Fifth Degree: Marvel annoys me, DC makes me happy

Booster Gold #26 second printing

Booster Gold #26

by Josh Crawley

I’ve been a little mentally wiped-out the past few days, possibly because I couldĀ  sit for hours (and have) reading Todd Klein’s logo studies. They’re great fun, but you shouldn’t go read them until you finish here. It’s just a little ranting; you’ll be done soon enough.

I have a problem with Marvel. Last week they announced a second printing of Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth #7 that would be on stands the same day as the first printing. They said they did this “to match expected demand.” I can completely understand thinking a title may be overlooked, and I appreciate going back to press on books that are in great demand. “Where’s the problem?” you’re asking.

Initial orders aren’t due on the first printing until next Tuesday! Never mind that retailers can adjust those numbers up until about Christmas Eve on the book that’s supposed to ship in the second half of January. Why Marvel isn’t just soliciting this as a variant cover that we can order as many as we want of is beyond me. It isn’t like they’ve never done that before. It would also probably sell better, too.

That’s not the only way Marvel let me down this week. I was unpacking our books over the weekend and I came across Invincible Iron Man #20. It has two covers, shipped in about a 50:50 ratio. One of them has a profile of Iron Man’s helmet and doesn’t look as comic book-y. The other is a wraparound cover with Thor sitting near Tony Stark’s possibly dead body. Sadly, someone managed to use a low resolution file for this cover, so it looks about as bad as the Civil War: The Confession cover from a few years ago. The same cover that was then used again on the back cover of the Fallen Son oversized hardcover.

This week, Marvel is also sending to retailers the Son of Marvel Reading Chronology. Sadly, in at least one place it missed its entire purpose of being. After the listing for Ghost Rider: Road to Damnation, they list Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears and then mention it’s a prologue to Road to Damnation. Really? As a chronology, shouldn’t Trail of Tears be listed first?!

Doom Patrol  #4 second printing

Doom Patrol #4

Thankfully, DC did something to cheer me up with a few of their second printings this week: they’re color-coded! Booster Gold #26, Doom Patrol #4, and R.E.B.E.L.S. #10 have been recolored to match the Blackest Night Lantern Corps they were promoted with; orange, yellow, and indigo, respectively.

And those of you who may have worried, like I did, about Blue Beetle guest-starring but not having a second feature in Booster Gold, fret not! The page count didn’t change, so DC isn’t trying to swindle extra money out of you.

I think that’s it for this week; I want to go watch some Monday Night Football. Next week I’ll be doing my monthly Previews spotlighting, unless products aren’t posted yet. If they aren’t, I’ll have a couple of reviews.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and remember, you’d have to eat practically an entire turkey for the tryptophan in it to have any noticeable effect.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #10 second printing

R.E.B.E.L.S. #10

Feel free to contact me with creators you’d like to see spotlighted, comics for review, comments, concerns, corrections, questions, or even just your favorite beer. Be sure it says ATTN: JOSH if it’s sent post, otherwise we may have issues. If you just want more of me running my mouth, check Twitter.com/joshcrawley.

josh@westfieldcomics.com

Westfield Comics
ATTN: JOSH
7475 Mineral Point Rd STE 22
Madison WI 53717
______________________
Josh Crawley is the tenured Master of Disaster for Westfield Comics, not to be confused with Josh Crawley, the keyboardist for Everclear.

Purchase

Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth #7

Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America HC

Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears

Ghost Rider: Road to Damnation

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