mattn792 Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 9 hours ago, Mercury Man said: Who makes it? Any good? Quite good, ‘tis a Russian Imperial Stout. I’ve been meaning to Google the maker, I couldn’t tell from the tap handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F For Fake Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 11 hours ago, newshane said: Die-cuts, gatefolds, holograms, holographic foil, metal foil, glow-in-the-dark cover, prismatics.... I have a comic rack filled with nothing but Ghost Rider 15, because it reminds me of my misspent youth, I can find them for under $1, and it has a FREAKING GLOW IN THE DARK FLAMING SKULL ON THE COVER. What's not cool about that? Plus there's a newsstand edition and a gold ink 2nd print, for those who enjoy variations on a theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newshane Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, F For Fake said: I have a comic rack filled with nothing but Ghost Rider 15, because it reminds me of my misspent youth, I can find them for under $1, and it has a FREAKING GLOW IN THE DARK FLAMING SKULL ON THE COVER. What's not cool about that? Plus there's a newsstand edition and a gold ink 2nd print, for those who enjoy variations on a theme. I totally agree. I have a sentimental attachment to that era because it was the time in which I was introduced to comics and comic collecting. As bad as things got with the gimmick covers, I'd take them over the multiple variant/manufactured rarity chase any day. F For Fake 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F For Fake Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, newshane said: I totally agree. I have a sentimental attachment to that era because it was the time in which I was introduced to comics and comic collecting. As bad as things got with the gimmick covers, I'd take them over the multiple variant/manufactured rarity chase any day. I started reading comics as a kid in the 80's, but in the 90's I was a teen with my own money and that's when I was able to really start buying, which dovetailed with the gimmick era. Same reason I still buy every copy of X-Men #1 I find for 50 cents or less! newshane 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whizzer Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 Back when I owned a share of an LCS we had a customer who was obsessed with ratio variants virtually to the point of addiction. He spent hundreds of £ every week on these books, so much in fact that we tried to get him to change his focus to vintage books and were brutally honest with him that realistically the modern variants he was buying would likely not hold their value long term compared to the silver and bronze books he could be buying instead. He wasn't interested and just kept right on buying the ratio variants. Several years on, I shudder to think how badly that investment has done for him. Some people you just can't help I guess. Krismusic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valiantman Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 34 minutes ago, Whizzer said: Back when I owned a share of an LCS we had a customer who was obsessed with ratio variants virtually to the point of addiction. He spent hundreds of £ every week on these books, so much in fact that we tried to get him to change his focus to vintage books and were brutally honest with him that realistically the modern variants he was buying would likely not hold their value long term compared to the silver and bronze books he could be buying instead. He wasn't interested and just kept right on buying the ratio variants. Several years on, I shudder to think how badly that investment has done for him. Some people you just can't help I guess. If he got ASM #667 Dell'Otto, he probably broke even... for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justafan Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 (edited) 53 minutes ago, valiantman said: If he got ASM #667 Dell'Otto, he probably broke even... for now. LOL. I can't imagine owning 5 Dell'Otto's in 9.6/9.8 and 10,000 ASM variants worth under cover price. Edited July 12, 2019 by justafan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker89 Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 EXHIBIT A: As a Moonie Looney I think this is a cool book but manufactured rarity disgusts me and the price tag is preposterous. And ummmmm I'll take 7.5 WBN 32 over this every time over and over... but that's obvious. Still a cool book, I enjoyed the Bemis run alot..... But nooo just no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsilverjanet Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 @Jaydogrules this seems like a thread you'd be interested in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadleg Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 On 7/11/2019 at 9:33 AM, oakman29 said: What's with those damn ASM Del Otto variants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punksdropdirtysrh Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 1 hour ago, jsilverjanet said: @Jaydogrules this seems like a thread you'd be interested in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaydogrules Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 1 hour ago, jsilverjanet said: @Jaydogrules this seems like a thread you'd be interested in What makes (a) variant comic valuable? The same thing that makes anything else valuable- people want it and there aren't quite enough to meet demand. In the case of the variants that have held and grown in value over the course of several years, there does seem to be a pattern among the books having most or all of these characteristics- 1) Printed between 2009-2014 2) Drawn by a top/A-lister artist 3) A-list subject matter 4) Within a long running title 5) Spider-man/Spider-Man related 6) Low census population relative to other variants from the same general time period 7) The art for the book has been reprinted/re-purposed for another comic and/or use There's probably more but these were the ones of the top of my head. Happy hunting! -J. kav 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou_fine Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 On 7/10/2019 at 8:12 PM, kav said: I hope someone has an answer. What makes some random book variant pop? Proof of what P.T. Barnum said in that there actually is one born every minute. kav 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsilverjanet Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 Sell the sizzle not the steak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockMyAmadeus Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 On 7/11/2019 at 8:49 PM, newshane said: Die-cuts, gatefolds, holograms, holographic foil, metal foil, glow-in-the-dark cover, prismatics.... And you didn't have to buy X amount of "regular" copies to get the shiny piece of junk. You could...wonder of wonders...just buy it. Sometimes, the gimmick was the only version you COULD buy..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newshane Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 4 minutes ago, RockMyAmadeus said: And you didn't have to buy X amount of "regular" copies to get the shiny piece of junk. You could...wonder of wonders...just buy it. Sometimes, the gimmick was the only version you COULD buy..... Indeed...which is why I vastly favor the "good ole days." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drotto Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 On 7/11/2019 at 6:01 PM, Artboy99 said: There are lots of reasons people collect variants. Most variants are advertised in comic previews or on the artist's website in advance which is how most are discovered. The image on the cover in my opinion is the #1 reason people are interested. Generally I feel if I like the cover image someone else will. Most variants I have collected is because I LOVE the art on the cover. Here are some examples: And these two variants are in the class where they have value beyond being the FOTM cover. They have crossed over to the demand side of the curve. They are the exception not the rule about having sustainable long term value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
