Welcome once again to my spec and my drek. I pick what I think will be winners, not only if you make money by flipping but winners as in either a great read or just awesome art.
Then there’s the pesky drek, the comic you should avoid altogether or not fall into the buying every variant trap.
DC Picks
Not a whole lot going on in DC this week. Maybe in this weeks Batman #80 we finally see the result of Banes snap of Alfred’s neck from issue #77 (if you missed out on the fist print, there’s a Batman #77 (2nd printing) coming). The DC Previews for issue #85 seems to hint that Alfred is either wounded severely or just outright done and gone.
So this weeks primary pick goes to the awesome and classic Neal Adams cover for Batman #251.
It’s ‘The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge’-and it will take everything Batman has to stop the Clown Prince of Crime’s homicidal rampage! Don’t miss this 1973 classic in this new facsimile edition!
This is the next best thing to owning an original, for those who just don’t have the cash to spend on this classic cover.
Marvel Picks
The obvious pick goes to the 1:25 Absolute Carnage Immortal Hulk #1 Codex Variant.
Already selling well above the retail usual price range for the 1:25 ratios.
With most hovering around the $56 to $60 sale range on average. There was a single sale of $150 (whoever bought that has a severe case of FOMO) and another that peaked at $89.99. I think this one will settle as a $50 to $75 book. I think as more hit the market, we might even see it dip some more. Buy low, sell high.
I think another one to keep a close watch on is the Inhyuk Lee Variant. Such a sweet looking artwork and cover. Depending on what’s going on within this issue, could make this artwork a little more relevant. A few have sold for over $100 already with a few others at the $50 range.
Most retailers will set this at the $50 to $60 range to start it off, so if you can find them for cover or cheap, these will be great flips.
My actual pick is another ratio variant. I’m not usually big on picking books that aren’t cover price but this one is just an awesome cover if you ask me by Texeira. It totally brings back that classic Ghost Rider from the 70s vibe and feel.
TFAW has this one for $19.99, a few bucks cheaper than Midtown.
Ghost Rider #1 (Texeira Variant)
ALL HELLS BREAK LOOSE! The Brothers Ghost Rider are back!
Johnny Blaze ain’t just the king of Hell-he’s the warden too. He’s the first line of defense between the demonic hordes trying to escape the joint and the lords of other hells making a play for his throne and all the power that comes with it – including a certain evil queen from his past!
Meanwhile, Danny Ketch never wanted to be a Ghost Rider. Now that his brother’s in charge downstairs, Ketch must take on the duty of Earth’s Spirit of Vengeance full-time-no matter how much he’d rather be doing anything else…
Superstar creative team ED BRISSON (EXTERMINATION) and AARON KUDER (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) redefine the Marvel Universe’s supernatural underbelly for a brutal new era! PLUS: the first installment of the Caretaker Chronicles! Forget everything you thought you knew! Rated T+
The last Marvel book we should all be paying attention to is Hickman’s X-Men reboot.
House of X ends to set the stage for all the future X-Men books from this point on.
THE INEVITABLE FUTURE. The revolutionary tale of Mutantkind’s rise comes to a conclusion that will lay the groundwork of the X-Men’s stories for years to come! Superstar writer Jonathan Hickman (AVENGERS, FANTASTIC FOUR, SECRET WARS) and Marvel Young Gun artist Pepe Larraz (EXTERMINATION, AVENGERS) wrap the series that changes everything! Rated T+
Indie and Small Publisher Picks
First things first, if you can find them and your local shop doesn’t destroy them, pick up Nomen Omen #1 Blank Variant. Since it’s been ordered to be destroyed due to a misprint, collectors love recalled and error books. A pre-sold set seems to be the only listing that has sold yet (I’m wondering if that retailer who listed them is going to actually destroy or still send the 4 issue set)… one other current listing is trying to kick these off at $40.
This first pick has potential I think for you horror fans, especially those who are fascinated with the psych ward plots and stories.
As a child, Zander Wylie experienced a horrific event which led him to a career in psychology. Starting his new job working with an old friend, the patients and inmates of the hospital will change his life forever. Personal demons can be more real than you think… meet the inhabitants of The D Ward.
Dead End Kids #3 is already seeing sales around the $15 range. This might be people grabbing copies early since a lot of shops aren’t getting these while online shops are selling out pretty quickly. Still might not be a bad pickup but I expect these to cool off once Wednesday rolls around.
Buy the A cover as well but you can’t go wrong with some Inhyuk Lee cover art. Already sold out at Midtown. Actually all of the covers are displaying sold out at Midtown except the A Cover. TFAW has the A and Inhyuk Lee available.
Vampire State Building #1 (Cover B – Inhyuk Lee)
The newest horror series from the artist of The Walking Dead, Charlie Adlard! Just in time for Halloween, get ready to be bitten from the first full color page.
Terry Fisher is a young soldier on the verge of being sent away for active military duty, and is going to meet his friends at the top of the Empire State Building for a farewell party. But suddenly a legion of vampires attacks the skyscraper and massacres its occupants.
Hounded in the 102 floors that have become a deadly trap, Terry must take decisive action to save himself and his friends – and the city of New York – before the army of abominations, and the terrible vampire god within, walled in the building since its construction, spill into the city!
I know Adlard’s work on the Walking Dead started to dip in quality (probably due to Kirkman’s strict scheduling for that book) but I honestly think when he puts more effort into his artwork, it’s higher quality. I’m hoping this new Vampire State Building is a great read while we see the better side of Adlard’s art.
Now on with the dreaded “avoid” pick, every writer and artist worst nightmare when it comes to selling their hard work.
Rags #5. Talk about a fall from grace.
This time last year, this Rags title was all the rave. Then the creators had to go care a bit too much about what people did with their copies on the secondary market.
You know, I get it. You self published issues and then sold the publishing rights to Antarctic Press. You wanted people to hold off on selling the self published copies so the AP issues could catch up to prevent the story from getting out.. well, news flash, who cares? If people own something, they have the right to sell that something..
Regardless of what the creators did (they went and Wiebe’d themselves), you can still find issues going back to #3 at online retailers.. nobody cares about this title anymore.
AC/IH1 Inhyuk Lee variant has a 1:50 trade dress and a 1:100 virgin.
A NM copy of Batman 251 is over 600 dollars or higher. I am going to buy 2. My uncle had a copy that I use to read over and over again as a kid. I Love the Joker. I regret not grabbing it when I had a chance to for almost nothing years ago. I am amazed at how many comics I see now going for ridiculous money and I remember when no one cared about any of them. Crazy.
X-Men has been really cool. I think Marauders is the book to watch along with Uncanny and New Mutants. Apparently Kitty is going to be the ‘Red Queen’ of the Hellfire Club.
I picked up a fine copy of BM 251 over a year ago and had it signed by Adams, O’Neil then Graded (yellow label cbcs). I have the TPB of the greatest Joker Stories Ever Told which includes this, but it’s nice to have the facsimile such that I don’t feel the desire to free my grades book!
Agreement on the Rag BS, the fields of F*cks I give in regards to this title are quite empty. You can’t control the after market.