7-Eleven will carry Marvel's $3.99 flipbooks

The Knight Ridder/Tribune wire service carries an article that provides a little more information on Marvel Comics' return to 7-Eleven stores beginning in June.

Titles from the publisher's all-ages Marvel Adventures will lead the charge, followed by some of its most popular books, such as Amazing Spider-Man and Astonishing X-Men. As had been hinted in earlier reports, the comics apparently will be in flipbook format -- 64-page books featuring two stories, with a $3.99 price tag.

According to the 7-Eleven corporate website, "5,800 7-Eleven and other convenience stores are operated and franchised in the United States and Canada," accounting for some 6 million customers each day.

"It's a very large jump in retail presence for us," Marvel publisher Dan Buckley said in the article.

Meanwhile, at Comic Book Resources, retailer James Sime considers what the 7-Eleven deal may mean to the direct market.