Seriously, it would have taken like two seconds to cut those out of the image.*
So this week is the release of the Labyrinth #1 facsimile edition from Boom!/Archaia, reprinting the three issue adaptation of the Jim Henson movie originally published by Marvel in 1985.
It does look nice, with the artwork by John Buscema and Romeo Tanghal appearing nice and crisp on the white paper. The paper stock used for the cover feels a little more fragile than I’d like, but that’s kinda par for the course in comics now, so I’ll live.
But one thing that does bug me is this little bit of business right here on the front cover:
Yup, they reproduced the original cover down to the original prices. Before you ask, no, this comic is NOT selling for seventy-five cents, but rather for the $4.99 price indicated on the back cover. Which of course means I’m going to be asked “is this really $0.75?” all day.
Usually, when DC and Marvel do their facsimile editions, they either obscure/remove the original price, or change it “499¢” or whatever. Leaving the original price on the cover for a reprint like this always leads to customer confusion. Especially in recent years, when comics have been released with actual low gimmick prices, or seeing something supposedly selling for 75¢ would not be unheard of. It looks like this comic is getting a little sign under it on the shelf saying “REALLY IT’S $4.99.”
So anyway, publishers, don’t do this. It’s annoying for me as a comics retailer, and it’s frustrating for customers, some of whom will think someone’s pulling a fast one.
I did see some wondering online about why this is being reprinted in the first place, and I think the obvious answer is, like I said above, Boom!/Archaia have been doing Henson comics for a while now. This is just another one, only a reprint instead of new material. Hopefully they’ll get around to reprinting Dark Crystal next.
Not only that, but it looks like you’re expected to keep it on display all the way through November!
Not to mention that Bowie (or Jareth if you like) did not have one blue eye and one brown eye as the corner box would indicate, both his eyes were blue, one pupil was permanently dilated due to a fight he had at school that made it appear a different colour.
In this case at least, it is a good thing that comics are no longer sold in convenience stores and drug stores. The customers at those places would definitely expect the price to be 75 cents, and the stores might even be legally required to accept that. In comics shops, there is a general understanding that the printed price and the actual price are not necessarily the same thing.
Maybe that is the solution for you: Put them in plastic bags, with stickers giving the price as $5.25 (to cover the cost of the bag). You might even fool your customers into thinking the things to be collector’s items this way.
I am confusion. Why use the lower boxes at all? The price is wrong, the date is wrong, and the CCA no longer exists. Just replace the whole thing with the right price, and you’re all set. Weird choice.
“The price is wrong, the date is wrong, and the CCA no longer exists.”
True, but I’ll bet they’re hoping for nostalgia to help sell a few comics, and Marvel’s cover design is pretty iconic. They still could of fixed the price issue!
“Not only that, but it looks like you’re expected to keep it on display all the way through November!”
It’s David Bowie, so that’s not unreasonable.
“Put them in plastic bags”
Also, do most stores NOT put their new comics in bags? Mine does! Might as well protect those books!