So when I went out to my local comic shop (also a Phantom Variant Network Store) I has every plan on picking up the two Silk #2 Phantom Variants, the Black and White lower print variant and the regular color one. I was surprised to find a third Phantom Variant for Silk #2 on the shelf. Seems there was a secret, unannounced one that hit the shelves as well.
Like I said, I wanted to get the other two, as I had already sent my Spider-Gwen’s off for grading, and wanted to have the Silk’s as a nice display piece to go next to them (some of the Silks are going off to CBCS for grading as well). I found that there was a third Phantom on the shelf, the Silk #2 Secret Red Phantom Variant.
This one is more true to form homage to the classic Amazing Spider-man #300 cover. These are out there but from what I heard they are really rare and have a print run of about what the Black and White Phantom had.
Here are some of the listings for the Red Phantom Silk #2
Silk #2 Secret Red Phantom Variant– Individually
With the Regular edition Phantom
With the Black and White Sketch Phantom
And as a set of all three
The regular one has been selling really well, but it does not look like many people have picked up on the rarer Red Secret variant.
(I did pick up several though 🙂 )
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Informed Comic Book Speculation and Pop Culture News
So, the regular is 3000 print run, the sketch is 1500.. what’s this one’s supposed print run?
A much nicer price for sure! Although their shipping sucks. It should not cost $10 for two comics.. ughh! Still cheaper than spending $100 though with free shipping. 😉
The shipping should be combined. It is ONE shipment…..
I would think so… update cart to 2 quantity, shipping goes up to $10.
But yeah, the shipping price is expensive for multiple orders.
What’s up with all the variants these days!?! If I ever put out a comic not only will there be at least 20 different covers I will also put out variants of each page… Some black and white, some not, some blank so you can do it yourself, some may be nude pages, some might be cutesy animal pages, some might even be all new pages of something completely different…of course they will all be randomly inserted into all of the other variants making the odds of getting a complete set about the same as picking a perfect college basketball bracket. How could that possibly cheese off collectors that just want to finish a month of a single issue without having to spend $100 or more. Sheesh! I need coffee!
One word, Money!
There’s certainly different types of collectors and readers. Here’s my take on the types.
Completists: Must get every cover, blood will be spilled if they can’t get them all!
Avid Collector: Picks their favorite covers or covers, doesn’t bother trying to get them all.
Enthusiast Collector: They pick up to read but store it away in the collection for safe keeping.
Readers: The ones who pick it up, read for some entertainment, throw in the back seat of their car, use it to make a campfire.. blah blah blah..
So it all just depends on what type of reader/collector you are. But the end result with the variants always boils down to.. making some money!
Darn you and your logic! Yeah, I used to be a completist years ago and welcomed variants…until three, four, five and sometimes even more of each issue started coming out month after month. I have been monetarily demoted from enthusiast or Avid collector depending on what series I am buying. I’ll always try to get a favorite cover or two (sometimes three) of a favorite series or storyline…. I’m such a lemming…sigh.
I’m only a completist on a few titles but then again, I’m a lousy completist mostof the time. There are some that are just out of reach and I’m not spending my retirement just to get the same comic with a different cover. I have to remind myself at times, it’s just ink arranged on the same paper as the other cover for a fraction of the price. Not like the artist personally printed it or anything.. 😉
check your email
Lol Marvel is milking it
I guess good for them, but how about just one or two variants max…. How many does Star Wars have each month so far? But as agentpoyo pointed out money is King.
THIS is what pisses me off about variants! Just when you think that you’ve pre-ordered, paid for & recieved what’s SURE to be the hottest & most rare variant…they throw out a SECRET variant! A-HOLES!!! I believe I might be done with the variant collecting. The “Secret variant” really turns me off. I feel like I’m becoming an enabler… Must. Not. Buy. Secret. Variant. ?
They wouldn’t print so many variant comics if people would stop buy them. So if you hate variants or are against them, then don’t buy them. For me personally, I love them. Gives an artist a chance to work on a book/character that they normally wouldn’t work on. It also gives some sort of pssychological collectiblity to the hobby, and sometimes its fun to chase them down. If not, we would all just set up pull lists at the LCS, get our comics, and go home and read them…how much fun would that be, lol (it would be a lot easier on my wallet though!)
I’d actually be fine if there were no more variants.. one would just get their comic, take home, read, tuck away in long box, but that’s just me. But I do like some variants and I do like variants to flip, flipping makes me money to pay some bills and buy more comics. 🙂
I’d actually classify myself as sort of inbetween avid collector and enthusiast. I collect, I read and I’ll flip when I can.
Broke down and bought a couple. Someone has them listed for $29.99 so I decided to pull the trigger on a couple. Here’s the link: http://m.ebay.com/itm/221719929538?nav=SEARCH
Also, for what it’s worth, my LCS says the print run is less than 1000.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go self flagellate…
P.S. Third eye just posted them on eBay for $29.99 as well. They’re packaging is awesome. (Right after I bought my copies from someone that will sandwich them between 2 flimsy pieces of cardboard and stuff it in an envelope that says “BEND ME, PLEASE)! Lol…
You just bought yours from Larry. He packages well, probably even better than 3rd Eye. 😉
That’s really good to know! Thx, Poyo!
Jetpack claims might be lowest ever Marvel variant or phantom variant.. so has to be under the 1500 for sure..
Just need one more day before picking it up.
The companies (Marvel, Dc, etc….) are manipulating the consumer into spending more money for the same product by tangling the carrot of variants in front of them. This is why I don’t buy variants unless I can get them at cover price.
This is a seller’s market. If it’s the story you want, buy the regular cover. If your looking to flip it, buy the variant. Just look at how TMNT # 44 is doing on Ebay…
Buy variant at lowest possible cost though. I’m with Emanuel, I try to get all my variants at cover if I can. The only time I buy above is I want in personal collection or I’m getting it low enough knowing I can flip.. ex. Spider-Gwen #1 Phantom Variant.. those were fun and easy money. Buy at $10, sell for $25-$30 day in and day out.
Yeah I agree with the whole variant price out ragged. If I know that the book is a 1:25 or 1:50 so on and so on, I do my math and compare prices with ebay and call around comic shops to compare prices. (That is of course on a variant that I want cuz of the cover or artist) and where ever I find it cheaper, that’s where I will get it. And I have a secret LCS where the owner orders a lot of copies of phantoms and variants and doesn’t over charge like crazy as other LCS do. So that’s always a good thing.
Where do you exactly find print runs on variants like this?
Its guesstimating Marvel usually does 3,000 copies for color and then you can do 1500 for black and white sketch. The other ones I do not know but am hearing around the black and white variant
Bought one from thirdeye… Nice looking cover….. why am I a schmuck? Seriously, if anyone is having a garage sale let me know. Apparently I can be talked into buying anything… You don’t even have to say anything. Just show me a shiny picture of what you are selling. If it’s shiny I’ll probably be all over it!
I have an inanimate carbon rod. It won employee of the month. $500000000000000000
Hmmmmm…. I know I don’t have one of those. I’ll have to check with the wife. Has it ever saved a Shuttle mission from disaster?
Simpsons quotes for the win
Were your parents part raccoon? 😉
One of the Phantom shops wanted to do a variant of the variant.
I agreed as long as all the shops could have some.
Good idea?
Lame idea?
I’ll listen to you guys.
In the future,
What do YOU the fan / collector / speculator want?
Awesome idea
In one of my posts above I suggested variant interior pages…why not right? But in all seriousness if the cover was attractive enough people will buy them, but if its past the third or fourth version it might be overkill.