Batman 655 or 656

[Chillax23]

Sorry if this has been answered already - but what is the more important Damian Wayne book? I know 655 is his first Cameo which usually means it is less important than the first full appearance (see ASM 299 and Hulk 180 and X-Factor 5 etc). But from prices it seems like 655 is the key/more important book?

 

 

[adampasz]

655.

"Only price pays."

Also, it's a cooler cover.

 

[the authority]

Sorry if this has been answered already - but what is the more important Damian Wayne book? I know 655 is his first Cameo which usually means it is less important than the first full appearance (see ASM 299 and Hulk 180 and X-Factor 5 etc). But from prices it seems like 655 is the key/more important book?

 

 

 

For every Hulk 181 there is the 1st appearance of Darkseid on a monitor or Doomsday's arm cameo. Collectors are fickle and inconsistent. In this case Batman 655 seems to be the book. Could it change ? Sure. Will it change ? Highly unlikely.

[MrWeen]

 

 

657 is a good bet too, first Damian cover and first Damian as hooded Robin. Batman does NOT bestow the honor upon him rather Damian takes it which is great because it fits his character.

[divad]

Sorry if this has been answered already - but what is the more important Damian Wayne book? I know 655 is his first Cameo which usually means it is less important than the first full appearance (see ASM 299 and Hulk 180 and X-Factor 5 etc). But from prices it seems like 655 is the key/more important book?

 

 

 

For every Hulk 181 there is the 1st appearance of Darkseid on a monitor or Doomsday's arm cameo. Collectors are fickle and inconsistent. In this case Batman 655 seems to be the book. Could it change ? Sure. Will it change ? Highly unlikely.

 

I'm not a big fan of teeny weeny "first apps", myself . . . For Damian (after actually reading them), I'd rather have 656 or 657.

[ygogolak]

Sorry if this has been answered already - but what is the more important Damian Wayne book? I know 655 is his first Cameo which usually means it is less important than the first full appearance (see ASM 299 and Hulk 180 and X-Factor 5 etc). But from prices it seems like 655 is the key/more important book?

 

 

 

For every Hulk 181 there is the 1st appearance of Darkseid on a monitor or Doomsday's arm cameo. Collectors are fickle and inconsistent. In this case Batman 655 seems to be the book. Could it change ? Sure. Will it change ? Highly unlikely.

I'm not a big fan of teeny weeny "first apps", myself . . . For Damian (after actually reading them), I'd rather have 656 or 657.

 

Size queen....

[UltraMaximus]

655-658 should be bought and read together. It's all important.

 

655 has won this because it has the Variant (oh look, a more rare version of the same book) and is part 1 of the 4 part story titled BATMAN and SON. Seems to be fitting.

 

If Hulk 180 was "Here comes the Wolverine" part 1 on the cover and he appeared on the last page, that book might have had a shot. But the market has chosen both books (albeit opposite of each other).

[Lonzilla]

If 656 had a variant, that would be the one because it's his 1st full appearance but 655 has a variant so that's what the "market" has decided, and by "market" I mean flippers who haven't read the book

[Martin Sinescu]

I put in my two cents on the Moderns Heating Up thread but it's buried under two months of whatever's been going on in there, so here it is again:

 

655 is more than just the Damian reveal at the end (emphasis on the "reveal" part, where we find out Batman has a son, which, to me, is more important than the fullness of his appearance), it is also the book which marks the beginning of Morrison's run on Batman. Like him or not, Morrison's influence in the character's history is tremendous and will continue to reverberate for years. As if that weren't enough, the opening scene starts with the Joker getting shot in the face and thrown off a building (which also had a far-reaching effect in that character's history). There's a lot more going on in that issue than just the last page.

 

The fact that there's a variant cover helps add a rarity factor, but the standard cover is, to me, even more iconic than the variant and commands a decent price on its own. The only thing holding it back is the bloated print run.

 

 

 

[gradejunky]

I put in my two cents on the Moderns Heating Up thread but it's buried under two months of whatever's been going on in there, so here it is again:

 

655 is more than just the Damian reveal at the end (emphasis on the "reveal" part, where we find out Batman has a son, which, to me, is more important than the fullness of his appearance), it is also the book which marks the beginning of Morrison's run on Batman. Like him or not, Morrison's influence in the character's history is tremendous and will continue to reverberate for years. As if that weren't enough, the opening scene starts with the Joker getting shot in the face and thrown off a building (which also had a far-reaching effect in that character's history). There's a lot more going on in that issue than just the last page.

 

The fact that there's a variant cover helps add a rarity factor, but the standard cover is, to me, even more iconic than the variant and commands a decent price on its own. The only thing holding it back is the bloated print run.

 

 

 

this^

[Ryan.]

[Chillax23]

Thanks everyone - seems like 655 is the first one to pick up then the 656

[the authority]

Sorry if this has been answered already - but what is the more important Damian Wayne book? I know 655 is his first Cameo which usually means it is less important than the first full appearance (see ASM 299 and Hulk 180 and X-Factor 5 etc). But from prices it seems like 655 is the key/more important book?

 

 

 

For every Hulk 181 there is the 1st appearance of Darkseid on a monitor or Doomsday's arm cameo. Collectors are fickle and inconsistent. In this case Batman 655 seems to be the book. Could it change ? Sure. Will it change ? Highly unlikely.

 

I'm not a big fan of teeny weeny "first apps", myself . . . For Damian (after actually reading them), I'd rather have 656 or 657.

 

I actually agree with you on the little cameo appearances but for the life of me, I can't predict with 100% surety which book the people buying comics will want in their collections. Sometimes its the cameo, sometimes a page, sometimes an arm, and sometimes a full story. This is why comics are my hobby and not my job.

[the authority]

655-658 should be bought and read together. It's all important.

 

655 has won this because it has the Variant (oh look, a more rare version of the same book) and is part 1 of the 4 part story titled BATMAN and SON. Seems to be fitting.

 

If Hulk 180 was "Here comes the Wolverine" part 1 on the cover and he appeared on the last page, that book might have had a shot. But the market has chosen both books (albeit opposite of each other).

 

I hope you're right. I bought 25 copies each of of 655-659 ( yes, I realize 659 was a mistake ) and I still have 7 sets left. I was a Morrison nut. His JLA run was my favorite ever done on that group. I thought he and Waid nailed it. Liked his Invisbles and other stuff he was doing in those years. I thought this run couldn't miss. For a while, it missed.

 

Now I'm feeling okay about the longterm outlook on these.

[chrisco37]

Batman 663 was my favorite book on his run. I thought it was phenomenal and different.

[Martin Sinescu]

Batman 663 was my favorite book on his run. I thought it was phenomenal and different.

 

shhhhhh

[gradejunky]

655-658 should be bought and read together. It's all important.

 

655 has won this because it has the Variant (oh look, a more rare version of the same book) and is part 1 of the 4 part story titled BATMAN and SON. Seems to be fitting.

 

If Hulk 180 was "Here comes the Wolverine" part 1 on the cover and he appeared on the last page, that book might have had a shot. But the market has chosen both books (albeit opposite of each other).

 

I hope you're right. I bought 25 copies each of of 655-659 ( yes, I realize 659 was a mistake ) and I still have 7 sets left. I was a Morrison nut. His JLA run was my favorite ever done on that group. I thought he and Waid nailed it. Liked his Invisbles and other stuff he was doing in those years. I thought this run couldn't miss. For a while, it missed.

 

Now I'm feeling okay about the longterm outlook on these.

 

This was a great run on Batman for sure. I have fond memories of reading these when they came out. 'Tec at the time was also very good with a lot of "one-and-dones" that I also remember fondly.