Variant Covers....they are driving me NUTS !!!

[wurstisart]

Everyone,

Greetings. Hope you all (east coast) survived the big snow storm !!

 

Reason for my post is to see what you guys think regarding all the latest variant covers that Marvel puts out. Right from the beginning you sometimes can buy 4 different covers ! This does not even include reprints. This is fresh off the shelve !!!

 

I just don't get it. Where is the iconic cover that everyone remembers !

Don't we all look at older covers and know exactly which issue it is ?

 

This is impossible with the new covers. OK, I have no problem with me not knowing which issue it is, but I would rather see the artists put a ton of work in one cover instead of doing 2, along with another artist doing 2 more. I am lost.

 

I think it is a big loss and not a gain to see Marvel go this route.

 

And in addition to me being frustrated about this, it makes it even worse to see that for example some of the latest ASM covers are sooooo weak.

I am close to even say they are awful...and I am a big Spidey fan !!

 

Just my 2 cents....

You all have a great day !

 

 

[Spider-Variant]

I actually gave up ASM because it was getting to be a headache keeping up with the series and all the variant covers. I am usually in favor of a variant cover here and there, but it just got to be too much.

 

I refused to bear the cost that Marvel was putting on the long term fan and got out at issue #600.

[wurstisart]

You are referring to collecting and reading the book. I agree to this as well.

But also from the art that is presented for the books....just crazy...

[Spider-Variant]

I actually like some of the concepts for the covers. The artists are not my favorite, but some of the design looks pretty good.

 

Are you trying to purchase some of the OA?

[wurstisart]

This thread was not started due to me being particularly interested in a certain piece, it was really just a general statement.

 

I mean some of the artwork is nothing more than kind of a sketch.

Sure it works for some issues, for example Issue 612. This worked for me.

For this particular issue...I liked it.

 

But before I get too particular, I guess all I wanted to say is that I wish the cover would still get the credit it got in the past.

 

Put some time into it, produce some great cover artwork !

And not just a quick big Spider-Man image, or god knows what.

 

Prime example, how often did you just see a gigantic Spider-Man head on a cover in the past ? The covers usually gave you a good idea of what will happen within the book.

 

Maybe I am too old school......

[irchooker]

Covers don't serve the same purpose they did. In your day a cover was meant to stand out from a crowd, draw attention and say, "buy me, buy me". That was when comics were competing with each other on the various racks such as grocery stores and news stands.

 

Now we have progressed as far as the comic specialty store and the sole distribution model can take comics. The cover doesn't need to say, "buy me", because the person who walks into the store knows what they are going to buy. I haven't bought mainstream Spider-Man book (although I have bought Marvel Adventures) since... 2003, as JMS pulled me back in for a short time. Prior to that it was 1991. I wasn't interested in buying a Spider-Man comic, and the cover wasn't going to change my mind. That is the direct specialty market. The customer buys what they buy. So variants exist to drive current customers into buying more. And you may get some 'collectors' who dabble in variants. They work. They increase income.

 

If the specialty market, and the customers, didn't dominate the comics market, a cover might have to be more, it might have to be the means to compete.

 

But maybe I'm to cynical.

[wurstisart]

..in my day...nice...hey...I AM ONLY in my 30's...!!!!!!!

But I know I called myself "old school"...

 

I guess I just expect the cover to be a superb piece of art, and not just a "quick" headshoot.

 

Look at ASM issue 622 and 623 !

One screams "awesomeness"...and one is "veeeeery plain"....

 

And I have NO doubt that the artist could do a better piece !

Very talented guy !

[NIGHTCRAWLER]

I love variant covers. The villian covers on the current ASM series really has me hooked. I like how they show the villian on the front and then a classic fight scene in the background. Everyone has different taste i guess. Same for sketch covers..they are a must for me.

[wurstisart]

I don't disagree to what you say, and that is that if the variant cover is good, I like it !

But why not just doing one cover !

One cover that does the job.

Instead of many for the same issue....

[Ares]

I don't disagree to what you say, and that is that if the variant cover is good, I like it !

But why not just doing one cover !

One cover that does the job.

Instead of many for the same issue....

 

Cause collectors buy more of the same issue to have all the covers.

More money fort he comics companies

[AKA Rick]

The variant cover artwork should just be featured in a pin-up gallery within the comic book for all to enjoy and not chase, and a single cover should be selected as the published cover image. Variants should be reserved for celebrating landmark events and anniversaries as special occasions not everyday occurances.

[Detroit MIke]

i agree that the amount of variant covers is becoming very frustrating to deal with. i try not to reward marvel with purchasing more than one copy of any issue. i too would like to reserve variant covers for landmark issues or limited special events. of course, if marvel would go back to $1 an issue, i'm sure i could embrace all the cover choices.

[malvin]

In terms of OA, Variants does give you one advantage.

 

It means more covers, therefore allowing you a bigger chance to own a cover from a comic that you enjoyed.

 

Malvin

[fc]

honestly i do not put any blame on marvel. they are just producing what people

want. (it may not be what we want... but we must be in the minority).

 

i put the blame squarely on the consumers of this and their OCD in having to own

everything produced for their collections. that means buying multiple copies of the

same comic book except for a different cover. it seems many cannot be happy

with just selecting the one they like the best and moving on. If that was the case

the amount sold no matter the amount of different covers would be the same as

a normal issue with only one cover.

 

i rebelled from marketing gimmicks long before this. if i recall correctly it was

story cross overs of multiple titles requiring me to buy many different titles to read

one story in sequence. i had no wish to buy titles like alpha flight or the incredible

hulk back then and just gave up on it.

 

it was that point in my life i switched big time to traditional novels and short stories.

the bang for your buck is exceptional compared to comic books.