What are your thought on black and white variant covers ?

[Jack00]

Let me clarify here, i'm not talking about sketch variants, i'm talking about simple regular covers they print simply removing the colors, like what DC is doing with their 1:100 Action comics and Batman titles.
There was the 1:100 B&W Batman #10 at my LCS last week, 60$. I wanted to get it but you know, it's the same regular cover in black and white for 60 f'ing dollars. I don't only read comics I also like to collect them. I buy lots of variants covers, VARIANT covers, with a different artwork on the cover then just the same one but in B&W. Those B&W covers... I could really care less, especialy for the price they go.
So how about you guys, do you buy those comics for 60$+ ?

[Dark-Flux]

Nah. I only go for varients that are actually different artwork (as long as i like it)
Black and White seems kinda lazy. Especially if theyre asking a ridiculous price.

[Biolizard]

Never understood the allure of a B&W cover at an order of magnitude and then some times the asking price, personally. Still, somebody must buy them.

[Jack00]

Never understood the allure of a B&W cover at an order of magnitude and then some times the asking price, personally. Still, somebody must buy them.

Completitionists with lots a money to spare.

[Sabrina_Fried]

Some art can look very nice in black and white. But I still only need to buy one copy of a comic.

[IanDWalker]

I dont know. I think they look kind of cool. I sometimes get them for collecting sake.

[Alton]

Let me clarify here, i'm not talking about sketch variants, i'm talking about simple regular covers they print simply removing the colors, like what DC is doing with their 1:100 Action comics and Batman titles.
There was the 1:100 B&W Batman #10 at my LCS last week, 60$. I wanted to get it but you know, it's the same regular cover in black and white for 60 f'ing dollars. I don't only read comics I also like to collect them. I buy lots of variants covers, VARIANT covers, with a different artwork on the cover then just the same one but in B&W. Those B&W covers... I could really care less, especialy for the price they go.
So how about you guys, do you buy those comics for 60$+ ?

Variants in and of themselves are a total rip off in any context ,but for any LCS or internet provider to jack up the price to $60 or higher is gouging the customer.If they bought into the overstocking scam just to get a few variants it just shows marketing stupidity on their part.Collectors can go straight to the publisher or Diamond and pre order this crap.These variants could be an entirely new comic instead of killing trees for no reason.As far as LCS's or other providers jacking up the price, simply document the incident and contact your State Attorney Generals Office.Collectability doesn't mean LCS's or other sources can charge what they want.My LCS only special orders variants for customers who want them and charges cover price and once they go up on the wall 5-10 bucks and in very rare instances 20 bucks for any of these variants.

[NakedOni]

Variants in and of themselves are a total rip off in any context ,but for any LCS or internet provider to jack up the price to $60 or higher is gouging the customer.If they bought into the overstocking scam just to get a few variants it just shows marketing stupidity on their part.Collectors can go straight to the publisher or Diamond and pre order this crap.These variants could be an entirely new comic instead of killing trees for no reason.As far as LCS's or other providers jacking up the price, simply document the incident and contact your State Attorney Generals Office.Collectability doesn't mean LCS's or other sources can charge what they want.My LCS only special orders variants for customers who want them and charges cover price and once they go up on the wall 5-10 bucks and in very rare instances 20 bucks for any of these variants.

?Have you actually contacted your Attorney General about this?

That seems like a bit of an overreaction. You don't have to buy variant covers--it's not like they're commoditites.

Who really cares about variant covers anyway? It's not the 90's anymore.

[Alton]

?Have you actually contacted your Attorney General about this?

That seems like a bit of an overreaction. You don't have to buy variant covers--it's not like they're commoditites.

Who really cares about variant covers anyway? It's not the 90's anymore.

I don't have to contact my AG because I don't buy variants.Any person who feels they are being gouged should consider it. The fact that no one has to buy them doesn't make unfair business practices ok. Looks like the 90's are coming back because of shrinking readership. I guess the new philosophy among publishers is sell as many copies of the same book to the same people; the addicted hardcore collectors. I smell foil in the air. Is the collapse of the 90's far behind or what?

[dupont2005]

I don't buy any variant covers. Why pay $60 for something I can have for $2.99? For that matter why even pay $5.00 for something I can have for $2.99?


But yes, a comic shop can charge whatever they want for a comic. This is why Action #1 isn't a dime anymore.

[Alton]

I don't buy any variant covers. Why pay $60 for something I can have for $2.99? For that matter why even pay $5.00 for something I can have for $2.99?


But yes, a comic shop can charge whatever they want for a comic. This is why Action #1 isn't a dime anymore.

No, they can't and wouldn't if more people complained.This is not a case of something with historic/archival value or a let the buyer beware auction.These are currently marketed products that exceed MSRP and reasonable pricing and are way overvalued by the current marketers,and publishers. Maintaining false prices leads the hard core collectors into assuming their purchase now is going to be worth even more in tne future which isn't always the case. The bottomline here is that some people are so locked in to this collector mentality they are going to pay whatever they are charged and that basically is their problem.