Anyone who bothers redeeming their Marvel digital codes to read the books they pick up on their digital devices might be up for a little surprise when they go to redeem their Punisher Platoon #1 book.
As a surprise, when I finally got around to doing some redeeming of my Marvel books (I tend to do a group all at once), I redeem my Punisher Platoon book, it popped up and displayed Deadpool vs Punisher #1. Hey that’s great, too bad I’ve already redeemed that book and it’s not the book I bought. I had this happen to a few other books where it seemed it redeemed a totally different book.
So like many times before, I find myself sending in a support request. I already know the drill, snap a pic of the code with the opposite page to prove you have that code and the actual comic book.
If you’re not also aware, Marvel Support is very very slow or maybe it’s just one person that changes their name to make it look like they have more support employees but it sometimes takes days to get an actual response after their automated response. I think once it was almost a week or longer to get a response. I’m patient though, it’s not the end of the world if I can’t read my Marvel books since I’m already 350 books behind currently in my read list.
So I submitted my findings to Marvel Support, with pictures and this was a few days ago. Today low and behold, I get their response. Expecting a new code to redeem the book I bought, instead I get the following email:
Thank you for contacting Marvel Online Support Services. We sincerely apologize for the delayed response and for any inconvenience this may have caused.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. We can confirm the book Punisher Platoon #1 was not set to include code/code redemption page originally as due to the mature content. No digital option is available in the Marvel Digital Comics Shop. At this time the codes currently included in the book are set to redeem a Punisher vs. Deadpool comic, and we are unable to provide a digital copy for Punisher Platoon #1. We again apologize for the inconvenience.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us back.
So I go check my Punisher book again and snap a new picture to reply to support. I follow up with an explanation and plea that they need to fix this. This is wrong to pull the cord on their customers who bought a book with a redemption code that says we can redeem such book but get a completely different product from what was advertised.
It clearly states within the book that the redemption code is for the book that I purchased and bought. I saw no press release stating they were not doing Punisher Platoon digital redemption’s due to the mature content. This doesn’t stop their other mature contented books I’ve redeemed in the past (Deadpool is considered mature). The way I found out is days later after I submitted a support request to ask where my digital book is at that I purchased.
Is this the same stunt Marvel is pulling when they pulled the Netflix Punisher panels and such from NYCC? They deemed it’s too violent after the Las Vegas shootings? Perhaps but the explanation provided to me doesn’t hold up in my opinion.
In all honesty, whatever their reasons to not provide this book digitally, it doesn’t make sense to block this from being read digitally over in person. Any kid that isn’t deemed mature enough to read this book can walk into any comic book store, pick up this book and skim through it at the store. None of my stores seem to make these “mature” books from Marvel hard to reach, like behind the counter, etc.
So who all redeems their Marvel books, perhaps bought this book and would like to get what they paid for? Leave your comments here or email Marvel. You can email them at onlinesupport@marvel.com and demand to ask why they advertise but yet do not deliver in such advertisement without fair warning. I want a real explanation, because.. “We Demand It” right?
Mature Readers can’t be the issue because Jessica Jones comes with a digital copy, and so do the Deadpool mature readers minis. I have noticed on some one-shots and mini-series’ they don’t include a code at all. It kills me when some of them cost $4.99 cover price for a mini-series & there’s no digital copy!
I hope if enough people write in, they’ll cave and start giving out replacement codes. I didn’t buy that issue, though, so I can’t personally complain…
Exactly why I’m not buying the “mature” reader explanation they provided. They knew if it was mature before they printed it, why would they print out a page saying “redeem this book you’re holding” if they never intended to provide it digitally? Clearly it was decided after it was already printed, not before. So the “mature” bit is mute.. I want to know the real reason and I think it’s because of the recent Las Vegas shooting.
If it is Vegas, why not just delay the titles by a month like they did the Netflix series??
I believe Marvel is referring to MAX titles, which they do not sell on the Marvel site. You can purchase MAX titles on Comixology, however. Jessica Iones may be Mature, but Alias is not on their site. Marvel should’ve definitely made customers aware in solicits at least.
And not put a full page “Redeem this book” within the book as well. I skimmed the book, it’s not even graphic. There’s just a few F bombs. My 11 year old knows what the F word is.. nothing in this book should be banned from redeeming digitally if you ask me.
Oh and for the record, I do believe Marvel just piggy backs their digital books off Comixology (likely back end stuff that links their books to Comixology). I had issues once and their support person attempted to tell me it was Comixology’s issue. I quickly told them that’s fine and dandy but since I have to redeem my code through their website, it was their problem and Comixology would not likely help me redeem a Marvel code directly. It was then quickly fixed.
I can’t remember where I read this, but I was aware of this prior. It may not have been an official press release, but perhaps was leaked.
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/09/22/punisher-platoon-digital-download-offering/
I dont do Bleeding Cool…. 🙂
I don’t blame you……We all have things we are ashamed of. :l
Marvel:
1) Removed the “Bonus Digital Content” logo/icon from the cover (good).
2) Screwed up by not updating the digital code page (sloppy bad).
3) By not allowing the customer a choice of books to redeem with their Platoon code or a $3.99 digital credit. I already own the PvD issues (poor customer service bad).
4) By not owning the error (bad business).
Marvel could have easily executed #3 and #4 and spun this as a positive. Of course Marvel doesn’t seem to be in the business of truly caring about their print customers.
The print stuff is only still around to support the merchandise, movies and games. At least that’s how I feel sometimes with marvel.
And it’s around cause if they truly tried to go all digital.. their comic business would cease to exist.. digital books are great when you redeem them after buying the physical copy.
Yeah, if they offered a $3.99 digital credit for me to buy another book, that probably would have prevented me from typing up this whole article. But now it’s the whole experience so they can be shamed..
I had to comment on your experience because I buy some extra Marvel comics because of the digital code.
I always redeem the code so I can let my 10 y/o nephew read the books on my iPad without fear of him damaging a physical copy. He may be too young to read Punisher now but give him a couple of years and he would be all over it.
I don’t know ?♀️
There’s a universal share account that Marvel knows of and allows by a guy named RedSkull. I can probably find the login if I really want to, I use to have it for years. But they update the password regularly because someone eventually ends up screwing with the account. Everyone puts together their digital codes every week and some buy other books for everyone to share. I swear almost every Marvel comic is on it for free. Hail Hydra!!! But now I use a website that puts all the new comics up on their webpage the day they come out it’s actually easier with no login.