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Comic Store In Your Future – Your Life In Lenticular

Rod Lamberti of Rodman Comics, writes weekly for Bleeding Cool. Find previous columns here.

Oh Marvel, I thought it was awkward enough ordering Jim Lee variant covers from a card set from decades ago. But, somehow Marvel easily one ups it.

Yes, another column on what has Marvel done lately that seems incredibly foolish.

When Marvel first announced that there would be a lenticular cover by Joe Quesada for Marvel Legacy #1 they said stores could order it only after we order 150% of what we ordered for Secret Empire #2 I just shrugged and thought not ordering that. It is a $5.99 comic book. Marvel's answer to DC's Rebirth $2.99 one shot is to have a 3D variant cover for $5.99.

As Bleeding Cool reported, that changed. Now comic stores can order the Marvel Legacy one shot lenticular cover without any limits. So now I will order it.

This whole Legacy roll out has been a confusing mess. The "industry changing" announcement which is just that Marvel was having more variant covers. The price for the one shot not being revealed when it was announced. The overly slow roll out of info from Marvel.

Marvel takes a page out of DC's playbook and does 3D covers. Even though Marvel was critical of DC having 3D covers it's now alright because Marvel is doing it.

Now I assumed (and we all know what may happen when ones assumes) that Marvel would have their lenticular covers be like DC lenticular covers were for ordering. Order as many as you want along with as much of the non-variant cover. No, Marvel is making it very complicated. Forcing me to order up on the regular covers just so I have the option to order their 3D covers. I am sorry Marvel did you want me to wear kneepads also?

I can only imagine people thinking about opening a comic store reading about Marvel's ordering guidelines, and they aren't saying this is great!

If I knew this would be Marvel's business model I might never have opened over six years ago. Why do I say this? The sudden jumping of Venom to issue 150 we lost money on. Only a handful of people cared that it was issue 150. I learned that it actually caused some confusion with readership. Where's Venom 149? Isn't these issues 1 through 7 of Venom from an older past series?

Marvel knows how to get us, the comic stores to up orders, but they have loss how to get readership to buy their product. Marvel has lost their focus on readership. Another way, a better way to get comic stores to up their orders is by having readers coming in telling us they want Marvel. If Marvel didn't have Star Wars comics how bad off would they be?

The following is copied and pasted from Bleeding Cool's remarkable article along with a breakdown of what I think of the ordering.

AUG170780 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #789 ROSS LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for Amazing Spider-Man #27 (MAR171018) with orders for Amazing Spider-Man #789 regular cover (AUG170779) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Amazing Spider-man sales have collapsed here. I never dreamed we would go back to selling first year's level of sales on Amazing Spider-man. I thought those days were long gone. And my favorite part is the "allocations may occur" line. So even if I up my order I may not even get the variant cover.

AUG170786 FALCON #1 TORQUE LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for Captain America Steve Rogers #19 (MAY170777) with orders for Falcon #1 regular cover (AUG170785) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

I like Falcon and am glad to see him going back to being the Falcon. No idea how well it will sell though. His Captain America run is not a hit. The whole Secret Empire crossover seems to be collapsing interest wise, at least for us. Meaning his involvement in Secret Empire might have actually hurt interest in the character.

AUG170793 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #593 DAVIS LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 200% of orders for Invincible Iron Man #7 (MAR171004) with orders for Invincible Iron Man #593 regular cover (AUG170792) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

200 percent? Sigh.

AUG170799 SPIRITS OF VENGEANCE #1 (OF 5) LASHLEY LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for Ben Reilly Scarlet Spider #4 (APR171010) with orders for Spirits of Vengeance #1 regular cover (AUG170798) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Ben Reilly Scarlet Spider sells really low for us so a first issue should easily beat 125 percent of Ben Reilly sales. Though I do have to wonder how Spirits of Vengeance has anything to do with Ben Reilly?

AUG170805 INCREDIBLE HULK #709 DEODATO LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 200% of orders for Totally Awesome Hulk #20 (APR171078) with orders for Incredible Hulk #709 regular cover (AUG170804) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Totally Awesome Hulk is another low seller for us. Even at 200 percent it should be worth it for a Deodato 3D cover. Key word being should.

AUG170809 BLACK PANTHER #166 CRAIG LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 150% of orders for Black Panther #15 (APR171032) with orders for Black Panther #166 regular cover (AUG170808) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

After Marvel decided to have three Black Panther series at once which lasted maybe one month roughly, thanks to that Black Panther sales fell apart for us. No idea though if there is demand for the Black Panther 3D cover.

AUG170815 CAPTAIN MARVEL #125 MORA LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for Mighty Captain Marvel #6 (APR170947) with orders for Captain Marvel #125 regular cover (AUG170814) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Captain Marvel has been re launched so many times. Each renumbering feels like a poison pill when ordering. Go too low and people are upset. Go too high and we lost money and only I am upset.

AUG170819 IRON FIST #73 PERKINS LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for Iron Fist #4 (APR171037) with orders for Iron Fist #73 regular cover (AUG170818) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Just not feeling it sadly.

AUG170822 LUKE CAGE #166 JOHNSON LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 150% of orders for Luke Cage #2 (APR171041) with orders for Luke Cage #166 regular cover (AUG170821) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Again just not feeling it.

AUG170827 CABLE #150 LIEFELD LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 100% of orders for Cable #2 (APR171092) with orders for Cable #150 (AUG170826) regular cover and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Having flashbacks to Venom 150. Not making me want to take a chance on it. Liefield was a big deal in the 90s. Currently not so much.

AUG170832 DESPICABLE DEADPOOL #287 ESPIN LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 175% of orders for Deadpool #34 (MAY170789) with orders for Despicable Deadpool #287 regular cover (AUG170830) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

The Deadpool Jim Lee variant is still available here. So will a 3D cover manage to outsell that?

AUG170839 AVENGERS #672 ALLRED LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 175% of orders for Avengers #7 (MAR171000) with orders for Avengers #672 regular cover (AUG170838) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Avengers, oh Avengers, how the mighty have fallen. Valiant's XO Manowar outsells you currently. Years ago I would never have thought that possible. Like Amazing Spider-man it has fallen badly. The previous re launch of Avengers was truly a jumping off point here. I was shocked. People just flat out dropped Avengers here with the last first issue. Leaving us with unsold Avengers copies. I gave them to people who were Avengers fans and people I thought would be interested hoping to get people into the series. Not a single person after reading the first issue for free picked up the next issue. Not really feeling like taking a chance and upping orders to 175 percent of issue 7.

AUG170844 CHAMPIONS #13 MORA LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 150% of orders for Champions #9 (APR171007) with orders for Champions #13 regular cover (AUG170843) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Champions has went from the number one selling title for Marvel for its first issue to currently making me wonder if it will last past this year thanks to its slide in sales. Not feeling like I could sell 150 percent of what Champions 9 sold along with the 3D covers.

AUG170849 MIGHTY THOR #700 HANS LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 175% of orders for Mighty Thor #19 (MAR171002) with orders for Mighty Thor #700 regular cover (AUG170848) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

175 percent? Mighty Thor 700? Not feeling it.

AUG170858 X-MEN GOLD #13 CALDWELL LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for X-Men Gold #6 (APR171082) with orders for X-Men Gold #13 regular cover (AUG170857) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Currently the title is selling at a steady level. Which is great. Not sure about ordering more just to get 3D covers though.

AUG170864 X-MEN BLUE #13 LOPEZ LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for X-Men Blue #8 (MAY170801) with orders for X-Men Blue #13 regular cover (AUG170863) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Same story as with X Men Gold.

AUG170871 UNCANNY AVENGERS #28 MALIN LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 100% of orders for Uncanny Avengers #24 (APR170943) with orders for Uncanny Avengers #28 regular cover (AUG170870) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Uncanny Avengers is such a low selling title that matching the order of issue 24 should be easy and low risk. Not sure how Marvel comes up with their percentages.

AUG170875 US AVENGERS #11 WARD LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 100% of orders for US Avengers #7 (APR170942) with orders for US Avengers #11 regular cover (AUG170874) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

US Avengers is a bottom of the barrel selling title for us. Matching the 7th issue  should be easy and low risk.

AUG170878 SPIDER-GWEN #25 RANDOLPH LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for Spider-Gwen #20 (MAR171019) with orders for Spider-Gwen #25 regular cover (AUG170877) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Now we go back to a 125 percent threshold. Not feeling it.

AUG170883 ROYALS #9 DOE LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 150% of orders for Royals #4(APR171026) with orders for Royals #9 regular cover (AUG170882) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

The mandated Inhuman title. Meaning though sales for each Inhuman titles stays low Marvel feels there must be an Inhuman title. Another bitter pill in terms of ordering.

AUG170889 VENOM #155 MATTINA LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 150% of orders for Venom #152 (MAY170847) with orders for Venom #155 regular cover (AUG170887) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Flashbacks of Venom 150. 150 percent? In the name of the Watcher what the heck?

AUG170895 JESSICA JONES #13 MORA LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for Jessica Jones #9 (APR171043) with orders for Jessica Jones #13 regular cover (AUG170894) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Jessica Jones has a following here in store thanks to the show. The title is a money maker. Not feeling that fans of the book really care about 3D covers though.

AUG170900 DEFENDERS #6 KUDRANSKI LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 100% of orders for Defenders #3 (MAY170863) with orders for Defenders #6 regular cover (AUG170899) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Matching Defenders 3 should be no problem.

AUG170904 MONSTERS UNLEASHED #7 MORA LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 150% of orders for Monsters Unleashed #3 (APR171048) with orders for Monsters Unleashed #7 regular cover (AUG170903) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Monsters Unleashed sells so low for us hitting 150 percent should be no sweat. It is so low I am surprised it hasn't been cancelled yet. Might not make any money off the issue that month but I won't be out much money. Low risk low reward though.

AUG170907 GWENPOOL #21 NAKAYAMA LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 175% of orders for Gwenpool #18 (MAY170885) with orders for Gwenpool #21 regular cover (AUG170906) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Gwenpool sells the same amount each month. Which is fine. It makes money for us. That said I don't see issue 21 of Gwenpool's non variant cover selling at 175 percent. Would the 3D cover make it worth it? At 175 percent I am not feeling it.

AUG170911 ALL NEW WOLVERINE #25 ANKA LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for All New Wolverine #22 (MAY170911) with orders for All New Wolverine #25 regular cover (AUG170910) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

All New Wolverine does sell in store. Though I do not see us selling 125 percent of the non-variant covers the variant may be in demand but the regulars. This one could go either way sales wise.

AUG170917 ICEMAN #6 RYAN LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 150% of orders for Iceman #3 (MAY170918) with orders for Iceman #6 regular cover (AUG170916) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

Another title selling so low hitting 150 percent should be no sweat.

AUG170920 JEAN GREY #8 MAYHEW LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for Jean Grey #3 (APR171094) with orders for Jean Grey #8 regular cover (AUG170919) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

This title hasn't been cancelled yet? Oh, I guess I can take the chance and try for the 3D covers.

AUG170923 AMERICA #8 CALDWELL LH VAR LEG (NOTE: Meet or exceed 125% of orders for America #4 (APR171028) with orders for America #8 regular cover (AUG170922) and this variant is order all you want. Allocations may occur.)

America is currently not a high seller for us. 125 percent along variants of the title might be a bridge too far for us.

The whole allocations may occur line makes me wonder if I do up my orders will I even get the 3D covers? Will I get a small percent of what I ordered? I know I couldn't be lucky enough to get shorted and not have to pay for the regular cover.

Wow, after typing this all up I am a little worried about ordering. I figured these variants from Marvel would be easy to order like when DC has their 3D covers. I also thought it would be an increase in sales. Not a major one sense DC has done 3D covers multiple times. Now I am wondering if the increase in ordering will counter or cost more than ordering the 3D covers from Marvel is worth.

Marvel how can you copy another publisher's idea and screw it all up so badly?

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