Last week Comic Book Resources reported that Captain America #600 will be available for retailers to sell on Monday, June 15 -- a shift from the traditional new comics day of Wednesday. The announcement was made on the Diamond Comics Retailer Services Web site.

"The move to a Monday on-sale date leads one to speculate that a major announcement regarding future storylines is coming on June 15th," wrote Executive Producer Jonah Weiland.

James Sime, owner of Isotope Comics in San Francisco, dropped me an email with his thoughts about when and how it was announced:



Monday, June 15th pre-release of Captain America #600.

It's an unprecedented move by Marvel and Diamond, and a terrific opportunity for comic retailers to take advantage of real-world mainstream press and attention! My shop isn't even typically open on Mondays, but my staff and I were all really excited to hear about the news of the promotion and to open up for that special day. Even if Marvel doesn't manage to get the mainstream media attention they're hoping for, two "new comics days" in one week is still a pretty exciting way to promote what will no doubt be one of Marvel's best books of the entire year. I couldn't be more thrilled to participate!

Except one thing. They announced this Monday pre-release the day of Final Order Cut Off on Captain America #600, which was a shipment day when every good retailer is busy selling comics, not screwing around on Diamond's website.

They haven't even printed the book yet but it's already "sold out," making it impossible for retailers to up their orders to take advantage of this new news.

Without making the product available, what is the point of even writing a press release or doing a special pre-release at all? Are Marvel and Diamond just trying to remind themselves and to prove once again to the world at large that the comic industry is full of creative people with great, exciting ideas ... but not even one single businessman who has enough braincells to pass third-grade remedial math?

Marvel and Diamond should be embarrassed of the bumbling, feeble-minded dimwits in charge of their respective marketing departments for wasting a golden opportunity to sell more comics and for their moronic handling of this promotion. I certainly am.

To completely botch this momentous occasion in one of this country's most important patriotic superheroic icons isn't just the height of stupidity for the entire comic industry ... it's downright un-American.