Marvel Comics In Desperation Mode? Sending Free Comics To Retailers

Marvel Comics In Desperation Mode? Sending Free Comics To Retailers

Guess Marvel Comics continues not to sell well as the company has to send out free issues to retailers (again).

A retailer on Twitter reports Marvel Comics is sending 150% more copies of Avengers #3 — for free.

In addition, the retailer is receiving 100% more on Gamora, Star-Lord, etc. 

What this will actually do – and Marvel Comics is notorious for this – is drive up their sales numbers, even though in reality nobody is buying them. Marvel Comics does this with various geek box subscriptions and dozens of variant covers, which artifically inflate the numbers, with the comics usually cancelled six issues or so later. I can recall Marvel Comics doing this for their first “Point One” issue that nobody wanted: They sent out double the amount of issues ordered, which were simply left on the shelves of comic shops everywhere. 

The last few months have seen Marvel Comics get slammed in sales as DC’s fan-friending Rebirth event has been a major hit. While Marvel Comics continues to replace characters and go the politically correct route, DC Comics has returned to classic characters and stories, which in turn has seen them take up most of the comic book market.  

Things started to go sour for Marvel Comics when Axel Alonso came on board as EIC. Alonso, in addition to Joe Quesada, Dan Buckley, Tom Brevoort, Brian Bendis and Jeph Loeb all make up the Marvel Comics/TV and creative committee that Kevin Feige fired from being involved with the Marvel Studios movies.  That Feige is a smart guy.

About Matt McGloin

Matt McGloin is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Cosmic Book News, the independent entertainment news site he founded in 2008. He covers movies, comics, TV, video games and pop culture and has reported major industry scoops over the years, including revealing the Avengers: Endgame title ahead of its official announcement. Through Cosmic Book News, he helped Marvel Comics promote Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova through exclusive previews, artwork, and interviews, with the site also quoted in solicitations and on comic covers. He also reported on Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again retooling before it was later confirmed by the trades.

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