Aria/Angela: Heavenly Creatures #'s 1 and 2: The Variants Part I

[SW3D]

I'm not a huge fan of variants. In my opinion they are a publishing gimmick to get the vulnerable comic collector into spending more cash. Variants are nothing more than a single comic book clothed in multiple shirts; honestly, it's rather foolish of us to fall for such marketing ploys. And yet, I'm probably one of the biggest fools!

 

Aria/Angela: Heavenly Creatures is a two (2) issue mini-series published by Image Comics nearly 15 years ago. It features my favorite hellion, Angela, before she became Disney/Marvel property, and the Asgardian heir to the throne. Believe it or not, for a two (2) issue set, there were an astonishing thirty-seven (37) variants published. And as gimmicky as these variants are, I have decided I want to collect them all. But I question myself, "Why am I even bothering with it?" Quite frankly, if it wasn't for Angela's appearance, I wouldn't. Okay... that sounds harsh but it is true. However, it's all part of my greater ambition: a complete collection of Angela published appearances, including variants, before her switch to Marvel Comics. It is a collection I will call "Angela Pre-Marvel".

 

The following is a list of the entire set of variants for Aria/Angela: Heavenly Creatures #'s 1 and 2:

 

Aria/Angela #1a, Joe Quesada cover

Aria/Angela #1b, Jay Anacleto cover

Aria/Angela #1c, Whilce Portacio cover

Aria/Angela #1d, J G Jones cover

Aria/Angela #1e, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover for issue 1

 

Aria/Angela #2a, Jay Anacleto cover

Aria/Angela #2b, Chris Bachalo cover

 

Aria/Angela #1a, Limited Edition Holo Foil, J G Jones cover (only 5,000 published)

Aria/Angela #1b, Limited Edition Holo Foil, Jay Anacleto cover (only 5,000 published)

Aria/Angela #1c, Limited Edition Holo Foil, Whilce Portacio cover (only 5,000 published)

Aria/Angela #1d, Limited Edition Holo Foil, Joe Quesada cover (only 5,000 published)

 

Aria/Angela #1a, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto cover; full color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1a, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto cover; blue color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1a, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto cover; red color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1a, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto cover; black color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1b, Museum Edition, Whilce Portacio cover; full color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1b, Museum Edition, Whilce Portacio cover; blue color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1b, Museum Edition, Whilce Portacio cover; red color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1b, Museum Edition, Whilce Portacio cover; black color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1c, Museum Edition, J G Jones cover; full color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1c, Museum Edition, J G Jones cover; blue color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1c, Museum Edition, J G Jones cover; red color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1c, Museum Edition, J G Jones cover; black color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1d, Museum Edition, Joe Quesada cover; full color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1d, Museum Edition, Joe Quesada cover; blue color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1d, Museum Edition, Joe Quesada cover; red color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1d, Museum Edition, Joe Quesada cover; black color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1e, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover; full color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1e, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover; blue color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1e, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover; red color cover (only 100 published)

Aria/Angela #1e, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover; black color cover (only 100 published)

 

Aria/Angela Blanc and Noir Edition #1, Jay Anacleto cover ("the black and white pencil edition" presents the entire first issue in its original pencil form)

 

Aria/Angela Gold Edition #1, Jay Anacleto's 3rd cover for issue 1 (Gold Foil Edition)

Aria/Angela Gold Edition #2, Jay Anacleto cover (Gold Foil Edition)

 

Aria/Angela Tower Records Gold Edition #1, Jay Anacleto cover (only 500 published)

Aria/Angela Tower Records Variant #1, Jay Anacleto cover

 

Aria/Angela European Ashcan Tour #NN

(cardstock cover, 5 ½ inches by 8 ½ inches, 12 pages featuring b&w illustrations/art from the comic).

 

Of all these variants, the Museum Editions present the biggest challenge collecting, simply because they are rare due to their low print runs and carry a fairly high price tag even before grading.

 

Funny thing... the CGC has confusingly recorded the title of this series as both Aria/Angela: Heavenly Creatures and simply Aria/Angela. So when you study the census population numbers, you have to search under both titles for the complete graded numbers.

 

Yesterday, a package from the CGC arrived. It was a box containing eight graded comics which were submitted last year at New York Comic Con. The two appearing in the photo are the Aria/Angela European Ashcan Tour which were signed by series artist Jay Anacleto on October 9, 2014. I'm happy to say they each came back graded 9.8; grades achieved sans pressing.

 

In a few days I'll share with you the other variants and the grades they achieved. Until then, thanks for reading and as always, happy collecting!

 

See more journals by screenwriter3d

[n2wdw]

Great post. I imagine it must be hard to find high grade raws of these books, so congrats on getting 9.8s. Looking forward to seeing the others.

[Brandon Shepherd]

That's a lot of variants,good luck with your set!

[SW3D]

Thanks for your feedback. Yes, you are absolutely right, it's not easy, but then again it could be harder. So far, I've only gotten 8 out of the 37... And it's taken me 2 years to get those 8. At this pace it will take 10 years to get them all. But I'm patient... the beauty and fun is in the hunt!... And Angela would agree!

 

SW3D

[SW3D]

That's a lot of variants,good luck with your set!

 

Thank you my friend.

 

It would be cool to see a Superman/Angela crossover with Wonder Woman in the mix. Angela going toe-to-toe with WW would be glorious!

 

SW3D

[Lobstrosity]

It's a daunting list for sure, but some of the museum editions have not been proven to exist. According to Brian Haberlin (co-founder of Avalon Studios) they published the red and blue versions "sometimes" but not consistently.Here are all the known versions:

 

Aria/Angela 1a (double Anacleto cover) Museum Edition (color)

Aria/Angela 1a (double Anacleto cover) Museum Edition (blue)

Aria/Angela 1a (double Anacleto cover) Museum Edition (red)

Aria/Angela 1b (Portacio cover) Museum Edition (color)

Aria/Angela 1c (JG Jones cover) stained glass cover Museum Edition (color)

Aria/Angela 1c (JG Jones cover) Museum Edition (red)

Aria/Angela 1c (JG Jones cover) Museum Edition (black)

Aria/Angela 1d (Joe Quesada cover) Museum Edition (color)

Aria/Angela 1e ("throne" Anacleto cover, Dynamic Forces) Museum Edition (color)

 

Additionally there are some covers that do not fit nicely into the full color/solid color categories. Such as a confirmed copy of 1a (double Anacleto cover) that is a grayish-reddish color.

 

If you're interested, there is also the Aria/Angela Collector's pack, and Angela makes an appearance on a variant cover for Aria #4.

 

The ones you have marked as Aria/Angela Gold Edition #1 and #2 probably refer to the Dynamic Forces editions (with an Anacleto cover featuring Aria sitting on a throne and Angela cross-armed in the foreground) but it should be noted that one version is a standard cover (no gold foil) while the variant has gold foil lettering.

 

 

 

Here's the full list of all confirmed Aria/Angela books:

 

Aria/Angela 1a double cover (Jay Anacleto)

Aria/Angela 1a double cover chrome/holofoil

Aria/Angela 1a double cover Museum Edition (color)

Aria/Angela 1a double cover Museum Edition (reddish-color)

Aria/Angela 1a double cover Museum Edition (blue)

Aria/Angela 1a double cover Museum Edition (red)

Aria/Angela 1b "red branches" cover (Whilce Portacio)

Aria/Angela 1b "red branches" cover chrome/holofoil

Aria/Angela 1b "red branches" cover Museum Edition

Aria/Angela 1c "stained glass" cover (JG Jones)

Aria/Angela 1c "stained glass" cover chrome/holofoil

Aria/Angela 1c "stained glass" cover Museum Edition (red)

Aria/Angela 1c "stained glass" cover Museum Edition (black)

Aria/Angela 1c "stained glass" cover Museum Edition (color)

Aria/Angela 1d Joe Quesada cover

Aria/Angela 1d Joe Quesada cover chrome/holofoil

Aria/Angela 1d Joe Quesada cover Museum Edition

Aria/Angela 1e "throne" Anacleto cover (dynamic forces)

Aria/Angela 1e "throne" Anacleto cover cover gold

Aria/Angela 1e "throne" Anacleto cover Museum Edition

Aria/Angela 1f Tower Records edition

Aria/Angela 1f Tower Records edition gold

Aria/Angela 1g Blanc & Noir edition

 

Aria/Angela 2a "stained glass" cover (Anacleto)

Aria/Angela 2a "stained glass" cover gold

Aria/Angela 2b "bubbles" cover (Bachalo)

 

Aria/Angela Collector’s Pack

Aria/Angela European Edition Ashcan

Aria 4 “Among Ruins” (glow-in-the-dark Angela cover)

 

More info and pics can be found at:

SpawnWorld: Guest Appearances

 

Hope that helps, happy hunting!

[SW3D]

Thanks for your feedback and input!

 

I'm going to have to research the Museum Editions further. It would be great if the number of variants were cut down... less is more in my opinion.

 

As far as I can tell, the Aria/Angela Gold Editions #1 and #2 are not associated with Dynamic Forces, and their principal distinguishing characteristics are the Gold Foil Lettering as you mention and their cardstock covers. I own a copy of each which I will post in a separate journal.

 

I also own the Aria #4 Glow-in-the-Dark, with Angela on the cover. Why Image chose to add Angela to this comic's cover makes no sense since she does not appear in the story at all. However, the cover is the same image that is seen in the Aria/Angela European Ashcan, which makes me speculate it was an illustration intended to be used as another variant cover for the Aria/Angela Heavenly Creatures series but for whatever reason, didn't make the cut.

 

This is what I know about the Collectors Pack taken from Lone Star Comics/MyComicShop.com: "Aria Angela Collectors Pack from Avalon Studios. Autographed by Brian Hamberlin. Limited to 1000 copies. Oversized envelope containing two copies of Aria Angela #1 (regular cover and holofoil cover), one copy of Aria Angela #2, and a miniprint (limited to 500)."

Other than the autographs, the miniprint makes this worthy of collecting. But how am I going to get my hands on one?

[Lobstrosity]

Sure thing!

 

I'd definitely like to have a look at you gold editions, please let me know if you do post up pics.

 

I own one of the Colletor's Packs, and have seen them pop up from time to time. About as frequently as the Museum editions though, which isn't too often.

 

Best of luck with the hunt