Marvel To Retailers: Destroy Unsold ‘Flashpoint’ Titles, Get Rare Variants.

Marvel is bringing back their Comics for Comics campaign, this time waging war against Flashpoint. Retailers can strip covers from unsold copies of Flashpoint and exchange them fora  wowie-kazowie rare Fear Itself #6 variant by Ed  McGuinness.

Comics Alliance:

Stripped covers from first printings of 50 select #1 Flashpoint tie-ins submitted by late August will earn participating retailers one free Fear Itself #6 variant illustrated by Ed McGuinness. On top of that, qualifying retailers will also have access to a special, unspecified Marvel sale.

From Marvel’s official press release:

“In these tough economic times, feel it’s our duty to help,” explained David Gabriel, Marvel Senior Vice President of Publishing, Sales and Circulation. “After the overwhelmingly positive response to our Comics For Comics programs, through which we received tens of thousands of covers, we’re excited to provide retailers with the chance to help their stores through selling an ultra-rare variant.”

Marvel’s initial Comics for Comics initiative struck me as an almost comedic means of asserting financial as well as pop culture dominance over its closest competition,  especially because it hinged on a  Da Ali G Show Deadpool parody cover by J. Scott Campbell. This time around the program seems to have taken a more serious tone with an irony-free variant cover and an almost emotional pitch that emphasizes helping stores in a troubled economy. It will be interesting to see how this approach will fare in comparison to its predecessor. Considering  a signed and graded copy of the  Siege #3 Deadpool variantcurrently clocks in at $32 (with seven days left to bid) on eBay, retailers will want to balance the risks and rewards of participating carefully.

I wish I could understand basic economics. Or rather had faith that I did. So retailers can (theoretically) return covers in exchange for super rare variants (even if the cover sucks, which it does) that they could then flip for something like $32 online? Damn, son. Damn.

Sadly this is ignoring the fact that Flashpoint is a far more entertaining summer event than Fear Itself, which while written by one of my favorite writers, feels like it should be titled CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THOR ARE IN THE MOVIES CHECK OUT THIS EVENT HAM-HANDEDLY STARRING BOTH OF THEM. Though, that’s not the most elegant title.