Are you f'n kidding me? (Variant Covers)

[slucas76]

Are they ever going to release just a TPB with covers from the past few years? I know that they're including the variants from Marvel Zombies in that trade book, but I'm really loving some of these variants for Civil War. The thing that has my goat is the new Turner Variant from Civil War #3. Cover price is $35.00. Are you kidding me? I'm not buying this thing as an investment, I just think that the cover is damn pretty.

Certainly not $35 pretty, that's for sure.

PS - I guess I'll include a copy of the cover.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e0/SMCW.jpg/250px-SMCW.jpg

Ain't she a beaut?

[fulltimer56]

Hi slucas,

Just find a copy of the cover and save it and print it out on nice paper! I'm not too big into the Variants covers either!

Linda

[slucas76]

Ah, a very good idea, Linda.

Thanks for the tip!

All better now. :)

[marvelguy]

I see some of those Civil War #3 variant by Ed Mcguiness going for around $50-$75. Maybe I'll get one for Christmas at a price of say $3. :-D

[Blufalkn2]

I am torn with the whole variant thing. I saw the sneak peek for #1 before it came out and I just had to have it. First off I am a bit of a completionist (actually I am psycho about completeness), Secondly, and most importantly the cover was amazing. So I shelled out way too much for both turner variants then how does marvel repay me? They take the "rare" out of variants and announce that they are going to do it for each issue!

So, what am I going to do about it you ask? I will stomp my feet and curse at my computer screen when I am clicking "pay now" after preordering the rest of them! #surrender#

[jaydeebee]

I am torn with the whole variant thing. I saw the sneak peek for #1 before it came out and I just had to have it. First off I am a bit of a completionist (actually I am psycho about completeness), Secondly, and most importantly the cover was amazing. So I shelled out way too much for both turner variants then how does marvel repay me? They take the "rare" out of variants and announce that they are going to do it for each issue!

So, what am I going to do about it you ask? I will stomp my feet and curse at my computer screen when I am clicking "pay now" after preordering the rest of them! #surrender#

Unfortunately, there's nothing rare or even that desirable about a manufactured collectible, and that is what a variant cover is nowadays.

True variant covers are a thing of the past. The "Oh look the same comic but with a completely different cover" is just a way wringing more money from you and yes, I've fallen for it as well.

I prefer that the variant covers be used for second and third printings as a way of identifying them as second or third prints. Having multiple covers for a single print run is just kind of silly.

[marvelguy]

I agree with JDB about using covers for 2nd and 3rd prints, case in point, Marvel Zombies #1-5. What they did was genius, using famous covers from past marvel comics and "zombified" it. But on the other hand, Marvel wanted to create a frenzy with the variant covers which is first print only like Civil War #1-3. In order to attract advertisers, the books needed to sell big numbers to get good rates, etc. I liked the 2nd print of the other Civil War books because it's like a full cover instead of half-covers. I don't like the half-covers, maybe that's why they sell that first then sell the full covers later. It's my best hope that they reduce variant cover printing and go back to the policy Marvel had in the early part of the 21st century, no more printings, books are made to order only. I guess that was Bill Jemas stance, now that they changed publishers, that rule is wide open out the window. I do like the variant covers but I wouldn't pay an arm and a leg for it. I'm paying for the stories, not some covers.

[slucas76]

The thing is, I would buy a book that had just covers in it. Say, they collect the top 100 covers from a certain era and put it in a book.

I, too, buy for the stories, which is what upsets me about this variant business. I love that cover. I just think that it's a beautiful piece of artwork. If I could get a copy of it (and I will probably use Linda's idea), I'd love to frame it and hang it down in my game room when I finally get it finished. I'm going to have a section dedicated to comic books and such.

[marvelguy]

I would, too. There's a HC that collects the first 500 cover issues of the Amazing Spider-man. I plan on getting that once I get my Christmas bonus. Also, I will get FF Omnibus and X-Men Omnibus with that bonus, too.

[stupidman]

The thing is, I would buy a book that had just covers in it. Say, they collect the top 100 covers from a certain era and put it in a book.

Check out the Gerber Guides for many, many pictures of at least the top 100 comics ever, Golden Age and Silver (seperate volumes).