camera73 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 To my knowledge, and from the ones that I own myself there are 5 covers: Batman #608 1. 1st Printing 2. 2nd Printing 3. RRP Edition 4. New York Post Giveaway Edition (now this has "Special Edition" top right with "New York Post Exlcusive" at the bottom. 5. Special Edition - basically the RRP cover with a yellow border saying "After Watchmen, Whats next"? - Was released in 2009 So, this one is a sixth (printing?). I'd be interested in the origin if anyone out there knows. I didn't bid on the one above, but I'd like to know where it came from. Possibly inserted into non-New York Post papers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maloney414 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 For those interested and/or keeping track of this book: CGC 9.8 13 bids $2,100 3 days to go http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180654748136&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bane Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 If I'm being honest there are other comics I'd rather spend 2k on in the main Bat title then this one, regardless of how scarce it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maloney414 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 If I'm being honest there are other comics I'd rather spend 2k on in the main Bat title then this one, regardless of how scarce it is. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boozad Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I wouldn't spend $2k on it either. Only because I'd be happy with a 9.2/9.4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Oh yeah, that comic will hold its value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Oh yeah, that comic will hold its value. I was thinking the exact same thing. What will be the market value for this comic 10 years down the road? Or heck, once Jim Lee leaves the title as he inevitably will? If anyone really wants a copy, I would wait & buy it later for far less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 This limited print run BS always comes up when modern books sell for crazy prices. This book is a MANUFACTURED COLLETABLE and not collectable in and of itself, there are thousands of regular copies of the same book to be had. These kind of books never hold their value long term, especially hype ridden ones like this one. How many Jim Lee books have historically held their value after he has jumped ship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 But there are thousands of copies of batman #608. Ok, I get what you're saying, and agree that this price is outrageous, but this argument of there being thousands of copies dosen't fly. There are hundreds of thousands of EVERY Amazing Spider-Man issue, so by your logic why pay for a high grade when there are so many lowgrades? After all, the comic is the same right? And how do you explain price variants? Most are not even remotely a key in any way, and are very abundant in their common counterparts. Whether you(or I) like it or not, variants are hot, and they do have lasting power. But $500+ is nuts........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Haters haters haters. There are only 200 copies of this book - note that the cover for Batman 608 RRP has been used elsewhere (most notably for the French edition) and will all but positively be used for the trade paperback. The Fables 6 book is also going upwards in price, and is, in my opinion, the better "investment". That cover has also been used elsewhere, for the trade: I don't think this is a manufactured "collectible" - this is an incentive to get dealers to come to the meeting. DC has given out alternate cover books at RRPs in the past, notably a very cool alternative cover to All-Star 1 at the Baltimore RRP in 1999 (which I have a nice 9.0 version, but my POS scanner is not working right). I think this book will in fact hold its value, as there are only 200 of them. This is akin to the Star Wars 1 35 center, I think this book has legs. I'd love to have the four back that I've already sold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Anyone who invests in this type of "manufactured collectible" does not understand the underlying economic principles behind comic collecting. Low print runs harm an off-the-shelf comic's value in the long-term, as a Modern collector's memory is extremely short-term, the books was never for sale off the shelf, attrition is nil, and virtually no one will even remember it in 5-10 years. Just remember, rarity in itself does not translate into higher values. The best equation is huge print runs + extreme attrition, which is why older comics are raking in the big bucks. It's not because they're rare, but because potentially millions of kids bought, read and tossed that Golden Age issue, thus creating a lucrative resale market for the few remaining copies. The "limited" comics are a dealer premium and are intended to fleece the unwary and inexperienced collector out of their hard-earned cash. Always have been, always will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I disagree in that I don't think this is a "manufactured collectible". It is an incentive to get dealers to come to the summit, much like a stupid key ring you'd get at a trade show. What the dealer does with it is another thing entirely. I would be VERY surprised if this book does not have legs, given that there are a very low supply of them and a broad base of Batman people who want them. The argument is enforced by the absolute dog sales of the third book given out at the RRP, the Global Frequency 1 cover variant, which has story by fanfave Warren Ellis. That book you can't give away. The argument is also being reinforced because the number of these books that are being sold on eBay has steadily dropped - there were a bunch of them in January and February, but this is the first one I've seen in a while. They are going into BatPeople's private collections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 >>But on a different, and more meaningful discussion, Vince - please tell me what books are OK with you to buy? I like you, buddy, but every single book that is discussed on these boards you slam as being spec-fodder. That's not true, and in one thread, I even offered some "fun money" comics that aren't too expensive and have some upward potential You may feel the Batman books is "special", but you know the track record of this kind of dealer premium. Not good, and due to the low print runs and artificial scarcity, they seem to forgotten in a year or two. I've heard the same thing many times before, and values have always fallen after the initial hype. Maybe you're right and this will be a $1K comic in a few years, but I highly doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Well over 6 years later, I just bought a Batman #608 RRP 9.6 for $700 and thought it was a steal. Looks like the book still holds value... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDonut Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Okay two things: 1) Here we are in the far flung future of 2011 and there are two 9.8s going for over $2K --- Amazing! 2) Anyone know where this oddity came from? Its not the newspaper version: Batman 608 Special Edition NM Rare HTF LOOK!!! http://cgi.ebay.com/Batman-608-Special-Edition-NM-Rare-HTF-LOOK-/150590162730?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230fdf872a Sometimes I know what I'm talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmat Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 To my knowledge, and from the ones that I own myself there are 5 covers: Batman #608 1. 1st Printing 2. 2nd Printing 3. RRP Edition 4. New York Post Giveaway Edition (now this has "Special Edition" top right with "New York Post Exlcusive" at the bottom. 5. Special Edition - basically the RRP cover with a yellow border saying "After Watchmen, Whats next"? - Was released in 2009 So, this one is a sixth (printing?). I'd be interested in the origin if anyone out there knows. I didn't bid on the one above, but I'd like to know where it came from. Possibly inserted into non-New York Post papers? Is this the Double Feature (608 and 609)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bane Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Oh yeah, I forgot about that one but I don't think it is. I'd post some photos but I just put the #600-699 box in the loft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itssmeeeeee Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Man theres like 5 Batman 608 RRPs on ebay right now. 9.8s going well over 2K. looks like people are trying to unload theirs with the value going up. the 608 RRP is one of my personal grails. As of now ill hold on to my SS 9.6. I wish i had the money to upgrade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bane Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 I'd be happy with just a 9.4 just to "complete" the 600-699 run of covers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmat Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I made a little searce and I found HERE that there was only 2334 copies printed of the Batman Double feature. It's not as scarce as the RRP 608 but still, very few copies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
