Variant covers - love 'em or hate 'em?

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weasel-king

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I didn't want to create a poll, but I'm just curious to hear thoughts on the parallels of the comic world. When I was a wee lad reading old GI Joe and Transformers comics, variants were unheard of. Who in the world would buy 2 versions of the same book?

Now that I'm getting back into comics I try and pick up variants. Even 2nd prints, since the cover is typically different.

However, I'm running into a few that are a little silly compared to others. For example, it seems that the number of variants in Whedon's Astonishing X-Men outnumber the regular issues by 2:1 overall for the whole run.

I was browsing through some Michael Turner stuff and see an issue of Fathom (I know nothing about the book itself) that had to have a dozen different covers. And I know the new Invincible Iron Man series' #1 has a bunch.

I'm one of those "if I know it's out there I have to get it" types, but I'm also afraid that I'll end up wasting more $ and space on variants than I'll be happy with on down the road!

So... do you like them? Hate them? Don't collect them at all? Only stick with, say 1:25s or easier?
 
I avoid them, to me they are just a money grab by the publishers. I have bought a few when my favorite character was on it or if it is a really cool cover but normally I leave them on the shelf.
 
I'm really considering doing that. It would cut my "need" list down considerably, especially in cases like the Whedon Astonishing where I only need 1 from the regular run but something like 14 for the variants.

I dunno, maybe I'll pick up variants for #1s or something, or do like you and just grab ones I like.

I'm still spending less on all the comics than I ever did in a typical month on hockey cards, so maybe the extra dough is simply burning a hole in my pocket.

EDIT: This would also be a curious time to call it quits on variants--I just checked and have numerous variant issues incoming, to the tune of about $119, give or take a few dollars. Damn Iron Man and Skrull stuff!
 
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When I collected I was like you and bought any that I could. Now that I haven't bought comics in about 6-7 years and I'm looking at the space that 4,000 or so comics take up, I'm thinking of just keeping the stories that I may like to read, and getting rid of the variants etc. Not decided yet, but I'm leaning that way.
 
newfiecomicguy1 said:
I avoid them, to me they are just a money grab by the publishers. I have bought a few when my favorite character was on it or if it is a really cool cover but normally I leave them on the shelf.
Click to expand...

Agreed 100%.

I collect comics purely for the stories, so why dish an extra $3+ for a cover I couldn't care less about. Some variants are ridiculously expensive also. I just find it a waste considering I will never look at it or open it.
 
For myself, I don't bother with the rare (1:10 or 1:25 or higher) variants unless it's for a smaller print series I really really want to support. When PVP had an alternate sketch cover (1:10), I bought extra copies to make sure I got the sketch cover (which I got it at cover price), but had to buy 3 extra copies.

However, for some reason, sentimental or not, I'm trying down all 13 covers from Gen13 #1 for kicks.

Kevin
 
This is the one that prompted my thread in the first place:
Invincible Iron Man #1

As of now it's at US $76.05. I'm having an extremely hard time justifying paying even half that amount for a couple of reasons. A) There are several other variant covers; B) This is a really crappy cover. And it's not even the worst one...

Did I mention it's a really crappy cover? Bad part is, I have all the variants but this one. I won't be buying this one, but it stinks that this will be a hole in my collection.
 
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I think if you give it time, it'll get considerably cheaper. When I sold variant cover for my local store on eBay (before they got their own account up to a decent enough feedback), you had to sell within the first couple of weeks. After a few months, those who wanted it had it, and the price dropped a fair bit.

For what it's worth, Iron Man #1 sold 105,864 copies according to ICv2's numbers, that means no more than 1,058 copies should exist but who knows how many stores were able to bring in 100 copies for the store. (I'm not counting any backdooring if any goes on, because I have no idea.) I'd guess that there are roughly 300-400 copies of this cover on the market.

Kevin
 
Look no further than Gen 13 as an example of variants going berserk. Thirteen different variants of #1 - 2 common, eleven rare (1/10 if memory serves), and a later boxed set offering all 13 signed by one of four people (Campbell, Choi, and two others I can't recall).

Within two months, you could get $30-40 per variant and $2-300 per boxed set depending on who signed it. The boxed sets peaked a little later at around $450 for Campbells and Chois. Now I think they can be had for around 25% of that.
 
Exactly, Gen 13 is a perfect example. For the rare variants, I'm picking them up for $5, and the ones I haven't got (4 left) usually end on eBay for $6-10.
 
The concept totally jumped the shark with some of the more....adult-themed titles like Double Impact.
 
I remember when it first started in the 90's. Spider-Man, X-Force and X-Men #1's were big ones.

I fell into the trap. Bought each and every version I could find. Must be the card completionist in me. I remember paying big money for the Platinum Spider-Man #1 back in the day...

Never really bothered me that much. It was kind of fun chasing them down, but with the prices of the variations nowadays, I'd probably avoid the 'parallels'.
 
Ultimate Spidey was a good'un. I remember buying both versions of #1. Because I liked the white variant, I bought a couple extras.

A few years later while cleaning the boxes, I found them again. Imagine my surprise to see them doing nearly $300. Needless to say, away they went.
 

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