Jugger Grimrod

You can sometimes find eBay sellers offering sets (or partial sets) of the Star Wars action figure variants. The Boba one is the most expensive, followed by the Han Solo. This isn't taking into consideration the B/W Luke sketch variant, just the color ones released. Chewie should be pretty easy to find as should be the rest, C3PO is the next one. There is also one for Lando #1 too in July.

I think the new ongoing series from Dark Horse called "Harrow County" is going to be a sleeper and probably an overlooked book by retailers and comic readers in general, curious what the print run is and if we see it sell out. Issue #1 comes out Wednesday, early advance reviews have been posted on the net and all are very positive.

This doesn't surprise me that this happened. Media Mail can be opened for inspection, First Class Mail can't. Yes, comic books are not allowed to be shipped via Media Mail, and the artist is taking a big chance in doing so. I would say though that because this is his first venture into shipping comics like this, that he has no idea comics are not allowed to be shipped that method. Besides in many cases, shipping a single comic book is actually cheaper to ship First Class than Media Mail or at the very most, only a few cents more. There is a lot to learn when shipping properly both domestically and internationally, some don't bother to do their research ahead of time, while others do. I am glad I was able to order copies while they were available, I would not say I was a huge fan of the packaging but all arrived fairly quickly in great condition in a medium flat rate box.

That's all I had as well buddy. Don't sweat it, I'm sure they'll get them all out before too much longer. I believe they shipped bulk orders out first, single issue orders will ship after that. Everyone I know who ordered multiples (5+ copies) all received their orders, those who ordered 1-2 copies haven't received them yet. But I agree, eventually they will get all the orders out, I am sure they are going as fast as they can.

That's it. I got one as well. My only bit of trepidation - Media Mail. -slym There are instances when Media Mail is actually more expensive than First Class Mail, and generally when it comes to shipping one comic book, First Class is the better deal especially if the person prints out the pre-paid shipping label via eBay or Paypal directly. Also with First Class the package can't be opened by the postal service, Media Mail can be opened to verify contents, technically comics are not allowed to be shipped via Media Mail because of "ads" so it is a gamble really when a person ships a comic and elects to ship it Media Mail. If the package is opened during transit and verified that it doesn't qualify, the postal service can return the parcel back to the sender or they can simply impose the cost difference (if any) to the receiver, which could result in an upset customer.

There would be far less non-paying buyers on eBay if eBay simply imposed a fee to those buyers who bid and win items but then don't pay. eBay has fees in place if you are a seller and you decide to end an auction (if there are bids) and you elect not to sell to the highest bidder, but if you are a buyer, and you choose not to pay, you get nothing more than a slap on the wrist if that from eBay. Sellers can't remove bids anymore either without a fee being imposed. They bury all of this in their "updates" and a lot of sellers don't read those because you have to go through them with a fine tooth comb most of the time. It used to be that a seller could remove bids if they noticed a buyers feedback rating was low, or had negatives, but now if you do that, you get hit with a fee. If eBay started imposing fees for buyers who don't pay and don't elect to retract their own bids, you would find far less non-paying bidder issues.

I received my order today actually.

Ok thanks for the info, sounds like #4 and #5 variant should then be about cover price more than likely. :-)

Do you know if the #4 was featured in an Order Update from Diamond? Just curious because in the actual retailer order form when #4 was solicited there was no mention of an action figure #4 variant. Yeah, the way retailers have to order some Marvel variants is rather confusing, a certain percentage of something previously ordered, the stores I have talked to hate it that way, I can only imagine how many others do as well.

Yes, but those aren't the action figure variants, which is what threw things off for me. The first three issues of Star Wars each had the action figure retailer exclusive variant listed in the retailer's order form booklet, I want to say it was a store could order 1 copy for every 10 (or possibly 15) copies of the standard edition that they ordered (plus qualify for the other various variants too). When I checked the retailer order form from a friend's comic stop for issue #4 they had no mention of the action figure variant listed so that is why the #4 Chewbacca action figure variant may be a standard 1:1 cover ratio, with no requirement on the retailer's part to order x amount of standards to qualify. Unless it was listed in a Previews Update which is possible. I thought perhaps Marvel was just doing an action figure variant for the first three issues of Star Wars but clearly that's not the case and they will continue which is nice to see. That Boba Fett #4 artist exclusive is the nicest so far I will admit. I will check the latest order form and see if a #5 or #6 action figure variants are back as being listed in the current catalog as retailer incentives and report back.

I'd expect to see a flood of Descender #1 four color variants. I got my Two Four Color Boxes yesterday. Was it announced how many Four Color variants were produced of Descender #1? With regards to second printings of #1, a few stores I have gone to have them in stock fairly plentiful, but I am sure as more people hear about the series, those will dry up eventually.

I am curious what the ratio will be for the Star Wars #4 variant featuring Chewbacca. The reason I ask is because I remember when issue #4 was solicited in Previews and in the retailer price booklet, there was no mention of a retailer exclusive #4 so I had thought that the action figure variants were just for the first three issues. I wonder if for #4 it will be a 1:1 ratio and not something a retailer has to order 15 or so copies of the standard version?

Unsure why some on eBay are listing the Fett variant as a C2E2 variant, I believe it was just an exclusive direct from the artist, not the convention.

Originally showed sales tax, but according to a friend, no sales tax charged when he completed his order. Nice cover indeed.

I would send in my Caliber set but I had James sign them years ago and since CGC doesn't recognize anything signed unless "they" witness it, it probably would not benefit myself value-wise to have them slabbed.

Thanks, yeah I believe in helping out whenever possible, they have no idea I am doing it, its been in the planning stages for a while, I hope to add a few more to the batch but will be non-Hulk pieces. I am dealing with ECCC right now but when I am finally ready to get them posted, probably via eBay I will post images of each here and the direct links for people to bid. Maybe there will be some stuff that interests some of the collectors here.

I don't have an image, I wish I did. I have a very vivid memory and remember seeing the image they had either in Previews or a DIamond Dateline update as I was in the warehouse looking over stuff and saw the mention of it and the image too showing the woman wearing the jacket. I don't know whatever became of it, not does James when I asked him not long ago. I doubt Kevin Eastman will remember, it was over 20 years ago, but if I get a chance to get away from my booth at ECCC this weekend I will bring it up to him and see if he remembers. If I can somehow find an image, I will certainly post too.

Not sure how many of you remember this, but going back over 20 years ago when Diamond Comic Distributors was advance soliciting The Crow Volume #3 by Tundra Publishing, they were running a contest for retailers. At the time I was working at the distributor's Seattle location and remember seeing the contest advertised. At the time, whichever retailers ordered the most copies of volume #3 of The Crow (which was the first time we saw the story's conclusion which would have been issue #5 of the original series in print) would receive a black leather jacket with a full painting done on the back by O' Barr. I still to this day remember the image they had posted, which was a woman standing wearing the jacket and the image was of the back of the jacket on her. The painting was about a waist high full image of Eric (The Crow) turning and looking right back at you. It was stunning to say the least. I have asked James about it and he doesn't know what happened to it, meaning which retailer won it, if any at all. Kevin Eastman owned Tundra Publishing and will be here in Seattle at ECCC so if I can get over to him I am going to ask him what became of that jacket and see if he remembers. I am just curious if they ended up awarding a retailer with it who ordered the most copies or if its sitting somewhere in a box. I have just been trying to track it down, or at the very least whatever became of it.

Thanks for the kind words, I am hoping to add some new ones this weekend here at ECCC if so, I will certainly post them.

Man seeing all these posts with images of the Valiant letters and variants brings back a ton of memories when I was with Diamond. I wish I had the Armstrong Ale and Darque Brew that Valiant had sent me, over the years I parted with most of my Valiant stuff. I had all the retailer exclusive stuff, etc and multiple copies of each as well. But I thank those for posting their images here, lots of fond memories.....

He is a great guy and really good to his fans too. For your first con, pick a good one, there are plenty out there.

Lastly here are a few standalone commissions I have had O' Barr do over the years as well. This one was my very first Crow original commissions from James, I campaigned to get him up here to Seattle for a convention and the organizer finally listened. James was quiet during the show but was an absolute pleasure to talk to. He spoke about the movie which was filming, his cameo, some of the promotional ideas in mind for the marketing campaign as Paramount Pictures was involved and they had made a small temporary tattoo printed up and other things. I then let him work on his commissions. James then came back to my booth with this piece and asked quietly "Is this ok?" and I was speechless. Sadly a few weeks later we lost Brandon during filming. I love this piece.. Trying to remember when James did this one, it wasn't that long ago: This would probably be the most recent one James had done:

Thanks for the kind words guys, here are the rest of the other artist interpretations I have in the sketchbook, I will be adding a few more soon to the book.... James O' Barr (This one starts the sketchbook): Tony Daniel: David Finch: Michael Golden: Aaron Lopresti: Nat Jones: Timothy Bradstreet: Terry Moore: Paul Chadwick: Ken Steacy: Mike Grell: Joseph Michael Linsner: Clayton Crain: David Mack: Bernard Chang: Simon Bisley:

I have these posted on the net, but since there appears to be a lot of Crow fans in this thread, I figure I would post a few. Quite some years ago James was offering a hardbound sketchbook, full of blank pages for people to draw in, etc. He even offered some on eBay with two-page sketches done in them. I quickly bought one up and decided it was time to start getting other interpretations of The Crow by professionals in the industry. I slowly add to it when time allows, thankfully many of these folks, including James I am pleased to call friends of mine. Here are a few examples from the sketchbook, hope everyone enjoys... Bill Sienkiewicz: Tony Moore: Ethan Van Sciver: I can post more if people want, including some other O' Barr commissions from over the years.

Chris has some beautiful pieces in his collection, that last one your posted James used as a very limited edition t-shirt. Each time he did a pressing, he added an extra bullet he said hanging from Eric's hair. The art you have was for a shirt he made up which I believe he said he did 50 of them and the proceeds went to Brandon's widow. I have one of the shirts, bagged it after I got it over 20 years ago and have never worn it.