CBI Archive
Comic Book Questions Answered #10
Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 at 10:49 PM EST
Updated: Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 at 10:49 PM EST
Reader Erik sent in the following question:
I recently purchased a copy of Citizen V and the V-Battalion #1. At least, that’s what the indicia says. The story is that of Citizen V #1, as is the cover, with one minor detail….the cover shows the TITLE as Marvel Universe, and the number as #3. Any explanation you might have for this?
Sure thing, Erik!
As most folks know, there are two types of comic sales - Direct Market and NewsStand. NewsStand comics are returnable, while Direct Market are not. For the most part, limited series are a product of the Direct Market, as it really is not worth the effort to gauge the sales of a book when the book is going to be finished by the time the sales of the first issue are calculated.
Therefore, as a way to sort of get around this, around Bill Jemas’ tenure at Marvel, Marvel developed a new title for newsstands called Marvel Universe, which would be an ongoing series that would consist of other titles, like mini-series such as Citizen V mini-series, or other Marvel titles not then offered on the Direct Market.
I do not know if Marvel still produces this title.
Thanks for the question, Erik!
As always, if you have a comic book question you’d like an answer for, drop me a line!
7 Comments
Anthony Strand
March 27, 2008 at 8:58 am
I’m betting they don’t produce it anymore, because do any newsstands anywhere still carry Marvel comics?
Garrett
March 27, 2008 at 10:19 am
Borders and Barnes & Noble still stock comics near the magazine racks. I’d be surprised if Marvel Universe is still published, though.
jazzbo
March 27, 2008 at 11:56 am
A few of the gas stations and convenience stores up by my parents cabin still have spinner racks of comics, which I was pleasantly surprised by. They really need to get comics out in places other than comic shops.
John Cage
March 27, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I went to a convenience store last night that’s sold comics in the past and they still carried a handful of series. Bought a copy of Marvel Comics Presents I probably wouldn’t have gotten otherwise there. Still, a Walmart that carried a few of the X-titles as of last December didn’t have any comics when I was in there the other day.
Have a good day.
John Cage
David Frankel
March 27, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Each issue of Marvel Knights also had a “Marvel Universe” variant.
The last Marvel Universe of which we have record is “Startling Stories: Banner” #3 Nov. 2001.
The last sequentially numbered Marvel Universe of which we know is Marvel Universe #5: Citizen V and the V-Battalion #3B
Birmy
March 27, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Any time I’m in a “real” bookstore that carries actual comics (as opposed to trades) I make it a point to buy a comic book in addition to whatever else I’m getting, just to contribute a little bit to the perpetuation of comics in book stores.
Scott King
March 27, 2008 at 7:32 pm
They do still do this… just not in the U.S. In other countries they combine mini-series into other titles for the reasons you explained above.