Marvel comics reprints at Target…

Hitting my local Target yesterday I spotted a display of what appeared to be Marvel comics on the main aisle off of the book department. Upon closer inspection these editions are reprints of Ultimate Spider-Man issues (featuring Doc Ock), a S-M/Doc Oct mini-series, a Marvel ‘encyclopedia’ (abridged for sure, I bet), a "classic" Spider-Man edition and an edition of Ultimate X-Men issues #1-6. They are all under the imprint “Marvel Age”.

These editions are attractively presented with card-stock covers, decent paper stock and saddle stitched and while shorter than the ‘typical’ collected trade, the stapled spine allows for more of the art to be seen … vs. a trade’s ‘perfect’ binding (square edge and more pages) …

The upc code says $5.99, but Tar-ghay sells them for $4.99, not bad considering the price of the regular ‘Ultimate’ books … and trades.

Rather than an affront to the regular comic books dealers, should this be considered a “lost leader” that may send a casual reader in search of more editions of “Ultimate X-men” and into a comic shop? The only thing I could charge Marvel with is the fact that the comic book locater service is only mentioned as an afterthought on a subscription page on the inside back cover. That number/website could have been pitched on the inside front cover as well, don’t you think?

There are a number of other volumes in this Target-exclusive set, including an Emma Frost volume, a collection of Spidey/Doc Ock battles from various books, a Spider-Girl volume, and I believe a Runaways volume although I may be misremembering on that last one. Targets seem to have them shelved in two spots, in the book area and in the toy area. With their oversized presentation and their 96 (or more, I believe) pages, these are a good deal for folks wanting to introduce someone to comics. (I can't vouch for the content on them, and as for the question of whether the Target exclusive is good for retailers, that's another can o' worms...)

I can't see any problem with Marvel introducing hot titles like Ultimate Spider-Man in the reprinted form.

Let people read them, buy them, and enjoy them. Any retailer in the business should know enough what their market is, and who their customers are.

I doubt they are the typical Target shopper, but may be someday...

These are edited for all ages, unlike the Direct market versions. Still nice for $5

They should put a collection of the Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. series from the 1980s in there. S.H.I.E.L.D. goes bad, turns on Nick, and then tries to kill him.

UPDATE: Several such similar packaged collections also appeared in K-Mart and Wal-Mart around the same time, but were never reordered and haven't been seen since.

Conclusion: Despite selling out their comics inventory every time out, Box-Marts hate comic books.

I would love to believe that those mass-market editions sold well, but whenever I've seen them in any store, they've sat on the shelves untouched for months before getting pitched out in the dumpsters out back. So I can't fault the big box stores for this business decision.

I wish things were different. Maybe some day somebody will come up with a comics format and content that will do well in the mass market again. Manga and Bone and a few others have made some progress, at least.

Man..what a bummer. Everytime I see a lone comic standing alone where it shouldn't..I just want to take him/her home.

Is that so wrong?

I love those books. I try to pick on e up every time I got to Target. They make great gifts for co-workers' kids.

If they would actually edit the reprints to take out the 90% that sucks ass, they might sell a few.