Let's take a look at some items you can (and probably should) order right now. Many of these are guaranteed bonafide money-makers. Let's begin!
Comics
Amazing Spider-Man # 569 - The ASM crew are doing something funky with Venom. Not sure what, exactly, but we're getting a new Spider-Villain here for sure. Marvel is being a little tight-lipped about the whole thing, but one gets the feeling this is one to have.
The BND books come out three per month, and a killer issue is bound to get lost in the shuffle. We may see increased orders from savvy retailers who are reading between the lines, but not enough to stop a potential juggernaut. And that's exactly what Venom is if they breathe new life into the character. I would order me one or five of these.
Worst case scenario you get a book written by Dan Slott. You could do worse.
Venom Dark Origin # 1 - A re-telling and ret-conning of of the symbiote-turned homicidal brain eater. It's appropriate to want to throw up at the prospect of yet another origin tossed into the trash heap.
It would be stupid to pass up an easy earner, though, just because you don't like the concept. I like this book as a short-term investment, although not as much as ASM 569. Shockingly, they didn't try to gouge $4.99 out of you for it, either. $2.99 gets you a revamped venom. Not bad.
Iron First: Origin of Danny Rand - Yes, they took Matty Fraction away from us and replaced him with that ridiculous hack Duane Swzzushishhizinksy. (I'm sorry, but try and read that Cable excrement without health repercussions - I dare you) Here's the last hurrah, though - a reprinting of Iron Fist's origins as detailed in Marvel Premiere 15-16, plus an original framing sequence by Fraction.
A nice way to get closure on what was a pretty darned good book as you kill it from your pull. Oh, and guaranteed to be under-ordered. $3.99 price point. Owie.
X-Files Special # 0 - Written by a co-writer of the new movie, Frank Spotnitz. Don't know if it ties into the film or not, nor do I care.
Licensed stuff in general are sound long-term buys, this sure to be ignored gem should pan out very nicely.
Hardcovers
Oh, my friend, you cannot believe what goodies they have tucked into Previews this month. Let's start out small and build up as we go:
Stranded Vol 1 Limited Edition HC - If you listen to the show, you know how much I like Virgin and can't quite understand why nobody is reading these books. Here we have a concept scripted by friggin' Mike Carey, and it's already in production for a Sci-Fi pilot.
Now, to say that Sci-fi originals kinda lack quality is like saying that Germans kinda like Hasselhoff. I get it, OK? But Carey should provide something that channel doesn't see very often - a real writer. (Battlestar Galactica, you're off the hook, but the rest of you...I'm looking at you, here)
Even if the show sucks giant squid balls, it's still going to produce a spike on a book that's limited to 1,000 copies. What's really sad there is that they didn't really need to provide an artificial cap on that book. No way were that many yahoos ordering it anyway. But you will, if you're smart.
Retail is $29.99, but you'll never pay that if you have an ounce of common sense. It will be available for 2/3 that price on deepdiscount.com or instocktrades. Slated for a August 20 release.
Hellboy Library Edition Vol 2 - Chained Coffin & Others - Listen, you already saw how gorgeous Volume 1 was, yes? Just get the whole series, please.
This book contains 15 Hellboy tales including The Right Hand of Doom. All in chronological order, all decked out in beautiful black.
Suggest retail is $49.95, but I paid $31 for my copy of volume 1. Just be smart about it. October 15 release.
Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite Limited Edition HC - Wow. A cult book gets a sweet looking HC with a limited run? Yeah, that works.
Extras here include an expanded sketchbook, commentary from the creators, and the FCBD short story. Honestly, that sounds pretty weak to me. It doesn't matter.
By this time next year, you'll be able to get double what you paid for this book. Which incidentally is fairly steep. Retail is $79.95, but don't be frightened and don't pay that much for it. You're smarter than that.
The Boys Definitive Edition HC - OH FUCK YEAH. Dynamite is reprinting issues 1-14 plus the complete original scripts for issue # 1. This, folks, is what we in the industry like to call cash money.
What's most important here is That Dynamite has stated that they are printing to order only. This is like a Planetary Absolute edition waiting to happen. It's a damn good book, a cult-powered book, and this is going to be the key get for all Boys fans. Order this if you like yourself. Suggested retail is $75.99.
But it gets better. Also available is a signed edition, also printed to orders. Suggested retail on this is $500! Too rich for my blood I'm afraid, but if you've got that lying in your couch I suggest you do it. You will NOT be able to find this on the secondary market. Period.
Toys and Such
Watchmen Stuff - Now available for pre-order are Watchmen figures and busts from DC Direct. I don't think I need to tell you the long term potential for those items. The four figures available to order now are Rorshach, Silk Spectre, Night Owl, and Ozymandias. Four more coming soon.
Retail on those figures are $19.99 and worth every penny of that. The busts go for $59.99, and none of this actually hits the shelves until January 2009.
Buffy Tarot Deck - This is a very nice little sleeper item. The original Vertigo tarot set released in the early 90s did very well in the secondary market, and I can see a similar kind of appeal here.
Paul Lee provides the art for the deck, which includes 78 cards and a 64 page instruction booklet. Retail on this is $14.99, but I don't think it's much of a stretch to believe this to be a $50 item in the not-too-distant future.
JLA Trophy Room Green Lantern Battery Prop - Without question the coolest thing I've ever seen in my twisted life. It's a GODDAMN GREEN LANTERN POWER BATTERY. It comes with a size 10 ring, and the lantern lights when you press the ring against the face of it.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! This gem hits the shelves January 21, 2009 and retails for $395. Of course it's worth that, dumb ass. Gah. I need to get rich, friends, so I can start creating the Ultimate Lair of Celibacy.
Until next time!
- Ryan
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