New York Comic-Con 2011 Exclusive Giveaway Comic Books

This year's New York Comic-Con featured a number of giveaway comics, toys and more.  The most prominent giveaway from Marvel was an exclusive variant of X-Men Regenesis #1.  And while Spidey doesn't appear in that one, there were two other giveaways at the con that he does show up in.

Marvel Mix-Tape #1 NYCC Variant features Spider-Man on the cover in a preview of the upcoming Avengers Sanction #1.  The series features the return of Cable on a quest to wipe out the Avengers in order to save the future.  Other previews in the comic include Feat Itself The Fearless #1, Uncanny X-Men #1, Wolverine & the X-Men #1, and Incredible Hulk #1.

Marvel Press Book Program for Young Readers is a NYCC exclusive comic promoting Marvel's latest hardback original books about their core superheroes.  In addition to information and pictures form the Spider-Man hardback book, the promo comic also includes a bound-in poster of the Mighty Avengers (full color on one side and pencil sketched on the other).

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for October 26, 2011

Imagine a week without a variant comic book.  It seems like such an unlikely occurrence.  Well, this week is it.  Only 8 new Spider-Man comic book appearances and not one of them has a variant cover.

The Spider-Island storyline is drawing to a close with only one more Amazing Spider-Man issue due out to close the series.

FF #11 brings us one step closer to the Fantastic Four #600 and FF #12 crossover.  After which there may be some seismic shifts to the book.  Maybe Spidey no longer appears.  We'll find out soon enough.

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for October 19, 2011

A modest 10 new comic books featuring Spider-Man appearances this week.

As has been the usual over the past several weeks, the list consists of a blend of regular issues, variant covers and alternate printings.

What is out of the ordinary is the fact that none of the books are core Spider-Man titles.  All of the issues this week are Spidey appearance and team books.

Fear Itself winds down with issue #7 and its two variant covers, and thankfully Spider-Man does not appear in the Fearless #1 off-shoot series.  That one came with four 1:50 variant covers, which could seriously drain your bank account.

Here is the list for the week:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for October 12, 2011

Another light week for Spidey appearances.  Love that!  This week we have 7 new comic books with Spider-Man appearances and one is a freebie.

We're in wind down mode for the Spider-Island storyline, and Marvel is ramping up their marketing of Avenging Spider-Man with a new Daily Bugle giveaway comic.

With FF #10 out this week, and #11 soon to follow, we get a little closer to Fantastic Four #600 and a shift to the team in the FF book with #12.  Not yet sure how this will affect the webhead and whether or not he will continue to appear in one or both of the books.

New Avengers #17 gets a 1:50 variant, so this one will likely cost a bit.

The coolest cover this week has got to go to Black Panther #524 -- a Spider-Island tie-in -- which pays homage to the boxed-in cover layouts seen on the early '70s Amazing Spider-Man issues #102-117.

Here is the list of appearances for the week:

Marvel Team-Up #65 Reprint Variant

Next time you're in Walmart or Toys "R" Us, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Marvel Greatest Battles Comic Packs: Spider-Man and Captain Britain pack, which includes a reprint variant of Marvel Team-Up #65.

This set continues the 2-pack series from Hasbro which each include two action figures and a reprint comic.

You can also check out the Hasbro website for additional information, and a list of other retailers to find the comic pack.

Amazing Spider-Man #666 Comic Shop Variants -- The Full List with Pictures & Contact Info

After my previous post about my quest to collect every Amazing Spider-Man #666 variant, I've had a few requests for photos of all 145 versions along with contact information for each participating store, so I've included the full list below.

Before that, though, check out this pic of the full set (you should be able to click any of the pictures below for a larger version)...

If you want to give it a try.  If you want to try to collect every variant issue of Amazing Spider-Man #666, then I wish you the best of luck in your own quest and hope this information helps.

Avenging Spider-Man #1 Gets Bagged

Marvel has announced that the upcoming Avenging Spider-Man #1 will feature a code to access a free digital copy of the book.  Their press release states the following:

Marvel is making digital comics history once more, and proudly announcing that AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1, from the superstar creative team of Zeb Wells and Joe Madureira, will be polybagged with a code for a free digital copy of this issue on the Marvel Comics app for free. That’s right: for no additional charge to the retailers or consumers, Marvel is making sure that everyone who purchases AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1 (any cover, including variants) at their local comic shop can get a free digital copy of the issue on the Marvel Comics app.

Of much greater importance in the press release other than the free download -- which, let's be honest, is no big deal since you are holding the physical copy in your hands already -- is the announcement that the comic will be polybagged.

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for October 5, 2011

This week is an uncharacteristically light week with a paltry 8 new Spider-Man comic book appearances to pick up at your local comic shop.

Only one issue with a variant cover, no second printings, and the Season One Guide with Spidey on the cover is a freebie (if your store got it - one did and one didn't in my town).

Probably the biggest news to come out this week is the announcement of a new mini-series titled Avengers: X-Sanction slated to hit shelves in December.  The issues features the return of Cable as he is pitted against the Avengers in what is being purported (by Marvel) as the kick off to "...2012’s status quo-shattering event."

Amazing Spider-Man #666 -- The Full Set -- IN HAND!!!

As of October 4, 2011, I am proud to announce that I will join a very exclusive group of collectors to assemble a complete set of all 145 variant issues of Amazing Spider-Man #666.  Maybe not the very first, but certainly one of the very few who have even opted to undertake the challenge.

The Quest
On July 20, 2011 the quest began.  The quest to collect every variant of Amazing Spider-Man #666.  A comic book that retailers had the chance to get their own customized cover if they purchased a minimum of 500 copies.  Nearly 140 stores took the offer.  Some displayed their logo on the cover, others showed cartoons, and many have a snapshot of their storefront.  A select few were really clever and staged some great photos.

After 75 days, I received the last issue required (from Italy) to complete the set.  What started as a foolhardy quest has ended in success.  And for anyone trying to do the same, you know just how difficult this process can be.  For everyone else, let me break it down for you by the numbers.

Barnes and Noble Breathes Life into Newsstand Comic Books

National bookseller, Barnes and Noble, is now devoting a considerable amount of magazine shelf space to newsstand comic books.

 

So I've been collecting both direct and newsstand edition comics for about a decade now, and each year it gets harder and harder to find places that carry the newsstand versions.

It's started to feel (I would imagine) like the days of prohibition when you had to give a secret password to enter an underground speakeasy to get your drink on.

Newsstand comics are becoming a rare breed, which is what attracted me to collecting them in the first place.  I realize that most comic book collectors have barcode blindness, and don't see a difference between a direct or newsstand issue.  I didn't either for nearly two decades of collecting.  But as I find myself completing the collection I have, I want to find new areas to branch into, and newsstand comics have been a blast.

One of the better places to find newsstand comics in my neck of the woods has been Hastings -- a regional store that carries books, DVDs, toys and more.  However, as of last year, they switched to being a Diamond customer and thus becoming one of the largest chains of direct edition comics and back issues.  And their back issues are priced typically at $.99 or $1.99 each.  You can find some nice stuff for cheap.

Beyond Hastings, there is Books A Million (or BAM) and a variety of local mom and pop stores.  BAM is reliable, but has a limited number of locations.  It's great to support the local mom and pop stores, but their selection is limited.

Now Barnes and Noble has entered the newsstand comics arena.  I assume it represents a new channel of sales for their brick and mortar stores as the book market is slowly eaten up by online sales.  But that's a story for another day.

Anyway, all of the Barnes and Noble stores that I've visited over the last few months are now devoting several shelves in their magazine area to new comic books and comic magazines.  And they are seemingly carrying most, if not all, newsstand titles released each month.