How cool is this? DarkHorse Comics has been having contests for retail stores, where stores can win special, rare variant covers. We were lucky enough to win the Buffy the Vampire Slayer sketch variant cover. There were only 1,000 made and 100 stores won 10 copies each. Click here to see the list.
We were watching the Buffy Season 1 DVD when FedEX came in with our 10 Buffy comics - what are the chances?
We will have some available in the store, and will sell the rest on eBay.
5 comments:
Buffy is like only one of two comics on my pull list. Do I get one? Not that I'd know what to do with something like that.
:P
Lisa:
That's great and all, but I'm a bit confused by something. I already know how much you've said you hate variant covers, so why so much excitement for these ones?
I get that you WON them, as opposed to having to order a ton of comics to get them, but I really don't see a lot of difference in the end. Aren't they just another example of ripping off consumers, because there will never be enough to satify the demand?
Just curious about this.
Scott - I have a regular cover in your bin.
James - It's really that we won SOMETHING that had me excited. We never win these things! They were free, which is nice. I didn't have to order them, or order a pre-specified amount of some comic book in order to get them. That's my #1 problem with incentive variants - that they are a method to get store owners to buy more of some book than they would otherwise just to satisfy customers who demand variants. The ones we won are nice because we can sell some here, some on eBay (can't look a gift horse in the mouth), and give some away for in-store drawings and gifts. This was also a low-key thing, it wasn't something pushed on Newsarama and stuff, so it's not like we will have people seeking it out - it's more of a special item. Even on eBay it's going for less than the "variant" cover of Cap 25 (which was only a 50/50 cover).
Yeah, for the most part variants tend to foster a collector mentality that creates false prices and false expectations. But, as a store owner who needs to generate revenue, I can't just refuse variants. They exist and people want them. As much as I do not like them, we still deal in them. Plus, my husband owns the business too, and he's not bothered nearly as much about them as I am, and we both have a say in what we buy and sell here.
But mostly I was excited because we won something. If they had sent Buffy T-Shirts or some posters or other promotional items I'd still be excited.
:( Ohhh I see how it is. I'm just a lowley customer who gets a regular copy in my bin.
I actually don't even plan on reading the individual issues. I'm going to trade wait. I'm only getting them so I can do my part and help sales.
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