Some help understanding "variant" books 1 1

[lowball]

Total newbie here. Have done a little research but trying to wrap my head around "variant" books. 

Is this something that is only done with newer books? Is there some kind of main resource to research these or is it on a book by book basis? 

Appreciate any other general info on this. Thanks!

[Get Marwood & I]

It's a very big subject this, lowball. Very big, and not easy to capture in a single post. I'll give it a go though.

A variant of a comic, is generally accepted to be a book that differs in one or more ways from the 'main' book but which came from the same print run as it. I'll use Spidey as an example.

Way back in 1963, Marvel produced The Amazing Spider-Man #6. It produced a cents copy for the main USA audience and a smaller run of pence copies for the UK. Both books came from the same print run so the junior book - in this case the pence copy - is considered a variant of the main book, the cents copy. Both books were produced at the same time, in the same location, on the same printing presses. In the case I've just illustrated, the main difference is the price:

As you can see, the pence copy has a 9d cover price so it varies in appearance to the cents copy which has a 12c price. This makes it a variant in the majority of collectors eyes and the term 'Price Variant' is now an accepted thing in the hobby. For US produced comics, there are four types of first printing price variants - pence (UK), Canadian, Australian and US (e.g. those 30/35c variants that you may have heard of).  Even CGC recognise them now, and notes it on their slab labels. One word of caution - books that were printed in different locations, often long after the original US production run are not variants if they share the same cover images / content. They are reprints. 

There are other ways for a book to be considered a variant. In later years Marvel got into the habit of printing variant covers for many of its titles. So, using Spidey again, they would produce a 'regular' issue in large numbers and then a variant issue in lower numbers. Here is an example:

Above you can see three copies of Amazing Spider-Man #539. The first one is the regular, standard edition which was made in the greatest numbers. The other two are variant covers, produced in smaller numbers as a way to extract more money out of buyers. All three are the same issue, with the same contents, but two of them feature a variant cover. The second printing even has the words "2nd Printing Variant" on it as you can see (click on the images to enlarge) and is still considered a variant even though it was likely produced shortly after the first printing. You'll be thinking "didn't he just say earlier that after the event productions are reprints, not variants?" and you'd be right, I did. I'll explain that quirk another time, if you're still awake after reading this  The book in the middle is the 'Medina' variant of ASM #539, as it has a variant cover by the artist Angel Medina. No, I don't know who he is either.

So we have 'cover variants' and 'price variants'. There are other types of variant - many in fact - but the above two types are the main ones which get everyone excited. There can be disagreements in this area, among collectors, as to precise definitions, but this is sort of it in a nut shell for me. One example of that is the term "newsstand variant". I don't use that myself, as for me each book is equal - they just have different delivery channels (Direct Editions go to comic shops, Newsstand Editions go to the newsstand). So the two books below, for me, have equal status - one is not a 'variant' of the other:

Anyway, that's my brief take on it all - hope it helped. Any questions, give me a shout and I'll do my best to answer them. 

 

 

 

[marvelmaniac]

As far as I know, "Variant Covers" started in the 90's although a Google Search has uncovered that the 1st was the 1986 1st issue of The Man Of Steel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variant_cover

The 1st ones I remember the most were X-Men (1991) which had 5 different covers for issue #1, between Cover Variants and Gimmick Covers (Ghost Rider Vol. 3 issue 15, Glow In The Dark Cover) in the 90's, with all of the issues being printed and people hoarding them and creating unrealistic prices/shortages for "new" books, it was almost the demise of the comic industry. This was the headline in the Philadelphia Daily News in 12/96, I saw this in the newspaper vending machine at Denny's and had to buy it.

 

 

[LowGradeBronze]

Definitely a modern comics thing. If you collect silver or bronze you are safe from this ridiculous phenomenon. Retailers are encouraged to buy in more copies of issues with a variant in order to receive those variant cover copies. In varying ratios, sometimes 1 to 25 (ie 1 variant for every 25 regular copies.) 

[OtherEric]

There are also some books with additional contents.  The major one is the Mark Jeweler variants, which started in the early bronze age.  They have a 4-page advertising insert in the middle of the book that other copies do not:

[Get Marwood & I]

On 4/5/2023 at 5:57 PM, OtherEric said:

There are also some books with additional contents.  The major one is the Mark Jeweler variants, which started in the early bronze age.  They have a 4-page advertising insert in the middle of the book that other copies do not:

I absolutely love these books - you know me, Eric - anything different floats my boat. But I wouldn't call these 'variants' myself as they have no printed difference. They're just regular copies with an advertisement inserted in limited quantities. I accept though that the term "Mark Jewelers Insert Variant" has worked its way into the hobby, a bit like "Whitman Variant". 

Now I've done it!  

[OtherEric]

A useful, if incomplete, resource to research variant covers is the Grand Comics Database.  You can look up any given issue and it will have information and often scans of the covers.  The limitation is it's an entirely volunteer operation, so if nobody adds the info or scans the cover it won't be there.

https://www.comics.org/

[OtherEric]

On 4/5/2023 at 10:00 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

I absolutely love these books - you know me, Eric - anything different floats my boat. But I wouldn't call these 'variants' myself as they have no printed difference. They're just regular copies with an advertisement inserted in limited quantities. I accept though that the term "Mark Jewelers Insert Variant" has worked its way into the hobby, a bit like "Whitman Variant". 

Now I've done it!  

We shall respectfully need to agree to disagree on this point.  Mind you, I maintain that there are only a very few Marvel Whitman Variants, but recognize that the term has spread to include the diamond price books.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 4/5/2023 at 6:01 PM, OtherEric said:

A useful, if incomplete, resource to research variant covers is the Grand Comics Database.  You can look up any given issue and it will have information and often scans of the covers.  The limitation is it's an entirely volunteer operation, so if nobody adds the info or scans the cover it won't be there.

https://www.comics.org/

@lowball, if you want to see the variant cover phenomenon at its best - or worst, depending on your view / wallet - look at these:

https://www.comics.org/issue/863623/

[Get Marwood & I]

On 4/5/2023 at 6:03 PM, OtherEric said:

We shall respectfully need to agree to disagree on this point. 

Sorry, I meant the ones that aren't 

On 4/5/2023 at 6:03 PM, OtherEric said:

Mind you, I maintain that there are only a very few Marvel Whitman Variants, but recognize that the term has spread to include the diamond price books.

That's them!

[Axe Elf]

On 4/5/2023 at 11:53 AM, marvelmaniac said:

As far as I know, "Variant Covers" started in the 90's although a Google Search has uncovered that the 1st was the 1986 1st issue of The Man Of Steel.

Purple text and orange text variants of VAMPIRELLA #4 from April of 1970...

Edited April 5, 2023 by Axe Elf

[theCapraAegagrus]

Great information shared already. A variant is simply a 2nd/3rd/4th/+ cover design for the same inside. Just gives you variety, though often way too much variety, of cover art to choose from.

[lostboys]

Variants and homages RULE!

 

[lostboys]

Seriously though...dont go down that road, its addicting.

[Math Teacher]

On 4/5/2023 at 12:04 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

@lowball, if you want to see the variant cover phenomenon at its best - or worst, depending on your view / wallet - look at these:

https://www.comics.org/issue/863623/

That is utterly ridiculous.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 4/5/2023 at 8:18 PM, Math Teacher said:

That is utterly ridiculous.

Expensive, too... 

 

[Math Teacher]

On 4/5/2023 at 2:23 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Expensive, too... 

 

You had to be quite persistent to acquire all those variants!

[Chaz G.]

On 4/5/2023 at 3:23 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Expensive, too... 

 

[lowball]

On 4/5/2023 at 12:52 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

It's a very big subject this, lowball. Very big, and not easy to capture in a single post. I'll give it a go though.

A variant of a comic, is generally accepted to be a book that differs in one or more ways from the 'main' book but which came from the same print run as it. I'll use Spidey as an example.

Way back in 1963, Marvel produced The Amazing Spider-Man #6. It produced a cents copy for the main USA audience and a smaller run of pence copies for the UK. Both books came from the same print run so the junior book - in this case the pence copy - is considered a variant of the main book, the cents copy. Both books were produced at the same time, in the same location, on the same printing presses. In the case I've just illustrated, the main difference is the price:

As you can see, the pence copy has a 9d cover price so it varies in appearance to the cents copy which has a 12c price. This makes it a variant in the majority of collectors eyes and the term 'Price Variant' is now an accepted thing in the hobby. For US produced comics, there are four types of first printing price variants - pence (UK), Canadian, Australian and US (e.g. those 30/35c variants that you may have heard of).  Even CGC recognise them now, and notes it on their slab labels. One word of caution - books that were printed in different locations, often long after the original US production run are not variants if they share the same cover images / content. They are reprints. 

There are other ways for a book to be considered a variant. In later years Marvel got into the habit of printing variant covers for many of its titles. So, using Spidey again, they would produce a 'regular' issue in large numbers and then a variant issue in lower numbers. Here is an example:

Above you can see three copies of Amazing Spider-Man #539. The first one is the regular, standard edition which was made in the greatest numbers. The other two are variant covers, produced in smaller numbers as a way to extract more money out of buyers. All three are the same issue, with the same contents, but two of them feature a variant cover. The second printing even has the words "2nd Printing Variant" on it as you can see (click on the images to enlarge) and is still considered a variant even though it was likely produced shortly after the first printing. You'll be thinking "didn't he just say earlier that after the event productions are reprints, not variants?" and you'd be right, I did. I'll explain that quirk another time, if you're still awake after reading this  The book in the middle is the 'Medina' variant of ASM #539, as it has a variant cover by the artist Angel Medina. No, I don't know who he is either.

So we have 'cover variants' and 'price variants'. There are other types of variant - many in fact - but the above two types are the main ones which get everyone excited. There can be disagreements in this area, among collectors, as to precise definitions, but this is sort of it in a nut shell for me. One example of that is the term "newsstand variant". I don't use that myself, as for me each book is equal - they just have different delivery channels (Direct Editions go to comic shops, Newsstand Editions go to the newsstand). So the two books below, for me, have equal status - one is not a 'variant' of the other:

\

Anyway, that's my brief take on it all - hope it helped. Any questions, give me a shout and I'll do my best to answer them. 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for the thorough response! That helped a lot. Going to re-read it a couple of times 

Quick followup question that may be a bit off topic now: How do I tell if a book is the "US" version? Is any book that is in cents a US/US-printed version? Sorry if that's a stupid question.

[lowball]

On 4/5/2023 at 12:55 PM, LowGradeBronze said:

Definitely a modern comics thing. If you collect silver or bronze you are safe from this ridiculous phenomenon. Retailers are encouraged to buy in more copies of issues with a variant in order to receive those variant cover copies. In varying ratios, sometimes 1 to 25 (ie 1 variant for every 25 regular copies.) 

That's an interesting marketing trick!