Superman Unchained Variants

[otherworldcomics]

Well, I think you should be in this hobby for the fun of it, not to expect profit. I mean, I wouldn't hold out hope that you will be able to retire on your comic book investment. That whole speculation bubble exploded in the 90's and almost destroyed this hobby in my opinion. My guide is to buy what you like and read. You'll be a lot happier in the long run.

 

 

The bubble in the 90's was mainly due to comic publishers raking in millions of dollars per issue. Comics had extremely large print runs like 1 million copies per issue, unlike today's market. Everyone from the publishers to the mom and pop comic shops appearing everywhere to cash in, to speculators that didn't understand that even though the comic was hot at the moment, there were more comics produced than people interested in them. Simple supply and demand ratio. Mom and Pop shops couldn't return the excess drek for credit that sat on shelves and ate the loss which made them leave the business. Sad times for small businesses for sure, Image is still around $$$$, but I think it was a healthy correction that was needed.

 

Well, it was a combination of the publishers and the speculators. At some point the publishers realized the secondary market and started making all kinds of variants. I mean, Gen 13 #1 had 13 different covers. Speculators started buying up several copies of a book expecting to sell them later. So of course publishers started making more and more copies and gimmick covers. Holograms, holographix, glow in the dark...all these variants. Of course speculators started buying up all this stuff. But like you said everyone had a copy so who were you going to sell it to? Basically, a snake eating its tail. Around and around. And though we do have smaller runs on books now, it seems to be building to that level again. Yes, a correction needed to happen and it did. Speculation buying dropped. publishers either went out of business or dropped books/runs and we got to a more sane level. But as you see it seems to be building again. Where a few years ago you had maybe one or two variant covers for a book here and there we now are getting back to having the 15 different variant covers for one book.

 

Again, my advice for anyone is to collect what you like. Enjoy the hobby. Don't think you are going to retire on comic book investments. The reason Action Comics #1 is so expensive is because there weren't a lot and people weren't saving them. But look, we have a whole website, plus hundreds of others, of comic book collectors that are saving basically the same thing you are. So don't hold out hope for retirement.

[RedL]

Well, I think you should be in this hobby for the fun of it, not to expect profit. I mean, I wouldn't hold out hope that you will be able to retire on your comic book investment. That whole speculation bubble exploded in the 90's and almost destroyed this hobby in my opinion. My guide is to buy what you like and read. You'll be a lot happier in the long run.

 

 

The bubble in the 90's was mainly due to comic publishers raking in millions of dollars per issue. Comics had extremely large print runs like 1 million copies per issue, unlike today's market. Everyone from the publishers to the mom and pop comic shops appearing everywhere to cash in, to speculators that didn't understand that even though the comic was hot at the moment, there were more comics produced than people interested in them. Simple supply and demand ratio. Mom and Pop shops couldn't return the excess drek for credit that sat on shelves and ate the loss which made them leave the business. Sad times for small businesses for sure, Image is still around $$$$, but I think it was a healthy correction that was needed.

 

Well, it was a combination of the publishers and the speculators. At some point the publishers realized the secondary market and started making all kinds of variants. I mean, Gen 13 #1 had 13 different covers. Speculators started buying up several copies of a book expecting to sell them later. So of course publishers started making more and more copies and gimmick covers. Holograms, holographix, glow in the dark...all these variants. Of course speculators started buying up all this stuff. But like you said everyone had a copy so who were you going to sell it to? Basically, a snake eating its tail. Around and around. And though we do have smaller runs on books now, it seems to be building to that level again. Yes, a correction needed to happen and it did. Speculation buying dropped. publishers either went out of business or dropped books/runs and we got to a more sane level. But as you see it seems to be building again. Where a few years ago you had maybe one or two variant covers for a book here and there we now are getting back to having the 15 different variant covers for one book.

 

Again, my advice for anyone is to collect what you like. Enjoy the hobby. Don't think you are going to retire on comic book investments. The reason Action Comics #1 is so expensive is because there weren't a lot and people weren't saving them. But look, we have a whole website, plus hundreds of others, of comic book collectors that are saving basically the same thing you are. So don't hold out hope for retirement.

 

I hear and agree with you - I'm not banking on retirement or putting my kids through school with this hobby. I enjoy it, enjoy reading them and enjoy the art and stories.

 

However, would you say that some appreciation in value is to be expected, I don't 'flip' books but I would hope some of my moderns will grow in (slow or subdued) value? Or is it a bell curve with speculators driving up the prices for a while and then settling back to a flat growth value?

[otherworldcomics]

Well, I would stick with the tried and true of comics. Expect comics that introduce a character, end a character, or introduce some major life change in a character, maybe certain writers or artists, to go up over time. Alot of this other stuff, the Deadpool variants, the baby covers, that stuff is flash...its not going to last. Just look through old posts on the boards. Stuff that was hot a few years ago is now considered garbage. I saw this stuff in the 90's. Everyone was chasing the next hot "thing". Now most on here call it all *spoon*.

[kapzilla]

I agree with what has been said about the resurgence of variant craze. There's always going to be anomalies, but on the whole they depreciate when the spotlight fades. That being said, I do chase them at lower prices to complete sets, and/or I am a big fan of the artist/cover.

 

I got a Timm because he is the mann (not a typo), and a 3D RRP to complete a 3D master set, including the Forever Evil 3D. Looking for extra credit for going above and beyond the Villain's Month covers.

[Jackhartmann]

Well, it was a combination of the publishers and the speculators. At some point the publishers realized the secondary market and started making all kinds of variants. I mean, Gen 13 #1 had 13 different covers. Speculators started buying up several copies of a book expecting to sell them later.

 

I just saw WD out this week with 12 diff covers.

[mg1902]

I'm collecting the Unchained variants for an eventual Registry Set, but only the ones I like the covers of - and the 3D RRP because of it's rarity.

 

Too many to collect them all.

[youmechooz]

I'm collecting the Unchained variants for an eventual Registry Set, but only the ones I like the covers of - and the 3D RRP because of it's rarity.

 

Too many to collect them all.

yeah you are

[mg1902]

I'm collecting the Unchained variants for an eventual Registry Set, but only the ones I like the covers of - and the 3D RRP because of it's rarity.

 

Too many to collect them all.

yeah you are

 

You keep feeding my addiction... (thumbs u

[mg1902]

Also, what's with the 9 week gap between #3 and #4?

 

Did they break for Villains Month?