict, given that coverage from the weekend will fall into it. And what’s the point of trying to make people come in for a special day? I know a lot of shops that aren’t open on Mondays, since it can be a slow business day. Sacks has worked well with Marvel on coverage before (he covered the Cap #25 issue and is a good guy), so Wednesday coverage probably could have been just as easily lined up and retailers hyped for the issue without incurring extra shipping costs and all.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
“Damned if they did, damned if they didn’t.”
Pretty damn obvious that they shouldn’t have in the first place.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Brian wants to be treated like a customer and not a mark or a sucker. He wants the publishers to be fair and consistent in their business, and not change the rules when needs permit.
Marvel caught hell for not giving clear enough notice about the last book, and when they went to the media people were actually angry, and claimed they weren’t given fair notice. This time everyone was told clearly and distinctly (tho not exactly far enough ahead of time to really capitalize on it should they choose to) that the media would be told. Two things happened:
1) the media had actually stories to cover, what with the election in Iran. So there wasn’t enough empty time to fill with news on this. Remember, when the Death of Superman story happened, NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED that day, so this was the front page story. Damn hard to get that again.
2) This is “another” Captain America story, and they just did one.
I’m really quite surprised that marvel expected to get the same kind of coverage they got last time.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
My comic book retailer had a funny feeling that Marvel wasn’t going to get the same amount of media coverage they did with Steve Rogers’ death, so he simply refused to pay shipping for the unprecedented Monday release. Good for him. Sounds like he did the right thing.
RR
TheFanboyFiles.blogspot.com
June 15th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I asked my comic retailer about Cap 600 on Mon, and he said “Wednesday”. As in: new comics come out Wednesday, alot of people come to stores on Wednesday, Cap 600 is a new comic, so Wednesday. Nuff said.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Franly, first Hibbs runs a top notch comic shop, with a great selection. Second, he has a right to call bullshit on this stuff. The type of behavior that is taking place between Marvel and DC is what nearly brought down the industry, you’d think Joe Q would know better. But who knows could be the pull of the shareholders. That said, if I were a retailer with this dog and pony show and the news landed with this kind of thud, I would be ripped, they do depend a great deal on Marvel and DC for a good portion of their livelihood after all.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I don’t know if I’m speaking for the majority, but I have a sense that I might when I say that it’s not particularly an easy trip for me to pick up my comics. Unless you live in a city and have the kind of demand for comic shops that cities do, you’re probably more like me who has to drive two towns over to the closest comic shop. So if anyone thinks I’m going to make that effort twice in one week (I usually do it about once every two) is insane.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Give me a break. Marvel gave an exclusive to the New York Daily News. That gives you some negotiating power> Apparently they did not establish as part of their deal to give the story to the New York Daily News that they mention that the issue was out that day.
That’s incompetence on Marvel’s part.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
There was no LCS around me that carried it today (and I have about four or five LCS I can go to around the area, and only a few Tuesday.
So the Monday release bit was kind of pointless for me anyways.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Funny story…I called my LCS on Sunday, to make sure that they were getting Captain America 600 on Monday. The worker, who answered the phone, said, “we get new books on Wednesdays.” Uh…OK.
I emailed the manager & he wasn’t very happy about that response! He assured me that they would be there today & that he would hold both covers for me. Sure enough, I got there at 6PM & he had them set aside for me! Big shout out to Bill at Hall of Heroes in Moorestown, NJ!
Apparently, many shops are ticked because none of the newsfeeds mentioned that the book would be in stores today! Personally, I didn’t see any news coverage, until 8PM on Yahoo News’ frontpage.
Al
http://www.statuemarvels.com
June 15th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
They should have left this a surprise, and revealed, on CAP’s 600 release, the full solicit info for Reborn…much bigger buzz…why would the “news” wanna pimp out a story that’s pretty much already been ruined? The media only gives huge coverage for shock and surprise, on things of this nature.
Also, silly comic book guns as plot devices are stupid, lol.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I guess they weren’t lucky, this time it WASN’T a slow news day. Iranian elections and their aftermath were more important…
June 15th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
I’m not really sure why anyone thought pushing the release to Monday was a good idea. None of the rumors they were floating last week about what might be in the issue were anything I could imagine the press latching onto or causing some sort of speculator run to the stores. Naming the star of the Cap movie isn’t something that would have pulled people in (any more than announcing Downey as Iron Man was). Maybe the Isiah Bradley theory might have been a draw, but honestly… Captain America #25 was a lucky break of timing and a slow news day, the general public has little to no idea who the hell Captain America is. Trying to recreate it deliberately is like playing the lottery, and banking on Marvel being right was even worse.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:25 am
Frankly the fact that the “rebirth” doesnt actually happen in the issue makes the whole point moot. who gives a damn if the comic came out today or 2 weeks from now? i sure as hell dont.
June 16th, 2009 at 4:55 am
Hey ya try something new and it doesn’t work. It happens all the time. Looks like everyone had the option or ordering early or at the regular time. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. What’s the problem? Often times in business idea either sail or they tank. Why should this be any different? And why should Marvel be getting all of this flack for trying to hype their book and try to drum up greater sales for those who sell their books? Like it was said above. Damned if ya do and Damned if ya don’t. Also it could be possible that Marvel did tell them to say that the book would be out on Monday and either hey didn’t or forgot to say it. You know with these things sometimes things get lost in translation. But hey ya’ll would rather rail. So rail on!
June 16th, 2009 at 6:02 am
Once again Marvel screw the retailers.
Here’s an idea. We’re a direct market. We have to put up with shitty customer service from Diamond because htey have an unchallenged monopoly.
So how about the publishers pick up Diamond’s slack. Make us retailers and all Diamond employess sign Non-Disclosure Agreements, then give us meaningful solicitations that tell us in no uncertain terms what is going on!!!
The vague synopsis solicitations can be left for the customers and avid readers.
Anyway who violates the NDA loses all variant cover priviliges or deep discounts or something for the first offence.
Repeated spoilers? Diamond closes your account. Game over man.
Simples.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:08 am
I called my LCBS to see if they had it and if it looked like it was selling out–they weren’t getting it until Wednesday, so I’m golden.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:18 am
You know it’s not just up to Marvel to let the the public know these things. My LCS had sent out emails to their customers(he also sends weekly emails letting people what is coming out on Wendesday) letting people know that #600 would be on in the stores Monday.
It is not Marvels sole responsibility to promote these things. The LCS’s had enough warning about this to either put signs up, send emails(like mine did) or something.
Sounds like Hibbs wants to complain because the people were not lining up outside his shop.
I think too many comic shop expect Marvel and DC to do all th promoting for them.
And as some one else said the time given to this was small do other more important news like the election in Iran.
And I’m sick and tired of hearing “Marvel is screwing the LCS” or “Joe Q is screwing the LCS”
First of all every decision that Marvel makes doesn’t come from Joe. He has bosses like most of us. I’m sure he has his input but sometimes the final decision are out of his hands(not saying that was the case this time but you understand). It’s just the way retailers and readers complain you would think that every single decision is made by Joe himself and no one else and that he hates LCS. Considering that the LCS is part of their lively hood I seriously doubt that no matter how much money they get from the movies.
And with Cap #600 no one had to order the partial shipment to come Monday. If I owned a shop and was ordering them for them for early shipment I would be doing what I can to promote it within my store and area. It would be my responsibility to get the customers in not Marvel’s.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:40 am
I think Marvel is the major problem here: it’s not just that their feed to the media did not include a mention of Cap 600 being available that day; it’s also that when they told the retailers their would be coverage they gave them no time to react.
Retailers were busy, it was new comic book day, and they had to place their order that day to meet FOC. I know my LCS missed the deadline to increase their order.
June 16th, 2009 at 9:29 am
I threw the dice and got some more at our shop, as well as had them shipped today. I’d ordered more than normal Cap numbers, but not ridiculously high (I can’t remember if the order 600% of your Civil War advice that Marvel gave was about 600 or Reborn, but we didn’t come anywhere close to that for either). The biggest problem that issue has it that it just doesn’t deliver. Yes, it’s a well told story and I’m interested in reading Reborn #1 when it comes out, but there isn’t anything revolutionary or “twisty” or something a civilian who wandered in on Cap #25 would pick up and go “Oh, yeah, Steve’s coming back.” The issue states that they could save him, and show a abnormal gun that was used to shoot him, but there was no eye-opening, body showing, or anything like that. Furthermore, Reborn will replace the regular Captain America series, allowing Marvel to go “Hey, if you want this big name story that’s a continuation of the story you’ve been following for over two years, we’re going to need an extra dollar.”
This is exactly the kind of thing that got DC in trouble with Batman RIP. We were told “Batman is going to die,” and then the issue of Batman comes out and it’s “Well, no, we’re just announcing he’s going to die. It actually happens in this other book.” Now it’s “Well, yeah, we’re saying he’s going to come back in interviews and press releases, but if you want anything more on it, you have to get this other series.”
What Marvel did do right was the variety of discount incentives that they offered retailers, as well as the free copies, to help offset the extra shipping costs (which honestly, it’s shipping, and unless you are getting huge amounts, is not that bad) and the ability to make issues available on the day that the news breaks. Not only that, but the moving of the FOC for Reborn so that you have a real idea of what you’re going to be getting when you finalize your order. David Gabriel and Marvel didn’t have to do this, but they did anyway and I think it shows that they are trying, although I will say that I agree with Brian that they *are* gaming the system, just in the nicest way possible.
Good intentions aside, this will color some of how I approach Marvel promotions from here on out.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I’m sorry that most of you have such negative attitudes.
The store I shop at, Kingdom Comics in Hoover, AL had a great day. The owner had Captain America #600 in stock. He posted on his Facebook site as soon as they arrived. He even had a Captain America themed cake and drinks available to show his appreciation to the customers. Good times.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Stephen - I totally agree that an LCS needs to do some of their own promotions to help sell books, but what could they really have done for this book? “Hey everybody!!! Come buy Cap #600!!! We have no idea what the story is about, but Marvel said it would be BIG!!! The Must Have of the Year!!!” Would that get you to buy it? Not me.
How did your LCS promote the issue, given that there was no information about it’s content available?
June 16th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
This is a whole lot of who cares all around. Great comic issue, though. And I liked popping in to my shop on an odd day. Wah, Marvel is trying unique ways to market their books, wah.
June 16th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
For those who say that the LCS should have promoted this: what was there for them to promote?
Marvel saved all the details for their oh-so-worthless news story.
June 16th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Guys:
Here’s the main reason it was greeted with a thud from the so-called civilian populace: In journalism parlance, it was a nonstory. Cap’s return is news only for comics fans. There’s no resonance.
People were interested when he was killed because of the shock value. But his return was predestined and anyone who says it wasn’t hasn’t been paying attention.
In broad terms, there’s no there there this time.
June 16th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
If he has such a problem with Marvel, he should stop carrying their books. It’s like he expects the publishers to do his stores promotions for him… Their job is to sell books to you, not your customers. Get in the game and think like a business owner.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
“If he has such a problem with Marvel, he should stop carrying their books. It’s like he expects the publishers to do his stores promotions for him… Their job is to sell books to you, not your customers. Get in the game and think like a business owner.”
And you sound like you’ve haven’t bothered to read any of the other comments. Good job.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
I’m an employee of Kingdom Comics as mentioned above by Bryant Hudson. Do these owners just sit around and do nothing? Do their employees not read books and enjoy them? That’s all it takes. Someone to drum up interest in the product (facebook, myspace, just straight up mentioning it in the store) and workers who know the product and can sell people on it. That’s not hard.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
I said in an earlier Cap. 600 thread that I didn’t expect much out of this book and it looks like it was a good call.
From past experience, when you have multiple writers & artists on an issue and then add some reprint material, you end up with a book that is less than great. This is the same format Marvel has used for recent annuals, which usually sell about 15% less than the regular monthly issue.
I ordered a few extra copies because of the hype but this is not a book I would recommend to customers. If I’m going sell a customer a $4.99 book, I would like to think they’re getting their moneys worth. There were a lot of other books that came out this week that I would recommend first.
Nobody asked for this book on Monday or Tuesday and today (Wednesday), when I got the book, I had 2 calls from regular customers asking me to hold them the Alex Ross cover. This appears to be a non-event.
Ron
Rons Comic World
Armory Plaza - Rt 38
Mount Holly, NJ