Walmart gets its geek on

Walmart continues its superhero streak and courting comic book fans onto its website via social media — this time the superhero in question is Marvel’s billionaire badboy and Iron Man alter ego Tony Stark.

The discount retailer posted a photo of Iron Man 3 to its Facebook page Monday, April 29, emblazoned with a burst bearing the Walmart logo and urging fans to ‘Preorder Now,’ even though the film did not release in theaters until Friday, May 3.

This is yet another way that Walmart is leveraging social media to entice shoppers to commit to purchasing products on its website that haven’t even come out yet, and won’t for a long time yet. It’s certainly getting the jump on sites such as Amazon, which offers not only new releases but also pre-DVD releases via its Instant Video service.

Walmart’s been getting its comic book groove on recently. Just a few weeks ago, the retailer announced it was teaming up with Warner Bros. to offer tickets for the exclusive screening of "Man of Steel." Tickets go on sale in more than 3,700 Walmart stores starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 18. The advance screening will take place in selected local theaters nationwide at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 13.