Marvel Shipping Error Turns New Year's Day Into New Comics Day

A shipping error is turning New Year's Day into New Comic Book Day, despite the holiday falling on a Friday.

And Marvel and Diamond Comic Distributors announced today, certain Marvel comics with an on sale date of Jan. 6 were shipped early and without notice, arriving at comic shops with the expected Dec. 30 releases. Marvel has decided to allow retailers to sell these prematurely shipped comics on Friday, Jan. 1.

The affected comics include the debut issues of the new Star Wars: Obi-Wan and Anakin (which you can read a preview of here) limited series and the Rocket Raccoon and Groot ongoing series, as well as new issues of Amazing Spider-Man and Howard the Duck.

Check out the full list of affected comics below:

Marvel Titles Intended for January 6 On Sale
(May be placed on sale Friday, January 1)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #6 (NOV150841)

HOWARD THE DUCK #3 (NOV150809)
HOWARD THE DUCK #3 LIEFELD GWENPOOL VAR (NOV150811)
HOWARD THE DUCK #3 RIVERA VAR (NOV150810)

NOVA #3 (NOV150800)
NOVA #3 ALLRED VAR (NOV150802)
NOVA #3 CHRISTOPHER ACTION FIGURE VAR (NOV150801)

OBI-WAN AND ANAKIN #1 (OF 5) (NOV150910)
OBI-WAN AND ANAKIN #1 (OF 5) MOVIE VAR (NOV150914)
OBI-WAN AND ANAKIN #1 (OF 5) NOWLAN CLASSIC VAR (NOV150916)
OBI-WAN AND ANAKIN #1 (OF 5) OUM VAR (NOV150915)
OBI-WAN AND ANAKIN #1 (OF 5) YOUNG VAR (NOV150912)
OBI-WAN AND ANAKIN #1 (OF 5) CHRISTOPHER ACTION FIGURE VAR (NOV150911)

ROCKET RACCOON AND GROOT #1 (NOV150745)
ROCKET RACCOON AND GROOT #1 CHRISTOPHER ACTION FIGURE VAR (NOV150748)
ROCKET RACCOON AND GROOT #1 COSPLAY VAR (NOV150750)
ROCKET RACCOON AND GROOT #1 NAUCK DEADPOOL VAR (NOV150749)
ROCKET RACCOON AND GROOT #1 RANDOLPH HIP HOP VAR (NOV150747)
ROCKET RACCOON AND GROOT #1 SUPERLOG VAR (NOV150746)

SPIDER-MAN 2099 #5 (NOV150840)

SPIDEY #2 (NOV150836)
SPIDEY #2 COIPEL VAR (NOV150837)

In addition, there is also a number of Marvel comics originally intended for release on Jan. 13 that will arrive, and are allowed to be sold, on Jan. 6. Those comics include:

Marvel Titles Intended for January 13 On Sale
(May be placed on sale Wednesday, January 6)

ALL NEW INHUMANS #1 CASELLI 2ND PTG VAR (OCT158850)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1.2 (OCT150860)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1.2 OTTLEY VAR (OCT150861)

DARTH VADER #15 BROOKS SKETCH VAR VDWN (NOV150918)
DARTH VADER #15 FRANCAVILLA VAR VDWN (OCT158450)
DARTH VADER #15 MANN CONNECTING F VAR VDWN (OCT158874)
DARTH VADER #15 VDWN (NOV150917)

SPIDER-GWEN #4 (NOV150838)
SPIDER-GWEN #4 NAUCK DEADPOOL VAR (NOV150839)

SPIDER-WOMAN #1 RODRIGUEZ 2ND PTG VAR (OCT158854)
TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #1 FRANK CHO 2ND PTG VAR (OCT158855)

ULTIMATES #3 (NOV150797)
ULTIMATES #3 SALE BLACK PANTHER 50TH ANNIV VAR (NOV150799)
ULTIMATES #3 SPROUSE VAR (NOV150798)

Marvel apologized to retailers for the inconvenience, with reassurances that they are working to avoid similar problems in the future.

In the meantime, readers should enjoy this unexpected holiday surprise, assuming their local shop isn't closed for the holiday.