Uber from Avatar

[ZaCrew]

I dislike Avatar in general and Rich Johnson in particular, but am enjoying this book so far. Still needs tighter editing though as I have spotted typos or historical inaccuracies in every issue so far.

 

That said, I can see some real potential going forward. I just hope the Avatar schlock and gore is reigned in.

 

Well, I like Avatar and Rich Johnson in particular! I also like the schlock and gore. And when I want historical accuracy, I look somewhere other than a COMIC BOOK! But, to each their own.

 

[Alai]

I personally talked to multiple key players of Uber including Gillen, White and Christensen, the president of Avatar. They are extremely receptive and have distinct plans, short and long term, for the book. They did admit to milking the covers when they knew they had a hit on their hands but also took into consideration collectors like us into the formula. They read these posts so I think they welcome the comments made.

[Balham's Finest]

They did admit to milking the covers when they knew they had a hit on their hands but also took into consideration collectors like us into the formula.

 

Can you elaborate? This seems like a contradiction.

[Beige]

Well Mark Seifert abandoned ship as soon as the forum turned.

Althought that was probably because he lied through his teeth about the number of variants yet to be released.

I would have thought his previous job would have told him that too many variants don't work - especially as Mark experienced the last "too many covers fiasco"in the '90's first hand.

Apparently no lessons were learnt. Shame they can't screw up a rubbish story rather than a good one.

[Balham's Finest]

Shame they can't screw up a rubbish story rather than a good one.

 

But they haven't screwed up the story. The story is the same whether there is one cover or 1000. I don't disagree that they have messed things up for speculators, but that's a completely different thing.

 

Avatar's penchant for multiple variants is silly, but on the rare occasions that I find myself wanting to read one of their books I just pick a random cover.

[Bill1]

Avatar is a for-profit company. Good for them if they can print 8 different covers and sell them all. Too bad if it messes things up for the guys who try to buy dozens of copies low and then take advantage of an artificial shortage of copies and sell high. Speculators, whether it is in comic books or real estate, are generally not good for the customers. And Mark Seifert may not have known at the time of his statement that they were going to make more covers. I am sure things change at Avatar based on demand just like any other business. Go Avatar!

[Alai]

They did admit to milking the covers when they knew they had a hit on their hands but also took into consideration collectors like us into the formula.

 

Can you elaborate? This seems like a contradiction.

 

Points made were to list the print run of each cover on the front, unique cover art, and instead of reprints put out an enhanced edition with added content.

They primarily wanted to make some more money as any business should but did try to do it with consideration to us. I'm sure that is even more difficult for an independent. I thought that consideration alone was more than other publishers'.

[500Club]

Avatar is a for-profit company. Good for them if they can print 8 different covers and sell them all. Too bad if it messes things up for the guys who try to buy dozens of copies low and then take advantage of an artificial shortage of copies and sell high. Speculators, whether it is in comic books or real estate, are generally not good for the customers. And Mark Seifert may not have known at the time of his statement that they were going to make more covers. I am sure things change at Avatar based on demand just like any other business. Go Avatar!

There's a certain word-of-mouth benefit to having a hot book. People hear about it, wonder if it's any good, get curious, want to read it... This leads to increasing sales. It's an effect that was being seen with Nowhere Men, prior to the lateness issue, and its own variant missteps.

 

By having repeated 'enhanced editions' and so on, you effectively douse this enthusiasm.

 

Taking the fast nickel instead of the slow dime is sometimes not the best approach.

[Taco]

 

Anyway... I hear your concerns. We are trying to walk the tightrope on this issue and do additional variants in situations where they make the most sense.

 

I wanted to bring this back. Having a character first appearance on a cover for a character who isn't even the issue to sell more copies. That makes the most sense?

[VEI Reborn]

Avatar is a for-profit company. Good for them if they can print 8 different covers and sell them all. Too bad if it messes things up for the guys who try to buy dozens of copies low and then take advantage of an artificial shortage of copies and sell high. Speculators, whether it is in comic books or real estate, are generally not good for the customers. And Mark Seifert may not have known at the time of his statement that they were going to make more covers. I am sure things change at Avatar based on demand just like any other business. Go Avatar!

There's a certain word-of-mouth benefit to having a hot book. People hear about it, wonder if it's any good, get curious, want to read it... This leads to increasing sales. It's an effect that was being seen with Nowhere Men, prior to the lateness issue, and its own variant missteps.

 

By having repeated 'enhanced editions' and so on, you effectively douse this enthusiasm.

 

Taking the fast nickel instead of the slow dime is sometimes not the best approach.

 

 

 

Finally someone with some "cents" around here

 

 

[the420kid]

i cant count how many titles I have been walking away from due to "variant mania"

[Lobo1969]

i cant count how many titles I have been walking away from due to "variant mania"

 

Because you are a collector and not a reader?

[WebSlinger]

i cant count how many titles I have been walking away from due to "variant mania"

 

Because you are a collector and not a reader?

 

...but as a collector, it drives me crazy to have to buy all these covers for the same material. As a reader I just wait for the trade. As a speculator I RUN...........

[WebSlinger]

....and just wait....the FOILS are coming.......buhahahahahahah

[Lobo1969]

i cant count how many titles I have been walking away from due to "variant mania"

 

Because you are a collector and not a reader?

 

...but as a collector, it drives me crazy to have to buy all these covers for the same material. As a reader I just wait for the trade. As a speculator I RUN...........

 

But you don't HAVE to buy the ALL the covers. Buying one issue doesn't make you any less of a collector.

[Taco]

How many people are complete collectors? Like I did with NWM when it was good.

[WebSlinger]

i cant count how many titles I have been walking away from due to "variant mania"

 

Because you are a collector and not a reader?

 

...but as a collector, it drives me crazy to have to buy all these covers for the same material. As a reader I just wait for the trade. As a speculator I RUN...........

 

But you don't HAVE to buy the ALL the covers. Buying one issue doesn't make you any less of a collector.

 

Unless you have OCD

[VEI Reborn]

How many people are complete collectors? Like I did with NWM when it was good.

 

 

I am.

[ZaCrew]

How many people are complete collectors? Like I did with NWM when it sold for more.

 

Fixt

[Lobo1969]

i cant count how many titles I have been walking away from due to "variant mania"

 

Because you are a collector and not a reader?

 

...but as a collector, it drives me crazy to have to buy all these covers for the same material. As a reader I just wait for the trade. As a speculator I RUN...........

 

But you don't HAVE to buy the ALL the covers. Buying one issue doesn't make you any less of a collector.

 

Unless you have OCD

 

That is a heavy burden to bare when you are a collector then.