What is FOC, and why it matters for your pull list

Every new comic goes through one deadline that decides almost everything about it: Final Order Cutoff, or FOC. It’s the last day a shop like ours can set its order with the distributor before the book is printed.

1. Solicited The publisher announces the book
2. FOC Shops lock their orders
3. Printed The print run is set
4. Release day On the shelf, usually a Wednesday

How FOC works

Publishers like Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse set an FOC date a few weeks before each book’s release. Up to that day, shops can still raise or lower their orders based on what customers want. After FOC, the order is locked and the print run is set. Shops place those orders with comic distributors such as Lunar Distribution and Penguin Random House.

Why we ask you to preorder before FOC

1. Your copy is counted. Preorders placed before FOC go straight into our order, so your copy is set aside for you.
2. Covers can disappear. Some covers are printed in small numbers. Once FOC passes, we may not be able to get more.
3. Ratio variants depend on it. Incentive covers are unlocked by how many regular copies we order at FOC. More preorders can mean more of those covers for everyone.

If it isn’t on your pull list by FOC, it might not be on the shelf on release day.

Preordering with Comic Legion

• 20% off every preorder
• Locked your price, the moment you order
• 9.4 NM or better, guaranteed

Browse our FOC preorders and add the books you want before the countdown ends. Want to collect several weeks of books and ship them together? Choose Holdbox at checkout.