Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

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Digifiend
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Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by Digifiend »

The Marvel Collectors Editions have been removed from Diamond's distribution schedule. It seems they'll now only be available through magazine distributors, meaning comic book shops probably won't have them any more. That'll hurt their circulation.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/01/23/ ... uk-titles/

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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by felneymike »

I've never even seen those in a comic shop o_O, I'm willing to bet most of their sales are through WH Smith

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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by starscape »

Never seen them in a comic shop either, even though I'm a regular buyer. Has anyone seen Marvel UK in a comic shop?
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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by Lew Stringer »

starscape wrote:Never seen them in a comic shop either, even though I'm a regular buyer. Has anyone seen Marvel UK in a comic shop?
Yes, I've seen them in Coventry, Birmingham and London comic shops. (To be pedantic, they're published by Panini UK. Marvel UK as a company ceased to exist years ago.)

I believe Diamond's decision may also include Titan's DC Comics reprints, as they were also absent from this month's Diamond Previews catalogue. However, given Titan's connection to Forbidden Planet I'd guess those shops might still stock them.

It shouldn't really affect sales for Panini too much because WH Smiths and selected newsagents will still be stocking them, just as they have for years. Some fans might have to change their shopping route a little but that's all.
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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by PaulTwist »

Forbidden Planet (International) in Manchester stock them too, alongside their children's/introductory comics. I also can't see this damaging their circulation much, as if you're going into a comic shop you're likely to want the latest comics from the US rather than reprints from a few months ago.

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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by Lew Stringer »

PaulTwist wrote:Forbidden Planet (International) in Manchester stock them too, alongside their children's/introductory comics. I also can't see this damaging their circulation much, as if you're going into a comic shop you're likely to want the latest comics from the US rather than reprints from a few months ago.
Yes, going by the people who write to their letters pages most of their readers seem to be either youngish, and relatively new to Marvel, or older readers who don't have a local comic shop. The hard core Marvel fans will be getting their fix from the US monthlies, unable to wait two years for the UK editions to catch up.

Personally I like the UK editions because a) they're great value, b) the stories aren't interrupted by ads, and c) they remind me of Fantastic and Terrific from long ago. Also, the production standards are very good, - better than the US editions in my opinion.
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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by starscape »

I get too frustrated by Marvel US. £2-3 for a story where nothing happens except an ad for next months issue in the final cliffhanger. Awful value for money. Compare that to Marvel of old, where Peter Parker is established as a nerd, given his role in a family, has his raison d'etre in Unca Ben dying, gets his powers, designs a couple of costumes, fights a wrestler, learns about responsibility from the wrestlers manager and the tv thief, then catches the villain.

In ONE issue.

Bendis would draw that out to twelve months at least. At least with Marvel UK, I get 3 issues for the price of 1.
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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

Lew Stringer wrote:
PaulTwist wrote:Forbidden Planet (International) in Manchester stock them too, alongside their children's/introductory comics. I also can't see this damaging their circulation much, as if you're going into a comic shop you're likely to want the latest comics from the US rather than reprints from a few months ago.
Yes, going by the people who write to their letters pages most of their readers seem to be either youngish, and relatively new to Marvel, or older readers who don't have a local comic shop. The hard core Marvel fans will be getting their fix from the US monthlies, unable to wait two years for the UK editions to catch up.

Personally I like the UK editions because a) they're great value, b) the stories aren't interrupted by ads, and c) they remind me of Fantastic and Terrific from long ago. Also, the production standards are very good, - better than the US editions in my opinion.
I personally enjoy the bizarre ads in USA import comics, Lew--- especially the 60s ones! I think they have great entertainment value to our SATIRELimey SATIRE eyes, but I get your point.

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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by Lew Stringer »

ISPYSHHHGUY wrote: I personally enjoy the bizarre ads in USA import comics, Lew--- especially the 60s ones! I think they have great entertainment value to our SATIRELimey SATIRE eyes, but I get your point.
Not many paid ads in American comics these days, Rab. Marvel pad their pages out with house ads, and they've gone 'self cover' (dropping the covers so the whole comic is just 32 pages with covers on the same flimsy stock as interior pages).
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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by stevezodiac »

I often look at Marvel Legends in Smiths but at least one story is always on "part 5" so i wait until at least two of the stories are on part one but it never seems to happen. Looks like i'll never see them now. Those were the days when i bought every marvel title each month (about 15 titles) and they cost less than a pound for the lot. 6p each then.

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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by Lew Stringer »

stevezodiac wrote:I often look at Marvel Legends in Smiths but at least one story is always on "part 5" so i wait until at least two of the stories are on part one but it never seems to happen. Looks like i'll never see them now.
Why not, Steve? They'll still be available in Smiths. It's only the distributor who sends them to comic shops who has pulled out.
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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by felneymike »

I was getting the Star Wars one for a while, though I think it's IDW who now own the Star Wars comic licence, but the UK editions are the same sort of thing.

I didn't see 2 new stories start in an issue, but one new one seems to start in every second or third issue. Just wait until a character you like starts a new story then jump in!

Mind you, you might not be able to understand it. I bought "issue 1" of a new Avengers series from Marvel, having liked the film, but I couldn't understand a word of it. I'm not about to go leafing through reference books just to read a line (I save that for Japanese comics)

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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by Marionette »

starscape wrote:I get too frustrated by Marvel US. £2-3 for a story where nothing happens except an ad for next months issue in the final cliffhanger. Awful value for money. Compare that to Marvel of old, where Peter Parker is established as a nerd, given his role in a family, has his raison d'etre in Unca Ben dying, gets his powers, designs a couple of costumes, fights a wrestler, learns about responsibility from the wrestlers manager and the tv thief, then catches the villain.

In ONE issue.

Bendis would draw that out to twelve months at least. At least with Marvel UK, I get 3 issues for the price of 1.
Actually he drew it out for six issues when he started Ultimate Spider-man, but that was a few years ago now. When they relaunched the title with a new Spider-Man recently, it was three issues before he was in costume anywhere but the cover.
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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by davidandrewsimpson »

[quote="starscape"]I get too frustrated by Marvel US. £2-3 for a story where nothing happens except an ad for next months issue in the final cliffhanger. Awful value for money. Compare that to Marvel of old, where Peter Parker is established as a nerd, given his role in a family, has his raison d'etre in Unca Ben dying, gets his powers, designs a couple of costumes, fights a wrestler, learns about responsibility from the wrestlers manager and the tv thief, then catches the villain.

In ONE issue.

...and there were three more stories to read in the same comic.

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Re: Marvel UK dumped by Diamond Distributors

Post by stevezodiac »

I was given a £25 Smiths gift voucher for Christmas and stupidly thought you had to spend the whole £25 in one go. I had a look at it yesterday and it says you can use it a bit at a time so today I'll get the two non reprint Commandos and check Marvel Legends to see if any of the stories start from part one. Cap and Iron Man are my favourite Marvel characters and I like to keep in touch.

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