Batman variant cover pricing

[mofo]

So i just recently (at the beginning of RIP) started purchasing the variant covers of the Batman monthlies...
For some reason my LCS had been pricing them at $20 (with issue 681 being placed at $30!)...
It occurred to me that they were also doing this for All Star batman and Robin (I think they had priced the variants at $10...not sure)

Is this normal practice for a comic book store? Because I've only ever bought my comics at the one place near my university so I don't have much experience...

[Kiryu]

So i just recently (at the beginning of RIP) started purchasing the variant covers of the Batman monthlies...
For some reason my LCS had been pricing them at $20 (with issue 681 being placed at $30!)...
It occurred to me that they were also doing this for All Star batman and Robin (I think they had priced the variants at $10...not sure)

Is this normal practice for a comic book store? Because I've only ever bought my comics at the one place near my university so I don't have much experience...

My LCS does it too. A lot of time they do it because they only order enough to hit the benchmark of the variant, which they can sell at a much higher price and recoup the loss they take on a few leftover floppies.

[A.C.R.O.N.Y.M.]

I've never understood why people pay that kind of money for variant covers. I guess there was a time where you had a hope of making money off of them, but now - why bother? I

[thebhamgunslinger]

I've never understood why people pay that kind of money for variant covers. I guess there was a time where you had a hope of making money off of them, but now - why bother? I

Completely agree. The 90's killed the variant cover. The only time I'll get one is when my shop has a bunch of 50/50 covers along with a regular cover. Then I'll pick which cover I like best, but I refuse to buy both. And I would never pay $20 for a comic that's probably not worth the $2.99 I pay for it anyway.

[Captain Jim]

To spell the matter out a little clearer - it's a different situation from when a book ships with different covers at roughly a 50/50 ratio. In that case, there is typically no distinction in price.

In this case the retailer typically has to order "x" number of copies to get a single varient. (So, it's essentially an incentive on DC's part to try to get them to order more.) A typical comic shop may only receive one or two varients in this scenario.

So, it basically becomes a matter of supply and demand (which is always the case with comics). Since there are a limited number of them out there, and several people would like one, it drives the price up.

[Kiryu]

To spell the matter out a little clearer - it's a different situation from when a book ships with different covers at roughly a 50/50 ratio. In that case, there is typically no distinction in price.

In this case the retailer typically has to order "x" number of copies to get a single varient. (So, it's essentially an incentive on DC's part to try to get them to order more.) A typical comic shop may only receive one or two varients in this scenario.

So, it basically becomes a matter of supply and demand (which is always the case with comics). Since there are a limited number of them out there, and several people would like one, it drives the price up.

Indeed, I have not once been able to get a variant, they are held for the people who spend more on comics at the shop then I do. Sucks but, what can you do. The only RIP variant I want is already at $12.99 on Ebay. Soon I'll get it so I can have it signed by Grant and Tony.

[thebhamgunslinger]

To spell the matter out a little clearer - it's a different situation from when a book ships with different covers at roughly a 50/50 ratio. In that case, there is typically no distinction in price.

In this case the retailer typically has to order "x" number of copies to get a single varient. (So, it's essentially an incentive on DC's part to try to get them to order more.) A typical comic shop may only receive one or two varients in this scenario.

So, it basically becomes a matter of supply and demand (which is always the case with comics). Since there are a limited number of them out there, and several people would like one, it drives the price up.

Sorry for not being clear in my earlier post, I understand the difference b/t 50/50 and variant. I just meant that is the only time I personally would consider getting a different cover was w/ a 50/50.

I meant I would never pay $20 for a variant, when I can get the exaxt same issue, albeit with a different cover, for $2.99. But if you like collecting variants, by all means, knock yourself out. After all, they wouldn't put out those expensive variants in the first place if there wasn't someone who wanted to buy them right?

[mofo]

oh ok
thanks for clearing that up

fyi i buy the variants because
1) i dont buy alot of comics so i can afford it
2) maybe, during a rainy day, my great-grandkids will have something to fall back on for money relief! seriously!

[Sean Walsh]

Yeah, that's rather common.

But what's nice (because I never really buy variants in the first place) is when you go to a store where that same super duper variant is being sold for the $2.99 cover price, and just out with the regular comics without the bag and board.

[DonC]

Wow. I don't know about the super-rare stuff, but my LCS always had the Frank Miller All-Star covers at cover price.

[Kuma]

681 was only 15 at my LCS, i dont usually buy them but i realllly liked the cover

[Christopher Cross Is God]

Completely agree. The 90's killed the variant cover. The only time I'll get one is when my shop has a bunch of 50/50 covers along with a regular cover. Then I'll pick which cover I like best, but I refuse to buy both. And I would never pay $20 for a comic that's probably not worth the $2.99 I pay for it anyway.

Aside from Image Comics doing a few, I never really noticed variants back in the 90's. Did Marvel & DC do them back then? Or are you including those special hologram or foil covers from back in the 90's (Along with other stupid gimmicks like the poly-bagged X-Force #1 with different cards in each comic).

I won't pay $20 for a variant, unless it's a special 1-in-50 or 1-in-100 variant, so it's more rare.........But I haven't even gone for one of those.

I've bought variants priced between $3.99-$8.99 ($8.99 was the most I've paid).....Number one, it's kind of cool to have a variant, since it's more rare, but what I really focus on is whether the artwork on the variant cover is worth getting.

The Kubert variant for one of the Action Comics issues? Had to get it.

The upcoming Tony Daniel variant for Detective Comics #851? I'm going to have to get it. I think it's going to be $6.99 at the store I shop at.

Most variants have, what I consider to be, ugly covers, though, so I usually don't go for them.

If there are 50/50 ratios, and I like both covers (Such as Daredevil #111), I get both. That's if I know I'll like the content inside. I'm not going to buy comics for the cover art and not like the interior art & story.

As for the guy who said comics aren't an investment anymore, I'd agree to an extent. It would be stupid to buy multiple copies of comic issues as an investment........But, to get a variant, or to keep whatever normal issues you have in mint condition, can have its benefits.

I had some Wolverine issues which were part of that "Twelve" storyline. I didn't care for the issues all that much, so a year ago I sold them to a comic shop for store credit.......I sold 2 or 3 lousy issues and got around $80 worth of store credit, which I used to get other comics. So, that paid off in the end.

I did have one Wolverine issue from that storyline that I didn't sell, because it had a tear. When I originally bought those issues as they came out, I noticed the tear on that one issue, and didn't care, thinking, "Comics aren't really an investment, anyway, so who cares if it has a small tear. I'm buying it for the content."

Well, the issue wasn't all that great, in my opinion, so I would have sold that issue with the others, but due to the tear I knew I wouldn't get crap.

[DonC]

My LCS had the Batman #682 1:25 Joker variant for cover price. He even told me it was there, but I didn't get it. I liked the regular cover better.

[AlistairCrane]

I absolutely refuse to ever pay more than cover price for a variant cover...especially when, these days, variant covers are included in the collected editions, if you get those too.

[Christopher Cross Is God]

I absolutely refuse to ever pay more than cover price for a variant cover...especially when, these days, variant covers are included in the collected editions, if you get those too.

Yeah, but the collected edition won't have the variant artwork as its cover. I want to gaze lovingly upon the artwork, whose beauty is enhanced by the mylar bag which protects it from harm.

As for the price, I don't mind paying extra. It's not as if I buy them all the time. Besides, the store I go to has had very good comics in the 25-cent bin, along with many other good sales, that I've still saved in the long run.

[dancj]

If there are 50/50 ratios, and I like both covers (Such as Daredevil #111), I get both. That's if I know I'll like the content inside. I'm not going to buy comics for the cover art and not like the interior art & story.
Why would you buy an extra copy of a comic just for the cover if it has an interior that you like, but already have when you wouldn't buy a comic just for the cover if you don't like the interior?

Either way all you've gained is a cover.

[Mia]

Yeah, but the collected edition won't have the variant artwork as its cover. I want to gaze lovingly upon the artwork, whose beauty is enhanced by the mylar bag which protects it from harm.


Isn't that the whole point!:smile:

[Christopher Cross Is God]

Why would you buy an extra copy of a comic just for the cover if it has an interior that you like, but already have when you wouldn't buy a comic just for the cover if you don't like the interior?

Either way all you've gained is a cover.

Ah, the British......Always trying to make sense of it all.

In all seriousness, there isn't much logic behind it. I guess it's a fractional bit of a collector's mentality, melded with such an appreciation for the cover art that I'm inclined to get two different covers of the same issue if impulse strikes me so.

I rarely do it, but issues that come to mind are Daredevil #111 and Justice #5 (That Superman/Brainiac cover for the 3rd printing was phenomenal). I also acquired some Thunderbolts variants (3 or 4 of them), even though I got the regular covers as well. Come to think of it, I also bought the collected hc's of Justice, and also bought the "Faith in Monsters" hc for Thunderbolts, so it's not as if I didn't have hands-on access to such cover-art. Plus, I could just as easily download pictures off the net.

You would think such a practice would lead me to getting comics for cover-art, alone, without any thought to the interior writing & artwork. But, for whatever reason, I don't. The only comic I bought in that fashion was Teen Titans #54.

I was very tempted to get some of the Secret Invasion issues, merely for the great artwork on the cover, but Lenil Francis Yu's interior art turned me off so much I didn't bother. I was also very tempted to get the recent Thunderbolts issue, for the great cover, but I jumped ship from Thunderbolts after Ellis/Deodato bailed.

Call me a loon, call me a fool. It's just an odd habit I have, albeit one I don't practice regularly.

Isn't that the whole point!:smile:

But, of course! :wink:

[single287]

I've never understood why people pay that kind of money for variant covers.........

[Xiroteus]

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[paulski]

Why would you buy an extra copy of a comic just for the cover if it has an interior that you like, but already have when you wouldn't buy a comic just for the cover if you don't like the interior?

Either way all you've gained is a cover.

I would have thought it's fairly obvious - comics are a visual medium, and if an artist you like has done a whiz bang job on a variant cover that you think is fantastic, some guys are just going to have to pick that cover up. I did it myself for Civil War #3 (the Turner Spider-Man cover) and the Hulk #1 Atomic Comics variant.

Yeah, it might just be a cover, but it's still a piece of artwork. Each to their own, though.

[dancj]

I would have thought it's fairly obvious - comics are a visual medium, and if an artist you like has done a whiz bang job on a variant cover that you think is fantastic, some guys are just going to have to pick that cover up. I did it myself for Civil War #3 (the Turner Spider-Man cover) and the Hulk #1 Atomic Comics variant.

Yeah, it might just be a cover, but it's still a piece of artwork. Each to their own, though.
You've completely missed my point. My point wasn't that a cover isn't in itself enough to be worth buying a comic for (though for me it isn't). My point was that if you've already got the comic in question then whether you like the interior or not you're still gaining exactly the same amount of new material when you buy an extra copy with a different cover.