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Comic Book Stores Still Handing Out Gotham Sampler For Batman Day

Comic book stores are still handing out the Gotham Sampler for Batman Day today, despite DC Comics asking them not to

Published Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:57:03 -0500

Article Summary

Comic book stores are defying DC Comics by handing out the Gotham Sampler on Batman Day despite recall.
DC had requested retailers not to distribute the Gotham Sampler after controversy and offered refunds.
Shops across the US, UK, and Ireland are still giving away the Gotham Sampler to fans for free today.
Some collectors are already selling the withdrawn Gotham Sampler on eBay for up to $12 each.

What if your big Batman Day giveaway was promoting a title withdrawn after national controversy that hit the headlines? And you'd already told comic book stores not to hand it out? But they were doing it anyway, and selling the freebies on eBay for $12 each? Welcome to the most difficult Batman Day that DC Comics has had to deal with since the annual promotion was started a few years ago.

"DC requests that retailers do not hand out the BATMAN GOTHAM SAMPLER on Batman Day 2025. DC Comics will credit retailers for all invoiced copies of BATMAN DAY 2025 – BUNDLES OF 25 – BATMAN GOTHAM SAMPLER (NET). All reorders of Batman Gotham Sampler have been cancelled. Any shortages or damages will not be replaced, and retailers will be issued a credit."

However, Burdin's Comics in Ohio has been advertising its availability at their store for free today. Also in Ohio doing the same is the House Of M. It's not just the folks in Ohio, it's also Daydreams Comics in Indiana with the Gotham Sampler to give away. Or over in Georgia for Myth And Fable. While Collectors Choice Comics of Arizona is limiting them to one per person, while stocks last. It's the same with Coffee And Heroes in Belfast, Ireland. More of the like to be found as Frog Bros in Bournemouth, England.

Comic Book Stores Still Handing Out Gotham Sampler For Batman Day — Batman Day screencap

Here's how DC Comics is officially announcing it for the day:

"At participating comic book shops while supplies last, Batman fans visiting their local comic book shop can choose from a selection of Batman titles celebrating Gotham's Caped Crusader and some of his most infamous adversaries. Multiple new printings of Absolute Batman #1 will be available for fans on Batman Day, including an Absolute Batman #1 blank sketch cover, a foil variant cover, and the oversized (11×17) black and white reproduction of Nick Dragotta's original art in DC W.I.P.: Absolute Batman #1.

"Batman Day editions of Batman & Robin Year One #1 (Mark Waid and Chris Samnee) and Batman: Year Two#1 (Mike Barr and Alan Davis) will be available, and DC will publish a facsimile edition of 1940's Batman #1 by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson—available with its original cover, a blank sketch cover, and as a foil variant cover."

Is your comic store still handing them out? Have they destroyed them? Or are they selling them on eBay for twelve dollars + a pop?

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