I find it interesting how Marvel will be polybagging all issues of Age of Ultron #10. This is a rare step taken by comic book companies and is only saved for certain events. I think it is a smart move for Marvel to do it now.
Age of Ultron #10
First – A Word from Marvel
THE FINALE!
The biggest secret in comics will be revealed to you! An ending so confidential…even the artists of this book don’t know what lies on the final pages…! A surprise so big that comic book legend Joe Quesada himself returns to the pages of Marvel Comics to draw a sequence that people will be talking about for years.
*All covers of Age Of Ultron #10 will be polybagged
Product Update (4/4/2013): Has a regular cover by Brandon Peterson, not Peterson, Carlos Pacheco, & Joe Quesada, and has art by Bryan Hitch, Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco, Alex Maleev, & Joe Quesada.
Save the Story in Age of Ultron #10
Of course, the most obvious reason for polybagging Age of Ultron #10 would be to prevent people from just sitting in a comic book store to check out the last few pages of the issue. It keeps the air of secrecy which Marvel has been building around the issue. It is a smart move as a marketing tool which continues along with the steps the publisher has taken so far to keep the story in Age of Ultron #10 a secret so far.
Reduce Those Pesky Damaged Issues
If you own a comic book store, one of the inevitable issues you will have to deal with is damaged issues. Even though the great people at Diamond do their best when packing copies of your favorite comics each week, some issues end up getting damaged. As contents shift of boxes fall during shipping, accidents happen. By polybagging Age of Ultron #10, Marvel reduces the number of damaged copies which would not have made it to the shelf for the initial sales day. This helps retailers and it helps the end reader since there will be more on the shelves during the first day of sales.
Will Marvel Move Extra Units?
Marvel will definitely move extra units of Age of Ultron #10 because many people are going to want to have a copy to read and one to save in case the market takes an upswing on the issue in the days following release. Of course, this is going to put extra emphasis on variant covers (such as the Angela cover which is sure to be hot hot hot). Marvel might see a good portion of the market share it lost in recent months (but is gaining back) come back quickly.
