Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics, Spider-Man, Superman | Tagged: batwoman, catwoman, deathstroke, hulk, lobo, nightwing, Titans, wonder woman

How Marvel And DC Are Trying To Get Comic Shops To Order More Comics

How both Marvel and DC are trying to get comic shops to order more comics this week

Published Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:59:09 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:19:03 -0500

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Article Summary

Marvel and DC are using new incentive strategies to boost comic shop orders before Final Order Cut-Off.
DC offers steep discounts on extra issues if shops match orders to previous successful comics.
Marvel gives a 10% discount on entire orders if shops match new titles to earlier high-order benchmarks.
Extra discounts on Daredevil, Punisher, and Jessica Jones collections tie in with Marvel's TV launch push.

Bleeding Cool likes to keep an eye on how Marvel and DC Comics encourage comic book retailers to order more of their comics. Right now, they have both settled on their own strategies for bumping up the numbers ahead of Final Order Cut-Off this Monday. Let's see how they are doing both this week.

DC Comics likes retailers to order specific titles at the same numbers as other comics they've ordered in the past, assuming this new comic will have a similar market to that one. And then if retailers order additional numbers, they can get them at a discount, usually in packs of 25 for $25, or a dollar each, which works out as a 75% or 80% discount on those additional issues, which might persuade comic book stores to take a gamble.

This week, that means Lobo #2, Batwoman #2 and Deathstroke #2, the three DC Next Levels that had their first issues out this week, matched to the retailer's orders for Superman #31, which was the first Superman tie-in issue to DC's K.O. that came out in October and did okay. Will the second issues do better? That's what DC would like retailers to think, and take advantage of their offer.

While Catwoman #86 is similarly tied to Catwoman #81, New Titans #34 to Titans #29, Nightwing #137 to Nightwing #131, Superman Unlimited #12 to Superman Unlimited #7 and Wonder Woman #32 to Wonder Woman #26.

In comparison, Marvel Comics, at least for this month, has a different way to encourage additional purchases. If retailers match Infernal Hulk #6 to orders for Infernal Hulk #1 (a big ask given the usual #1 bump in orders) then retailers can take an additional 10% discount. Which can be another fifth off the cover price, and might make it worth bumping order numbers to get a better discount. Ordering in bulk when ordering in Hulk…

And they are doing the same for the launch of Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #1, an additional 10% off the cost of ordering the comic, if order numbers are matched to Amazing Spider-Man #25. Which also makes another fifth off the cover price. Marvel Comics appears to be asking retailers for a higher order point, but then gives that discount to the entire order, rather than just to what a retailer orders above that point, as with DC. It's all about the number crunching…

On top, Marvel is also giving an additional 5% discount to retailers on Daredevil, Punisher and Jessica Jones ahead of the new Daredevil TV series, with collections for retailers who order before mid-March… including the new Premier Collection.

Daredevil: Born Again [Marvel Premier Collection]
Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank [Marvel Premier Collection]
Daredevil By Chip Zdarsky Omnibus Vol. 1 Tedesco Cover
Daredevil: Back In Black
Daredevil: The Dark Art
Daredevil: Death of Daredevil
Jessica Jones: Blind Spot
Daredevil Modern Era Epic Collection: The Devil In Cell-Block D
Devil's Reign
Daredevil: Cold Day In Hell