Official Marvel Graphic Novel Collection: Fortnightly Hardbacks

Theydon Bois

Is 4 out? If so, what are the upcoming issues and respective issue numbers listed - I wanted to update the list to see how it matches up to the leaked list (which I hope is wrong because there are some weird choices)

Theydon Bois

Bump for List and predicted list.

DICKIEDUVET

Ish 4 is out, Saw it in WH Smith's yesterday, Pretty sure 5 should be arriving on Monday.

ChrisSmith24

I subscribed on Monday - selecting start from issue 1.
Does anyone know how they'll send the issues?
I mean, will I wait a month, then receive issue 1, then another month before 2 and 3, and so on so I'm always months behind - or will they send all the issues that are currently out and then send the remaining issues at the same time they are actually supposed to come out?

Thanks

PoochJD

Hi,

In theory, no matter which issue you subscribe from, you will get two issues per month, per delivery, as issues are published fortnightly. And, again, in theory, once you've got all of your back issues, you will always be two issues behind publication date. Thus:

January 1st - Issue One is out.
January 15th - Issue Two is out.
(Subscribers should now receive Issues 1 and 2 together.)
February 1st - Issue Three is out.
February 15th - Issue Four is out.
(Subscribers should now receive Issues 3 and 4 together.)

Etc, etc.

At the minute, the magazine has been over-subscribed, and Hachette have run out of a lot of the first four issues already! As such, many people are getting OOS (Out Of Stock / Out Of Supply) letters, and they will send out the missing issues to you once they get them back in stock from the printers.

Alas, Hachette also seem to be having a lot of problems with subsciptions in general, as people are either not receiving the initial Welcome and Introductory Letter, giving details of their Subscriber ID Number, details of what issues you have chosen to subscribe from, and details of method of payment.

Unfortunately, all I can suggest is that people call them directly, on the 0207 number mentioned above in a previous post of mine, and ask to speak to someone in charge, to help you sort things out. After my call to them on the 9th Feb, I've still not heard anything back, nor have I received a Welcome and Introductory Letter, nor Issues 3 and 4 (which have since been published).

I can't comment on the incorrect Invoicing/Pricing that some people have mentioned, but again, all I can suggest is you telephone them, and see what they say. Hopefully, they can clarify things.

This is all a big mess, if I'm honest, and doesn't exactly inspire much faith in Hachette. I appreciate they didn't anticipate the massive demand, but they can't even get the basics correct, like subscribers receiving their Welcome Letter. (When I telephoned them yesterday, they promised me someone would call me back to discuss the problems. Nobody called! )


Pooch

metropolis

i am sort of glad i did not get a subscription but take the risk of not get it in the shops.i wonder if anyone has contacted marvel directly as it must be a problem for them if something that carries their name is getting a bad reputation,not the over subscription but the poor customer service from the publisher that some members on here have mentioned.

PoochJD

Hi Metropolis,

Unfortunately, most newsagents stop carrying part-works after the first 6 issues, so forcing you to either subscribe from the newsagent, or subscribe via the publication's own subscription service.

I haven't contacted Marvel, and to be honest, I don't think it would solve anything, as most of the problems seem to have arisen from Hachette being massively taken by surprise, in terms of the sheer numbers of people wanting to collect this series. As such, it would be unfair to chastise them for it, even though I personally feel like they need a good slap, due to their poor customer service. And poor customer service, is not something Marvel have any say in the matter over, any way.

I will phone and report back what they say, tomorrow.


Pooch

Inked

Received my bookends this morning.

PoochJD

Afternoon,

Ok, here's an update for you all, and thanks to Hachette HQ staff for the info this morning!

Hachette have been MASSIVELY over-subscribed! Originally, they planned for 10,000 copies of each issue to be sold in shops/via subscriptions. However, after Issue One launched in Jan 2012, Hachette were swamped with subscription orders and requests from newsagents...

...Swamped, to the tune of almost 25,000 people, per issue!

This is why there have been so many problems with subscribers not receiving issues, or not receiving all the issues they expected, in the correct order.

The current situation is this:

- If you've subscribed already, you will get the first four issues (depending on which ones you've started your subscription from) soon. All of the first four issues have sold out, and are being reprinted, as we speak. This takes time, but everyone will get them as soon as possible, and hopefully within the next 10-21 days.

- Stock of Issue 3 are arriving tomorrow or Wednesday, and these will be sent out ASAP. They should arrive by Saturday.

- Stock of Issues 1, 2 and 4, are due to arrive soon, but there is no date as to when exactly that will be. Hachette expect this to be by the end of next week though.

- Free Gifts: Again, more are having to be produced, and so, although everyone will get what they are supposed to, they may not get them in the anticipated order as outlined in the leaflets enclosed with Issues 1, 2 and 3.

Issue 5 is out today, I believe, and the printing order was only for the original 10,000 copies. However, a further 15,000 copies were requested last week, and these will be distributed to subscribers ASAP.

Issue 6 should be out at the start of March, and a full printing run of 25,000 should be in force by this time, for this and all remaining issues in the series. As such, by the middle of March, everyone should have all issues they need to make up their collection, and all free gifts they were entitled too.

I hope that helps some of you out. Hachette were really apologetic, but I don't think they realised that 25,000 people would be interested in a graphic novel part-work. Clearly, they were wrong.


Pooch

brumhee

Thanks for the update Pooch and the good news that came with it

Thanks also for taking time out to contact Hachette and the time to type a detailed post