Worst and Best Comic Promotions

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

There's an extremely long thread going on over on the Valiant Fans boards about the upcoming Legends of the Geomancer mini which is only available as an incentive based on orders from another mini. Some people hate the idea, some love it, and many fall somewhere in between. It got me thinking about what other promotions that comics companies have done that people thought were just plain bad ideas, or great, innovative ideas. So, what are some of you favorites and least favorites?

 

One that came immediately to mind that received some backlash as soon as the actual details were released was a Lobo collection back in the '90s. As I recall, there was going to be a set released with a slipcase, a trade collecting the Lobo mini, a trade containing all-new content called "The Wisdom of Lobo," and a third trade of "Lobo's Greatest Hits." It seemed cool that there was going to be an entirely new trade's worth of material, until it was revealed that "The Wisdom of Lobo" was going to be entirely blank. People complained about it being deceptive, and ultimately DC made the orders subject to cancellation or return. Not sure how many of them are actually out there in the wild now.

[steveinthecity]

A great promotional idea at the time was probably Dazzler #1 as it forced readers to seek out stores that would stock direct-only books and generated significant publicity for Marvel and the Dazzler title.

[Azkaban]

I was one of those customers

[Buzzetta]

The Geomancer thing annoys me. I will eventually get a copy of it somehow in digital format. This is the internet. Eventually everything becomes available.

[Ken Aldred]

 

 

It seemed cool that there was going to be an entirely new trade's worth of material, until it was revealed that "The Wisdom of Lobo" was going to be entirely blank. People complained about it being deceptive, and ultimately DC made the orders subject to cancellation or return. Not sure how many of them are actually out there in the wild now.

 

At one of the London conventions I saw Kevin Maguire doing a Lobo commission on a blank page in a copy of that book. One constructive use for it.

 

 

[mytastebud]

Killing major characters and limited special covers are both bad ideas. Nobody learned from the 90's? Well drawn comics with good art and current themes would sell more books.

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

Killing major characters and limited special covers are both bad ideas. Nobody learned from the 90's? Well drawn comics with good art and current themes would sell more books.

Not that I disagree with you on the first point, but this thread isn't so much about story content, but rather about sales and marketing techniques.

[Rommin]

That stupid "affix a plastic 'gem' to the cover of a junk Eclipso book" that DC did back in the horrid 90's springs to mind.

[AshKenziePaul]

Image #0

 

in the end, I waited forever for it to come in the mail and it was a HUGE dissapointment.

[Aweandlorder]

Worst promotion - DC combo packs..

"Lets add a digital code and charge a buck more!"

And all these genius collectors who picked up on the trend and turned a failed comic line into a mini gold mine

[romanheart]

I thought DCs 3D villain covers were well done.

[Aweandlorder]

Take a wild guess:

 

[catrick339]

Anyone want a Harbinger Pinkie? Still regret jumping onto the Valiant Bandwagon with the "send in cards and we'll send you a comic you already own" promotions and other things of that ilk.

[Ares]

Anyone want a Harbinger Pinkie? Still regret jumping onto the Valiant Bandwagon with the "send in cards and we'll send you a comic you already own" promotions and other things of that ilk.

 

OK

[Ken Aldred]

Anyone want a Harbinger Pinkie? Still regret jumping onto the Valiant Bandwagon with the "send in cards and we'll send you a comic you already own" promotions and other things of that ilk.

 

I didn't particularly like the idea of removing coupons from books in Valiant's original Magnus 0 promotion, back in the 90s. After the pre-Unity issues cooled down, I ended up getting a copy for about the cost of a second set of the coupon-containing books, and lucked into a free copy of the retailer incentive version.

[Leannlover]

Image #0

 

in the end, I waited forever for it to come in the mail and it was a HUGE dissapointment.

 

 

Yeah I remember receiving a postcard every few months apologising for the delay but promising me that the issue was worth the wait.

It wasn't.

[MightyBeanComics]

That stupid "affix a plastic 'gem' to the cover of a junk Eclipso book" that DC did back in the horrid 90's springs to mind.

 

I still have that one...does not fit on my shelf really well due to the plastic gem.

[Phicks]

Marvel Value Stamps!

[steveinthecity]

The DC "Salutes The Bicentennial" promotion that appeared on most of the July 1976 cover dated issues. Not sure if this helped to sell comics or not, but I've never seen the belt buckle prize if that's any indication on how many kids took advantage of the promo.

 

 

In a more general sense of promotion, both DC and Marvel used the Bicentennial celebration in cover blurbs on several comics throughout that year. I suppose those comics were more patriotic than their Harvey or Charlton counterparts?