Spider-Man Comic Appearances for July 20, 2011

This is a light week with only 7 new comics featuring Spider-Man appearances, and only one issue is a variant.  I honestly can't recall the last time I bought new comics when a variant wasn't included.  Oh the days.

I would call this week the calm before the storm, because Amazing Spider-Man #666 -- the prelude to the Spider-Island storyline -- is due out next week and it promises to have dozens upon dozens of variants.  Maybe more.  Yikes!

The issue is being offered to retailers with two variant covers.  The "Comic Shop Battle Variant" cover will feature a store's name and logo, while the "Comic Shop Bugle Variant" will feature an actual photo of the store.  The kicker with these variants is that on Marvel.com it states that stores can only order one version of the variants, not both.  So if you are an extreme completist, then you'll of course want to have a copy from every store who participates.

This variant appears to be inspired by the success of the new Godzilla comic book -- Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters #1 -- where retailers who ordered 500 copies could have their own comic shop destroyed (in an illustrated fashion) on the cover.  Somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 retailers took them up on the offer and those sales helped the title become an instant success.

Oh well.  That's all for our future selves to worry about.  Here's the list of what to look for this week:

• Avengers #15
• Fear Itself Fearsome Four #2
• Marvel Universe Vs Wolverine #2
• Spider-Island Spotlight
• Ultimate Comics Fallout #2
• Ultimate Comics Fallout #2 (Djurdjevic Variant)
• Venom Flashpoint #1

And if you're headed out to San Diego Comic Con this week, have a blast and keep an eye out for the Ultimate Fallout #1 variant and Marvel Mix Tape giveaway comic.