Promote The Black Panther Comic Book

To: Marvel Comics

Regarding: Black Panther

This is a petition to Marvel Comics, asking them to do everything it can to promote and advertise the Black Panther comic book.

Sales on the Black Panther comic book are considered to be low by Marvel's standards, but part of the reason why sales are low is because not enough people are aware of this comic book, because Marvel continuously chooses to promote Spider-Man, X-Men and various other heroes that really don't need that much promotion because everyone is already aware of how popular those heroes are and are constantly told in a variety of ways "Here, buy this new X-Men/Spider-Man/Daredevil product", although the market is already over-saturated with merchandise focusing on all the rest of Marvel's superheroes.

The answer is plain and simple: in order to increase sales and readership of "Black Panther", Marvel needs to better advertise and promote the book. Instead of raising the cover price of the book, which Marvel may do at some point (it seems the company has postponed plans to raise the price, for the time being), more effort is needed in attracting more readers and fans to the book. Marvel continues to promote the things that don't need promotion and decides NOT to promote the things that DO need more attention.

Here is what Marvel Comics needs to do, for starters: Make more Panther statues and busts from Bowen Designs. Compared with Spider-Man and the X-Men, which have NUMEROUS statues and busts each, Panther only has ONE bust to his credit. Just ONE. Also, Marvel needs to put its Panther website back up on the Internet and MAINTAIN IT! Marvel should NOT dismantle the website! Also, special Panther-related comic one-shots and such should be made to offer fans more exposure to the character and his supporting cast. Marvel needs to hire people to write Panther novels, since, of course, numerous novels focusing on Spider-Man and the X-Men have been written. Even Daredevil had a novel written about him. What about clothing? Panther only has two t-shirts that have his image on them, yet other Marvel heroes have various clothing items to their names in several sizes and styles. What about house ads in all of Marvel's comic books, advertising Panther? Marvel also needs to advertise Panther in Wizard Magazine, which constantly ignores the much-praised Black Panther comic book. Marvel also needs to feature Panther comics online at its Marvel.com website in its "Dot Comics" section.

In order to increase sales of anything, you have to promote it. Without promotion, sales will continue to be low because not all the fans have been exposed to the merchandise. Marvel doesn't adequately "hype" or advertise the Panther comic book, so not a lot of people buy it, which means sales remain low. And it's not that the loyal fans aren't doing all they can to get the word out about Panther and increase sales: in fact, we are doing everything in our power to spread the word. Some fans are buying extra copies and giving them to friends. Some fans, who also happen to be teachers, are bringing the Panther comics to classrooms and are forming discussions based on the book's content. So the Panther comic book has proven time and time again that not only is it entertaining, but educational as well.

Marvel Comics KNOWS how to advertise and promote. And they do so very well. But why this company chooses to overlook the promotion of Panther and throw money into advertising comics that don't need advertising is a mystery.
Marvel's constant reluctance to help the Panther book is a constant aggravation to the die-hard fans. We fans can only do so much. Marvel needs to do the rest. Marvel needs to promote and hype the Panther in ways fans cannot. How can everyone become interested in the character if Marvel itself doesn't seem to be all that interested in establishing a Black Panther franchise or merchandise?

The undeniable fact that the Black Panther comic book is consistently and expertly written by Christopher Priest, consistently and dynamically drawn by Sal Velluto (and guest artists) and consistently and skillfully inked by Bob Almond is yet another reason why Marvel Comics needs to put its best foot forward in promoting this excellent title. There should be no reason or excuse in the world why the Black Panther comic book is continuously ignored, since it is, beyond the shadow of a doubt, THE best comic book Marvel is publishing.

Sincerely,

The Fans of the Black Panther Comic Book, and all related merchandise