The argument about variant covers that made me rethink collecting

I was at my local shop last Saturday and got into it with a guy who said variant covers are ruining comics. He said people buy them just to flip and never read the story. I told him I buy them because I like the art. But then he asked when was the last time I actually read a book I bought for the cover. That hit different because I could not remember. So which side are you on, do variants help or hurt the hobby?

3 comments

3 Comments

jake_torres6823d ago

Wait three different covers for the same book and you didn't even finish the issue? That is wild, man. I'd be lying if I said I haven't done basically the exact same thing though.

graydavis1mo ago

I remember reading an interview with a comic shop owner who said variants are basically a tax on collectors who don't read. He claimed his store made more money off variant covers than actual comics some months. That stuck with me because he wasn't wrong about the numbers, but I still think there's room for both. I buy a lot of Peach Momoko covers because her style is just cool. But I also force myself to actually read at least the first issue of anything I spend cover price on. If I'm not gonna read it, I might as well be buying a poster instead.

terryk281mo ago

Man, that reminds me of the time I bought three different Deadpool #1 covers and never finished the issue.