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Amazing Spider-Man #25 1:1000 Variant
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138 posts in this topic

When would the cover image for this 1:1000 variant be released? I'd be curious to see what it'll look like...perhaps a partial white cover with Spidey at the top of steps facing off against Spider-Ham?

 

Early mockup :roflmao:

 

d25e6db7-37e4-4e06-b29b-59feafea3ef7_zpslcoow3x5.jpg

Edited by ygogolak
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This is so, so, so lame... who the hell did they hire at the control tower? Who's calling these shots?

 

I agree - there must have been an internal production meeting at some point where a group of people sat around a table and discussed whether a 1:1000 was appropriate. For that meeting to be commercially productive, there should have been someone with his or her 'ear to the ground' representing the comic buying public.

 

That person should have voiced a concern that would echo the feelings of many in the collecting community: "Guys, isn't this a rip off gimmick?".

 

The group agreed however to go forward. So they must feel that what they are doing is right and good for the future prosperity of the industry.

 

Either that or they are mercenary bunch of short term gain dullards.

 

Possibly!

 

 

 

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When would the cover image for this 1:1000 variant be released? I'd be curious to see what it'll look like...perhaps a partial white cover with Spidey at the top of steps facing off against Spider-Ham?

 

Early mockup :roflmao:

 

d25e6db7-37e4-4e06-b29b-59feafea3ef7_zpslcoow3x5.jpg

 

This is awesome! :applause:

 

And, ironically, about 1000 (1:1000) times better than what it is an homage to :roflmao:

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A question for many of you variant hunters... I know you're out there... what sort of signals are you really trying to send to Marvel by participating in your normal variant purchasing and collecting habits? That you want rare variants? But not too rare?

 

I personally hate the very (business) concept of any variant that can't be ordered like a normal cover, but in this day and age of comics, I feel like one of the only people in that boat. From the outside looking in, this just seems like a... natural... progression to the game of the artificially rare modern issue. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a thread praising this book some time after release, so...

 

1:100 = good, 1:1000 = bad. I wouldn't exactly call such a reaction arbitrary of course, but I do hope that those of you that this inquiry may apply to can see my confusion as a legitimate question and not an attempt to cause an argument.

I usually don't go after ratio variants (thankfully, most Skottie Young Baby are open to order). At most, I'd get a 1:25 at $15 or less if I really like the cover.

 

However, I'm guessing for those who buy variants for speculation: With 1:200 and higher ratios, buy-in starts being too high and retailers suck all the money so risk is greater and potential upside is lower. (shrug)

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A question for many of you variant hunters... I know you're out there... what sort of signals are you really trying to send to Marvel by participating in your normal variant purchasing and collecting habits? That you want rare variants? But not too rare?

 

I personally hate the very (business) concept of any variant that can't be ordered like a normal cover, but in this day and age of comics, I feel like one of the only people in that boat. From the outside looking in, this just seems like a... natural... progression to the game of the artificially rare modern issue. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a thread praising this book some time after release, so...

 

1:100 = good, 1:1000 = bad. I wouldn't exactly call such a reaction arbitrary of course, but I do hope that those of you that this inquiry may apply to can see my confusion as a legitimate question and not an attempt to cause an argument.

I usually don't go after ratio variants (thankfully, most Skottie Young Baby are open to order). At most, I'd get a 1:25 at $15 or less if I really like the cover.

 

However, I'm guessing for those who buy variants for speculation: With 1:200 and higher ratios, buy-in starts being too high and retailers suck all the money so risk is greater and potential upside is lower. (shrug)

 

I can see that. And then the angst displayed is because people know themselves well enough to know they're going to want it I guess.

 

My take? Who cares if they have a 1:10000? Don't order it. If some handful want it, more power to them I guess. The outrage seems odd, especially from a niche community that is typically the receiver of outrage because of what they like to collect. Assuming the rare variant collecting community is against this anyway. I haven't seen any positive statements.

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I don't collect ASM or want this variant, but I'm thinking about "What if this was a Wolverine title or something else I collect?" If you're not a hardcore, diehard completionists you wouldn't understand the feeling of frustration of not being able to have every cover in a run. I think a 1:1000 is totally absurd, but at a 3.99 cover price it could still be obtainable....look at the Venom--it's around $1500 on eBay which is crazy money for a new book, but IMHO is still doable for alot of collectors. The $9.99 cover price is what would make me outraged :mad: Now instead of $1500, you're looking at $5000, and that's if any shop would even order enough. So, yes you're assumption of people being mad because they are going to want it, would be spot on. (at least for me if I was collecting this series)

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I don't collect ASM or want this variant, but I'm thinking about "What if this was a Wolverine title or something else I collect?" If you're not a hardcore, diehard completionists you wouldn't understand the feeling of frustration of not being able to have every cover in a run. I think a 1:1000 is totally absurd, but at a 3.99 cover price it could still be obtainable....look at the Venom--it's around $1500 on eBay which is crazy money for a new book, but IMHO is still doable for alot of collectors. The $9.99 cover price is what would make me outraged :mad: Now instead of $1500, you're looking at $5000, and that's if any shop would even order enough. So, yes you're assumption of people being mad because they are going to want it, would be spot on. (at least for me if I was collecting this series)

 

There's almost always books that we can't acquire for some reason or other, and it is frustrating.

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The $9.99 cover price is what would make me outraged :mad: Now instead of $1500, you're looking at $5000, and that's if any shop would even order enough. So, yes you're assumption of people being mad because they are going to want it, would be spot on. (at least for me if I was collecting this series)

It's 88 pages. Also, probably not gonna retail for $5000 unless you're buying all the regular covers yourself in order to qualify.

 

DCBS and Midtown will likely qualify for a few copies with their normal orders and even the DK III: Master Race 1:500 Jim Lee variants sell in the $500 range. The actual book only costs DCBS and Midtown something like $4 anyway.

 

Then again, I have a budget ceiling for comics and it's far more important for me to stick to that budget instead of going with a Pokemon mentality of needing to collect them all. People can rant and rave all they want but if they continue paying crazy prices for high ratio variants, what message is that sending to Marvel? If people want to see change, then hit Marvel where it hurts - their wallets/bottom line. (shrug)

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A question for many of you variant hunters... I know you're out there... what sort of signals are you really trying to send to Marvel by participating in your normal variant purchasing and collecting habits? That you want rare variants? But not too rare?

 

I personally hate the very (business) concept of any variant that can't be ordered like a normal cover, but in this day and age of comics, I feel like one of the only people in that boat. From the outside looking in, this just seems like a... natural... progression to the game of the artificially rare modern issue. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a thread praising this book some time after release, so...

 

1:100 = good, 1:1000 = bad. I wouldn't exactly call such a reaction arbitrary of course, but I do hope that those of you that this inquiry may apply to can see my confusion as a legitimate question and not an attempt to cause an argument.

 

In my opinion, anything that is not 1:1 is bad. But then again, I remember a time when comic collectors wanted runs of books and having one of each published (including the variants) was an achievable goal. Those days are long gone. Now people don't want runs but just keys and hard to find variants.

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Pretty daring of Marvel to try this when they are losing ground every month in sales.

But this is what is going to turn them around! :acclaim:

 

 

I keep thinking Disney is going to come in and stop this stuff, but just not seeing it. Its like the heads of Marvel are just asleep at the wheels. Its looking more and more like 1994ish again with all these poor decisions. Its bad enough that most of marvel is just bad currently.

 

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What's the chances of the cover being an original art piece similar to DCs Jim Lee sketches?

None.

 

Marvel sells these incentive variants at the same price as the regular covers so they probably get around $3-4 after Diamond's cut.

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I guess I'm a different type of "completionist" - I have every ASM book from AF15 to ASM 700 but just one of each - meaning I haven't gone out of my way to buy any variants. Any variants I have are due to my LCS looking out for me and putting them in my weekly pull pile.

While I understand the need others have to own every ASM book, I'm happy with what I have and for the life of me, I can't see myself dropping that type of money on a modern book, not matter how rare it may be.

Like Elmer said, I would rather upgrade my Silver Age ASMs with any extra money I have.

As prices of modern variants show, I'm sure plenty will disagree with my line of thinking.

More important to me is that they get ASM back to being a great title, not a mediocre one like it is now.

 

I completely agree. I have a complete run of ASM from AF 15 to 700, including most of the variants. I stayed away from the issue 666 variant craziness. I had to stop at 700, seemed like a perfect breaking off point. I had it with buying so much b_llsh_t that I didn't really need or care for. It really was a freeing feeling .

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What's the chances of the cover being an original art piece similar to DCs Jim Lee sketches? Who would they tap to "almost" make the price worth it? Romita Sr?

 

I might be tempted if they got Campbell to do a full copic on a blank cover for the 1:1000. But, I am a fanatic about Campbell, sooooo that may not be for everyone.

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What's the chances of the cover being an original art piece similar to DCs Jim Lee sketches? Who would they tap to "almost" make the price worth it? Romita Sr?

 

They probably have some other unused cover from Ditko or Romita Sr. back in the days a la the ASM 700 Ditko variant. Or do something like they did with the Venom 1:1000, a recolor of a panel/cover

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I am one of those people that focuses solely on the ASM title and who has invested a lot of time and money to get a near-complete collection: newsstands, direct editions, variants, even the insane number of 140+ variants of ASM666. When the 1:1000 variants started to appear, I worried that eventually there would be one of these ratio-variants for ASM. Now I ask myself the question: do I want to spend such a lot of money on this book instead of a upgrade of one of my Silver Age books? And if I do, will I be able to find one? And if I find one and spend all this money, what will be next? Another relaunch with 50+ variants? A 1:2000 variant which will cost even more? And if I don't find this variant or I am not willing to pay this money, is there any reason to continue my collection or should I break it off at ASM328, ASM441, ASM700, SS31, ASM18 or ASMRYV5? Or should I stop collecting variants, get rid of all variants I have and just continue with the regulars?

 

I really don't understand why Marvel does this. The ratio is such that it will not gain them a lot of extra orders. On the contrary, it makes completists like me start to think whether it is better to stop collecting variants or the series altogether. That can't hardly be the intention of Marvel, can it?

 

I feel for you. I was the same way with Star Wars comics, then Marvel got the license and ... well, let's just say I've had to adjust the way I collect comics.

 

None of the comic publisher want completist. They feel they can survive on events, variants, and gender changes to established characters. Your loyalty does not matter to them. They don't care. Prices for comics have risen such that they are making more today selling to the dwindling base than they did a year ago. They'll make up for the lost collectors with higher prices and yes, even more variants.

 

If you enjoy collecting ASM, I wouldn't sell off what you already have. Buy the regular issue if you like reading the title. Buy those variants you like. And take solace in the fact that there is probably not a complete ASM collection with all the variants anyway. Your collection won't be any different.

 

I would say if you're an ASM completionist, just go up to issue 700. If you happen to get all the variants and reprints, then start aiming for the 'other' variants - get the price variants, Whitman/directs, the newsstands, the ones that come with toys, the foreign editions, Mark Jeweler's, store variants. Its enough chasing to last you a lifetime, but they're not constantly printing more variants to chase so you can at least feel like you're making progress. And you get to 'discover' new variants to chase, instead of being FORCED into chasing manufactured variants.

 

If you stop at #441 you can still chase the bolded variants (the actual variants, not the manufactured ones) and still enjoy yourself immensely without feeling too taken advantage of. That first reboot is where the cynicism begins, and reverting to the "original" numbering doesn't change that because that move was also done as a cash grab at #500.

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