Last week, Image released “Satellite Sam” #8 with an interesting promotional item. For every ten issues that a retailer ordered, ten copies of a six-page black and white Tijuana Bible related to the series would be given. If nothing else, it seemed like a fun way to expand on the world of “Satellite Sam” and reward fans of the series, let alone retailers who bumped up their order.
However, this morning I was a bit confused to receive the following e-mail from Discount Comic Book Service, through which I order all of my comics. For those unawares, DCBS is an online retailer that allows you to pre-order all of your comics in advance and in bulk, with a decent discount on issues. It’s similar to Midtown Comics and Things From Another World’s online stores, as examples, with DCBS just happening to be the one that I use.
This is what the e-mail said:
Retailers who ordered 10 copies or more of this title were shipped 10 Satellite Sam Tijuana Bible Edition mini comics. We are treating this item as any normal incentive that is offered after the original solicitation and is very limited. The item is a 6 page black and white mini comic and is rated mature, and the cost is $29.95. The first 10 customers to respond requesting the item be added to their orders, will have one added at the $29.95 price and it will be included in their next scheduled shipment.
Which is strange, as this was ostensibly intended to be a promotional offer. $30 for a 6-page black and white promotional giveaway, in which a copy of the mini-comic is given to each copy of the regular comic with a minimum of 10 orders? That seems a bit much.
Following the receipt e-mail, I posed a question to the Multiversity staff. We divided and reached out to our local retailers to ask about the Tijuana Bible, calling them to inquire about the availability and price point of the comic. While all retailers noted that they had immediately sold out of the item, a very interesting element immediately came about: for smaller shops, the item was given away as part of “Satellite Sam” #8, just as a promotional item related to the book. For bigger shops and chains, however, the item was sold as its own thing in addition to “Satellite Sam” #8 — such as New England chain giant Newbury Comics, who sold the comic for $10.
Marking up a retail incentive is certainly not an ostensibly new sales tactic. Marvel produces Skottie Young variant covers in large amounts, for example; literally a new Baby Variant per new series. However, you may find that your local retailer marks that comic up beyond cover price, as well as marking up sketch variants or other guest artist variants that Marvel and DC produce. It’s basically capitalism in action, as is the right of the retailer based on the fact that to get a certain variant they have to order X amount of the “regular” issue in the first place — hence the incentive aspect of it all.
It’s also fair to call this a very limited item, as it inherently was. The comic market is certainly known for putting emphasis and added value on items with limited quantities, and I suppose it stands worth noting that at the time of posting this, there are 4 copies of the Bible available on eBay — one of which is indeed $30.
But, to my knowledge, no shops have charged for those Marvel “Original Sin” glow in the dark eye-balls. Curious, that.
I’ve reached out to DCBS to inquire about the $30 price point on the mini-comic, though as of now we have not yet heard back.
I reached out to Image as well, who pointed me back in the direction of the original press release, which noted:
Retailers who order ten or more copies of SATELLITE SAM #8 will be able to indulge in the SATELLITE SAM TIJUANA BIBLE—free!
and:
SATELLITE SAM #8, featuring the TIJUANA BIBLE as a story point, arrives in stores on 5/7, and will be available for $3.50. It can be pre-ordered with Diamond Code FEB140626. Retailers who order 10 or more copies of SATELLITE SAM #8 will receive 10 copies of the SATELLITE SAM TIJUANA BIBLE for free.
Should a retailer mark up the price on an item, any item, once it is theirs and is in their shop, it is absolutely their right to do so. However, having explored the circumstances of this particular instance for the better part of the morning, I would simply urge our readers to use discretion when making their purchasing habits.
More on this as we get it.
