Variant vs Regular (Comic Book Forums)

• Variant vs Regular

Author	Discussion
blustorm Collector in Training Posts: 9 My Collection	Posted: September 28, 2016 7:23:30 am Hi everybody, Wanted to have your thoughts about this subject. Why are some first appearance comics less valued in some variants than first prints ? Extended: Would you rather have a regular issue or a more valued variant of a key comics?
tangledwebs Wise Beyond the Years Location: Buffalo Posts: 1189 My Collection	Posted: September 28, 2016 7:43:04 am That is a good question. Maybe it's the ratios or the cover art or the cover artist that makes more/less valuable or all the above. Extended: I'm a completist so I want them all.
blustorm Collector in Training Posts: 9 My Collection	Posted: September 28, 2016 7:46:57 am Completely agreed on the extended point also for my part! There's also that case where the variant is less valued. I really don't understand this, the content is the same, as well as the release date... Example on recent hotness (little) : http://comicbookrealm.com/series/35429/0/marvel-all-new-ghost-rider
spacecitycomics Collector in Training Posts: 4 My Collection	Posted: September 28, 2016 12:48:07 pm Whooping 400+ releases today. My goodness.
junobeach Wise Beyond the Years moderator Location: Victoria, BC Canada Posts: 2148 My Collection	Posted: September 28, 2016 8:42:13 pm It seems more people want the regular cover. Some hate variants and others find it easier to find/catalogue the regular issues in their collections. Personally I chose the cover with the nicest art.
GenesisDay07 Teacher Location: South Africa, Cape Town Posts: 307 My Collection	Posted: September 29, 2016 1:48:49 am I think anyone would PREFER a variant just due to the fact that it's rarer than the "regular". If I had two comics in front of me, priced exactly the same and one was a 1:10 variant . . . I'd likely go for the 1:10 variant. However, I wouldn't pay more than cover price unless I feel that it's justifiable. What would justify paying more for a variant to me? Well it's potentially one of two things; 1. either the art is phenomenal (as Juno pointed out) and / or there is some gimicky thing like a hologram that somehow (at least in my mind) justifies the increased price point 2. the price of the variant is significantly lower than what you'd generally expect to pay (that's called a bargain ) I generally just stick to regular covers. Everyone has their thing though, I personally prefer not encouraging publishers to have us pay 10 times, at ever increasing intervals for exactly the same thing but just in different "packaging". blustorm said: Why are some first appearance comics less valued in some variants than first prints ? This is an interesting point that I was pondering while looking at Justice League #40 which has a "movie variant" cover and features the first appearance of Darkseid's daughter, Grail. The "regular" is listed at $20 while the movie variant is listed as $6. I think these were printed in a 50:50 ratio, but it may have something to do with the fact that the cover depicts "Magic Mike" . . . I find this a strange phenomenon though.
Tenzil Wise Beyond the Years Location: Vancouver Posts: 1078 My Collection	Posted: September 29, 2016 2:01:19 am Why are some variants less valued? I have no idea. There are even some cases you can find here in their pricing section of second or third printings (or maybe even fourth or fifth) being more valuable than the first print! This is the only place in publishing that this could possibly happen and it makes zero sense to me, despite the fact there are often fewer of them, thus they are more scarce. For me the main part of owning any comic is the story. I like and can often admire a beautifully rendered cover, and that is certainly part of the appeal, but if it is a well crafted story featuring characters I have grown to care about (or am starting to care about thanks to this great story) then I honestly don't care what the cover looks like. Personally I cannot think of many instances in which I would pay extra for a variant cover unless it featured some really great artwork of a character I really cared about. But that's just me. Tenzil
blustorm Collector in Training Posts: 9 My Collection	Posted: September 30, 2016 3:15:45 am Indeed, that's a shame price isn't determined by the artwork beauty (anyway good thing for us) but only by rarity of shipping to stores and artist name. Maybe regular first appearances/print are more valued because it meant people had to go there and buy it. Or didn't bet on any resell variant ROI. Stupid overall in my opinion
tangledwebs Wise Beyond the Years Location: Buffalo Posts: 1189 My Collection	Posted: September 30, 2016 7:14:30 am blustorm said: Indeed, that's a shame price isn't determined by the artwork beauty (anyway good thing for us) but only by rarity of shipping to stores and artist name. Actually it is sometimes. Find a Campbell variant, 1st appearance or not for an inexpensive price.
Veenstra1 Collector in Training Location: Alberta Posts: 65 My Collection	Posted: September 30, 2016 6:31:28 pm Variants have their place. But some are just lazy. All white covers? Or maybe put deadpool on a cover although he's got nothing to do with the book at all! Now it's worth money! While it may have been a 90's ploy, look at X-men #1. Different covers that make up a big picture. Collectors can grab them up, non collectors can pick their favourite and not need the other books. It can be confusing too... Send my brother into the comic store to pick me something up, he sees two covers and doesn't know the difference. Casual buyers may be the same... In the long run, it's a money grab. If you like the book, buy the book. If you're a collector, go hard. Do what you like. That's what this hobby is really all about anyway.
20 posts • Page 1 of 2 1 2 Next >>

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.