Monday Monday, can’t trust that day / Monday Monday, it just turns out that way.
- So the other day, in my most recent End of Civilization post I noted the forthcoming “someone’s a’gettin’ married” event forthcoming in the Archie comics, and I mentioned something about the possibility of this getting real-world news coverage. Well, I didn’t realize this (having divested myself of cable television at the house recently), but this event is getting real-world news coverage, apparently.
Yes, that’s right, it’s getting covered right now, a full three months before these comics even hit the stands. Usually when a comic gets its media push when it’s solicited, versus when it’s about to be released, we’ll get a number of people pop into the shop looking for the item in question, and we have to explain ordering lead times and such. Well, okay, maybe we just say “it’s not out yet..they’ve jumped the gun a bit.”
I don’t think I’ve had anyone ask about this new Archie wedding thing. Maybe the news coverage mentioned the three-month lead time and all those potential customers actually listened. I mean, there’s always a first time, I suppose. And it’s not as if we won’t sell them…we’re one of the, what, ten?* direct market stores to carry any kind of Archie comic stock in depth, so we do have a clientele for it. But I’m not holding my breath for any kind of massive turnout for this particular stunt.
- Speaking of which, there’s still this whole Reborn thing coming from Marvel, which is maybe the beginning of the return of the currently assumed dead Captain America or something like that. And, we’re supposed to be getting some kind of solicitation information at some point in the near future, since so far all we have is the creative team, all-black cover “images,” and a promo shot of who I think is the female Bucky from that “Heroes Reborn” event from a few years back. Oh, and there’s supposed to be “extensive media coverage” for this series in a couple of weeks, we’re being told.
Now, if it is the return of Cap, I can see this being like the Adventures of Superman #500, which was the beginning of the return of Superman following the enormous-selling “Death of Superman” storyline. Everybody bumped up orders, hoping for “Death of Superman” sales numbers…and they didn’t materialize. And now you can find that comic in bargain bins pretty much everywhere. Not saying this is going to be the fate of Reborn, but…well, death sells, life not so much. Not sure anyone in the real world is going to care a whole lot about this…even assuming they get exposed to the promised media coverage, if it actually happens.
So again…we’ll order based on what we think we can sell, and not based on potential fluke media-driven sales which may or may not materialize. Assuming we ever get any more solicitation info.
- Follow-up to my Swamp Thing links post…you know that one sketch I linked to, the one I compared to Mike Mignola’s work? Have a colored version, why don’t you? Very nice.
- Pal Dorian is giving away a copy of the most-excellent Boody trade paperback, reprinting bizarrely wonderful comic stories by Boody Rogers, and all you have to do is tell him which character he hates more than Spider-Man, and why. Deadline’s in a couple of days, so hurry up. And don’t bother asking me for hints…I told him my guess, and he told me I was wrong. OH THE SHAME.
- And now…Swamp Thing Jokes. Please don’t shoot the messenger.
