FOC Highlight Books for Last Call June 4th/5th, 2023

FOC is the last chance to put in your orders with your comic shops and likely get at a discount for pre-ordering. Here’s a few of the highlights for this week…



Not sure why D-Rog is over there complaining there’s nothing good on FOC this week. I see lots of potential this week, maybe not big spec books but hopefully some good long term holds and potentially some good reads and great covers to nab.

Captain America #750 (George Perez Variant) is a nice pickup for fans of the late great Perez. I hope Marvel is donating proceeds of these covers honoring Perez to perhaps Pancreatic Cancer Research and not just using his artwork to boost sales for themselves!! You reading this Marvel? Mmmm… Hmmmm…

This is a big #750 anniversary issue and it comes with a hefty price tag. So I’m not sure how heavy shops went in on this particular issue but it’s got ratio variants as well, including a design variant (Captain America #750 – 10 Copy Carmen Carnero Design Variant) that might be worthy as I believe it’s a new character? Can anyone name this character as my mind has drawn a blank if they already exist. Cheap copies on eBay currently.

All the available remaining covers at TFAW found here.

Captain America #750 (George Perez Variant)

Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) is one I’m hoping for a decent read. Not expecting too much more out of this. It’s got some decent variant covers that most Captain Marvel fans might be interested in picking up.

Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) (50 Copy Chew Capt Variant)
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) (100 Copy Perez Variant) – Another Perez Variant but 1:100 ratio of the regular open order cover.
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) (200 Copy Rose Variant)
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) Cf Villa Stormbreakers
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) Derrick Chew Captain M
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) (George Perez Variant)
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) (Rose Besch Variant)
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) Jen Bartel Hellfire Ga
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5) (R1c0 Variant) – Pretty snazzy cover, too much Disney cartoon jive like for my tastes but I can see a lot of folks going for this one.

Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 (of 5)

We get a reprint of a reprint of a reprint of a reprint.. I think. I lost count at this point. How many reprints do we now have of Hulk #181? Well, go ahead and throw another one in the collection Incredible Hulk #181 Facsimile Edition New Ptg with this new printing. They also created a foil variant of this one this round that the publisher is charging the retailers full cover price for so most shops are bumping up the sale price.

TFAW had Incredible Hulk #181 Facsimile Edition Foil Variant I think at a very reasonable cost but they’re now showing sold out but that could change as it’s still available for orders as FOC is not over yet. So keep a watchful eye to see if they show up again in stock. eBay has listings at some reasonable prices as well.

Incredible Hulk #181 Facsimile Edition New Ptg

But also there is the true first appearance of Wolverine with Incredible Hulk #180 Facsimile Edition New Ptg that is also on FOC this week. Buy this one and the other, display them together with pride!

Incredible Hulk #180 Facsimile Edition New Ptg



Moon Knight #25 is a big issue #25 for Moon Knight. Promoting the first ever event series tie in from the solicitations. I also like the idea of a new classic story told by DOUG MOENCH AND BILL SIENKIEWICZ!

Moon Knight #25 (Artgerm Variant)
Moon Knight #25 (Frank Miller Variant)
Moon Knight #25 (Gary Frank Variant) – Fantastic Frank Variant Art..
Moon Knight #25 (Jim Cheung Variant)
Moon Knight #25 (Scott Forbes Hellfire Gala Variant)
Moon Knight #25 (Jtc Negative Space Variant) – For you JTC and Negative Space Junkies!
Moon Knight #24 (25 Copy Greg Land Variant)
Moon Knight #25 (25 Copy Maria Wolf Variant)
Moon Knight #25 (50 Copy Gary Frank Variant)
Moon Knight #25 (100 Copy Frank Miller Variant)
Moon Knight #25 (200 Copy Artgerm Variant)

Moon Knight #25

Moon Knight City of the Dead #1 (of 5) is introducing a new character. Might want to grab a copy or two to stash. I’m not expecting anything intially but the market works in mysterious ways and this one gives me the impression it’s a long term gamble for slow gains over time if the character sticks around.

Moon Knight City of the Dead #1 (of 5) (Tbd Artist Variant) – First cover for new character named Scarlet Scarab?
Moon Knight City of the Dead #1 (of 5) (Alex Maleev Variant)
Moon Knight City of the Dead #1 (of 5) (Skottie Young Variant)
Moon Knight City of the Dead #1 (of 5) (Pepe Larraz Foil Variant)
Moon Knight City of the Dead #1 (of 5) (50 Copy Carnero Variant)

Moon Knight City of the Dead #1 (of 5)

These classic trade dress and cover art variants like for Star Wars #36 (Ordway Classic Trade Dress Variant) sure do bring back some nostalgia from my childhood so these are normally must pick ups! Get a head start on next weeks classic trade dress variants from Bounty Hunters and Darth Vader titles that’s on FOC with Star Wars Bounty Hunters #36 (Ordway Classic Trade Dress Variant). This one might be a little more special with Boba Fett on the cover. Star Wars Darth Vader #36 (Ordway Classic Trade Dress Variant) has Darth Vader!

And if you can find for cheap, the Star Wars #36 (25 Copy Lee Garbett Variant) is a pretty kick ass variant as well!

Star Wars #36 (Ordway Classic Trade Dress Variant)

Barnstormers #1 looks like a potential entertaining read. I like the concept.

Barnstormers #1 (Massimo Carnevale)
Barnstormers #1 (Comixology) (Variant CVR E) (Foil) (Tula Lotay)
Barnstormers #1 (Fabio Moon)
Barnstormers #1 (Tula Lotay)
Barnstormers #1(Dave Johnson)
Barnstormers #1 (10 Copy Jill Thompson)
Barnstormers #1 (25 Copy Jenny Frison)

Barnstormers #1

Children of the Comet #1 (of 5) (Cover A – Kikot Wraparound) could be a great read, particularly for those who read and liked You Promised Me Darkness and Follow Me Into The Darkness. This occurs 10 years after the last story in Follow Me….

Children of the Comet #1 (of 5) (Cover B – Connelly)
Children of the Comet #1 (of 5) (Cover C – House)
Children of the Comet #1 (of 5) (Cover D – Kikot)
Children of the Comet #1 (of 5) (Cover G – Connelly Ltd Sketch)
Children of the Comet #1 (of 5) (Cover E – 5 Copy Connelly Variant)
Children of the Comet #1 (of 5) (Cover F – 10 Copy Connelly Variant)

Children of the Comet #1 (of 5) (Cover A - Kikot Wraparound)



Lots of Groo fans out there I think. So this one is a likely must for such fans with Groo: In the Wild #1.

Groo: In the Wild #1

I haven’t really picked a lot of Scout books lately. Is it me or does it seem like they’re putting out a lot of garbage more than anything? Just none of the plots or stories have been gaining my attention. This one might be fun though if done right. Space Outlaw #1 (of 3) (Cover A – Marco Fontanili) which they (TFAW) left the S off in the title so if you search for it, it won’t likely return any results. My link works if you buy from TFAW.

But nonetheless, I like westerns and I like Sci Fi so mash those together and I’m gonna check them out…

Space Outlaw #1 (of 3) (Cover A - Marco Fontanili)

Another Scout title made the cut this round with Wild Cosmos #1 (Cover A – Chun Lo). Maybe I’ve been yearning more sci fi adventures. I hope this one is entertaining.

Wild Cosmos #1 (Cover A - Chun Lo)

Harley Quinn #31 (Cover E – 1:50 Filya Bratukhin Card Stock Variant) is a great cover. I like the very busy type of art like this.

Harley Quinn #31 (Cover E - 1:50 Filya Bratukhin Card Stock Variant)

Detective Comics #1073 (Cover B – Kelley Jones Card Stock Variant) is because I’m a huge Kelley Jones fan. This one is fantastic!

Detective Comics #1073 (Cover B - Kelley Jones Card Stock Variant)

This is what I’d classify as a Awesome A cover…. Detective Comics #1073 (Cover A – Evan Cagle)

Detective Comics #1073 (Cover A - Evan Cagle)

Pretty slick cover for Tim Drake Robin #10 (Cover A – Nikola Cizmesija) as well. Seems like they’re kind of emphasizing his groin area perhaps? Seems kind of odd….

Tim Drake Robin #10 (Cover A - Nikola Cizmesija)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2023 (Cover A – Artist Tbd) is a pretty slick cover, old school style. It’s Michael Walsh doing his Eastman impression which works.. I thought it was Eastman doing the cover when I first looked.



Join or start the discussion over on the forums!