What's the Ceiling for Henchgirl and Are You Reading It?

[ecgt]

Henchgirl # 1 and 2 have heated up immensely due to speculation about a TV show and an extremely low print run for the series (none of the 1st 6 issues sold enough to crack Diamond's top 400, suggesting no more than 2500 copies per issue).

 

The series has been around since 2013, as a webseries, and the 1st issue is not really the 1st appearance of the character. Technically, there is an ashcan and a self-published version of # 1 was released prior to the series being published by Scout Comics.

 

With issue # 1 selling for $150, issue # 2 approaching $50, issue # 3 sold out on creator Kristen Gudsnuk's website and # 4 soon to follow, this series is on an incredible run for speculators. Even the reissued double-size reprint of # 1 and 2 together seems to be sold out.

 

But it is also hilarious and worth a read. The entire series is available for free up to issue 10 (only 7 issues have been published by Scout so far) on her website as a webcomic. I'll admit that this series only caught my eye for speculation purposes, but after my wife and I read the few issues we could find locally, we are hooked and won't be selling our issues anytime soon.

 

So, here are my questions for you. Do you think this series has reached its ceiling in terms of speculation or is it just getting started? And have you taken the time to read it?

[Kyle R.]

The ceiling is as high as people want to pump it.

[ecgt]

Good answer. I honestly wish that people weren't pumping it so much, as I would like to purchase issues 1 and 2 (or even the double-sized reissue) but can't see myself paying so much for a book that could end up being the flavour of the week/month. It's one of the reasons that I generally collect golden age.

[darkstar]

in a month nobody will care

[BishopT]

I picked up the only copy my closest LCS got of #1 the day it came out, and read it just about immediately. I really liked it but didn't think to add it to my pull list (I usually wait a few issues to see if I really, really like it and want to make a commitment to every forthcoming issue). Really wish I would have, because my shop never got any of the other issues in, but I subscribed to Straitjacket as well after issue #1 was such a hit, and they never got any of those in either.

 

I would like to own duplicates on #1 and if I could find the rest of the series for a decent price I'd pick it up, but I have a feeling this is going to be one of the more sought after indies of recent years, due to a good story and the seemingly low print run. But, you never know...

[Santos208]

No idea, but book was mediocre at best.

[AKA Rick]

Do you feel it has the same appeal as Scott Pilgrim?

 

The series is a fun read, but so are a lot of comics.

 

It's a shame that everyone is focused on value and licensing (for TV or Film).

 

I hope the series is supported by readers of the comic book medium and it continues. It's well written and a fun adventure. Light reading with good character development.

[ecgt]

I definitely think that there is a lot of appeal. Whether or not it has the same appeal as Scott Pilgrim is difficult to say, as O'Malley took the world by storm and got popular quite quickly. The format of the Scott Pilgrim comics (as TPB/HC volumes) also prevented the "pump and dump" mentality that is so rampant with the comic book medium.

 

Henchgirl is good for what it is and I wish that the focus was more on series as a fun read than as a possible quick flip.

[fastballspecial]

If u got no money in the books hold them. If u do sell one

To recoup ur costs. I no longer hold moderns like this once

they hit 1000% or so I am out. Dont care how high it goes.

I made a nice profit and I can buy books I like with

the proceeds.

[Kaboom]

It has been over a month:

 

Dark Horse cares. They picked the series up.

In the interview with Bleeding Cool, the TV series is mentioned,

 

RJ: Earlier this year there was an aftermarket run on back issues of Henchgirl and there was the word pushed by Scout Comics that a TV/film deal was about to be announced for the comic.. but then silence. What actually happened – was it all a scam to push interest or was it based on reality?

 

KG: It does sound too good to be true, but that news actually isn’t a fabrication. I can’t say the details yet, but we’re working with a renowned production company– which, incidentally, made one of my top 5 all-time favorite movies– on a TV deal.

 

Scout comics cares. They lost the rights but maintain the notion they hold rights to the TV show:

From Scout's Facebook page:

Scout Comics is profoundly disappointed with the decision to take the HENCHGIRL trade paperback to Dark Horse but we remain business partners with the book's creator, including an in-development television series, so we wish Dark Horse the best with it. And if they are having trouble finding their own titles, they can, of course, always reach out to us for help.

 

 

I know guys like Candletric like to say it is a pump and dump and he said that the story comicsheatingup.net ran about it being optioned for a tv show month back was BS, but Candletric is wrong on a lot of things, Aren't you Kyle.

[fastballspecial]

Obviously u care

 

[Jimmy Linguini]

You should talk about the two different printings for the original self-printed #1.

 

No one seems to be acknowledging that there is different art inside of them.

[fastballspecial]

Maybe they just don't care?

[Jimmy Linguini]

if they don't care about the two print runs of Henchgirl #1 self published but care about the ashcan for the Scout comics #1 (both of which had higher print runs then the self-published) - this book is only selling well because of pump and dump and anyone holding should be selling.