Retailers have continued to send us their comments on Marvel's reprinting of the Ultimate #1s for Wal-Mart (see 'Marvel Reprints Ultimate #1s for Walmart').  Over the weekend we received a number of new messages that we thought were worth reprinting.  This is a complex issue with overlapping elements, which the retailers who have written us have managed to highlight.  If you haven't read the first wave of retailer comments (see 'Retailers React to Marvel's Wal-Mart Program -- Pro' and 'Retailers React To Marvel's Wal-Mart Program -- Con'), check them out; you'll see that a lot of good points are made on both sides of this argument.

The second wave of reactions, which are reprinted here, contain some new information, notably that Marvel has reprinted Ultimate Spider-Man #1 for Kay-Bee Toys, which gives the book to anyone who buys $10 worth of Marvel toys, and for the Payless Shoe store chain as well.  Overall, a slight majority of the retailers who have contacted us have approved of the programs, not because they like Marvel's no reprint policy for comic dealers, but because they feel that ultimately having some comics in Wal-Mart and other mass merchandisers will help to create new comic readers and expand the market.

PRO

This comment is from Teresa Moran of Acadiana Book & Comic Shop in Lafayette, Louisiana. 

[I] read your article about the Ultimates showing up in Walmart.  First, I appreciate the way you keep us informed about things.  I hadn't heard.  It is a little upsetting that we can't get them when we could certainly use them.  On the other hand, it might lead to someone who's never been to our store to come here to find the rest.  I would be upset if they made other issues available and caused Walmart to compete with us that way.  It's bad enough that they put some of the main titles in Books-A-Million.  As long as these issues are kept at a minimum in these larger chains, it actually might benefit the specialty shops, who do mostly just comics and TPBs.  Hope you don't mind my two cents...I've had my comics shop for sixteen years.

The following is from Dave Luebke of Dave's Comics in Richmond, Virginia.

While I am a retailer who routinely sells Marvel's line of comics, I was told FROM THE BEGINNING that the ultimate line of comics was designed to be for the mass retailers and the new readers, not the Direct market shops.  We were given the opportunity to order these books initially and move forward as we do with all the Marvel comics today.  I fail to understand why the retailers are upset.  They had the opportunity to buy them (the Ultimates) as usual.  Most of the people who will read these books will be steered to comic shops if their interest is piqued for future issues.  There are also copies that are being given out at the St. Louis fair (25,000), Kinney and Buster Brown shoes, Checkers Hamburgers, etc.  These are abridged editions, not full reprints.  Has anyone checked the page count?  Star Wars had eight reprints of #1 at the time (1977-78).  Marvel has fulfilled its obligations to the letter to the direct market, and is entitled to grow the market if it can.  This will result in a healthier market for all of us.  I commend Marvel for getting the opportunity to display in Wal-Mart.

This comment is from Chris Diestler of Good Times Toons & Tunes of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

As a comic retailer I have to admit I'm disappointed Marvel did not make a similar reprint available to comic shops.  However, Wal-Mart is known for stocking exclusive items (they have their own edited versions of many hiphop CDs for example) that they believe will sell in mass quantities to their customers.  I'll repeat the key words there: MASS QUANTITIES.  As most Wal-Marts have not previously been known to stock comic books of any kind, I actually take this as a good sign that the public perception of the industry is on the rise (or at least the Marvel PR team is finally on the ball).

I sincerely hope that news of this happening doesn't start another whine-fest on the part of comic retailers.  There's been too much of that lately.  Instead, look at the upside, guys and gals: thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands) of potential new, long-term comic readers are on the verge of coming into your store.  Make sure you have something for them to buy when they get there.

CON

This comment is from Tom Trettel of The Comic Book Shop in Wilmington, Delaware.

Although I don't have much info on this, here is what I have seen with my own eyes.  At the NYC Big Apple National show on Friday, I saw two more Ultimate Spider-Man #1 'reprint editions' that were not available to comic retailers.  One is from K-B toys, or so it says on the indicia.  The second is from Payless shoe stores.  Both are single issues that look exactly like the original, except that they have no ad pages and no price on the cover. Also the K-B reprint has no comics code stamp and the Payless has no code stamp and no UPC code on the cover.

Frankly, as a retail store manager, I'm angry.  Marvel lied and is hurting direct market comic stores.  I appreciate that they are trying to expand interest in comics by branching out into 'regular' stores and markets, but they certainly don't need to lie and to us and keep us out of the loop.  I guess I fail the 'IQ test,' but I don't see how being lied to helps me or the industry.