Ninja of Physics

Hey everyone, I've been meaning to purchase the Josie and the Pussycats #1 (unsigned) variant off the J. Scott Campbell store, but have some reservations on the condition it will arrive in. Is it best to just place an order, or would it be smarter to see first if anybody can pick up a nice copy for me from New York Comic Con (if his booth is there)? I don't want to miss out on this. ... and now, I have to return to my inbox after being away for a time. Apologies!

Somehow I wish a petition were thrown to remove the Rebirth from the front and slap it on the back. This is the Batman cover I wanted most. *sigh* Oh, well... I won't complain anymore. Money saved.

Haven't made a post in a while, but that's because I've been taking a break from the hobby. So.... is Edge of Spider-Verse #2 any good? I just don't fathom this Spider-Gwen craze as I wonder (a) Why wasn't this idea done before and (2) If this were not Gwen, and without her focus in the Amazing Spider-Man films, would there even be this much buzz? Just to throw you guys and gals with another variant, here's the link to see Yesteryear Comics version: A Little More Spider-Gwen...

My phantom retailer used to sell at $10 but has since dropped to cover price (thanks Larry for the awesome cover art and blank back sketch area for Roche Limit).

Not yet. Here are the covers if anyone is interested:

In a similar boat. I want a NM+ copy for my collection, in no rush to get it graded. Thing is, with Midtown I usually get bad luck in terms of condition. I'd like to get one solid copy instead of having to resort to replacements/returns for once. Doesn't happen all the time, just that my track record with them is spotty. Seeing as how Wytches has been picked up for the film treatment, when is Image Expo? Another variant for the first issue or a subsequent issue could be in the bag.

My jaw dropped at that Spider-Man. Can't help but anticipate the other scans.

I just read the first issue and loved it. Had more fun with it than Wytches. Especially enjoyed the use of Conan the Barbarian and He-Man in Mikey's room.

That would be pretty cool, I was a big statue collector and would love Five Ghosts on my shelf. On top of Fabian and his ghosts there could be alternate possessed Fabians, that's 11 figures right there! Absolutely agree with what you said. There is so much potential with the series, and with Mr. Barbiere confirming that something is in the works, now all I have to do is save money for whatever it may be (would be neat if a statue was made of the ECCC 2013 #1 Cover Exclusive).

Is it just me, or would it be extremely cool if Israel Skelton Crew Studio got the license for Five Ghosts? I already loved what they were doing with Chew, and now with The Stuff of Legend and Templesmith (44Flood), I want this to follow suit! Bad enough that the series is superb (I love the Phantom Variant to death), but with a TV Show on the horizon, I want figures, statues, etc. if possible. Never enough Five Ghosts. More merchandise would be a blessing.

Fourth World Comics has (apparently) sold out of the Francavilla variant: http://fourthworldcomics.bigcartel.com/product/wytches-1-fourth-world-comics-exclusive-francesco-francavilla-variant-cover

Heads up! The Becky Cloonan variant is exclusive to Hastings.

Promo art. Might be used as a cover down the line.

Hey everyone, In case any of you are looking for the Sienkiewicz Ghost Variant, you can already place a preorder here: https://www.cornerstorecomics.com/index.cfm?page=shopping/shop&Category_ID=0&ChildCategory_ID=0&Product_ID=7722#

Argh! I don't want to wait anymore. October 8th is so far away...

I truly love the Sean Gordon Murphy variant. The juxtaposition of the innocence and frailty of the child in fear, with the sinister character of what I presume to be a witch gives the vibe of a horror tale. Unfortunately, my track record with condition from Midtown has been pretty bad overall. I can't choose a cover until I've seen Nguyen's, but if I end up picking Murphy's, I hope someone on the boards can help me out when the time comes.

Not that I am aware of. I'm sure once the three remaining variants are revealed news will begin to spread on how to acquire them.

The Chiang variant will be available through the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

I bet its C. Im in for one copy to read. Same here! Can't go wrong with both Scott Snyder and Jock. Variant cover artists announced, with the first look at Francavilla's cover: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/09/10/scott-snyder-and-jocks-wytches-1-gets-exclusive-visits-from-cliff-chiang-becky-cloonan-francesco-francavilla-dustin-nguyen-sean-murphy-and-bill-sienkiewicz/ UPDATE: Chiang's cover revealed: http://www.comicvine.com/articles/exclusive-cover-reveal-cliff-chiangs-wytches-1-var/1100-149793/

"Readers" aren't influenced by rare covers, speculators are. This is not a tactic to bring in new readers, it's a tactic to get speculators to buy multiples of the same thing. It works though. Always has. Not being a speculator, I purchase in the hope for stories I like. There are moments when the cover art catches my eye and I take a risk. Happened to me at Emerald City Comic Con this year. I never had an interest for The Sandman series. At the DC Booth The Sandman: Overture #1 3D cover looked tempting, and after having bought and read it, I'm planning to get all the volumes by the end of the year. Worked on me. I do agree though that it does not pan out that way all the time. Most people who buy a comic to read aren't going to pay 500% or more of the cover price we all complain about for a special edition 22 page comic to read from. How many RRP's are bought by readers? Blank covers? Not many. Variants might as well come pre-slabbed. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that was something that had happened at some point with one comic or another. To summarize and let it be: Yes, most people do not go for variants because of cost. However, sometimes a variant is at the same price of the regular. The point I made is that it CAN bring new readers. If variants are not to a person's liking, then simply go for the regular cover. There are people that invest, and there are those who just collect the hobby with no care for condition, rarity, etc. They just want a piece of it. At Fan Expo Dallas this year at the exclusives booth I grabbed a Batman bag. The woman in front of me, believe it or not, bought the Stan Lee sketch variant to The Amazing Spider-Man #1 not to collect, BUT to have her son entertained and to COLOR the cover. Cringe-worthy? For collectors, sure. For her, absolutely not. Video games come in collector's editions, and they cater to an established fan base or attempt to form a new one. Let people enjoy what they wish to enjoy, and the more people who enter a hobby the better I say.

This tweet by Jock ( ) can be for either: A). The cover art. B). The number of covers. C). Both.

"Readers" aren't influenced by rare covers, speculators are. This is not a tactic to bring in new readers, it's a tactic to get speculators to buy multiples of the same thing. It works though. Always has. Not being a speculator, I purchase in the hope for stories I like. There are moments when the cover art catches my eye and I take a risk. Happened to me at Emerald City Comic Con this year. I never had an interest for The Sandman series. At the DC Booth The Sandman: Overture #1 3D cover looked tempting, and after having bought and read it, I'm planning to get all the volumes by the end of the year. Worked on me. I do agree though that it does not pan out that way all the time.

Four? I'm only aware of the Murphy, Francavilla, and Chiang variants. Would be cool if there happened to be one by Greg Capullo. Wishful thinking. My only concern with variants are their over-abundance, especially offenders like The Amazing Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, of which there are definitely more titles to add to the list and are not strictly confined to just Marvel. I understand it is a tool for promotion to bring more readers in with the cover or how rare they are. In the end, I just buy comics for their entertaining value, assuming that the story AND art are any good.

Sorry to read that Branget. I heard somewhere that a store variant is done a little over a month before release, but you have to be on the list much earlier than that. Still sucks to have something awesome cancelled on you. Did you have an artist lined up for it before it didn't happen? Either way, that's just terrible. My LCS does quite a few variants with Image. I suspect Image believes it has a potential hit so they're keeping all variants in-house. In other words if my LCS is willing to take all the risk on a new title they can have a variant but if Image sees potential then they don't allow store variants. Makes me think I should never request another variant. I'd be REALLY upset as well. Do you mind saying the shop's name? You've probably been asked this a lot. I'm simply curious since I'm relatively new to forum-posting.

Sorry to read that Branget. I heard somewhere that a store variant is done a little over a month before release, but you have to be on the list much earlier than that. Still sucks to have something awesome cancelled on you. Did you have an artist lined up for it before it didn't happen? Either way, that's just terrible.