49 thoughts on “Batgirl #23 B for cover price here.”

    1. If you miss out, just give it a few days or weeks, the prices will drop after the hype.

  5. Oh and I’d like to point out that if anyone finds their local shops pulling these aside and selling at premium prices, boycott and call them out here or online.
    These are not high ratio variants that a shop had to order X amount of Cover A to get X amount of this cover. So every shop should be allowing customers to get these at cover. So if you’re a shop and you raise the prices on this cover on release day, shame on you for jacking up the price and I hope karma bites you in the arse.

    1. Agreed, Poyo. I personally refuse to buy marked up, open order variants. I don’t necessarily blame the shop for trying to make money, but I know a few shops that will mark up any variant by 25%-50%. I have straight up told them that I am not buying them for the reasons stated above. Its their choice. But I also point out all the unsold marked up variants that are still on the shelf from last week. Ultimately I think they lose business by employing the nark up practice. Greed turns most people off.

      1. You know, a few days later or week and they have some open order variants on the shelf that are now heating up, all power to them in upping the price tag.
        But since most shops are the only way for some people to obtain their comic books, I think they should be bound by some rules for cover price books. But then again, they can do whatever they want, we the comic buyers can just put them out of business by not shopping there anymore.
        If you own a comic shop and want to sell books at secondary market prices, cancel your diamond account, close your shop and join the rest of us spec’ers and flippers who buy at retail prices in hopes of turning profit. 🙂

        1. My guy does just that. Everything is cover or ratio priced for 1 week. After that, he pulls it all and sorts it out later. Anything he deems not valuable goes back on the racks the following week. Its kinda odd, but it works for me. Thats why he gets my business.

          1. Sounds reasonable for me. Before one of my local shops went out of business, I would give the owner a heads up on hot books, tell him to tuck 1 or 2 away which is okay in my book as well so they can make a little extra later on.

            1. I do the same thing, Poyo. They appreciate that and it helps me build that relationship. When ASM 798 came out, Diamond screwed my guy. He ordered 60 copies and they sent him 6. I actually picked up a bunch from another store and gave them to him at my cost, so he could fill his regulars’ pulls. That alone has got me on his high ratio list. Ratios are hard to come by in most Canadian LCS’.

    2. I don’t even have to go to Brave New Worlds in downtown Philly today to know that the price will be jacked up lol

    1. Bingo
      Book will be a little over cover in a week. This is not a tough book. If one decides to not have blinders on you can tell the early market was manipulated.
      If it doesn’t seem to make sense, the odds are it will come back to reality.
      Not even his best Batgirl cover lol

      1. Ill bet you wont be able to get this book at less than $20 US shipped in 4 weeks time. Not a snowballs chance its cover price in 7 days. Thats just silly. Anyone who has been reading the modern market lately would laugh at that statement. Im not saying I agree with how the market is right now, but I still know how to read it (i hope/think). I

      2. Please explain, JJ, how is this book being popular, displaying obvious market manipulation? I do not see that at all. Could you explain/expand on that statement or provide some sort of proof?
        This is organic growth from a low print book in a market on steroids and some beautiful artwork of a timeless character, imo. Babs is one of my favs. I currently have zero copies of this book in hand, have not sold one and I did not preorder more than 1 copy.

    2. Its not that strange, given how the market has turned the last 6-12 months (and beyond). The Artgerm Batgirl covers fetch good coin, why wouldnt this book? Its just as nice as those Artgerms. Low print run to boot. If the print is on par with 21 @ 17000 copies between 2 covers (im guessing 60/40 a/b), then that makes about 6800 copies of this months Batgirl B. That is pretty low for a big 2 book. It jumped out to me the moment I saw it in previews two months ago.

      1. There is no reason why this book was a $40+ book. None. Anyone think this is the best Middleton cover? Really? I’ve known Josh since CrossGen and he has amazing cover work out there, but many are just realizing with Rebirth that he is an artist (which is amazing honestly). I sell Comics for a living and have for many years. I’ve seen it all. I read all the sites and see what people are pushing or discussing. Doesn’t mean it will prove out.
        Look at each year later review. Almost all are books you wish you never bought and ‘current market value’ is not cover price. Far less if you look at eBay or any .50 box at a show.
        So why so bully on this book?
        There were only a few copies when the ‘news’ broke that it was selling for $40+ so everyone then says ‘well, it’s a $40 book I guess’. Undercutters will destroy this book.
        Hovering around cover in less then a week. Sticking by it.
        I might be wrong, I might be right, but I wouldn’t pay over cover for this book ever.
        Different strokes!
        Sell sell sell

        1. Well, I didnt see one point made towards your original statement about market manipulation. Did you see or hear something that led you to say that? Or are you upset because the market is crazy, nuts, stupid right now. Why isnt it a $40, $20 book? Just because you dont think its his best work, or you think its not worth what people are paying for it, doesnt make that a reality, JJ. What constitutes a $40 book to you? Having said that, i agree that its not a $40 book at this time, and that people are overpaying. But, just because you dont understand it, that does not make it any less real. Im stickin to my assessment that it will be a $20 shipped by this time next Wednesday.
          Do all comics peak at their 1 year anniversary mark? Because you put a lot of weight on that 1 year later reveiw. How much was Hulk 181, ASM 300 worth 1 year later? I understand your frustration as you watch the market make drastic turns that you can not get into, but shitting all over the book with nothing more than ‘i dont think’ is a poor argument at best. Different people like different things, JJ. I will now get off your lawn.

          1. Something doesn’t seem right for me on this book now that I’m hearing reports shops were cut off or disnt receive orders. This is why this book is staying hot now, demand + limited availability. If you look at the past cover B books, I can see JJs point in why this one? Something just seems off about this book. Where are all the copies? Neither of my shops had them and one shop gets all cover B books for DC. I can find most if not all the recent Artgerm. And Middleton covers at this shop.

            1. I think the ‘thing’ that has put this one ahead of others, like BG21b by Middleton, which is equally gorgeous as his BG23b, is the fact that this is the new semi virgin cover that DC has introduced. I believe that is driving the popularity. Also, and a big also it is, is every spec site has been talking about this one for whatever reason for at least the last week. That is a lot of exposure for the book.

              1. Yeah but Ive been talking about Middleton covers for months now. I’m no conspiracy theorist as I base everything on facts but this time I just have this gut feeling something went awry with this one which caused a shortage so the normal is demand is there justbloke the others but since its hard to come by, the hype now has taken over so its driving people to pay what most would normally not pay.

                1. Ive been on them the Middleton covers too, picked up a fewBGs, AqM Mera and Dolphin ones. Really nice. Some people have been talking about them all along, just not everybody has. Idk. I dont like market manipulation and would condemn the book if I suspected as much. I just dont see it here. I feel this is as organic as today’s moderns get.

                2. Its easy to say that when your shops got them 😉
                  I wouldnt think anything of it either until others have commented their shops didnt get theirs they ordered. Now my inner senses are tingling that some thing seems off this time. Now, could all just be hearsay but verifying some of my own local shops didnt get them either…. just makes one go…. Hmmmm

            2. The modern market is on steroids right now too. Im not saying it is justified, but it is what it is.

                1. Most do. I dont hold anything thats not PC or Marvel and Batman 1sts. BG23b is staying in my PC. And the other 2 copies I have are sold or being sold. Mind you, I truly think this has longer legs than most.

                2. I’m offloading most of not all of my collection. Tired of them taking up so much space. Now…. Go buy my Walking Reads everyone. 😉

                3. Ive streamlined the PC too. 2 artists (both do not do a lot of work anymore), 1 writer (who doesnt do much mainstream stuff anymore), 6-7 characters, ASM, and a few favourite covers that dont fall into any of the above cats. Everything else goes.

                5. I think the modern market is directly tied to the i wildly successful MCU. If the next MCU phase is a let down, the market will be in for a serious correction. If its a success, I believe the market will still correct a bit, but will remain strong. Imo.

                6. I would love to see stats to back up if the Marvel Movies are increasing sales of the comics cause from what I can tell, it’s not doing that.
                  Sure we collectors in our comic bubbles pay attention to such things but I have plenty of friends who love the Marvel movies yet have zero desire to read the books or storylines they’re using from them.
                  Like mentioned before, the world went crazy over Black Panther but did we see an increase of Black Panther books being published? From what I’ve seen, it didn’t really impact the comics, at least in my neck of the woods. Most of my shops order heavy on Black Panther and most end up in the dollar bin months later. Dragon’s Lair got one of the artists to sign a bunch of the books, a huge stack still sit on the shelves signed with little to no movement. I can only speak for what I see first hand though. I wish the publishing companies were a little more transparent with their actual numbers.

                7. Should have clarified. The MCU is not bringing many new readers, but is driving the speculation market.

                8. Oh for sure. But we in the speculation world are such a much smaller breed as well. I think some of us that revolve our worlds around comics tend to forget there is actually a bigger pool of just readers than those that go as far as we (speculators) do when it comes to collectibility, value, condition and so on.

                9. I see it every week at the LCS. 95% of the people i chat with at the LCS are just readers and have zero clue or care about speculation or the hot book of the week. They just enjoy their comics.

                10. It works that way with regular books to add up how many movies I’ve seen that are based on a book that I have no desire to read even though I like the movie. Ready player one is a prime example.

        2. JJ. I got three. Selling two. Can’t lose that way. I agree unless you are a Batgirl fan and unless you are a Middleton collector, sell the book and make money.

      2. Correction*. The books image was not in April Previews. I saw it several weeks ago online, around the same time I was reading that months Preveiws, and I loved it from the first time I saw it.

      3. I may be off here, but I don’t think there’s much manipulation—here’s why: ALMOST NO ONE pre-ordered this book! I will totally admit that I did as I watching for a cover like this. Something that I thought was fantastic, was NOT covered by anyone before FOC by any spec site….what did you think was going to happen?
        Most stores now only order enough for pulls +3-4 extras for the wall. Yes, if a book hits their radar, then more are ordered. This was off the radar the whole time. I was even exchanging posts with Anthony on Monday night about BG 23….not even a peep by anyone else.
        A very under-ordered book by a very under-ordered title….with, arguably, a cover of the year and presto! Manipulation? I doubt that a lot.

  8. wow what a bunch of player hate if anyone t in this thread thinks owning a comic book store is so easy then please go do it . poyo I disagree lets say I was a shop the greatest shop on earth with tna girls in cost play serving cokes and smiles plus all the hot comics oh yeah it is coming more on that in a future hidden gems but lets say I order 40 copies of batgirl #23 the variant and I put 20 copies on the rack at cover price I put ten away for my pulls and I sell at the $20-40 for conventions ebay amazon website ect. are you saying in this bizzaro world we call America I am no longer allowed to run my business as I see fit ?? the 20 copies on the rack stay cover for three weeks one per costumer so everyone walking into tna comics or shoud should is pell it comixx or comixxx open to sugestions on that guys I am sick and tired of reading all the player hate first it was store variants and I agree most store variants suck really suck ese espically those from comics expousure where is my dam amazing spiderman #798 variant ?? this is not 1991 we don’t have 4,000 ok plus stores anymore we don’t have millon copy print runs anymore we live in the golden age of the hobby we have movies t.v. shows cost play ises of super hero clothing in cools or wallmart girls giving lab dances to the wonder woman theme song I sceen it I goteen them because that is how I roll so if I want to make the money the dollar dollar wile the dollar dollar is to be made on batgirl #23 so I can pay my rent my bills keep three stipper wives in cloths and liquar and have a life and still keep it fair for people walking into a col coll store then why would people want to make a me a vilaln villan for doing business the way I see fit and can anyone explan what the heck is wrong with America d today?/ w.t.f. really we needed a app to order macdonalds?? we have waiters that tell you drinking softdrinks is bad for you just serve me my dam soda and shut up and let me live my life I have people tell me I have to give awsay hard earned money to po people just because someone explan to me what is wrong with the world today?? o.k. I will go have a glass of coke get a smile x and get off this soapbox but like I said if you think opwning and running a retial comic book business I don’g give a crap if it is a brick and motor store I don’t give a crap if it is a online store I don’g give a crap if it is conventions this is a difficult business and nine times out of ten is a labor of live love #testify #pimpaomics blind adam the comicpimp out

    1. You can run your shop how you want…. I and many others can also choose not to shop there.
      Think of it this way… Imagine AT&T decided they wanted to sell the latest iPhone for $2000 while all the others sell theirs at $1000 cause Apple suggested that is the retail price for customers… Just imagine how long you’ll stay in business? There’s a reason comic books have a cover price and to me, if they didnt pay a premium or had to order D amount of comic X to get copies of Cover Y thats pre-selling on the secondary market (yes, news flash, comic chops are not secondary, they’re buying new comics at a wholesale price), then they should sell new books at the suggested retail price. If they choose not to do such things, shame on them… I hope they go out of business real quick because they’re no shop I’d support.

  10. Thumbs up to stores that order sufficient quantities of hot comics or limit purchase to one per customer. Frustrating difficulty of finding nonrare new comics that are supposed to be available on specific dates. Dissatisfied customers may be more reluctant to waste time shopping in the future.

  11. The goal of a Shop is to sell out .. any Retailer that’s been around for any length of time knows that .. the goal is not to buy more than you know you can sell, because if you do that enough, unless you’re financially independent, you’ll go broke .. Most retailers don’t have a Crystal Ball .. if so, I would have ordered thousands of copies of Walking Dead #1 and stockpiled them ..
    It’s unfair to expect a book that suddenly heats up to be on the shelf by the time you get there in each and every case .. we order in advance and can only guess beyond what normal sales are, what a book might do .. or not do ..
    Lastly, although I, in my 40 years as a Comic Retailer, have never subscribed to the “Pull the Book and Mark it Up Later” philosophy, I understand those that do .. it helps pay for the unsold copies of material they took a chance on and now reside in Clearance Boxes .. why should a Retailer be held to a different Standard than the very folks that populate this site as self-admitted Speculators .. ??

    2. It does. But at the same time it alienates customers who want to buy it on release date. Take the speculators out of the equation for a moment. Let’s just look at the readers and collectors. There are plenty that come here. So they go in to the store on release day looking for an issue. None to be found. A week later the shop that normally has 10 of any given book has 10 copies on the shelf at $30. What goes the through the buyers head? My wife went to a shop back when the first wave of DC lenticulars came out. They had. One at cover price but all bagged and boarded at $15. Why would you charge eBay prices for a book on new comic day. I can’t remember which my wife wanted but she wanted one for herself. Liked the cover. She walked out and hasn’t mentioned a comic since.

      1. As I stated, in my 40 years in this business, I’ve never cottoned to that practice .. I simply understand those that do .. as well, this type of thing is not exclusive to the World of Comics .. the simple answer is, if the Shop that does have these type business practices gets away with it, that’s one thing .. if it alienates Customers, that’s another ..
        As well, I would imagine a Regular Customer that paid a premium price for a new book and came in 2 weeks later to discover the book was now half off or cover, would be Royally Pissed, and rightfully so ..
        On the other hand, I have folks walk in on Wednesdays only when some book that’s getting on-line Heat discussion comes out .. that’s the only time I see them, when they are attempting to “cash in” quickly .. do they support my Shop regularly .. ?? No .. Do I sell them the book at cover if I have it .. ?? Yes .. Do I like it .. ?? No
        And neither would you ..

        1. Personally one of the reasons I stay away from most radio variants is the fire sale mentality of many sellers on eBay. If I must have a cover I will buy it, but I usually don’t chase them. Why? Because exactly as you said prices drop on many of them and they can be scooped up cheaper later. I don’t think I have ever seen anyone complain in my local comic shop about a Variants value going down below the price it was sold for.
          I look at local comic shops as retailers, as that is what that are. They can set the price how ever they want but at the risk of alienating customers. I have no problem with them setting some aside to mark up later, that is understandable, but to pull the entire allocation they got to mark up or sell on the secondary market is the equivalent of the local Best Buy pulling all the new hot game systems on the day of release and doing the same. Just my opinion.

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