Welcome to this weeks spec and drek. This is where we pick the winners each week we think will be spec worthy, a great read or just cool looking art on the cover. I also dive into the pesky drek, the book you should probably avoid if you can or perhaps not invest so heavily into.
DC Picks
Batgirl #50 Final Giant Sized Issue is the first DC pick. Already selling out at most online retailers and going for around cover price on the secondary market, introduces the new Batgirl from CW.
Pick it up for the long term I say and don’t go heavy for those that don’t already pull and read. Might see a tad bit of love initially but I don’t expect it to last long if it does. You got a better chance of gambling that your case of herpes to never come back than this one making you rich.
Bosslogic… makes some great covers. So this ratio for Dark Nights Death Metal Rise of the New God #1 made the cut but don’t spend too much on it.
Might even be able to wait and snag one at under the initial retailers set price. I think as Death Metal winds down, this will fall off people’s radar.
Marvel Picks
Not a lot stands out for Marvel this week. Mostly reader books. Unless any of them hold some surprises, my first pick goes to Savage Avengers #13 Bosslogic for the cover alone. Just a great looking Doctor Strange cover…
Strange Academy #4 is one of those reader books hitting shelves. All these early books (Issue #1 still seeing sales from $40 to $60) could be key if this ever turns out to be a Disney+ show or whatever.
Strange Academy #4 (Adams Character Spotlight Variant)
Strange Academy #4 (Alex Ross Scarlet Witch Timeless Variant)
For you Star Wars and particularly Doctor Aphra fans out there, Star Wars Doctor Aphra #5 (2020) is another pickup. I’m behind on my reading but I’ve been picking all these up.
These might be reader books initially but any glimpse of unknown characters that come into the spotlight (and if Aphra gets her own show like I think most of us are anticipating), could turn into key books. Nothing ever beats the back bin reader books that turn into hot spec books later on.
Indie and Small Publisher Picks
From the world of Black Hammer (if it starts out with that line, I’m already sold on it.. )
The new Colonel Weird Cosmagog #1. Just a must pickup. There’s also the Lemire Variant as well. You can also pre-order the TPB for only $13.99 as well. Collect the singles, buy the trade for reading. That’s what I’ve been doing with this series. I like absorbing the entire story all in a single sitting.
Next up, Canto. Great character. Great series and stories. Excellent artwork. You can’t ask for much else out of a comic title and series.
Canto II The Hollow Men #3 hits shelves this week.
The FOMO and hype around TMNT Last Ronin #1 is just pure joy to be honest. Everyone loses their minds when the retailers start talking allocation. It’s sad and funny at the same time.
With that said, there’s still going to be probably 100k (the amount of store variants will tell you that) or more of these available. It’s not going to be hard to obtain (unless speculators just gobbled them all up to try and swamp the secondary market).
I could be wrong, demand could seep outside the comic bubble world we live in and reach out to those who don’t visit the shops week in and week out. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
If you wanted a copy to read and missed out, wait for the 2nd printing or perhaps just buy the trade when it comes out. But don’t break your bank or back trying to obtain a copy.
The cover to grab if you find for cheap as it’s already selling well on the secondary market is Department of Truth #2 Variant. It’s a 1:25 and I’m sure a lot of shops will have a copy on this new series from the Tynion hype train going on lately..
I guess people love eating babies is the draw to this cover. Maybe that myth isn’t so much a myth perhaps. I’ve read issue #2 and it still didn’t impress me.
The new Autumnal #1 gets a 2nd printing. It’s even getting the foil treatment for it’s 2nd printing.
I wouldn’t go heavy. It’s a buy if you like or missed the first printing type of scenario.
Giga #1 is a new series from Vault Comics. It’s decent, not ground breaking. I must say, I do love the variant B cover (sold out at Midtown, still available at TFAW). Reminds me of the old retro Transformers covers from the 80s.
Giga #1 (Cover A – Le)
Giga #1 (Cover B – Gooden Daniel)
Giga #1 (Cover C – Gorham)
Now on with the dreaded “drek” pick, every writer and artists worst nightmare when it comes to selling their hard work.
The book to avoid or not fall victim to in buying at ratio inflated prices.
I got no Drek this week. Just none really stood out to avoid.
Buy low, sell high, buy what you like, if you missed a hot book, no regrets, there will always be more… and FOC talk does not ruin spec. If the demand is there, that’s what ultimately drives value while supplies and availability then kick in to play their roles. Live by those simple rules and you never lose..
Good advice to not worry about missing a hot new comic. Most are temporary fads. There might be more risk in paying a high price. Exception is to continue chasing hot comic if it is a long term gainer.
Exactly. Most hot books cool off after the hype and FOMO. If you missed out, oh well, there will always be another. But yes, keep close eye on trending mainstream characters from bigger publishers.. for the most part, Marvel is key to long term potential since Disney has more money than God himself and will continue to keep doing movies, shows and stories with their characters..
I went with 5 copies of Star Wars 6 2nd print and 5 copies of strange academy 1 5th print. That’s it for this weeks foc.
Detective has a new character.
The Giga cover B is a Shogun Warriors 1 homage.
That’s right.. I knew it looked familiar.. Still has that 80s transformers vibe to it as well.