I just finished reading the issue of Invincible Iron Man that arrived yesterday, and noticed that the insert had a 70th anniversary deal listed. These comics sell for $3 or $4 each these days, and the Uncanny X-Men that came recently had a $5 cover price on it - so it would have been about $5.50 with tax. (must have been a crossover issue?) The 70th anniversary deal lets you get a full year for just over 3x what that single issue would have cost retail. That's just under $1.50 an issue - a price you can usually get for a good condition read copy on eBay. So if you want, get them, read them, and then sell them for about what you paid. Total true cost to enjoy a year of a comic book you like: zero, zilch, nada. I took the time to scan in the ad, and posted it here: http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/389/marvelm.jpg They actually offer even more savings on an "X-Men Party Pack". $49.97 for 3 titles for a year, or $1.39 an issue, delivered. That is a really nice price. You could use this two or three times to build up a subscription, then xfer one or more of the titles to another title if you would rather read something else. (it works, I've done this) I've been subscribing for about 5 years, so I figured I should probably answer some questions that frequently come up:
Q: Why are these discounted so much over the retail price?
A: Because it is direct from Marvel, and they don't have to pay high rental/taxes for floor space like a
retail establishment does.
Q: It says "current subscribers only". Will my order go through?
A: It will - they are not going to turn away your money. The "current subscribers only" is just meant to make
the deal seem extra special to the target audience, and thereby increase participation. Q: I'm used to buying these at comic book shops. Won't these arrive damaged in the mail? A: I'm not a collector - I actually read and enjoy my comics, and then either sell or donate them to a local library. However, I do like them to arrive in pristine condition. After all - I'm the one paying for them, and I'm the first person who gets to read them. I subscribe to roughly 15 titles, which is 180 comics a year coming in the mail. Out of all of those, I typically have 3-5 arrive bent or damaged in some way that makes them not qualify as "mint" condition. Both DC and Marvel have always sent me a replacement copy for free when I shoot them off a quick email. This means that the worst case scenario is that you end up with a free reading copy to share with somebody.
Q: Are there any other negatives to buying them this way?
A: There is one downside in getting them this route - the comic companies typically ship these out so that they will arrive at your place about two weeks AFTER they first show up in comic book shops. Thus, those who are impatient end up paying the full retail price, plus tax. Those who are willing to wait another 14 days will save 50% or more, and get "special" issues at no additional cost. (see my comment about the $5 X-men comic above) However, there have been many times when my issues have arrived only a few days after the shops get their copy. Once I even got my issue a day BEFORE they were supposed to be available.
Q: Are there any other positive aspects about buying them mailorder:
A: Yes, several. 1) It is the environmental thing to do. The mailman goes by our house each and every day, so it takes no extra
fuel for him to drop off a comic book. If I were to buy them retail, I would have to drive about 10
minutes, which pollutes and takes up my time. 2) no taxes when buying them mailorder 3) You are always guaranteed to get a first printing. If a comic turns out to be "hot", or highly sought out,
they can do several reprints. The first printing is usually the most valuable. When the "Death of Captain
America" issue came out last year, the local comic shops sold out. One of the owners ebayed most of his
copies. People couldn't find them. I sold my copy online for over $30. Q: Are there any other reasons why I might get one of these? A) They make great gifts, and also are a great way to get folks reading. Our local library uses them to help hispanic kids learn to read English. | 