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The Comic Speculator – New Comics Roundup 03/17/2010

Matt Baum — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:39:36 +0000

Twilight Manga Graphic Novel

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.

New Comics Roundup:

Welcome to the St. Patty’s Day edition of TCS. I assure you I’m sober while writing this but, not by choice. Later this evening I’ll be drinking Black-and-Tans and studying my last minute choices for my NCAA March Madness Brackets, but right now I’m all business. Anyone who wants to join my “Nerd’s Only” bracket look me up on Facebook and shoot me a friend request. It’s fun for all, with plenty of nerdy smack-talkin’ about a subject I admittedly know very little about. But enough of this foolsihness. Let’s get to it!

New Comics Round-Up:

Welcome back to the TCS New Comics Round-Up, where I have gathered all the info you could possibly need on the comics hitting the shelves this week. Click here for the full list of comics shipping this Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Click here to find a comic shop near you.

Perhaps the biggest news this week, or predicted biggest, is the Twilight Manga Graphic Novel hitting shops this week. Some are even making the book available Tuesday night at midnight (or is that Wednesday morning). I wouldn’t expect to see huge Twilight GN sales on the direct market, but without a doubt sales in major book retailers like Barnes and Nobel and Borders will make it a best seller. Teenage girls are still creeped out by comic shops for the most part.

Let’s take a look at this week’s Reprint, Sell Out and Variant news:

DC leads off the Reprints this week with . . . surprise, surprise;

DEC098499 Blackest Night #5 Second Printing

There’s still plenty of Blackest Night back issues to go around, so not much action here yet.

Marvel has another big reprint week with four titles:

DEC098477 Hit-Monkey #1 – 2nd Ptg. Variant
DEC098493 The Invincible Iron Man #23 – 2nd Ptg. Var
DEC098492 Siege: Embedded #2 – 2nd Ptg. Var
DEC098474 Siege #2 Second Printing Coipel Variant

Hit Monkey #1 first prints are not selling for the $10 I predicted, yet but a copy with a CGC Universal grade of 9.8 did sell for $35. First prints of the Invincible Iron Man are still selling for around $5 each and will probably continue to go up in price as the Heroic Age approaches. Not much action on the Siege titles yet, which isn’t surprising, seeing as they’ve been the highest-ordered comics for the last two months. Watch the variants on these though, in the short term anyway.

Just one this week for Boom!

JAN108115 Choker #1 2nd Ptg.

Choker #1 first prints aren’t selling for much more than cover price, but there is a Larry’s Comic variant, limited to 1,000 copies, selling for around $20 on eBay. I would suggest Larry spell check his auctions though.

No sell outs to announce, so let’s get to this week’s Variant List:

BOOM!

28 Days Later #8 (Brett Weldele Variant Incentive Cover)
Die Hard Year One #7 (Joe Jusko Variant Incentive Cover)
Irredeemable #12 (Jeffrey Spokes Variant Incentive Cover)

American Vampire #1 (Jim Lee Variant Cover)
Blackest Night #5 (of (Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert 2nd Printing Cover)
Green Arrow #31 (Mike Mayhew Variant Cover)
Green Lantern Corps #46 (Rodolfo Migliari Variant Cover)

Dynamite Ent.

Green Hornet Year One #1 (Alex Ross Black/White/Green Variant Cover)
Green Hornet Year One #1 (John Cassaday Black/White/Green Variant Cover)
Green Hornet Year One #1 (Matt Wagner Black/White/Green Variant Cover)

Marvel

Avengers Vs Atlas #3 (of 4) (Andrew Robinson Variant Cover)
Hulk #21 (Frank Cho Variant Cover)
Incredible Hulk #608 (Frank Cho Variant Cover)
Siege #3 (of 4) (Deadpool Variant)
Siege #3 (of 4) (Gabriele Dell’Otto Variant Cover)
Siege #3 (of 4) (Joe Quesada Sketch Variant Cover)
Siege #3 (of 4) (Joe Quesada Variant Cover)
Wolverine Origins #45 (Deadpool Variant Cover)

Now it’s on to the Speculator Picks of the Week. These are comics that could sell out very quickly due to conservative ordering, popular demand, shipping errors, voodoo curses or any other set of unforeseen events. Pick them up while you can or pay too much later.

American Vampire #1: DC Vertigo

American Vampire #1

Solicitation: Witness the birth of a brand new species of vampire in this new ongoing series that begins with five extra-sized issues featuring back-to-back stories by exciting new writer Scott Snyder and the master of horror himself, Stephen King! When notorious outlaw Skinner Sweet is attacked by an old enemy (who happens to be a member of the undead), the first American vampire is born . . . a vampire powered by the sun, stronger, fiercer and meaner than anything that came before. Plus . . . Pearl Jones is a struggling young actress in 1920s Los Angeles. But when her big break brings her face-to-face with an ancient evil, her Hollywood dream quickly turns into a brutal, shocking nightmare.

40 PGS
$3.99 US
JAN100344
Written by Scott Snyder and Stephen King; Pencils by Rafael Albuquerque; Cover by Jim Lee.

Why it’ll go fast: Back in 2007, Marvel announced the first comic book adaptation of Stephen King’s Dark Tower, which was actually a prequel and not written by King. Fortunately, fans of King either didn’t notice or didn’t care that he wasn’t writing the comic adaptation and the flooded comic shops and bought two or three copies each of issue. Comic shop owners everywhere rejoiced while King fans slowly realized that he wasn’t writing the comics and sales slowly decreased. With each new Stephen King adaptation, sales slipped even more as fans of King continued to notice that he was not writing them. It seems DC noticed the problem with this pattern and got King to actually write a comic for them. Well, a back-up story anyway. But it should be enough to make this issue sell like crazy. Oh, and it’s about vampires and I hear they’ve been very popular lately.

Choker #2 of 6: Image

Choker #2 of 6

Solicitation: Issue Two: . . . Where Angels Go To Die. Johnny is introduced to his maniacal new partner on the Shotgun City police force, and experiences a vicious foretaste of what’s in store for him. Meanwhile, a new mob of villains rears their ugly head, suggesting Hunt Cassidy’s clutch on the city is tighter—and deadlier—than first thought . . .

RETAILER WARNING: May Not Be Suitable For All Ages.
32 PGS
$3.99 US
JAN100458
Written by Ben McCool; Pencils by Ben Templesmith.

Why it’ll go fast: Not more than a few paragraphs ago, I was talking about how the first printings of this title aren’t selling for much and making fun of Larry’s Comics for not being able to spell. Now, here I am picking this comic as a sell out again. It’s controversial, I know, but if there’s two things I learned in journalism school, it was how to pour a perfect Black-and-Tan and controversy sells papers (I may have heard that second one from J. Jonah Jameson). But really, I like this comic and I’m telling you the only reason it’s not hotter is because its lack of a big name writer. I’m telling you, Choker is going to catch on and get hot with this issue. Why, because everyone orders less of issue #2 than issue #1.

Doomwar #2 of 5: Marvel

Doomwar #2 of 5

Solicitation: Doctor Doom’s latest power play has the Marvel Universe up in arms. Wakanda has been conquered and Storm faces execution in the next 48 hours—unless the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the two Black Panthers can rally to the rescue! With Doom only minutes away from stealing enough Vibranium to help him conquer the world, T’Challa faces the most dreadful decision possible: let Doom win . . . or let Storm die!

32 PGS
$3.99 US
JAN100571
Written by Jonathan Maberry; Pencils by Scot Eaton; Inks by Array; Colors by Carlos Franco; Cover by John Romita Jr.

Why it’ll go fast: I’m picking this one for the same reason I picked Choker #2. It’s the second issue of a comic that sold out quickly, written by a relatively unknown writer, in comics anyway, that will have lower orders than the first issue but more buzz behind it now that the word on issue #1 is out. Wham! (I’m going to start dropping “Wham!”s every time I have a particularly long or run-on sentence.*) Unlike Choker, Doomwar has one big thing going for it; Doctor Doom. Doom is always hot but right now with his involvement in “Fall of the Hulks” and the lead-in to Siege in Thor, nerds can’t get enough of him. A J.R. Jr. cover featuring the X-Men never hurts sales, either. Yes, there’s plenty of Doomwar #1’s around online, for now. Next month, this time we’ll be getting excited for MLB opening day and hunting for Doomwar issues. I’m calling my shot here.

*Again, something I perfected in Journalism school

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Matt Baum is WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question below in the “comments” section below. Also, you can follow him on Twitter, where I’m always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all Matt’s new followers and keep the comments coming! Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally, a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers, even though he would graciously accept them.

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This Week in Geek 03/10/10

Matt Baum — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:00:42 +0000

Black Panther 2

This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written post-comic-shop-visit by WorthPoint comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point-of-view and discusses which the comics he’ll be purchasing and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here. Make sure and post your comments below.

I finally received the run of Black Panther 2 #1-#12 I won on eBay for $20 and was thrilled to find them in perfect condition. They didn’t ship very quickly, but sometimes receiving the comics in the condition they were described in is worth the wait. I’ve only read up to issue #6, but I’m really enjoying it so far. I decided to pick up this run after reading and enjoying Doom War #1 and am glad I did. I wasn’t a fan of Reginald Hudlin’s last Black Panther series but this latest one was really underrated. I’ll be starting Johnathan Maberry’s run tonight and I’m really looking forward to it. If you can find this short run I’d recommend picking it up; Black Panther 2 is great stuff.

As you’ve probably noticed, I’ve moved from talking about what I’m going to buy/read to what I have bought/read. Let me know what you think of the short comic reviews. Below you’ll find my stack of comics for the week of Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Make sure and post your own weekly stack of comics below so I can make fun of what you’re reading and vice-versa. For a full list of comics shipping this week, click here. To find a comic shop near you, click here.

Action Comics #887
Amazing Spider-Man #624
Batman and Robin #10
B.P.R.D.: King of Fear #3 of 5
Cable #24
Daytripper #4 of 10
DMZ #51
Ghost Projekt #1
Justice League Rise and Fall Special
Powers #3
Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1 of 3

Thoughts on the Stack:

Cable #24

Batman and Robin #10

Cable #24: Last issues of good comics are always tough. I’m going to miss Cable—or perhaps writer Duane Swierczynski’s Cable (I finally spelled his name correctly on the first try)— but understand why the series is going and I agree, this story did not need to be this long. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Cable was not cancelled but is just ending, which is not something you see happening to a series very often. The usual plan is to run a series into the ground before canceling it, sometimes in mid-story. Swierzy (his Twitter name and much easier to type) had a story to tell and then it’s on to his next project. I really like the way this guy tells stories and am excited to see where the Second Coming story goes from here. Now, before you start yelling at me: yes, I know there is another issue before Cable ends, but issue #25 is titled Deadpool and Cable #25 (or the “Hey, you kids love Deadpool, right? Well here he is in this comic, too!” issue) and I find it hard to care. I don’t hate Deadpool, but you have to admit Marvel is cramming the Merc with a Mouth down our throats right now. I’m picking it up, even though when I file this one in the master collection, the title change is going to challenge my OCD on many levels. As far as I’m concerned, Cable ends here.

Batman and Robin #10: The return of Bruce Wayne begins here and, well I guess I’m excited. I mean, we all knew this was coming. Bruce couldn’t stay dead forever—or even as long as Captain America, for that matter—but I guess he never “died” in the first place. I’m not going into the story here because just thinking about it makes my head spin, but ultimately, Bruce was lost in time. Now Bruce is leaving clues for Dick and Damian as to what happened to him. As it turns out, there’s all manner of secret passages and caves in and under the 200-year-old Wayne Manor that we hadn’t ever known about. Which is fun, and the art has improved considerably. I like Cameron Stewert, but a Bat-title is just not the right place for him. This looks like it’s going to be a good read as long as writer Grant Morrison can keep his lunacy reigned in enough for us to understand what’s happening.

Daytipper #4

Ghost Projekt #1

Justice League Rise and Fall Special

Daytipper #4: Daytripper is the best title I’ve read from Vertigo in years. That’s not to say I don’t like other Vertigo titles, because I do, but Daytripper stands above the others. The book is beautiful in both art and writing and a welcome respite from the constant barrage of Superhero comics I read. I wish I knew creators Gabriel Ba or Fabio Moon well enough to convince them to design a tattoo for me. Needless to say, I love their art.

Ghost Projekt #1: It’s been a while since I’ve seen artist Steve Rolston’s work and I almost forgot how much I loved his pencils. Rolston isn’t reinventing comic art, but his style is instantly recognizable without being obtrusive and always solid. Which makes him perfect for a story about missing biological weapons in Russia. Ghost Projekt feels like reading a storyboard for a Paul Greengrass film. If you dig good international-creepy-spy/intrigue stories with a touch of detective work, Ghost Projekt is for you. I predict this one gets green-lit for a movie in less than a year.

Justice League Rise and Fall Special: I was hesitant in buying this one, as I’ve been burned on plenty of DC “special” issues of late. But I found Rise and Fall to be a good read that left me a little more excited for writer J.T. Krul’s Green Arrow run. I love Ollie Queen and would be thrilled to read and enjoy a monthly Green Arrow title again after at least a year of mediocrity. As far as the story goes, without spoiling anything here, it’s controversial yes, but I’m in. One note of confusion here: Rise and Fall was originally solicited as being written by James Robinson and J.T. Krul, the issue shows up without Robinson’s name anywhere on it. Weird right? Not that I’m complaining, Robinson’s JLA hasn’t exactly been required reading so far.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

Once again, Marvel and DC seem to be mirroring themselves in their post-crossover-events. After Blackest Night Ends at DC comes the Brightest Day event which will be sweeping through all the DCU titles. Meanwhile, over at Marvel, fans will get “The Heroic Age,” which will put the heroes back in control of the Marvel U. So which are you more excited for; the Brightest Day or the Heroic Age?

Signing Off . . .

Convention season is almost upon us again and I planning on attending a couple at least. More if I can convince my WorthPoint Overlords to buy me some plane tickets. Right now I’m gearing up for C2E2 in Chicago in early April. If you’re planning in going I’d love to meet up and do some convention shopping. Shoot me an email if you’re interested. In the meantime you can follow me on Twitter where I’m still hosting Read Along with Matt, search #readwithmatt for updates, and yes I’ll be finishing the Barry Windsor Smith Conan Archives #1 this week. And then pricing and possibly buying some original BWS Conan art.

Until next time true believers . . .

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This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday, Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point-of-view and discusses which books may be hard to find in the near future and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here. Also, feel free to post your comments in the new “comments” section below, or you can follow him on Twitter, where he is always screaming about something nerd-related. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your comics in the “Ask A Worthologist” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers even though he would graciously accept them.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

The Comic Speculator – Back Issue Report 03/12/2010

Matt Baum — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:29:55 +0000

Superman #1

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.

Back Issue Report:

No million dollar comic sales this week but plenty of fun stuff to talk about.

Gold and Silver Oldies:

A copy of Superman #1 that is being billed as from the Larson collection (one of the most famous Golden-Age collections in existence) has been popping up on eBay on and off for at least a month now. This particular issue is missing its back cover but, according to the seller, might otherwise be the highest-graded copy of Superman #1. Which seems strange because, well, it doesn’t have a back cover. Most collectors would probably agree, no matter how nice the comic looks, incomplete is incomplete. That’s just the beginning of the weirdness here, however. While the seller does have very high feedback, he (or she) does not go into who he is, exactly, and when offering very famous comics with pedigrees for sale on the Internet, it might be a good idea to introduce himself and mention where the comic came from.

It’s one thing to say that this is a Larson Copy of Superman #1 but you might want to back a claim like that up with some provenance if you expect anyone to believe it. Especially if you are asking for a $10,000 “good-faith” deposit before bidding. There aren’t a lot of these comics in circulation and collectors know the dealers who are selling them on a regular basis. The fact that no one seems to know who this seller is and how he came into possession of such a famous comic is troublesome, at least. There’s a theory circulating on some collector web-boards that the seller could be a famous collector named Theo Holstien. However, if it is, Theo isn’t talking. I’ll be watching this one closely and I guarantee there’s an interesting story behind this auction.

Detective Comics #28

On March 8, 2010, a copy of Detective Comics #28 (DC, 1939), with a CGC Universal grade of 3.5, sold for $11,377, attracting a total of 17 bids. Detective #28 is the second appearance of Batman but does not feature the Caped Crusader on the cover. Even with a detached page, this comic guides for $4,200. But with last month’s sale of a Detective Comics #27 for more than a million dollars, prices on all Golden-Age Superhero comics have gone through the roof. Some collectors online are even calling this sale a steal.

Blue Beetle

On the same day, a run of Blue Beetle (Fox 1939-1950) #1-#60 sold on eBay for $6,999. The run is actually only 59 issues, as issue #43 was never published. On a side note, I couldn’t find any info on the reason BB #43 wasn’t published but would love to hear from anyone who has any. These issues were listed as “good reading copies,” which usually means poor condition. The fact that they still sold for $7,000 shows how rare it is to come upon a run of any Golden-Age Fox comics.

Bronze Age and Beyond:

The new Iron Man movie trailer has hit and it’s official: James Rhodes will be wearing the War Machine armor. If you’re an Iron Man nerd like me, then I don’t have to tell you why you’re excited. But we’re not here to discuss bad-ass-black superheroes; we’re here to talk back issues. So let’s take a look at Jim Rhodes most collectible moments and what they’re selling for as excitement builds for Iron Man 2.

Iron Man vol. 1 #118

Iron Man vol. 1 #118 (Marvel 1979) was Jim Rhodes first appearance. Until recently, #118 was collectible because it was one of only two Iron Man issues penciled by John Byrne. Now that Iron Man is a box office blockbuster and Jim Rhodes is one of the main characters, well, Rhodey is finally getting his props and #118 is starting to sell for real money. Currently, the issue guides for $10 in Near Mint condition but is selling for anywhere from $12-$20. Most recently, on March 4, an issue of #118 with a CGC Universal Grade of 9.8 sold for $255 on eBay.

Iron Man vol. 1 #170

Iron Man vol. 1 #170 (Marvel, 1983) was the first appearance of Rhodey as Iron Man after Tony had given up the armor for a brief stint. Currently, #170 guides for $4 in Near Mint condition but this is another one that will be going up soon, as #170 is selling for anywhere from $10$12 on eBay.

Iron Man #282

Iron Man #282 (Marvel, 1992) is the first appearance of Rohodey in the War Machine armor (Wikipedia lists it as #284, which is why you should never use Wikipedia as a sole source). Currently, #282 guides for $4 in Near Mint condition but is selling for up to $26 on eBay.

Len Kaminski, writer of Iron Man #282, would be given the helm of the 1994 War Machine vol.1 series, which seems to be the only series that collectors aren’t scampering for yet. War Machine #1 guides for $3 in Near Mint condition and isn’t selling for much more. War Machine wouldn’t see his own title again until 2001 under the Marvel Max banner (the Marvel adult comic line). This 12-issue series didn’t sell well at the time and isn’t drawing much attention now either. The three-issue U.S. War Machine Max series from 2003, however, is a different story. Issues #1-#3 of U.S. War Machine vol. 2 currently guide for $3 each but the set of three is selling for around $20 on eBay, presumably because the print-runs on the series were low and certainly not because the story was good. The most recent War Machine series, vol. 2 Marvel 2009, also didn’t sell very well and was cancelled with issue #12. Full runs are selling for $12-$15 and are bountiful on eBay right now as speculators are looking to cash in on the summer comic book movie season while the cashing-in is good.

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Matt Baum is WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question below in the “comments” section below. Also, you can follow him on Twitter, where he’s always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all Matt’s new followers and keep the comments coming! Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally, a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers, even though he would graciously accept them.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

The Comic Speculator – New Comics Roundup 03/10/2010

Matt Baum — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:42:55 +0000

Fantastic Four #575 2nd Printing Variant

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.

New Comics Roundup:

Welcome back to the TCS New Comics Round-Up, where you can find all the info you need on the comics hitting the shelves this week. Click here for the full list of comics shipping this Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Click here to find a comic shop near you.

As always we start with this week’s Reprint, Sell Out and Variant news:

Two second prints from Marvel this week:

DEC098446 Fantastic Four #575 2nd Printing Variant
DEC098445 Ultimate Comics X #1 2nd Ptg. Var

No action online for FF #575 1st prints just yet, but the title was well-ordered, so you can probably still find it in most shops. Ultimate X variants are selling well although maybe not for as much as retailers would like. First prints for this one also still seem to be readily available.

One from BOOM!

DEC098479 Incorruptible #2 2nd Ptg

First prints are selling for $3 to $5 and are getting hard to find. Not as much action for Incorruptible as there was for Irredeemable with issue #2, but the comics are still selling well and are probably going to continue to heat up.

Just three sellouts this week, but I did call two of ’em. Hit it, Meatloaf (’cause he sang “Two out of Three Ain’t Bad.” Get it? Never mind):

BOOM! Studios seems to have another hit with Choker #1. Issue one took two weeks to sell out, but it did and first prints are starting to disappear. Currently 1st prints of issue #1 are still selling for cover price but there aren’t many left online right now. It wouldn’t surprise me to see issue #2 sell out instantly due to the slow burn on #1 and lower orders on the second issue.

Top Cow’s Angelus #1 and #2 sold out, but as of yet no second prints announced. Not many of these online, but not high prices for those that are, either. Angelus could be one to watch though, if they could get an issue out every month.

Marvel’s Doomwar #1 was another slow burner but sold out. Whether its sales will save the Black Panther monthly remains to be seen, but it was a pretty good read. There seems to be no shortage of first prints out there, which leads me to wonder if retailers mistook this for a Siege tie-in rather than a Black Panther event.

Here’s your list of Variant Comics shipping this week:

BOOM!

Walt Disneys Comics & Stories #704 (DWITT Variant Incentive Cover)

Batman And Robin #10 (Andy Clarke Variant Cover)
Batman Widening Gyre #5 (of 6) (Gene Ha Variant Cover)
Justice League The Rise And Fall Special #1 (Mike Mayhew Variant Cover)
Superman Last Stand Of New Krypton #1 (of 3) (Marcos Marz Variant Cover)

IDW

Angel #30 (Jenny Frison Virgin Cover)
Ghoul #3 (Bernie Wrightson Black & White Virgin Cover)
G.I. Joe Origins #13 (Tom Feister Virgin Cover)
Transformers Bumblebee #4 (Chee Black & White Cover)
Weekly World News #3 (Black & White Newspaper Variant Cover)
Zombies Vs Robots Adventure #2 (Ashley Wood Variant Cover)

Image

Cyberforce Hunter Killer #5 (of 5)(Kenneth Rocafort Sketch Cover)

Marvel

Amazing Spider-Man #624 (Pasqual Ferry ‘You’re Fired’ Variant Cover)
Lockjaw And The Pet Avengers Unleashed #1 (of 4) (Roger Langridge Variant Cover)

In Variant News this week:

Media Release – Get a look at Iron Man like you’ve never seen him before! Marvel is proud to unveil the stunning Iron Man By Design variant covers by some of the top artists of today! ”We’re excited to show fans a whole new side of Iron Man” said David Gabriel, Senior Vice-President of Sales & Circulation. “Taking our inspiration from some of the most exciting eras, art styles, inventions—you name it!—in history, the Iron Man By Design variant covers are just the beginning of the exciting Iron Man product hitting stores throughout the year!” Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on these hotly-anticipated variant covers, as Iron Man continues to garner mainstream media buzz! No Marvel fan can miss April’s Iron Man By Design variant covers!

Vengeance Of The Moon Knight #7

Uncanny X-Men

Amazing Spider-Man #628

Daredevil #506

Deadpool Team-Up #894

Here’s a look at the 1st round of solicited Iron Man by design variants:

Vengeance Of The Moon Knight #7 Iron Man By Design Variant (FEB100543)
Uncanny X-Men #523 Iron Man By Design Variant (FEB100543
Amazing Spider-Man #628 Iron Man By Design Variant (FEB100479)
Daredevil #506 Iron Man By Design Variant (FEB100502)
Deadpool Team-Up #894 Iron Man By Design Variant (FEB100469)
New Mutants #12 Iron Man By Design Variant (FEB100560)

No Image available for this one yet but I’ll keep digging.

Speculator Picks of the Week

Enough lists already! Let’s get to the Speculator Picks of the Week! These are comics that could sell out very quickly and end up selling for ridiculous prices online and in back-issue bins everywhere.

A-Team: Shotgun Wedding #1: IDW

A-Team: Shotgun Wedding #1

Solicitation: The A-Team is back! Before you see their return on the big-screen, thrill to this special mission told in comic-book form only! After a successful-but-harrowing completion to a mission in icy Alaska, Hannibal and the team are up for some much-needed leave in sunny San Diego to attend the wedding of a high-ranking U.S. official’s daughter. But when threats are made against the event, the A-Team is forced to quit their vacation and go undercover to foil what might be a terrorist plot.

$3.99 US
JAN100987
32 pages
Written by Tom Waltz; Pencils by Stephen Mooney; Cover by John K. Snyder III.

Why it’ll go fast: Remember last summer when I tried to warn everyone about how cool the Star Trek prequel comics from IDW were going to be. Okay, I admit I didn’t know at the time either. But I did after the fact, and ended up spending way too much to get the first printings and they were awesome. IDW is doing a fantastic job with their licensed properties and the A-Team is probably going to be great as well. Just like Star Trek: Countdown, the A-Team will also be under-ordered, hard to find by Friday and selling for way too much money by next week.

Cable #24: Marvel

Cable #24

Solicitation: “Homecoming,” Conclusion. This is it. The conclusion of the time-hopping action thriller launched in the pages of “Messiah CompleX.” After hopping around New York City in the past and near future, Cable and Hope are closer than ever to the present . . . which means that Bishop is more desperate than ever to stop them. No more hiding. No more plots. No more weapons. It’s coming down to mutant vs. mutant in the subterranean tunnels of New York, and only one of them will make it back to Westchester alive. You will not want to miss this issue, which leads directly into the X-Men: Second Coming crossover.

40 PGS
$3.99 US
JAN100610
Written by Duane Swierczynski; Pencils by Alejandro Garza, Denys Cowan, Giancarlo Caracuzzo and Paul Gulacy; Cover by Marko Djurdjevic.

Why it’ll go fast: Final issues aren’t always collectible gold and I’m not saying this one will be—we’re speculating here—but there’s a good chance this one could be hot. Cable #24 is the beginning of the Second Coming storyline that brings Jean Grey back to the X-Men. It’s going to be huge, but a lot of retailers won’t order big on the final issue of series that was never a big seller to begin with. Which is too bad, because Cable has been great from the first issue.

Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1 of 3: DC

Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1 of 3

Solicitation: The new Superman crossover event, “Brainiac & The Legion of Super-Heroes” begins here, in this first issue of a three-part miniseries. It’s New Krypton’s worst nightmare as Brainiac attacks the planet, determined to recapture the city of Kandor! But General Zod has been waiting for this moment ever since Brainiac first attacked Old Krypton—he has a plan to save his people, but at the cost of Earth and the future as we know it! So it’s up to Superman, Supergirl, Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes to stop the two madmen before they destroy everything!

32 PGS
$3.99 US
JAN100249
Written by James Robinson and Sterling Gates; Pencils by Pete Woods; Cover by Andy Kubert.

Why it’ll go fast: Since Superman left both his monthly titles for New Krypton, sales on the Superman titles have plummeted. Even though the story has been good, the nerds, for the most part, weren’t having it. This three-part story should shut them up, as it’s bringing Supes back to Earth and his titles, but are retailers, who have slashed their orders on the Super-titles, ready for fans to come back? We’ll see tomorrow.

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This Week in Geek 03/03/10

Matt Baum — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:51:35 +0000

Wolverine Vol.1 No. 2

Saturday was a good day. Even though I was shrugging off a stomach virus I found the strength to go dig through some 50-cent boxes at a local comic shop that was clearing out quite a bit of back-stock. There’s something that every comic nerd can’t resist about back issue clearance sales. Whether it’s the mystery of what’s hidden in those long boxes or the excitement of the treasure hunter, armed with the secret knowledge of what these close-out comics are really worth, that makes it great, I’m not sure. I do know that I love digging through boxes of comics. There’s no better way to waste an afternoon.

I showed up a little after the shop opened and found the usual cast of scavengers and bargain hunters at work, heads down, fingers crawling across rows of unsorted comics with want-lists in tow. There’s an understood etiquette in these sales events and everyone is very polite, most of us serious collectors at least recognize each other if we don’t know the other’s name, but make no mistake; this is high-stakes, blood-in-the-water-comic-collecting. The trick is to keep moving through boxes as fast as possible while making light conversation and remaining friendly but staying focused on the task at hand; finding what you need before anyone else can steal it from you.

I didn’t find much but was shocked to come across Wolverine Vol.1 (Marvel, 1988) #2-#6 in better condition than the ones in my own collection. When coming across a find like this I like to ask one of the shop’s employees “are these supposed to be in the sale boxes?” at just enough volume so as to alert the other shoppers to the fact that I found something awesome and they did not. This may seem like gloating but, whether it’s a slight chuckle as they pull a “find” out of a box or an audible exclamation, it’s all part of the game and all the sharks do it. There really wasn’t much else I needed—of course “need” can be such a strong word when collecting anything—but several of my nerdy friends did leave with short boxes full of clearance comics. Not a bad way to start a Saturday.

Sunday was a different story. At around 9 a.m. I received a text message from nerd-friend that basically informed me that Amazon.com was having some kind of unadvertised 50-to-90-percent-off sale on Marvel Omnibus Editions and a few other hardcover collections. Then I received another text about it from a different friend. Then two e-mails from other nerds. Sure enough, after further investigation, Amazon.com was offering $99 Marvel Omnibus Editions for less than $10. I went insane and instantly my virtual shopping cart was full. After taking a couple of deep breaths, I removed some stuff I already owned in single issue, but still ordered six different silver-age collections including The Hulk, Iron Man, and The Fantastic Four. I then called Amazon to figure out why the Tomb of Dracula Omnibus I ordered was holding up the shipment and, after being told it was back ordered, canceled that one as well and bought the rest. Done-and-done. Nice haul Matt; maybe . . .

As it would turn out, the “sale” prices were part of some “glitch” on Amazon’s site. Rich Johnston of bleedingcool.com started reporting on the “glitch” Sunday afternoon and by Sunday night people were already receiving cancellation e-mails on their orders. As of now, I still haven’t received my cancelation notice (fingers crossed) and am hoping beyond hope my order slips through the cracks and shows up on my porch.

Now let’s talk about last Wednesday’s new comics. It was a light week and I actually had a chance to read some titles for a quick review. Below you’ll find my stack of comics for the week of Wednesday, March 3, 2010. Make sure and post your own weekly stack of comics below so I can make fun of what you’re reading and vice-versa. For a full list of comics shipping this week click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Adventure Comics #8
Amazing Spider-Man #623
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #33
Detective Comics #862
Invincible Iron Man #24
Justice League: Cry For Justice #7 of 7
Mighty Avengers #34
Wolverine: Weapon X #11

Thoughts on the Stack:

Adventure Comics #8

Detective Comics #862

Adventure Comics #8: Just as I think I’m done with this title, writer Sterling Gates pulls me back into the Legion of Superheroes’ far-flung-DC-future. I’d love to read and enjoy a monthly Legion title, and if Gates were writing it I might enjoy it. But he’s only on board for the next three issues to tell the Last Stand of New Krypton story and he’s only writing the back-up story while James Robinson writes the main story. I haven’t been in love with Robinson’s JLA of late, but am still enjoying his Superman and want to see where this is going. Do I need to be buying this title? Probably not, but I’m in for the next three issues at least. We’ll see what happens when Paul Levitz takes over with issue #12.

Detective Comics #862: Detective remains the rock-solid Bat-title it’s been since writer Greg Rucka took over. I love what he’s done with Batwoman and it’s about time she started working with Dick Grayson as Batman. If I have one complaint here it’s the art. I love the artist’s (Jock) other work but just don’t think he’s a good fit here. I highly recommend looking into The Losers series Jock penciled for an example of what he does best. Maybe it’s the shock of moving from J. H. Williams beautiful painted style to Jock’s kinetic loose, thin-lined pencils but it’s just not working for me here. Love the story though.

Invincible Iron Man #24

Justice League: Cry for Justice #7 of 7

Invincible Iron Man #24: I gush about it every month, I know, but it’s only because I love Matt Fraction’s Iron Man so much. This title is near perfection, and if you love Iron Man you should reading along. Unlike other reboots and ret-cons, Fraction has stripped Tony Stark down to his very core and returned the character to a very interesting black slate. I’m not giving away too much here, am I?

Justice League: Cry for Justice #7 of 7: Perhaps the most controversial comic that came out last Wednesday, Cry for Justice has a last page that you’ll either love or hate. I was fine with it, personally. It was the rest of the story I had issue with. There were a lot of pretty pictures here but not a whole lot of story. Or maybe too much. It’s hard to tell. There were so many plot lines and guest stars that when the real story finally presented itself, the plot was too much of a mess to care about and the pay off seemed to just fizzle out. It’s hard to know if Robinson’s story changed midway through the series when he found out he would be taking over the JLA monthly or if it was meant to wander around introducing legions of guest stars and team members that aren’t on his JLA team. Now that it’s over, I’ll probably be dumping this one.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

Tom Breevort, executive editor at Marvel Comics, and Dan DiDio, co-publisher of DC Comics, have been having a polite spat lately. The two have jokingly, or maybe seriously (hard to know), been poking each other on Twitter, and most recently have suggested fans send them both postcards on what they should do to one another next. The latest question is whether Tom should personally give Dan one of the Deadpool Team-Up variants that retailers could only receive by sending Marvel torn covers of Blackest Night one-shots. The question is simple; whose doing a better job steering the ship? Tom at Marvel or Dan at DC?

OK, I’m finishing up the Barry Windsor Smith Conan this week, I swear. There’s been a lot to read lately and I admit I’ve put Read Along with Matt on hold. Well, I’m back on track and you can follow/read along on Twitter by searching #readwmatt for updates.

Until next time true believers . . .

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The Comic Speculator – Back Issue Report 03/05/2010

Matt Baum — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:46:54 +0000

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.

Back Issue Report:

DC snagged all the headlines last week with two comics selling for more than a million dollars so this week, let’s look at some Marvel news.

Gold and Silver Oldies:

Daredevil #1

On February 28, 2010 a copy of Daredevil #1 sold for $7,605.05 on eBay. I’ll bet the guy that bid $7,605.00 is still kicking himself. This is the highest price I’ve see an ungraded copy of DD #1 sell for. In 9.4-condition, Daredevil #1 currently guides for $6,200. So, why would anyone bid this high on an ungraded copy? One-hundred-percent good feedback and a solid return policy. The seller guarantees that if the buyer sends this comic to be graded it will come back with a Universal grade, meaning it hasn’t been restored or otherwise repaired. They do not, however, guarantee condition. The seller goes on to detail what some of the other comics they have sold graded for when sent to CGC. Judging by the cover photo, this one looks to be worth every penny of seven-grand.

Avengers #1

On March 3, 2010 a copy of Avengers #1 (Marvel, 1963)—with a CGC Universal of 7.0—sold for $4,300 on eBay after 28 bids were submitted. Not exactly a million-dollar sale, but definitely notable. In 8.0 condition Avengers #1 guides for $3,360, making last week’s sale a record not the highest price paid for the first appearance of the Avengers. CGC currently lists 59 copies of Avenger #1 in 7.0 condition. The highest-graded are two 9.6-graded copies. With prices for a 7.0 nearing $5,000, it’ll be very interesting to see what happens the next time an Avengers #1 in 9.0 condition or above goes up for sale.

Fantastic Four #1

Speaking of high-grade-Silver-Age Marvel Comics; one of Marvel’s biggest goes up for auction this April. Pedigreecomics.com is featuring a copy of Fantastic Four #1 (Marvel, 1961) with a CGC Universal Grade of 9.4 as part of their April Grand Auction. There are only four copies of Fantastic Four listed in the CGC Census in 9.4 condition, and only one grading higher (9.6). Doug Schmell, president and CEO of Pedigreecomics.com, is predicting the comic could sell for upwards of $250,000. Which will easily break the record for the most paid for FF#1.

Bronze Age and Beyond:

The Flash Vol 3: Crossfire

The Flash Vol. 4: Blitz

Someone has noticed that DC let the first few Flash Trade Paperbacks from the Geoff Johns run go out of print, causing prices to go insane. Without a doubt, DC is reworking its Flash Trades into a definitive Geoff Johns collection, maybe even an Absolute Edition (fingers crossed). In the meantime collectors are paying ridiculous prices on the collections. The Flash Vol 3: Crossfire is selling for near $30 and rising. There are currently none on eBay, and sellers on Amazon are already asking $80 and up. The Flash Vol. 4: Blitz is the big winner, with copies selling for $50 or more. Sellers on Amazon have gone nuts with this one and are asking $99 and up. There’s even a Titan Book UK edition being offered for $929. Keep in mind, that’s just an asking price, and a ludicrous one at that. So why aren’t the first two trades selling for more? Generally, when stocking trades in the comic shop—and this is speaking from experience here—the first two trades of any series and the latest are ordered much higher because they sell better. Curious readers will be much more likely to pick up the first trade paperback of a series than the fifth, for obvious reasons: to start at the beginning, of course. Those who are sticking with a series will of course pick up the most recent trade. It’s the ones in the middle that disappear once they go out of print. My advice is to sell yours now if you’ve got them. Trades rarely hold their value. When DC reprints these Flash trades, expect to see prices on the first prints bottom out. The only reason these Flash trades are expensive right now is because you can’t find them; right now anyway.

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Matt Baum is WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question below in the “comments” section below. Also, you can follow him on Twitter, where he’s always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all Matt’s new followers and keep the comments coming! Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally, a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers, even though he would graciously accept them.

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The Comic Speculator – New Comics Roundup 03/03/2010

Matt Baum — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:14:15 +0000

Mass Effect: Redemption #2

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.

New Comics Roundup:

Welcome back to the TCS New Comics Round-Up, where you can find all the info you need on the comics hitting the shelves this week. Click here for the full list of comics shipping Wednesday, March 3, 2010. Click here to find a comic shop near you.

As always we start with this week’s Reprint, Sell Out and Variant news; Only three reprints shipping this week:

Dark Horse:

DEC098478 Mass Effect: Redemption #2 Current Ptg.

Captain America: Reborn #6

First prints of both #1 and #2 are still selling for anywhere from $5-$12 each with no sign of cooling down.

Marvel:

DEC098437 Avengers Initiative #32 2nd Ptg Var
DEC098425 Captain America: Reborn #6 2nd Ptg Var

Initiative #31 and #32 reprints are still selling for $4-$6 each, but I would expect to see that price drop a but with the reprints hitting. Cap Reborn #6 still seems to be readily available in most shops as retailers ordered very high on the whole series so far.

Here’s your Variant List for Wednesday, March 3 (this list does not include reprints and prices are not included because retailers usually set the price on a case-by-case basis):

Aspen:

Dellec #2 (Micah Gunnell Sketch Incentive Cover)

Avatar:

Absolution #2 (of 6) (Paul Duffield MCM Convention Edition Cover)
Absolution #4 (of 6) (Juan Jose Ryp Auxiliary Edition Cover)
Chronicles of Wormwood The Last Battle #2 (of 6) (Juan Jose Ryp Auxiliary Edition Cover)
Crossed #7 (of 9) (Jacen Burrows MCM Convention Edition Cover)
Crossed #8 (of 9) (Juan Jose Ryp Cheerleader Variant Cover)
Crossed #9 (of 9) (Jacen Burrows Red Crossed Incentive Cover)
Crossed #9 (of 9) (Jacen Burrows Auxiliary Edition Cover)
Ignition City #5 (of 5) (Gianluca Pagliarani Convention Edition Cover
Supergod #2 (of 5) (Garrie Gastonny Auxiliary Edition Cover)

Boom!:

Disneys Hero Squad Ultraheroes #2 (Magic Eye Studios Variant Cover)
Wizards Of Mickey #2 (Magic Eye Studios Variant Cover)

Broasword:

Tarot Witch Of The Black Rose #57 (Signed & Numbered Studio Edition)

DC:

Adventure Comics #8 (Aaron Lopresti ‘Adventure Comics 511′ Variant Cover)
First Wave #1 (of 6) (Neal Adams Variant Cover)
Sparta USA #1 (of 6) (David Lapham Variant Cover)

Dynamite Ent:

Green Hornet #1 (Alex Ross Black/White/Green Variant Cover)
Green Hornet #1 (J. Scott Campbell Black/White/Green Variant Cover)
Green Hornet #1 (J. Scott Campbell Shared Retailer Exclusive Variant Cover)
Green Hornet #1 (John Cassady Black/White/Green Variant Cover)
Green Hornet #1 (Stephen Segovia Black/White/Green Variant Cover)

IDW:

G.I. Joe #15 (David Williams Virgin Cover)
Starstruck #7 (Michael William Kaluta Virgin Cover)
Dragon Prince #1 (David Finch Black & White Lone Star Comics Variant Cover)

Marvel:

Amazing Spider-Man #623 (Joe Jusko Variant Cover)
Amazing Spider-Man #623 (Joe Quinones Villain Variant Cover)
Fall Of The Hulks The Savage She-Hulk #1 (of 3) (Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic Women of Marvel Variant)
Mighty Avengers #34 (Deadpool Variant Cover)
Prelude To Deadpool Corps #1 (of 5) (Ed McGuinness Variant Cover)
Ultimate Comics New Ultimates #1 (Leinil Francis Yu Villain Variant Cover)
Ultimate Comics New Ultimates #1 (Frank Cho Foilogram Variant Cover)

I have one question for Marvel comics: What the hell is a “Foilogram” cover?

No sellout news to report this week, so let’s get right to the Speculator Picks of the Week . These are the comics that could sell out quickly and end up selling for ludicrous prices in back issue bins and online auctions in the very near future.

Adventure Comics #8: DC

Adventure Comics #8

Solicitation: Co-Feature written by Eric Trautmann and co-feature art by Pier Gallo. Adventure Comics ships twice this month, as this spring’s Superman event “Brainiac & The Legion of Super-Heroes” starts with a prologue in #8 and reaches a boiling point in #9! Starting way back in “The Lightning Saga,” various clues have been planted about a group of Legionnaires undercover in the 21st century. Who are they and why are they here? And what does their mission have to do with the fate of New Krypton? James Robinson (Superman) and Julian Lopez (World’s Finest) may have an answer or two!

Meanwhile, in a tale of the 31st century by Sterling Gates (Supergirl) and Clayton Henry (Adventure Comics), the Legion of Super-Heroes infiltrates a hidden Legion of Super-Villains base! The horrifying plans Brainiac 5 discovers inside will alter Superman’s life—forever! Plus, in the co-feature by Trautmann (Action Comics) and newcomer Gallo, learn more about General Lane’s Human Defense Corps—Earth’s best line of defense against the looming Kryptonian threat!

40 PGS
$3.99 US
JAN100253
Written by James Robinson and Sterling Gates; Pencils by Julia Lopez; Inks by Clayton Henry; Cover by Francis Manapul.

Why it’ll go fast: Never underestimate the selling power of the Legion of Superheroes. It happened with Geoff Johns and Brad Metzler’s “The Lightning Saga” crossover, which sold surprisingly well and again in the pages of Action Comics #858-#863 with Johns’ “Superman and the Legion of Superheroes” story. Now that Johns has left Adventure Comics, with issue #6, I would guess the numbers for the February issue fell considerably. Which leads me to believe that initial orders on #8 will also be very low. However, a great cover with the Legion of Superheroes on it will take a comic pretty far. If the story delivers then Adventure Comics could be back to a top 20 selling title. If not, then it might be long cancelled this time next year. Regardless, this will be the issue that the Legion-nerds pick up to see if they care about the super-gang from the future or not and low orders are going to make it hard to find.

Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet #2: Dynamite

Kevin Smith's Green Hornet #2

Solicitation: The Green Hornet is back, and Dynamite is the new home for the avenging hero and his faithful sidekick, Kato (and their ride, Black Beauty, natch!)! Issue #2 continues the incredible opening blast from Dynamite and Kevin Smith: the original Green Hornet struggles with forces put in motion against him while his son unwittingly becomes a pawn in a world not of his making! Never before seen, this comic adaptation of the unproduced Kevin Smith screenplay is the comic book event of 2010 (and beyond!). Featuring an incredible array of covers by Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Joe Benitez and Stephen Segovia!

Why it’ll go fast: Remember when the internet was a abuzz about Kevin Smith writing and directing the Green Hornet movie. Then there was the buzz about him being removed from the project. Then he Twittered about ripping a toilet off the wall just by sitting on it. Then Smith was kicked off a plane for being too fat. Then he freaked out on Twitter and yelled at critics that slammed the latest film he wrote, Cop Out. OK, most of that has nothing to do with this comic. Long story short, nerdom’s big-fat-martyr Kevin Smith has converted the script he wrote for the Green Hornet movie into the new Green Hornet comic, but you may have figured that out from the title “Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet.” Comic nerds still seem to care about Smith, even though his record for finishing his comics on time isn’t stellar. Spiderman Black Cat and Daredevil: The Target are two good examples but I’m not holding a grudge. The Green Hornet is enjoying some hype now that the movie is coming this December, but not enough to make retailers order very heavy on this title. As the movie gets closer, older nerds might come looking for this series just to find it’s been snatched up by the Kevin Smith loyalists (you know who you are). In short, Green Hornet #1 might not sell out right away but could be pretty hot in the months to come.

Mass Effect: Redemption #3 of 4: Dark Horse

Mass Effect: Redemption #3 of 4

Solicitation: Liara T’Soni finds herself both pursuing Commander Shepard’s abductors and on the run herself as Mass Effect: Redemption nears its explosive conclusion—revealing secrets crucial to the story of Mass Effect 2 along the way! The Mass Effect saga has revolutionized science fiction, and Mass Effect 2 lead writer Mac Walters brings all the same intelligence, drama, and action to this riveting adventure that tests the limits of what one friend will do to save another.

Read a preview of the first issue at masseffect.com, and in Buffy the Vampire Slayer #30 and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #48!

An ad for Mass Effect: Redemption—with the comic shop locator—will appear inside every copy of Mass Effect 2!

32 PGS
$3.50 US
JAN100130
Preview Available!
Written by John Jackson Miller and Mac Walters; Pencils by Omar Francia; Cover by Michael Atiyeh; Colors by Daryl Mandryk.

Why it’ll go fast: Mass Effect 2 comics are selling! And not just in comic shops. One of the reasons for the instant sellouts on each issue may be due to video game stores carrying the comic. It’s happened before, specifically Wildstorm’s Resident Evil 5 adaptation, when a market that normally doesn’t order comics splits the shipment and causes an instant shortage. Does it mean the comics aren’t out there? Not necessarily. They just might not be where you’d expect them. If your local comic shop is lacking copies I’d check Gamestop.

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The Comic Speculator – Back Issue Report 02/26/2010

Matt Baum — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:08:11 +0000

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV@.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.

Back Issue Report:

Welcome to another edition of The TCS: Back Issue Report , where I take a look at what’s happening in the back issue world and give my own skewed, biased and often questionably sinister take on the back-issue-market. There were a couple of pretty big back-issue news stories this past week, so let’s leap right in.

Gold and Silver Oldies:

Action Comics #1

Detective Comics #27

Not a whole lot of news in the back issue world this week, unless, of course, you count two comics selling for a million dollars each within three days of each other. On February 22, the Action Comics #1 CGC graded in 8.0 condition that was up for auction at comicconnect.com smashed the previous record of most expensive comic sold at auction (set by an Action Comics #1 in CGC 6.0 that sold for $317,200 in 2009). The comic—which had been in a private collection for the last 15 years—sold for exactly $1,000,000, becoming the first comic to break the million dollar mark. A truly amazing feat that would cement Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman in 1938, as the most expensive comic in existence. Comicconnect.com co-owner and Chief Operating Officer Vincent Zurzolo called the sale “The single most important event in comic book history.” And it was, for 72 hours, anyway.

On February 25, comic book history was rewritten again when the Detective Comics #27 (DC, 1939), the first appearance of Batman, CGC graded in 8.0 condition up for auction at Heritage Auction Galleries sold for $1,075,500. This copy of Detective #27 was part of the Pinnacle Hill collection which was collected by a “discerning collector” in the 1960s and ’70s, according to the auction info. One important thing to consider here is the fact that Heritage Auctions adds a 19.5-percent buyer’s premium to their final bid price on their items. Meaning this Detective #27 actually sold for $900,000, but the final price plus the buyer’s premium puts the sale at $1,075,500. Comicconnect.com doesn’t charge a premium, meaning that the Action #1 that sold was actually bid up to $1,000,000. So, all things considered here, yes, the final price may have put Detective #27 at a higher price, but as far as this nerd is concerned, Action Comics #1 wins this battle. Mark one up for the Man of Steel.

Bronze Age and Beyond:

Captain America #602

Earlier this month, you may recall, a story about people being upset about the portrayal of the Tea Party movement in the pages of Captain America #602. Namely, a panel that showed a person holding a sign that read “Tea Bag the Libs before they Tea Bag you.” Undoubtedly, a little joke by writer Ed Brubaker. But in this age of the 24-hour-news-cycle, of course the story got picked up by cable news channels and it became a full on firestorm! Well, for about two days, anyway, and then it was on to the next big political stink. During the news cycle, Marvel issued an apology and recalled the issue from stands, although I can’t see any retailer in their right mind sending the issue back. Not when everyone smells collectible blood in the water. I’m not going to go into the politics here, but it is worth a look of what happened to Cap #602’s value during the news coverage.

Starting on February 9, Cap #602 was selling for $5-$6. Keep in mind, this was just as the story was hitting the media and the recall was announced. It’s the kind of controversy that could make for a $20-plus new comic in no time if the story could maintain its legs. Which, it would, for a little while, anyway. The next day, prices were hitting $10 and savvy eBayers had assembled what they were calling the “Tea-bag” set (Cap #600-#602), which contained the first three issues of the story. Some eBayers went as far as to list “As seen on Fox News” in their item title. With prices hitting $10, retailers caught on and a flood of issue #602’s hit eBay, Amazon and comic store Web sites for $10 and up. Sales would start to dip by Feb. 11, when sellers would try to counter by adding the word “banned” to their item title. Which is ironic, because I don’t think a recall counts as a “banned” book. Sales still hit the $8-$12 mark here and there, but the majority of Cap #602’s were not selling. By Feb. 12, the controversy seemed to have ended with prices dropping back to the $3 to $5 range. The news cycle may had moved on, but prices spiked back up for a few days with a copy selling for $30 on Feb 13 and a couple of copies selling for $20 on the 15th. From there, it was all down hill, with prices bottoming out at $2-$3 as of today.

So much for the book-burnings and misplaced political outrage, and sorry to all you retailers and speculators who horded piles of this issue. So, what happened here? Why isn’t Cap #602 selling for $50 and up? Well, to begin with, the news story never garnered much traction, even amongst the most reactionary talking heads. Another factor is the numbers retailers ordered before the issue became controversial. Cap #602 was the 11th-highest comic ordered of January 2010, shipping 63,948 issues. Even in a down month for comics, that’s a solid shipment. So the issue was well-ordered initially. The controversy blew in and out within 24-hours, and sellers inflated the price too fast to cause a shortage anywhere. It all adds up to an almost-instant-collectible. Now, don’t be surprised to see other shameless publishers trying the same stunt in the near future to drum up some sleazy sales.

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Matt Baum is WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question below in the “comments” section below. Also, you can follow him on Twitter, where he’s always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all Matt’s new followers and keep the comments coming! Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally, a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers, even though he would graciously accept them.

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The Comic Speculator – New Comics Roundup 02/24/2010

Matt Baum — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:07:41 +0000

Avengers Initiative #31

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.

New Comics Roundup:

Welcome back to the TCS New Comics Round-Up, where you can find all the info you need on the comics hitting the shelves this week. Click here for the full list of comics shipping Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010. Click here to find a comic shop near you.

Here’s a look at this week’s reprint, sell out and variant news:

It’s a big week for second-prints with eight coming from Marvel:

DEC098299 Avengers Initiative #31 2nd Ptg Var
DEC098298 Dark Avengers #13 2nd Ptg Var
DEC098300 Dark Wolverine #82 2nd Ptg Var
DEC098301 Deadpool #18 2nd Ptg Var
DEC098302 Deadpool Merc With A Mouth #7 3rd Ptg Var
DEC098295 Hulk #19 2nd Ptg Var
DEC098297 Siege Embedded #1 (Of 4) 2nd Ptg Var

Avengers Initiative #31 seems to be the big winner here, with first-prints selling for $9 and up.

One from Boom Studios:

DEC098379 Incorruptible #1 2nd Ptg

Not a lot of action on first-print #1’s yet, but the excitement is building. Still a good time to get in on this series if you’re interested.

One from Dark Horse:

DEC098436 Mass Effect: Redemption #1 Current Ptg

First prints of #1 were selling for $15 and up about a week ago, but have settled around $10 as more copies popped up online.

One from Oni Press, which hasn’t had a second printing I can recall for quite a while (’grats to Greg Rucka):

DEC098037 Stumptown #1 (OF 4) 2ND PTG

Stumptown is a great read and nerds must be talking about it as first-prints of issue one are selling for $10 to $15 eBay. There’re not a lot of first issues to find online, so this one could be going up even higher soon.

And finally, the Radical Comics title that my friend Jared told me to check out and is now, of course, gone:

DEC098036 Last Days Of American Crime #1 (Of 3) 2nd Ptg

This one isn’t seeing a lot of action in the states yet, but seems to be selling well in the U.K. Or at least I’m assuming the two copies that sold for $7, each from British sellers, were sold to Brits. Issue one isn’t selling for much more than $2 in the states.

Not a whole lot of sell outs this week, but one that I called my shot on. Marvel’s Hitman Monkey #1 did indeed sellout quickly, but is not selling for $10, as I had predicted. What can you do? Marvel also had a sellout with Siege Embedded #2. Both comics also had second-print variants announced and both which will ship in March. With the predictably of the tide, DC’s Blackest Night #5 sold out and will be returning with a re-colored second print. Not too shocking, I know.

Here’s your list of Variant Comics shipping Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010 (NOTE: This is a list of incentive cover variants only):

Aspen:

Soulfire Volume Two #2 (Marcus To Variant Cover)

Avatar:

Captain Swing #1 (of 4)(Penny Dreadful Retailer Incentive Cover)
Chronicles Of Wormwood Last Battle #3 (of 6)(Retailer Incentive Cover)

BOOM!:

28 Days Later #7 (DNA Variant Cover)
Donald Duck And Friends #351 (Magic Eye Studios Variant Cover)
Irredeemable #11 (Jeffrey Spokes Variant Cover)

DC:

Batman And Robin #9 (Cameron Stewart Variant Cover)
Black Lantern Green Arrow #30 (Green Arrow Black Canary issue 30), (Mike Grell Variant Cover)
Blackest Night #7 (of 8), (Ivan Reis Sketch Variant Cover)
Blackest Night #7 (of 8), (Rodolfo Migliari Variant Cover)
Blackest Night JSA #3 (of 3), (Gene Ha Variant Cover)
Flash Rebirth #6 (of 6), (Ethan Van Sciver Variant Cover)

Dynamic Forces:

New Mutants #1 (Dynamic Forces)(Alex Ross Exclusive Negative Art Cover Plus One)

Dynamite:

Black Terror #8 (Alex Ross Virgin Art Variant Cover)
Project Superpowers Chapter Two #7 (Alex Ross Virgin Cover)

IDW:

G.I. Joe Operation Hiss #1 (Joe Corroney Variant Cover)
Star Trek Movie Adaptation #1 (Photo Variant Cover)
Star Trek The Next Generation Ghosts #4 (Joe Corroney Virgin Cover)
Transformers #4 (Don Figueroa Variant Sketch Cover)
We Will Bury You #1 (Ben Templesmith Virgin Cover)

Marvel:

Avengers Initiative #33 (Deadpool Variant Cover)
Dark Tower The Battle Of Jericho Hill #4 (of 5), (Steve Kurth Variant Cover)
Dark Wolverine #83 (Deadpool Variant Cover)
Fantastic Four #576 (Deadpool Variant Cover)
Marvels Project #6 (of 8), (Steve McNiven Variant Cover)
Marvels Project #6 (of 8), (Gerald Parel Variant Cover)
Ms Marvel #50 (Paul Renaud Variant Cover)
Secret Warriors #13 (Deadpool Variant Cover)
Tales Of The Dragon Guard #1 (of 3), (Alberto Varanda Variant Cover)
Thor #607 (Deadpool Variant Cover)
X-Factor #202 (Deadpool Variant Cover)
X-Force #24 (Clayton Crain Variant Cover)
X-Men Legacy #233 (Deadpool Variant Cover)

Speculator Picks of the Week:

These are comics that could sellout very quickly, leaving nerds who didn’t get to the comic shop on time scouring the internet and paying ridiculous prices.

Avengers: The Initiative #33 :Marvel

Avengers: The Initiative #33

Solicitation: Blockbuster Siege tie-in! The Initiative faces its own civil war, as Taskmaster, Constrictor and Diamondback join the Dark Avengers in the Siege of Asgard . . . and come face-to-hammer with Thor! Meanwhile, Justice, Tigra and the rest of the Avengers Resistance assault camp H.A.M.M.E.R., aiming to bring it down once and for all—but the Hood is ready for them! It’s all-out war on two fronts—and one side won’t be here when it’s over!

32 PGS
$2.99 US
DEC090442
Written by Christos Gage; Pencils by Jorge Molina; Inks by Array; Cover by Alitha Martinez; Letters by Vc – Joe Caramagna.

Why it’ll go fast: Siege tie-ins are selling very well, but none seem to be going faster than this title. Initiative #31 and #32 sold out almost instantly due to low initial print-runs because of low orders on the title before Siege (from 68th last November with issue 30 to 49th with issue #32 in January on the Top 300 Ordered Comics list). Retailers just either aren’t noticing how fast this title is selling or their content to let a title that is ending in two issues go.

Deadpool #20: Marvel

Deadpool #20

Solicitation: “Whatever a Spider Can,” Part 2. Deadpool and Spider-Man team up (yes, team up) to combat the unstoppable killing machine known as Hitman Monkey! Yes, Hitman Monkey.

32 PGS
$2.99 US
DEC090462
Written by Daniel Way; Pencils by Carlo Barberi; Inks by Array; Letters by Vc – Joe Sabino; Cover by Jason Pearson.

Why it’ll go fast: This one feels easy. Picking a Deadpool comic to sellout in a speculation blog? Next thing you know, I’ll be telling you Blackest Night is hot, too. I assure you there’s a reason here. Nothing sells comics like a monkey with guns. Hitman Monkey is Marvel’s latest short-term goldmine. I don’t see the character having huge staying power, but he should do fine feeding off the current Deadpool craze.

Green Arrow/Black Canary #30: DC

Green Arrow/Black Canary #30

Solicitation: Top Secret! NOTE: Solicited as Black Lantern Green Arrow #30.

40 PGS
$3.99 US
DEC090148
Written by JT Krul; Pencils by Will Conrad; Cover by Greg Horn and Mike Grell.

Why it’ll go fast: No one has been reading Green Arrow and Black Canary for a while now. Well, not no one, but readers have been dropping this title in droves for months now. Last month GA/BC checked in at 117th-place on last month’s top 300 comics chart, making it the 4th-lowest selling mainstream DC superhero title of January. The Blackest Night tie-in should give GA a boost, but changing the writer might help even more. Krul has built up some fan- goodwill with his work on the directionless Titans title, so maybe he can save Ollie Queen from cancellation. Now the question becomes: will retailers increase their orders enough to meet the Blackest Night fan demand or let this one disappear?

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This Week in Geek 02/24/10

Matt Baum — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:34:15 +0000

C2E2 Chicago

It’s almost Convention season again, and this year I’m planning on attending C2E2, Chicago’s newest comics and pop-culture convention, to be held April 16-18, 2010. Shoot me a line and let me know if any of you nerds are coming as well. I’m always down for meeting other nerds and talking comics.

It’s another massive shipment of new comics this week, with more than 200 comics coming in from Diamond. Which means another huge pile of comics to read, then bag-and-board, and then store. It’s also almost spring, and that means it’s almost time for my yearly purge. It’s about this time I start paying close attention to the size of the Wednesday pile. Every year, in early-to-mid April, I set out the folding tables in the garage, fire up a Mystery Science Theater 3000 marathon and decide what I’ve collected from the past year stays and what goes. I generally don’t even try to sell the stuff that goes. I’ll take trade from my local comic shop and donate the rest. The fact is, I buy a lot of stuff and not all of it can make it into my master collection. After a conversation with a fellow collector and friend this afternoon, I’m thinking about getting rid of a lot of the Marvel Secret Invasion miniseries I picked up. I’ll keep you posted on what else isn’t going to make the collection and expect me to be asking for your opinions as well.

Below you’ll find my stack of comics for the week of Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010. Make sure and post your own weekly stack of comics below so I can make fun of what you’re reading and vice-versa. For a full list of comics shipping this week, click here. To find a comic shop near you, click here. Again, no reads-only this week due to the huge pile I left the shop with.

I’ve been trying to focus on reading the comics I’m buying and not reading much else. Although I’ll probably read the Red Hulk Fall of the Hulks tie-in this week.

The Stack:

Amazing Spider-Man #622
Avengers: The Initiative #33
Batman and Robin #9
Blackest Night #7 of 8
Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island #1 of 4
Dark Wolverine #83
Fantastic Four #576
The Flash: Rebirth #6 of 6
Green Arrow/Black Canary #30: Lying to Myself
The Marvels Project #6 of 8
New Avengers #62
Realm of Kings: Inhumans #4 of 5
Secret Warriors #13
Superman #697
Thor #607
Thunderbolts #141
X-Factor #202
X-Force #24

Thoughts on the Stack:

Avengers: Initiative #33: I’m feeling a little guilty about this one, especially since I had stopped reading the title with #25. That, and the fact that the title is ending in two more issues. When I jumped back on board the series, the announcement of the cancellation of the Avengers titles hadn’t been made yet. Writer Christos Gage has done a great job on this Taskmaster-centered story, although I do find it hard to believe the Taskmaster could take Thor out even on his best day.

Blackest Night #7 of 8

Blackest Night #7 of 8: Spoiler Alert! Maybe. If you haven’t read issue #7 yet, skip this part. If Blackest Night is moving in the direction I think it is—the redemption of Sinestro—I couldn’t be happier. It’s no secret that I love Geoff Johns writing and the latest “White Lantern” twist is exactly why. Unlike most comic writers, Johns’ heroes and villains aren’t black-and-white (no pun intended) comic book stereotypes but characters with emotions and motives that the reader might not always be able to call heroic or villainous. Johns is rewriting the history of the Green Lantern mythos with the utmost respect for the creators that have made theses characters an integral part of the DC Universe. Green Lantern has never been this good.

Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island #1 of 4

Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island #1 of 4: I love Warren Ellis’ Avatat work. After reading No Hero, the first two issues of Supergod and the first half of the Freakangels TPB, I’m hooked. Truthfully, I had forgotten how much I loved Ellis as a writer. It’s really fun to see him playing in his own sandbox with no rules whatsoever. I love his creepy brand of science fiction, and Captain Swing looks like good-steampunk-style fun. I can’t wait to read this one.

Flash: Rebirth #6 of 6

Flash: Rebirth #6 of 6: Remember everything I just said about Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern? Well the same goes for his entire body of work on the Flash; except for this story. The return of Barry Allen was billed as the biggest thing that’s ever happened in the DCU, but somehow the story has been lost in the shuffle of the Blackest Night, Batman and Superman events. Not only that, but the story has been anything but compelling. I admit I’m not a Barry Allen Flash guy—I grew up with Wally West as my Flash—but I trust Johns and was willing to give Barry the benefit of a doubt. As long as Wally wasn’t pushed to the back burner, like all the other characters DC spent so much time selling us on after the originals died or disappeared (i.e. Conner Hawke, Kyle Rayner, Cassandra Kain, etc), I’d be into it. I haven’t read this issue yet, but barring this being the single best issue I’ve read in years, I don’t see myself being any more excited for Barry’s return. Although I do like Wally’s new costume.

Green Arrow Black Canary #30

Green Arrow Black Canary #30 or Blackest Night Green Arrow #30: The comic that was so hyped up they named it twice. Or it was unsolicited under the Blackest Night banner and with a new creative team to increase sales. It worked in my case anyway. Writer J.T. Krul has received some fan praise for his work on Titans of late and seems to be coming up through the DC ranks. This Blackest Night Green Arrow story is Krul’s first arc on the Emerald Archer before The Fall of Green Arrow story begins. I love Green Arrow but haven’t been buying the title since writer Judd Winick left. Winick was replaced by Andrew Kriesberg, fans (myself included) weren’t digging the title and sales plummeted to an all time low. Now Krul picks up where Kriesberg left off and hopefully everything will be hunky-dory. I’m in for a few issues anyway.

New Avengers #62

New Avengers #62: This comic was solicited as a Siege tie-in, has a Siege Tie-in cover and has nothing to do with Siege other than it’s the issue before the Siege tie-in. It was a great issue, no complaints, but not a Siege tie-in. Hopefully, this isn’t the beginning of a stream of misleading Siege tie-in titles.

Thor #607

Thor #607: I can’t say enough about writer Kieron Gillen’s Thor. It’s excellent and a perfect example of why Marvel is making DC look bad. Marvel has been fostering young talent for years now, grooming these creators to take over for the big names when they inevitably move on. Conversely, DC likes to hand off titles to established creators that can’t do the job. See the current JSA title for a perfect example. Marvel trusted Gillen to take over one of their highest-selling monthly titles after superstar J. Michael Straczynski left and the gamble seems to have paid off. Thank you for giving Gillen the chance to shine Marvel.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

On the subject of getting rid of comics; now that Blackest Night is ending, what are you planning on keeping? Did you buy it all? If so, is the whole shebang going into your collection?

It looks like Freakangles will be the next collection I’ll be reading as part of Read Along with Matt. You can follow/read along on Twitter by searching #readwmatt for updates. Speaking of Twitter, welcome aboard to all the followers I picked up this week and please send me a tweet and let me know what you’re reading and collecting.

Until next time true believers . . .

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