Spider-Man Comic Appearances for January 25, 2012

A pleasantly small week for Spider-Man comic book appearances with only four new finds at my local comic shop, and only one variant cover in the bunch.

Spidey's role in FF has trailed off, and I wonder how much longer Marvel will milk his appearance in the flagship Fantastic Four title now that the Human Torch is back.  I suppose time will tell, but his head-shot has already been removed from the inside front cover synopsis.

Here's the list for this week:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for January 18, 2012

With 11 new comic books this week that have Spider-Man appearances, we have a good mix of regular and variant issues.  Marvel has really stuck to their guns with the variant covers, and it's a little annoying.

Also this week, nearly every recurring Spider-Man title came out.  Somehow, they're bunched up in one week instead of spicing through the month.  It makes it more expensive when the group of Spidey books also are polybagged and have cover variants.

Here's the list for the week:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for January 11, 2012

So this week we have 14 new Spider-Man comic book appearances, but they are comprised of only 5 titles.  Mucho variantos this week.  But the books are pretty good, so it's all good.

The big Spider story this week is the release of Scarlet Spider #1 along with its five variant covers.  It's a good setup issue establishing the character's past and what his motivations were and are.

Just like the recently restarted Ultimate Spider-Man, this is a good book and worthy of joining the collection.

The weakest appearance this week is Wolverine #300.  There's a back-up cover gallery -- which Marvel has been prone to do in their anniversary issues -- and blink and you'll miss the couple covers with Spidey.  Strike that.  Spidey appears in costume on a few (thanks Peter), along with a spoof of the 1990's Spider-Man #1, and another features Peter Parker.  You don't have to tell me how weak that is.  I know.

Here are this week's books:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for January 4, 2012

This week there is an unbelievable number of comic books that feature a Spider-Man appearance.

Seriously.  Unbelievable.

One.  Can you believe it?  Only one new comic on the shelves at my local comic shop that features the red and blue costume of Spider-Man.

New Avengers Annual #1 is it.

My good buddy in the Netherlands, Peter Kroon, passed along an appearance I missed from last week.  And it burns because I was holding the book up until I checked out, because doggonit I didn't see Spidey in there.

And technically he wasn't.

The FF #13 variant cover version is drawn to be pared with Fantastic Four #601 variant edition to create a two page spread of all the characters in the books.  The Fantastic Four issue features Spidey prominently swinging on the cover amid the other heroes, while on FF #13 you get a continuation of his web line from the other cover.

Now I realize this is a mighty weak "appearance," but there is a precedence.  Back in Sensational She-Hulk #30 the voluptuous green goliath gets snagged in some of Spidey's used web lines (from the previous issue #29) that are hanging around town.  It was too priceless to pass up including in the appearance collection.

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.