DC Comics has not produced enough of the 3D Villain Month comics, and has initiated what some are referring to as the Villain Month allocation. Simply put, most retailers are not going to receive all of the issues they ordered. In many cases (including with the case of our Detroit area comic book store), stores will receive less copies than they would in a normal order of a particular title outside of the Villain Month allocation. This has to lead me to two possible theories.
Dunce Cap Comics
Maybe we should refer to DC Comics as Dunce Cap Comics. One particular theory we could point to for the Villain Month allocation is that DC Comics was simply naïve to how much demand there would be for the 3D Villain Month issues. This is horrible to think about because it would mean that the publisher did not have faith in the promotion and that it did not believe collectors and readers would be as interested in the Villain Month issues as in the regular issues. If this is true, people should be fired for poor planning. To this point, I have not heard about anyone being fired, so I must consider the other option.
Deceptive Campaign Comics
The other theory is that they printed too few of the 3D Villain Month covers with the intent of instituting a Villain Month allocation. Maybe the DC should stand for Deceptive Campaign.
There are two possible reasons I could see for this. The first is that the hardcover coming out in December might be less expensive for DC Comics to produce and create higher margins. That would mean that we are being led by a string to purchase a $150 coming out later this year.
The other possible reason for forcing a Villain Month allocation would be to try to push digital comics. DC Comics could easily press through social media that since the Villain Month issues are sold out, readers who want to read what is happening should download the digital versions of the issues. Since DC Comics cannot cut enough into the market with digital content, they will try to force the issue during the September War.
Who The Villain Month Allocation Screws
No matter which reason for the Villain Month allocation is the correct one, retailers, Diamond Comics, collectors, and readers all get screwed. Retailers are going to have to deal with angry customers who don’t understand why there is not enough product to fit demand. Diamond is screwed over because it has to deal with angry retailers who want more product. Collectors are screwed because digital comics don’t hold any value and do not increase over time. Comic book readers are screwed because they are being forced into a medium which has so far, proven it does not work well in the comic book market.
If I were an investor in DC Comics, I would feel screwed as well. DC Comics should be focused on making as much money as possible. Stupidity and coercion to not make for a profitable company.
Who Should Backlash?
Everyone connected to comics should backlash in some way against DC Comics. How people should backlash is up to each person, but a message needs to get across to DC Comics that we are not happy. I am currently considering a few options for this site during the September War to get the point across to DC Comics which I will tell you about in the upcoming weeks. I am not happy with the Villain Month allocation, and you should be raving mad as well.
I say the real villain of Villain Month is DC Comics.
