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By the by, if you are coming to IRON MAN and want to read more of Ol’ Shellhead’s adventures, Alan Kistler at ComicMix has the story that should have been the lead story on EVERY comics website this week: 10 Must-Read Stories Before You Watch ‘Iron Man’ in Theaters.

Invironman

Marvel has repeatedly learned that boffo box office doesn’t necessarily turn into boffo at the comics shop, enjoying only modest upticks in graphic novels sales after their blockbusting movies. This time out, they have a top ten Iron Man Graphic Novel list on Marvel.com. A new Marvel series called THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN by Fraction and LaRocca debuts next week, with variant photo covers.

Anyway, click the links for a welcome reminder that there was an Iron man before Robert Downey Jr.

1 COMMENT

  1. We’ve seen a Big surge in sales of Iron Man books, particularly EXTREMIS, ESSENTIAL vol. I, and the MARVEL ADVENTURES IRON MAN digests.

    EXTREMIS will likely be our best-selling superhero trade this month….

  2. Marvel should also make the trades more appropriately priced if they want that kind of cross over. 30$ for a Venom paperback is cwazy!

  3. I think the Marvel “comics division” should be working with the Marvel “movie division”, to hand out Free Comic Books tomorrow at the Iron Man showings. Tomorrow being May 3, FCBD.

    Of course, they should be free Iron Man comics, but handing out any Marvel comic would be a start… along with a coupon for $1 off your first comic at the nearest comic shop.

  4. “I think the Marvel “comics division” should be working with the Marvel “movie division”, to hand out Free Comic Books tomorrow at the Iron Man showings. Tomorrow being May 3, FCBD.”

    I agree, but I believe it’s pointless. Last summer, I saw Spider-Man 3 — my friends purchased a ticket in advance for me, so we could see it together, because they KNEW how much I would love that movie. Groan. Anyway, there was some kind of Spider-Man comic that was given away at theatres on opening day. When the movie ended and audiences exited, there were Spider-Man comic book scattered throughout the theater. There were a few discarded copies in the men’s room as well.

    Maybe folks read them once and discarded them. That’s how you read a comic, right? asks John Q. Public. Perhaps more people would have kept them if Spider-Man 3 were a better movie.

    An IRON MAN free comic might be a keeper. But the general public doesn’t like to read, and I suspect that movie souvenirs usually wind up filling the trash barrels. It’s a great idea that probably costs money and yields no return.

  5. “An IRON MAN free comic might be a keeper. But the general public doesn’t like to read, and I suspect that movie souvenirs usually wind up filling the trash barrels. It’s a great idea that probably costs money and yields no return. ”

    Every comic could be someone’s first, and what better way to pick up your first comic than for free just by going to see a great movie. Plus there’s an added value thing there when you consider how much a movie ticket costs.

    Why not print an Iron Man/Hulk 16 page flip book containing pertinent informaton and moments from major stories and a coupon for a TPB or something and giving them out during Iron Man and Hulk opening weekends?

    Film success doesn’t necessarily lead to comics sales because people are intimidated by continuity. They don’t know where to start, and starting at #1 is a daunting task. They need to be pointed to what is good instead of just WHAT IS. They’re looking for a continuation or correlation, and you won’t find that in Secret Invasion.

  6. If the idea of comic giveaways has been tried and was unsuccessful, at least it was tried.

    What if there are POP (Point of Purchase) displays at the theatres that show the covers of current Marvel releases, and the address of the city’s Diamond retailers?

    Someone waiting in line to buy popcorn could see that comics are still being made, and that some comics even feature Iron Man.

    Ah well.