kimik

Ugh. I am pissed. I was going to cover the cost for my LCS to do one, but since they are a small fish their inquiries were ignored by Marvel.

Your closing is off, but that is okay as I agree with most of the comments re nostalgia. The DC GA 1st apps aren’t irrelevant - there are just fewer collectors willing to spend $1M on a decent copy that those that can afford $10K for a reasonable SA key. The same effect is in play for Marvel SA keys at the high end. The AF #15 9.6 buyer at $1.1M would likely have to sell at a loss now. There are DC books have gone from $5 to $500 the past few years, just like every other publisher. With SA, the Batman SA keys have done very well with some doubling the past year, along with books like SA 205 and Hawkman 4 to name a couple. There are plenty of Marvel fanboys I know that collect DC keys as well now since they have everything they need Marvel wise. And they are dipping into GA as well since they are comic fans. Will the DC SA keys hit SA Marvel popularity and prices? No, and no one expects them to. It is just like GA - DC GA keys will always sell for more than Timely keys. For a very current example, check out the action on Batman 313 today due to a comic variant cover being posted (and to see the inverse, look at Batwing 19 prices as an example of the downside of speculating on the wrong character 😂). It had already gone from $5-$50 a year or two ago, and is gapping up higher again.

And fresh from the Disney investor presentation, they announced 10 new Star Wars and 10 new Marvel series are coming apparently at the start. Hopefully more details later in the meeting.

I wish the Star Wars Insider 99 cover was the 1:25 variant

Scroll back to yesterday. We discussed it.

I have a SW collector friend that has all Marvel and DH series to date. I have asked a number of times to buy but he is not selling. 🤬

This is why High Republic will likely be a big win over time.

In this market, that is totally rational.

Early numbers that are floating are that Crossover 3 is less than 100K, and it was the top book for January. I think the High Republic Adventures #1 is going to have a high print run since FOC will be after any potential announcements today.

I am curious to see what the print run is. If it is 100K or less, over three covers that would be 25,000 - 45,000 per cover (assuming cover A received highest orders) which seems low to me for a SW book with so many new characters.

We only have a few hours to wait now to see what Disney’s big announcements are re: SW, Marvel and the Fox properties like Alien(s) and Predator. This could be a very profitable next couple of months. As far as High Republic 1, if a D+ show is announced, will #1 start out at $20+ upon release in January?

While the movie was weak, I am fine with a sequel. I picked up some more pre-Unity Valiants in a collection in the summer that could use some movie hype behind them.

The Eternals comic and movie were likely supposed to launch together in a multi-media promotional approach. COVID scuttled that, along with a number of different comic + movie promo tie-ins (e.g. WW 84 variants for DC). Marvel is taking a risk releasing the Eternals book now without a close movie release to drive sales for it. I guess if you have the content ready to roll and pre-orders indicate that it will cover costs then you can go, but it will not hit the sales levels it might have otherwise with the movie hype.

There are no store variants for this according to LCSs I know that inquired. Marvel did not even respond to their multiple requests for one. FWIW, I was willing to back a store exclusive for my file LCS as there was a solid profit in it for me. I really think the Disney/Marvel machine was focused on Eternals due to the film. That is why there are so many covers for it. They were hoping for a big sales number tied in with the movie - that will not happen.

If they actually announce a Disney+ High Republic cartoon or live action show on Thursday then I guess it does not matter what is on the 1:25, it will likely sell. Not for as much as a very good or better variant, but stores should be able to generate a premium for it.

They could either get Sway to turn in a better piece, or just use one of the other Concept promo artwork pieces that are out there like this: Or even better, a wraparound using this:

Exactly. The D+ rumor is just a rumor right now, but this is a multi-media release that Marvel has telegraphed for the past year as ushering in a bunch of new characters. It was one of the no brainer spec plays announced last year.

It is coming. No timing for the release yet.

Maybe, but I doubt it. The image showed up on Comic Hub shortly after FOC closed. They had it, but did not want to release it due to the reaction they knew it would generate - unhappy collectors and retailers. Marvel is a business and they knew that it could dampen orders. As far as the artwork, I am not the only one with that opinion. It is a trash cover. Marvel started hearing that as soon as the image dropped to retailers last night.

True, but they will still sell like crazy since it is the first cover appearance of the Nihil Raiders.

The issue is that they did not post the 1:25 until after FOC. Had collectors and stores known it was such a horrid 1:25 variant they would not have chased it, which would have significantly hit sales on it. I just feel bad for store owners that will have a dead 1:25 variant that collectors will not buy instead of something that can help them generate revenues. The ones I know that saw the image after FOC last night were pissed it was a hack job of a cover. Right now they need every cent they can get to stay afloat.

Yes, but if the image I was sent is the 1:25, no one will buy it. It is interesting to see how under the radar Marvel/Disney has kept this book, despite the multi-media approach they are taking with the High Republic franchise. I would have expected more promotions around it.

Those covers are still better than a crappily drawn Jedi hacking up giant abstract space-flies........ From what I have heard, store owners are letting Marvel know how they feel about it. That started last night when the first image of the cover came out and is likely continuing today. This sucks for them, as no one will pay a premium for it. I don't know how high the orders were to begin with, but if they had posted that cover before FOC a lot of the stores that topped up their orders to get an extra 1:25 would not have since the cover will not sell. Basically, this is a 1:25 that is dead stock for them. Here is the 1:10 Design/Concept cover in comparison. That will be the money variant for stores.

That is the crappiest of all of the covers by far. It looks like a 7 or 8 year old drew it. The artist has much better work - this looks like a 5 minute mail in for a paycheck job. Look at it from a store owner's perspective - who is going to want to buy that steaming pile of a cover? So much for a retailer incentive.......

Here is what Comic Hub had up last night. A dealer friend that uses their POS system forwarded it to me after FOC. I guess it was posted there. If this is the real deal, then the 1:10 variant will be much more valuable. This one looks like something a Grade 2 or 3 student would draw. It is fricking horrible.