Probably hasn’t even been printed yet. Just taking pre-orders so they know how many to order from the printers… haha…
There are physical copies out there.
Ahhh… could just be print to order then or he’s just sitting on piles and doing 50 at a time online.
they are selling through there con stock would be my guess
I don’t think they’re print to order since it was already published in 2024 by Image.
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Who knows to be honest? What would stop any publisher from continuing to printing any of their products. There’s no laws that say they can’t order more “first prints”… And publishers never release their actual numbers ever.
Whatever happened to the law where they would print their numbers in the back of the comics?
What law would that have been? AI came back with this explanation:
While there is no specific law mandating that publishers print a “number line” (printer’s key) or ISBN inside books, industry standards since the 1940s and the adoption of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) in the late 1960s/early 1970s made these practices near-universal for identifying editions and printings
Oh and I found this specifically for comic books that goes into details of what your’e likely stating: Comichron FAQ: Postal Sales Data for Comic Books.
Here is the code:
Each owner of a publication having periodical publication mail privileges shall furnish to the Postal Service at least once a year, and shall publish in such publication once a year, information in such form and detail and at such time as the Postal Service may require with respect to (1) the identity of the editor, managing editor, publishers, and owners; (2) the identity of the corporation and stockholders thereof, if the publication is owned by a corporation; (3) the identity of known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders; (4) the extent and nature of the circulation of the publication, including, but not limited to, the number of copies distributed, the methods of distribution, and the extent to which such circulation is paid in whole or in part; and (5) such other information as the Postal Service may deem necessary to determine whether the publication meets the standards for periodical publication mail privileges.
And AI explained it if it’s still valid with this:
Yes — 39 U.S.C. § 3685 (Title 39, Section 3685 of the United States Code) is still a valid part of federal law, and it hasn’t been repealed as of the most recent available codifications. It continues to appear in current editions of the U.S. Code and requires publications with periodical mail privileges (e.g., magazines, journals) to file and publish information about ownership, circulation, etc., as the U.S. Postal Service prescribes.
What 39 U.S.C. § 3685 Says
The statute currently states (and has since its enactment and subsequent revisions):
- Owners of publications that qualify for periodical mailing privileges must furnish to the Postal Service annually information about:
- Editorial and ownership identities,
- Corporate structure and stockholders,
- Circulation figures and distribution methods,
- Other details the Postal Service considers necessary.
- The statute also directs the Postal Service to set regulations and can provide for suspension or revocation of mailing privileges if required information isn’t provided.
Why You Might Think It’s “No Longer Used”
Your question suggests that comic publishers no longer publish their numbers for books. That likely refers not to § 3685 being invalid, but rather to industry practice:
- Comic books and periodicals have changed how they report circulation data over the decades. Many modern publishers do not print detailed circulation or audit bureau figures in each issue like they did historically, and the overall marketplace has shifted with digital distribution, direct sales to specialty stores, and changes in postal regulations.
- 39 U.S.C. § 3685 applies specifically to periodical mail privileges, which is a postal classification (e.g., discounted periodical mailing rates) — not an ISBN/numbering requirement for books generally. It doesn’t regulate comic-book numbering or publication formats outside postal reporting requirements.
So the statute remains in force for its intended purpose, but industry practices (like publishing circulation or numbering information) have largely evolved away from how they were historically presented, especially as physical mail circulation figures have become less central.
Pay attention to the second bullet in "why you might think it’s “no longer used”… probably clarify how they get around this now.
I was just kidding. They wouldn’t print 50 at a time….
Or wound they…?
That’s my argument or debate as well… what would stop them if they wanted to? Nothing really unless their own moral compass.
Wound would be the word if they are printing to order.
What the? The absolute Batman pre-release…
Its a Chuma Hill from ECGCE, the ‘exclusive’ comic community, and by exclusive, I mean you pay $50/month and its all the exclusive you need.
Exclusive squared….
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You got your copy?
Yessir. Came quick. I am 8 miles from there.