Spider-Man Comic Appearances for December 28, 2011

We've got 12 new comic books featuring a Spider-Man appearance or cameo this week, and we have a missed appearance from a previous week.  This week's issues include alternate printings and variants along with a few non-Marvel appearances.

Publisher BOOM! Town has released a "facsimile edition" of Too Much Coffee Man #1 (circa 1993).  The issue features a previously unknown Spidey appearance on page 13.

The other non-Marvel appearance is the weakest one of the week.  In fact, it's not so much an appearance as it is a complete spoof of the Spider-Man musical in New York (albeit starring Radioactive Man this time).  And while Spidey doesn't make an appearance himself, the whole story-line is just too much of a dead-on spoof not to include.

Avengers: X-Sanction #1 adds two new variants this week with the release of variant second printings.  Each is a black-and-white version of a previously released cover.

Here are the comics for the week:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for December 21, 2011

A fairly low-key week as Spider-Man appears in 8 new comic books this week, and 3 are variants.

The most interesting news to come out of the comic shop this week is the change in cover stock that Marvel is testing out.

Fantastic Four #601 is one of the first to be released with the new paper stock.  Not sure if this is a test in the cost savings in producing comics, or maybe a reaction to the glossy cover stock causing some rippling from humidity around the country.

Bottom line, I actually like the matte finish to the new cover stock.  It hearkens back to the paper they used back in the late nineties.

Here's the appearance list for the week:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for December 14, 2011

This week we have 16 new Spider-Man comic book appearances.  Half of those are variations of just one book, and two of those variations have multiple versions too.

Avengers: X-Sanction #1 is finally out and it brings us two exclusive covers only available for comic shops willing to buy 500 copies of their own exclusive cover.  Be sure to check out my story on the Avengers: X-Sanction comic shop exclusive variants including a list of participating stores.

Here's the list of books out this week:

Avengers: X-Sanction #1 Comic Shop Exclusive Variants - The Participating Store List

Marvel's new flagship mini-series that sets up the events to occur in 2012 has arrived.  Avengers: X-Sanction #1 is out and it brings with it a bevy of variant covers including exclusive cover offers for comic shops, and we have a list of participating stores below.

We start with the normal sort of variant covers that seem to accompany every new series from Marvel these days.

• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Ed McGuinness Regular Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Blank Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (1:15 Ed McGuinness Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (1:25 Leinul Yu Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (1:100 Joe Quesada Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (1:200 Joe Quesada Sketch Variant Cover)

This issue joins the ranks of Amazing Spider-Man #666 and #669 to also offer an exclusive cover for any comic shop retailer willing to purchase a certain number of extra books on top of their regular order.

The first foray into these waters (for Marvel) was Amazing Spider-Man #666.  It had roughly 140 comic shop dealers, retailers, websites and others pre-purchase a minimum 500 variants of their exclusive cover with two competing designs to choose from.  As one of the lunatics to have completed the assembly of a full set, all signs point to it having been a success for retailers.

Then Marvel tried to bottle lightning a second time with Amazing Spider-Man #669.  Only this time the pre-purchase minimums to get a variant cover were set at 2,000, but included an original illustrated character on the cover in a predetermined pose.  Only a scant four retailers jumped on that bandwagon to participate.

Here we are several months later, and Marvel is trying it once again.  They've returned the minimum buy-in to 500 pre-purchased copies and offered two competing covers (pictured above).

• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Bryan Hitch Wanted Comic Shop Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Carlo Pagulayan Battle Comic Shop Variant Cover)

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for December 7, 2011

A scant 6 new comic books featuring a Spider-Man appearance or cameo this week -- 8 if you want to get two copies each of the Avenging Spider-Man #2 and its variant.  Those issues come polybagged (like the 1st issue) complete with a free download code enclosed.

Some crazy collectors (myself included) like to have one sealed in its original format and one to open.

Here are this week's regular and variant issues:

• Amazing Spider-Man #675
• Avenging Spider-Man #2
• Avenging Spider-Man #2 (McGuinness Variant)
• Moon Knight #8
• Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Must Have #1
• Venom #10

While we've had a couple mild weeks in a row for appearances, according to comiclist.com we are a week away from the release of Avengers: X-Sanction #1 and its 8 variants.

• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Ed McGuinness Regular Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Blank Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Bryan Hitch Wanted Comic Shop Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Carlo Pagulayan Battle Comic Shop Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Ed McGuinness Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Joe Quesada Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Joe Quesada Sketch Variant Cover)
• Avengers X-Sanction #1 (Leinul Yu Variant Cover)

Of course, if you are a completist, then don't forget to get a copy of the New York comic-Con preview giveaway comic too.  I wrote something up about it several weeks ago.

The holidays are fast approaching, so have fun boxdiving at your local comic shops!

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for November 30, 2011

A really light week with only 6 new comic books featuring a Spider-Man appearance or cameo, and FF #12 dominates half the list with its three covers.

History of the Marvel Universe is a fun issue that features an overview of key events throughout the history of the Marvel universe.

Stay tuned next week when Avengers: X-Sanction #1 comes out and promises to kick off some major new events.

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving came a little early this week with a more palatable number of Spider-Man appearances than the last two weeks (which both included back-up promo teaser stories form the upcoming Avengers: X-Sanction comic in nearly every Marvel comic).

This week we have 9 new comics featuring a Spider-Man appearance, but that is made up on only 5 actual books.  Fantastic Four #600 comes out this week with its 5 variant covers, and all spoilers aside, I have to say the story was enjoyable for me.  Spidey's role is fairly diminished, but he does tie in to the final spoiler reveal.

I'm hoping that as both the Fantastic Four and FF series continue on, Spidey will be removed from the roster.  His presence was nice for a while, but serving as a recurring one-liner act is not all its cracked up to be.

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for November 16, 2011

This week we have a massive 28 comic books featuring Spider-Man appearances.  This is spread across regular issues, variants and alternate printings.  The main culprit for the high number is the continuation of the Avengers X-Sanction back-up teaser story.

While it can be expensive picking up so many books in one week at the local comic shop, it does allow you to sample comics you might not read otherwise.

One jewel this week is the 6th issue of Comic Book Comics.  This is a fun series that offers a humorous view of the comic book business and history.  The latest issue doesn't disappoint...and it features a couple small Spidey inspired cameos as well.

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for November 9, 2011

This week turns out to be the perfect storm for Spider-Man comic book appearances between the release of the first issue of Avenging Spider-Man (with 6 different covers), and a 6 page back-up promo story for Avengers: X-Sanction appearing in most Marvel issues for the week.

So with all of that said, we end up with 26 comic books featuring a Spider-Man cameo or appearance.  Ouch.

And true to their word, Marvel does release all 6 versions of Avenging Spider-Man #1 polybagged with a code to download an electronic version of the comic.  I still have a problem with the concept of promoting the download of a comic that someone has to buy a physical copy to get, but greater minds than mine seem to think this is the bomb.

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for November 2, 2011

We're definitely witnessing a calm before the storm with only 8 new comic books featuring a Spider-Man appearance or cameo this week, and they come in all shapes and sizes with a magazine, a variant, and a freebie comic in the mix as well.

The storm I'm speaking about will hit in two weeks on November 16 when Avenging Spider-Man #1 is released.  It'll have no less than 6 variants, and it's been announced that all variants will be distributed in a polybag that contains a code to redeem a free online version of the issue (the issue you are holding in your hand...hmm).  Therefore, hardcore completists will likely want two of each variant -- one to open and one to remain in its original sealed state.

UPDATE:  Now unless I'm losing my mind, Comiclist.com originally listed Avenging Spider-Man #1 coming out on November 16th, but their newly updated list has it coming out next week. Let the variant onslaught commence.

Another storm will follow in December as this week's freebie comic foretells the release of Avengers X-Sanction #1 which follows the Amazing Spider-Man #666 model of offering retailers a stores-specific variant based on order size.  It's a bit too early to know how many retailers will take Marvel up on the offer, but hopefully not the 140 or so that ordered the Spidey book.