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Marvel's Director of Specialty Sales gives a detailed account of her unconventional path into the industry — from Radcliffe geology graduate to Boston-area comic retailer, magazine circulation manager, and New Media Publishing/Distribution executive — before being hired by Mike Friedrich and quickly becoming Direct Sales Manager when Friedrich departed. She explains Marvel's multi-channel distribution strategy (direct market, newsstand via Curtis, and Marvel Books for chain stores), the co-op advertising and rack programs she created to support retailers, and the rationale behind the Waldenbooks deal as a tool for growing casual readers into committed direct-market customers. Kalish is candid that Marvel is not planning to become its own distributor, details the marketing logic behind launching the Star Comics kids' line despite thin margins, and argues that expanding the returnable marketplace is essential to the long-term health of the direct market.

The issue's centerpiece feature ranks the 100 most powerful people in comics as of 1991, covering publishers, editors, artists, distributors, retailers, filmmakers, and syndicators. The introduction tracks the turbulent summer of 1991 (X-Force and X-Men #1 sales records, Claremont's departure, Disney cutbacks) and dedicates the issue to Carol Kalish, who died at 37 before it shipped.