Posted in: Batman, Comics, Comics Publishers, DC Comics | Tagged: Batman, dc comics, epic games, Fortnite, harley quinn

Comic Shops Heavily Underestimated Demand For Batman/Fortnite Comic

Today's Batman/Fortnite #1 comic saw Batman head to Fortnite Island to do battle amongst its occupants. Catwoman, Deathstroke, Harley Quinn and Snake Eyes are accompanying him on the journey. And each print copy comes with a code that enables the reader to download a Harley Quinn Rebirth skin, as designed by Amanda Conner, in the game itself.

DC Comics made the comic book returnable, so that retailers could order as many copies as they want and return the unsold copies. They provided retailers with advance copies of the comic book. They delayed FOC orders so that retailers could order more. And retailers… didn't. Oh, they ordered lots, certainly, just not the BRZRKR-level numbers that were needed.

So today, when Epic Games put the Batman/Fortnite comic on the Fortnite game home screen, tweeted it out to fans and advertised that this was available in comic book shops but not with the digital comics, every Fortnite player started trying to find their local comic shop and get a copy of the comic – or just the code inside the comic.

I got mine, from a small store in South West London and was lucky to do so.

As of now, people are paying $40 on eBay just for the code, free in the $4 comic book. Firstly, the code is available to people who are paid subscribers to the DC Universe app – only available in North America. For the rest of us, it is worth noting that a second print is coming on the 4th of May. Orders for that were settled weeks ago too, but it is likely that DC Comics may overprint. And also that a third printing will most likely be rushed through. If so, it is likely that orders on the third printing will exceed the first printing.

As for issue 2, that is likely to be even harder to find, orders have also been set. I think Bleeding Cool can exclusively reveal that there will also be a second printing for Batman/Fortnite #2 out on the 25th of May, orders for which have not been set.

Also the Harley Quinn Rebirth skin from #1 will be available in the Item Shop in a few months anyway. And the items in subsequent issues #2-#6 will be available through the Item Shop on the same day as the comic is published. However the Armored Batman Zero Outfit for those who collect all six codes, that may be harder to come by any other way.

Ryan Higgins of the Comic Conspiracy comic shop in Sunnyvale, California, posted on Twitter what many comic book retailers have been saying privately to me,

"Comics Conspiracy, the Batman/Fortnite comic is out tomorrow, but we're almost sold out already–please hold." "Comics Conspiracy, the Batman/Fortnite comic is out tomorrow, but we're almost sold out already–please hold." "Comics Conspiracy, the Batman/Fortnite comic is out t

"Seriously, it's the biggest blunder I've ever made. I literally had 1000 copies in my FOC cart and changed my mind last-minute. The retailer forums were, to put it mildly, a f-cking disaster. It's embarrassing. DC gave us full .pdf copies, made it returnable, and put it back on FOC."

Doug O'Loughlin of Comic Cave in Kenton, Portland, posted

People are freaking out on their LCS's re:Batman Fortnite crossover. Keep in mind this was slipped into the order at the last minute & many shops don't do much digital x-over business. I opted out because nobody was asking for it (thankful for my customers who are about reading). Either it's cool because of a code you can already buy on the DC website, or it's 'cuz an app said so (usually low print run, which doesn't necessarily mean a good product). Still, don't take it out on your comic shop if you didn't pre-order 3 wks ago.

You will get a second and third chance with multiple prints, however.

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