52 Variant Covers for Justice League of America #1

David_D

I sort of wish this was an April Fool's Day, but alas.

Announced at MTV Geek here.

Some coverage and commentary from The Beat here.

Well. May the people who love variant covers knock themselves out, I suppose. Personally, one regular cover of this issue, hopefully with a nice DCBS discount price, will do for me, thanks.

CaptShazam

If this is a $3.99 title, it will be $2.39 on DCBS. So the small but probably significant amount of people who buy all 52 will be spending at least $124.49 (rounded) on one story unless DCBS has a bundle special. $207.48 at $3.99 cover price. I wish the creative team well but I hope this crashes and burns just to send a message to the publisher not to continue these stunts.

John_Steed

I understand nobody is actually being coerced into buying even a single issue. If one does buy all 52 variations - how about giving some bucks to charity on top of it. I mean - such a person must be loaded.

If I ever should develop interest in the (new) Justice League of America I'll buy the TPB or HC.

ChrisBeckett

Do the digital versions come with the variant covers?

David_D

ChrisBeckett said:

Do the digital versions come with the variant covers?

I doubt it. Has that been the practice so far for their digital versions?

fredzilla

@David_D - I believe so. I get the combo comics from DCBS and they always have the variants in there (the digital versions, that is). But that's only one or two covers, not a whole 52...

SigurdJarlson

Just when you think Walking Dead had a lot lol

larry

The way I figure, they wouldn't do it if there wasn't a market for it. So DC getting extra revenue from another source than raising more titles to 3.99 or double shipping is just fine with me. I won't be buying.

Mr_Cosmic

You almost have to wonder if some of these wont end up being rare and worth a few bucks. I mean, how many issues of the North Dakota or Idaho variants will actually be printed?( no offense to anyone who lives in a boring, low populated state ;) )

CaptShazam

I hope this comes up on the show and Chris from Wildpig is available for comment or Brian Hibbs writes about it. I want to hear the shop owner perspective on this.

Of course, this will make money and it is strictly a decison to benefit the business of DC. I just hope that when this plan was first proposed, someone in the DC office who worked in comics during the 1990's raised their hand to voice some reservations about this.

EarthGBilly

CaptShazam said:

So the small but probably significant amount of people who buy all 52 will be spending at least $124.49 (rounded) on one story...

Oh, that is precious! Thinking that it will actually be "one story," instead of the first 1/6 of a story!

CaptShazam

@EarthGBilly
You got me there. I did not think it was possible for me to dislike this more, but you showed me the error of my ways. :-w

WetRats

If I have to live through the 90s again, can I please have my 30-year-old body back?

Torchsong

WetRats said:

If I have to live through the 90s again, can I please have my 30-year-old body back?

I didn't buy variant covers then, I won't buy them now. One copy from my home state should be sufficient.

John_Steed

WetRats said:

If I have to live through the 90s again, can I please have my 30-year-old body back?

I thought you dumped that body into that hidden well - you know - where you got rid of all your victims?

WetRats

John_Steed said:

WetRats said:

If I have to live through the 90s again, can I please have my 30-year-old body back?

I thought you dumped that body into that hidden well - you know - where you got rid of all your victims?

No. That was Swatter.

Marathon

Torchsong said:

WetRats said:

If I have to live through the 90s again, can I please have my 30-year-old body back?

I didn't buy variant covers then, I won't buy them now. One copy from my home state should be sufficient.

Isn't that why this is going to be a success? Won't most people buy their own 'local' variant?

Although if DC made a local version for me, I'd be so amazed I'd probably buy 10! ;)

Torchsong

Marathon said:

Torchsong said:

WetRats said:

If I have to live through the 90s again, can I please have my 30-year-old body back?

I didn't buy variant covers then, I won't buy them now. One copy from my home state should be sufficient.

Isn't that why this is going to be a success? Won't most people buy their own 'local' variant?

Although if DC made a local version for me, I'd be so amazed I'd probably buy 10! ;)

I would think that's what they're banking on. I don't think they'll be doing 50,000 issues for each state...probably a lot more for New York and California than say for Wyoming or Montana.

luke52

I think 52 variants, is a little excessive. Even with their reasoning behind (some blurb about this is justice league AMERICA, we need one cover for each state plus puerto rica and DC), its still excessive. I'll just be getting one copy.

What does everyone thing of the new Katana and Vibe ongoings??? Personally I'm not that interested. If it turns out they're good, I'll get them in trade.

Chuck_Melville

Well, Katana is going to be written by Ann Nocenti, so I won't be touching it. I really don't like the New52 version anyway. Vibe... I don't know yet.

SolitaireRose

CaptShazam said:

I hope this comes up on the show and Chris from Wildpig is available for comment or Brian Hibbs writes about it. I want to hear the shop owner perspective on this.

Of course, this will make money and it is strictly a decison to benefit the business of DC. I just hope that when this plan was first proposed, someone in the DC office who worked in comics during the 1990's raised their hand to voice some reservations about this.

Um...most of the people who worked at Marvel in the 90's are the ones pushing this. One of the reasons many of them were let go by Marvel back then was that they refused to give up on "cover gimmicks will bring people back!"

CaptainCarrot

If they are not silver or gold embossed covers then they're dead to me.

Torchsong

CaptainCarrot said:

If they are not silver or gold embossed covers then they're dead to me.

Don't forget the tri-fold page!

WetRats

Colorforms!

WetRats

Plastic Diamonds!

Chuck_Melville

My God!!! I have them all!!!

David_D

WetRats said:

Colorforms!

You know, for all the terrible gimmick covers. . . that one actually looks like fun.

David_D

I would also love to hear stories about what gimmick covers were discussed but not produced. For example, did Image at the time look into whether they could actually have a cover that would seem wet with blood?

WetRats

David_D said:

WetRats said:

Colorforms!

You know, for all the terrible gimmick covers. . . that one actually looks like fun.

It was, to me, the high point of the Stunt Cover Trend.

Dan_Cap

Remember Malibu did a Ferrett comic with a bullet hole through the entire issue?
I think it would be better if they just did 1 comic celebrating Justice League that was all 52 covers,maybe with a short sidebar next to each cover explaining the inspiration for it.

WetRats

Dan_Cap said:

I think it would be better if they just did 1 comic celebrating Justice League that was all 52 covers,maybe with a short sidebar next to each cover explaining the inspiration for it.

Remember, this stunt is not for us. It is, like all their previous stunts in the New52 initiative, aimed at the "mainstream" press and the new/lapsed/casual reader. They assume we'll keep buying, no matter what, as we always have.