Collecting Variants

comicguy · Post by **comicguy** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 2:38:01 pm

I just started to get some of the Valiant Varients(still need some of the regular issues though).
What I am wondering is it worth it to collect them?
I guess what I mean is how does everyone feel about collecting variants?

Do you have to have the variants to feel that you have a complete set?

Just getting people's opinions.

myron · Post by **myron** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 4:01:06 pm

That is probably only something you can decide yourself...someone on the boards before mentioned something about a completionist fetish (help me out here guys...it was fairly recent). If you need to complete your set for the sake of completing it, go for it. I can't see paying some of the big money that some of the varients are gonna bring (yeah...I did just pay $19 for a blue rai

) but I didn't have a Rai TPB so I figured what the hell...

jusdb · Post by **jusdb** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 4:04:34 pm

ive only picked them up in lots from ebay or when i got them for very very good deals...like a gold rai 9 for $1.25.

i woud probably pick up any i found in the $5 range...ive found about 3 or so....

they aren't super important to me. im just looking for one of every regular release issue.

dave · Post by **dave** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 4:10:37 pm

i feel the same way. they are not that important to me either-i plan on getting them for $5 or under-or waiting. eventually i'll have only a few left and io might spend more then, but not right now.

if you are planning on getting them though-i would get them now, before they go up any higher. i'm wondering how that overstreet thing is going to affect prices/demand.

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 7:22:15 pm

As a rule I don't go out of my way to get the variants of a title I like to collect. Normally I don't care.
BUT, The Valiant variants are so cool to own and the speculator side of me hopes they will make me piles of money some day!

R Daneel · Post by **R Daneel** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 8:29:58 am

I admit it ... I need them all! I dunno that its because I'm a completionist, I just happen to subscribe to the "ohhhhhh that is cool" theory.

I guesss that is why I paid $2.43 for a Valiant balloon a few years ago.

DawgPhan · Post by **DawgPhan** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 8:36:34 am

jusdb wrote:ive only picked them up in lots from ebay or when i got them for very very good deals...like a gold rai 9 for $1.25.

i woud probably pick up any i found in the $5 range...ive found about 3 or so....

they aren't super important to me. im just looking for one of every regular release issue.

This is how I am. I am more worried about my complete set of regular issues before I worry about spending the dough on those variants, but I will pick any of them up if they are about 5 bucks or less. And yes you can still find them like that...hell last weekend I found 2 deathmate pinks for .25 each. Not that great but still a variant.

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:02:38 pm

I say the hell to all of you non-variant collectors. Need I remind you that the reason Valiant was so cool was because of the variants they produced? Hey, I'm all for the regular comics too but not collecting the variants is like having a barbie and not getting her any clothes. The clothes may not be essential but they are just as entertaining if not more so...

DawgPhan · Post by **DawgPhan** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:17:42 pm

I think that I would rather have a barbie with no clothes....wink wink....

I think that is all.....also valiant was not cool because they put "gold" on the little box and the logo....but I know that you do not honestly believe that so i will let you slide

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:00:16 pm

My mistake. I should of said "ONE of the reasons Valiant was so cool..". Because if it wasn't for the stories, I wouldn't be here obviously. However, the variants are indeed like a nake barbie. Naked barbie is still moveable, she can play in a doll house and ride in her fancy car. You don't need clothes to get the full effect of your barbie (my god, I can't believe I'm actually talking about playing with dolls

). But the clothes add something extra.

That's the way it is with me and variants. To have one in my hands adds nothing extra to the storyline but it does make me feel like I own another piece of the valiant history that just not everyone will get a chance to own and that adds something extra.

DawgPhan · Post by **DawgPhan** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 4:18:59 pm

I would like to thank everyone for taking part is the first discusion in the new silver age of the valiant comics forum. or is this forum v2.0 what should we name the new forum?...anyway i think that your point would be better taken if it was a naked ken doll....then I would HAVE to get those clothes and all of them

but as far as naked barbie goes I think that she is better than the clothed one and the real reason that any boy would even talk about barbie was the fact that she was naked under those clothes.

but yeah your point is taken..I think that no one on here would turn down a platinum bloodshot if they happened upon one in a .25 ben. because of the "no one has this but I do" effect that having those sort of things have...I really think that we are saying the same thing, but in different way...I am just happy to have this board back and to take part in the first discussion of the silver age of valiantcomics.....

dino · Post by **dino** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 4:34:44 pm

I agree with whetteon. I love the valiant storys but I still NEED the variants. For me they are a part of the greater valiant story. The story of the company and of Shooters vision. I can't stop looking at my Harbie Pink or Unity red and at the same time I can't bear to look at the cover of Magnus 25. It amazes me that Shooter created such a compelling universe that variants like the unity red went toe to toe with blue chip books like Silver Surfer 1.

and DawgPhan I hope your right about the silver age of valiants. A lot more people should be enjoying these books.

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 5:57:03 pm

I think more people will be looking at Valiants shortly. I think this was mentioned before but when the next Overstreet's annual price guide comes out there are hintsthat more commentary will be devoted to an upsurge in Valiant interest and prices. A lot of people take that book as gospel so maybe we can see Greg's site picking up a lot more exposure and the Hall of Shame taking on mythic proportions!
What is with all the barbie talk??

Ax · Post by Ax » Thu Feb 05, 2004 6:12:21 pm

Knightt_333 wrote:Would that mean we collect Direct Sales AND Newsstand Sales books now as well ? Probably not... nobody has beat down my doors trying to scarf MY Newsstand Sales editions, hehehe (thats because they are MINE.... MINE I TELL YOU !!!)

They are just in denial. Deep down inside, those big dorks know that they have to have all the newsstand versions to have a truly complete set.

qrnd · Post by **qrnd** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 7:44:32 pm

Now Im wondering how many of us will sell our complete sets once/if the values go skyrocketing? I might sell some key issues, but I dont think Id be able to part with everything.

R Daneel · Post by **R Daneel** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 8:03:35 pm

I’m a barbie girl, in a barbie world
Life in plastic, it’s fantastic.
you can brush my hair, undress me everywhere.
Imagination, that is your creation.

dave · Post by **dave** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 8:40:25 pm

look-the truth is-none of you know anything-why you're all a bunch of level one lame-o's...what did you JUST now hear about valiants?...oh wait-i'm a level one lame-o too-i forgot.

i think that valiant variants are GREAT! really i do, but i'm just not going to pay more than $5 for them. not because they're not worth it-more so because-i prefer to eat...i didn't go to medical school either ckb!

i think that the variants made valiant an even cooler company, but even that aspect of their coolness they made even better by GIVING so many away. they rewarded their fans. they CARED about us ( i think)
and they wrote great stories. what more could you ask for?

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 9:38:22 pm

I agree that Variants are an important part of Valiant history, and comic history in general. How many other companies rewarded thier readers with a "special" cover for promoting thier company and being a fan? Valiant started it all. Some variants are more than just a gold logo. The EW Gold embossed is one example. My favorite is the Ninjak Gold. The rest of the chrome cover has a "prism" effect. Valiant set the standard for variants. Within a just a few years every company had to have some type of variant. And this extends to the present. We have alternate covers, gold versions, signed versions, B&W versions, sketch cover versions..............it goes on and on.

Valiant set the bar and every company since has been trying to raise it.

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:18:14 pm

Most beautiful variant has to be XO #0 gold. The regular edition is sweet, but the gold edition makes it even better. Its classic Bart Sears!

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:34:46 pm

Ok, even though the old board is gone...Joe Petrilak STILL owes me one of every Valiant variant, AND a can of A&A and EW brew each.

Paid for in 2000, never shipped. Silly bastich.

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:01:22 am

lobo wrote:Most beautiful variant has to be XO #0 gold. The regular edition is sweet, but the gold edition makes it even better. Its classic Bart Sears!

.......It is very hard for it to be classic Bart Sears when it was done by Joe Quesada. Just thought that needed pointing out.

dino · Post by **dino** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 2:21:14 am

I dont care where the prices go Im keeping my valiants.

oh and one of my favourite variants has always been Turok 1 gold. I love the way some of the colour on the chromium seems gold

R Daneel · Post by **R Daneel** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 8:36:02 am

lobo wrote:Most beautiful variant has to be XO #0 gold. The regular edition is sweet, but the gold edition makes it even better. Its classic Bart Sears!

Pencils weren't done by Sears, were they? I'm probably showing some supreme ignorance here, but can you tell an artists style on inks or coloring? Did Sears do one of these? I'm pretty sure Quesada did the pencils for that one...

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:05:45 am

dino wrote:I dont care where the prices go Im keeping my valiants.

oh and one of my favourite variants has always been Turok 1 gold. I love the way some of the colour on the chromium seems gold

See, this is where I have to disagree with another forum buddy. When prices reach the level where I can trade for key silver age issues, I'm pulling the old switcheroo. Until then, I'll just ride the wave!

greg · Post by **greg** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:16:28 am

whetteon wrote:When prices reach the level where I can trade for key silver age issues, I'm pulling the old switcheroo.

What condition are you hoping for on the silver age switch?
I doubt that Valiant issues will catch Silver Age key near mint...
They probably won't catch Silver Age key fine...
They might catch some Silver Age good... but is that really a good trade?
You'll see at least two copies of Silver Age keys in good condition
for every one copy of Harbinger #1 in strict near mint.
(What if it was the 1970s and you had an opportunity to trade
strict near mint Silver Age for good condition Golden Age?)