More "pointed" madness from Marvel?

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 3:23 pm

Paul Nolan wrote: The 'point' issues were meant to be a jump on for new readers.

I find it hard to believe that this is still true. Seems to be a way for them to go down other story paths now. Almost like plotting the history of the marvel u on a timeline with .1, .2, .3 being spurs.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:01 pm

Paul Nolan wrote: The 'point' issues were meant to be a jump on for new readers. Yet they're being ordered nearly 10% less than the standard issue in some cases. Surely the 'point' initiative has been an out and out failure.

I think the problem is that the "point" initiative started back in January & has already demonstrated that the majority of the issues are not jump on points. They do nothing to explicitly draw a reader into the main series (with a few exceptions) and are sometimes (often?) done by people who are not the regular creative team for the book. There is also ZERO trade dress on the covers that would lead a casual browser to think it was any kind of jumping on point.

So, by now stores have learned that the the only people buying these things are the regular readers of the books, less the 10% of regular readers who just don;t want them on general principles, and order accordingly.

Gilgabob · Post by **Gilgabob** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:05 pm

I keep reading that the .1 issues were intended to be jumping on points for new readers and yet the ones I have read don't seem to be any more of a jumping on point than any other issue.

I guess I am puzzled by this initiative more than anything. I don't understand the point of this bizarre numbering system. Whole numbers have been used as a way to keep track of the sequence of comic book stories for years with no trouble. Everyone seems to understand that issue 151 follows issue 150 and so on.

Maybe I can look forward to Avengers #180a-42^sierra someday.

HassanT · Post by **HassanT** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 6:00 pm

I really don't think the point issues are for new readers (regardless what Marvel says) but to increase sales on one-shots or mini-series.

Think about this:

An uninformed LCS will order Venom number 13 based on orders for previous issues, instead an order for a weekly book.

Customers who have a pull box will get the Venom issues put in their box automatically because they have Venom on their pull list.

Meanwhile, Marvel has higher numbers on a weekly book than they would have had if they just release it as a separate mini-series. Also, they keep their market share by having multiple weekly events:

December: Fear Itself point issues
February: Hulk Weekly Event
February: Venom Weekly Event

HassanT · Post by **HassanT** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 6:02 pm

BTW, I am not that upset about the point issue think with Venom. I am more disappointed with the amount of comics that Marvel feels that they need to dump on the market to keep up their market share.

This is not a good long-term strategy.

Paul Nolan · Post by **Paul Nolan** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:04 am

In January

DEADPOOL #49.1
SECRET AVENGERS #21.1
UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1
X-MEN LEGACY #260.1

and confusingly in a recent previews update

• Villains for Hire #1 (OCT110661, $2.99) is a four-issue series, not five issues.

seeing as Vilains for Hire #0.1 preceded Villains for Hire #1, does that mean #3 or #4 is the last issue....

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:09 pm

Trev wrote:
BobBretall wrote:
Trev wrote:wasn't it bad enough that they made me pay $5 for a book today just so they could pitch me preview art for 5 other series as part of the 'finale' of their event?
What book is that?
Fear Itself #7 -- $4.99

Oh my GOD! I just read FI #7 and that was the single worst comic I've read in months! This made X-Men: Regenesis seem like a masterpiece of clarity.

What a ridiculous let-down this was.....

HassanT · Post by **HassanT** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:27 pm

BobBretall wrote:
Trev wrote:
BobBretall wrote: What book is that?
Fear Itself #7 -- $4.99
Oh my GOD! I just read FI #7 and that was the single worst comic I've read in months! This made X-Men: Regenesis seem like a masterpiece of clarity.

What a ridiculous let-down this was.....

Yeah. It was. I feel that Marvel needs to rethink their strategy and slowdown the number of events they do.

deeplots · Post by **deeplots** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:20 pm

Marvel's comic numbering is starting to feel like they are numbering software as opposed to comics. What was so wrong with just doing a one-shot story with the regular numbering? Slapping a .1 after the number isn't going to get somebody to pick up the comic anymore than just having a plain old number on it.