Panini’s latest Amazing Spider-Man wraps “Hunted” storyline, but you’ll have to hunt to find it in WHSmith

Panini Comics UK’s Amazing Spider-Man #6, released last week (12th August 2021) offers 48 pages of pulse-pounding arachnid-action, bringing the dramatic “Hunted” storyline to a close.

Priced just £2.99 an issue, the relatively new title has proven popular with UK superhero fans – but many are reporting having a fruitless hunt trying to find a copy of the latest issue, due to WHSmith distribution problems.

Earlier this week, Panini UK informed fans via its Facebook page that there have been some transport issues for leading high street newsagent, but the company’s distribution department were on the case, trying and sort the issue out with WHSmith.

Unfortunately, it appears part of those “transport issues” may be the result of Amazing Spider-Man’s removal from the WHSmith database, prompting some staff to claim the title doesn’t even exist – even though copies of last month’s issue are on their shelves!

“Panini Comics UK WHSmith in Middleton, Manchester tell me the title Amazing Spider-Man isn’t even on their system any more,” commented one very annoyed Anthony Holt. “They still have last month’s issue on the shelves and are shrugging there shoulders at me…. She says it’s like it doesn’t exist.

“I showed her last month’s and she said… ‘We shouldn’t have those…’”

“I’ve been to two WHSmith,” complained an equally frustrated Kenny Gibson. “Just last month’s in.”

“Went into Smiths today,” reports Lee James Gannon. “Still no luck, and when the woman looked it up she said it was it was blocked from being available from our store.”

Because of its low price point, designed to maximise its potential news stand sales, Panini do not offer a subscription for this title, because this would carry a high costs, negating the attraction of a low cover price. But frustration at the lack of availability in WHSmith has led to some fans suggesting a rethink.

“Lots of people, myself included, have trouble finding these comics,” noted Stephen Parry. “Newsagents, at least around here, aren’t interested in letting you place an order, you get bored/disinterested responses.

“Just offer a subscription,” he urged Panini, “even if you have to charge postage due to the comic’s low price. People like myself won’t go hunting for each issue forever.”

For those of you keen to get a copy, Amazing Spider-Man #6 hasn’t been struck from the databases of Panini UK itself, or online retailers like Magazine Heaven or Newsstand.

Plus, there are plenty of copies in Tesco and Sainsbury’s – where it seems to be selling pretty well, too!

There’s good reason to do track a copy down, too. While the “Hunted” saga may be over but there are plenty of unanswered questions, such as will Spider-Man save Mary Jane or will his dark vision come true?! What is the destiny for the son of Kraven the Hunter?!

Plus, secrets of the mystery ghoul deepen and what his connection with Mysterio?

Also, Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson team-up! Kinda.

With stories by Nick Spencer, Ryan Ottley, Zeb Wells and Todd Nauck, this issue reprints material from Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #23-25 – but at £2.99, it’s cheaper to buy!

Order a copy now from Panini direct – or online retailers, do offer subscriptions, too

Thanks to several readers for the heads up about this



Categories: British Comics, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, US Comics

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9 replies

  1. Went to WHSmiths and no copies but went to Tesco and they had plenty of copies !!!

  2. Really stupid move not making SpiderMan subscriptions available! I subscribe to the other two Panini Marvel titles but have not been able to find a single issue of new SpiderMan run! Commercial suicide by Panini.

    • It’s really simple though, the price point of the comic means per issue, the cost of providing a subscription option would cost more to facilitate than the actual price of the comic. It isn’t Panini’s fault that one out there distributors has, perhaps, proven shall we say, and I am being generous here, a bit incompetent?

  3. I’m now wondering if Batman – Guardian of the Night #5 will make an appearance at WHS…

    • Well, it should do. All current Panini titles are listed on the database used by newsagents to order comics and magazines, because I’ve checked. Perhaps WH Smith has a separate database and a glitch has occurred there, at least as far as this issue of Amazing Spider-Man is concerned.

      It does seem to me that the team at Panini are on the case and this is an isolated occurrence. In the meantime the comic is available from various other places, so people can always vote with their feet!

  4. I don’t get the ‘not being able to offer via subscription’ mindset (despite Mr Freeman’s valid post above) because someone on the FB page stated that he subscribes to Titan’s THE SIMPSONS. Isn’t that a similar format to Panini’s Spidey title? It can’t cost much more, surely? If so, they can do it.

    There are people on the Panini FB page who do tell us to look elsewhere. As I type this (24th August, 12.35pm), it’s out of stock in Panini’s store and Newsstand doesn’t have any copies. People will just end up buying comiXology issues/trades than hunt around forever.

    • Simpsons Comics is £3.99 an issue as compared with £2.99 for Spider-Man. Beano is cheaper but DC Thomson has the economy of scale on its side there, with over 30,000 subscribers, and its huge subscriber base for its other titles, not just comics.

      • Fair enough, thank you. I go where the facts go, and that does make perfect sense.

        Not sure if this is something you’d ever cover, but in my area (West Midlands), newsagents and corner shops are no longer interested in ordering in/reserving comics. I’ve asked in three recently. One doesn’t stock any periodicals. Another has a token rage, the usual: puzzle books, the ‘obligatory’ fishing magazine, and a TV guide. Another said he doesn’t have the time or facilities to order in/reserve.

        Sad, really. In my youth, any corner shop or newsagents would order in any magazine. Now it seems there is no desire, making it hard for me to get Panini’s Spidey title anywhere. I don’t blame the corner shops/newsagents, I am sure their motivation is based on practicality and business.

    • “THE SIMPSONS. Isn’t that a similar format to Panini’s Spidey title?” – it’s similar to the old Astonishing Spider-Man (which did offer subscriptions), not the current Amazing Spider-Man. Thicker cover, more pages, costs an extra pound.

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