Civil War #6

Marvel has announced another delay in the Civil War series.

Issue 6 is being delayed two weeks and is scheduled to come out on 1/3/07 now. Issue 7 (the final issue) has been pushed to 1/31/07. I get my comics monthly so a two week slip is nothing I can’t handle. So, while I don’t think this latest slip in the shipping schedule is anything to get worked up about, is it symptomatic of a larger problem?

I can guarantee that Marvel does not like to ship books late, but they also have an eye on the bigger prize. Marvel understands the value of the trade paperback (TPB) reprint market. Marvel could use multiple artists to keep a high profile book like Civil War on schedule, but that makes for a much less attractive TPB. An attractive TPB can be a long term annuity. Look at the Watchmen TPB for example. DC has been cashing in on that series for 20 years. (Start of shameless self promotion. If you haven’t read Watchmen then may I suggest buying a copy of the TPB from my store because every comic fan over the age of 18 should read it. End of shameless self promotion.) I’m not trying to suggest that Civil War is as good as Watchmen, and I recognize that the success of Watchmen is an extreme example, but it illustrates the point. I remember waiting and waiting for the long delayed last issue of Watchmen, but I don’t complain about the delay when I re-read the story. Rather, I’m glad they allowed the creative team to finish the story.

So for the sake of the longevity of a story, I think the delays, while annoying, are acceptable. Up to a point. When the delays start getting measured in months, then there is a problem. The months and months of delays in the Ellis/Granov Iron Man re-launch is a prime example of unacceptable.

So in the end, while I get frustrated with delays like so many other fans, the reality of the TPB market and its demands for high quality art are going to make it a part of comics publishing for the foreseeable future.

Next time your favorite book is delayed, pick up a random title that you’ve never read. Who knows what you might find?