Ahead of the controversial and extremely buzz-worthy "DC Comics - The New 52" initiative, Marvel does it again.

Remember our reports back in January 2010 on how Marvel, "in an effort to provide assistance to comic retailers in 2010", offered retailers "an opportunity to turn unsold comics into an extremely rare Siege #3 Deadpool Variant!"

For those who remembered the story well, the aforementioned "unsold comics" are Adventure Comics #4, Booster Gold #26, Doom Patrol #4, Justice League Of America #39, Outsiders #24, and R.E.B.E.L.S #10. All of these titles are from Marvel's main competition, DC Comics, and are parts of the DC’s Lantern Rings Promotion of which retailers had to order Blackest Night tie-in books at high levels in order to get generally perceived "collectible" plastic Lantern rings.

And now, ahead of DC Comic's audacious and potentially lucrative "New 52" initiative, Marvel does it again. And they even have a name for it this time.

Dubbed "Comics for Comics," the program offers retailers a rare Ed McGuinness variant of Fear Itself #6 for every fifty covers they send in from a selected few Flashpoint tie-in titles from DC. IT goes without saying that they have yet again claimed that the program is meant to "provide support to comic retailers".

Here's the whole skinny from Marvel's official press release:

As part of Marvel’s unrivaled efforts to provide support to comic retailers in 2011, Marvel is pleased to announce the return of their groundbreaking Comics For Comics program, offering all retailers a chance to turn unsold comics into a rare Marvel variant! The extremely limited edition Fear Itself #6 McGuinness Variant will be made available to retailers who return the covers of select comics. In addition, qualifying retailers will gain exclusive access to a special Marvel sale.

"In these tough economic times, feel it’s our duty to help," explained David Gabriel, Marvel Senior Vice President of Publishing, Sales and Circulation. "After the overwhelmingly positive response to our Comics For Comics programs, through which we received tens of thousands of covers, we’re excited to provide retailers with the chance to help their stores through selling an ultra-rate variant."

Retailers – for every 50 stripped covers of the following comics from the below group sent to Marvel, you will qualify to receive one FREE Fear Itself #6 McGuinness Variant. The 50 stripped covers can be any combination of the comics listed in that group and all submissions need to be received at the Marvel office at the address below by Friday 8/12/2011. Also included with the stripped covers must be your store contact information including Diamond Account # and email address. With boxes of covers arriving every day, Marvel urges retailers to get theirs in by the due date to guarantee themselves copies of this stunning variant.

Retailers with any questions about Marvel’s Comics for Comics program, should e-mail helpme@marvel.com for further assistance.

Please note: No second printings, third printings, variants, are accepted as part of this promotion. Only the specific issues of the series listed below are eligible

FLASHPOINT ABIN SUR THE GREEN LANTERN #1
FLASHPOINT BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1
FLASHPOINT CITIZEN COLD #1
FLASHPOINT DEADMAN AND THE FLYING GRAYSONS #1
FLASHPOINT DEATHSTROKE THE CURSE OF RAVAGER #1
FLASHPOINT EMPEROR AQUAMAN #1
FLASHPOINT FRANKENSTEIN CREATURES OF UNKNOWN #1
FLASHPOINT GREEN ARROW INDUSTRIES #1
FLASHPOINT GRODD OF WAR #1
FLASHPOINT HAL JORDAN #1
FLASHPOINT KID FLASH LOST #1
FLASHPOINT LEGION OF DOOM #1
FLASHPOINT LOIS LANE AND THE RESISTANCE #1
FLASHPOINT PROJECT SUPERMAN #1
FLASHPOINT SECRET SEVEN #1
FLASHPOINT THE OUTSIDER #1
FLASHPOINT THE REVERSE FLASH #1
FLASHPOINT THE WORLD OF FLASHPOINT #1
FLASHPOINT WONDER WOMAN AND THE FURIES #1
Address To Send Submission:
J Friedfeld
Marvel Entertainment LLC
135 West 50th Street, 7th Floor
NY, NY 10020

Information To Be Included With Submission:
Store Name
Store Address
Contact Person
Email Address
Phone Number
Diamond Account #
List of stripped covers being returned and their quantities

All the directions above must be adhered to in order to receive the free Fear Itself #6 MCGuinness Variant and the submissions must be received by Friday 8/12/2011 in order to qualify.

Please note that this is not a Diamond-affiliated promotion and Diamond should not be contacted. Retailers will be contacted via email once Marvel receives the submissions.

Talk about the "House of Ideas". Telling people to tear up their rivals' comics is certainly one mean competition-destroying idea.