Sadly it has come to this

cjv · Post by **cjv** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 9:43 pm

Well, I have decided that I will get the Valiant issues, but I am no longer going to try get each alternative cover. At $4 per book, and with more titles coming out, I can't get all regular, pullbox, and non-incentive covers (such as the 8-bit covers) which is too bad as I really liked them. If I did, that would probably be about $60+ just for Valiant books. One cover (regular, pullbox, or other incentive) will be it.

Unless someone starts to offer a combo deal for buying all the "regular" titles. Or Valiant comes out with a "combined" issue, with multiple covers on one issue.

How early do they show the covers? I know on this site, they have the October books already, but only the regular issues.

Chris

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:10 pm

cjv wrote:Well, I have decided that I will get the Valiant issues, but I am no longer going to try get each alternative cover. Chris

I gave up some time ago. I was in my LCS today, saw a variant of the a&A recent issue I hadn't seen before and put it back on the shelf. I'll pick up variants for #1 issues but that's where I draw the line.

But it's had a weird effect, it makes me buy other stuff. My LCS has tons of Marvel hardcovers marked down to anywhere between $7 to $20 (Masterworks, cover price of $50). So when I decline a X-O number whatever 1:15 for $20, it helps me justify spending money on these.

swtor1091 · Post by **swtor1091** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:13 pm

cjv wrote:Well, I have decided that I will get the Valiant issues, but I am no longer going to try get each alternative cover. At $4 per book, and with more titles coming out, I can't get all regular, pullbox, and non-incentive covers (such as the 8-bit covers) which is too bad as I really liked them. If I did, that would probably be about $60+ just for Valiant books. One cover (regular, pullbox, or other incentive) will be it.

Unless someone starts to offer a combo deal for buying all the "regular" titles. Or Valiant comes out with a "combined" issue, with multiple covers on one issue.

How early do they show the covers? I know on this site, they have the October books already, but only the regular issues.

Chris

I just get the variants that I can't live with out which is one a month maybe two

chriskay99 · Post by **chriskay99** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 11:53 pm

I think I'm going to end up going this route as well. My LCS puts both the regular and pullbox covers in my pull file, and I'll probably continue to pick those up but chasing down variants - I'll just go after the ones I really like. I was on a tear for a while there, but even after this short of a time with VEI, I'm like, why did I get these Bloodshot variants?

bygranddesign · Post by **bygranddesign** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 8:45 am

I think most of us are in the same boat

I was collecting both reg and pull covers .... but now I'm being more picky - choosing the cover I like best to take home. If its an important issue and I like the covers ill take both home

For example this week I think I'll pick up the Robinson Shadowman cover over the Johnson cover. I'll probably get all the QW covers I can get my hands on since I like them all and it's the 2nd issue

caxiotis · Post by **caxiotis** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 9:14 am

I gave up on incentive covers in December, but was still buying all 50/50 variants. I went down to one cover on each book last week.

I would bet most of us have done this or are thinking about it

400yrs · Post by **400yrs** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 9:29 am

caxiotis wrote:
I would bet most of us have done this or are thinking about it

Yep. I bought the 8 bits in addition to the regular covers that my shop pulled for me, but for the most part, I think I'm going to stick to just one cover.

kevinbastos · Post by **kevinbastos** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 3:08 pm

I am just about ready to cut back to only the 1:20's.

Then look on the after-market later.

GGSAE · Post by **GGSAE** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 3:30 pm

I just focus on the titles I've been already collecting (Harbinger, X-0, and maybe Shadowman). The others, and the new ones that come out I have little desire to go after the variants. Echoing what others have said in the past, it's pretty easy to stop going after them once you 'fall behind' on the variants. I think the worse part is, that there's so many covers I lose track of which issues I have, and which variant is which. In time I'll look to grab the others if I can get them cheap...

FormerReader · Post by **FormerReader** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 5:14 pm

I went down to just the regular covers this month. I'll still pick up an occasional variant, but that's it.

Knightt · Post by **Knightt** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 5:16 pm

cjv... it 'is' difficult to keep going after all these covers. I fell behind from the very beginning and had quite a lot of anxiety over it. Just too many variants to collect and variants for no other reason than to 'be a variant'.

As my LCS gave no discount, I go here to get my comics:

http://www.dcbservice.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What has been a real help is the 50% off bundles of Valiant:

http://www.dcbservice.com/category.aspx?id=1&pid=417986" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Getting a shipment once per month, I pay about $6.77 in shipping for that month. Still I think I'm saving quite a bit over the LCS. I hate NOT to use a brick and mortar LCS but my income is more important to me than his income.

I think that I sense Valiant fans 'feel bad' about not being able to buy/find all variant covers, I even saw the words,

I just get the variants that I can't live with out...

(no offense to the person posting it AT ALL, it just happens to be an opportune quote that showed up in the thread)

IMO IMO IMO IMO a variant cover is never something one can't live without because Valiant shouldn't be about variant covers, but it has... it has turned into a gimmick to sell issues. It should be about the storytelling and you can get that every month is a regular issue.

Maybe I'm wrong ? Maybe Valiant title #XX sells out because the reading populace ARE eating it up... but I'm not entirely sure exactly why Valiant titles sell out in any given month as the announcements report.

I could possibly save 30-40% off my current reduced monthly comic bill if I stuck to just one copy of a monthly Valiant issue. It may come to that. I sure am sorry to see that these kind of threads are even appearing because I don't think many of us were prepared to be inundated by variant covers to the point where we would have to choose what to keep and what to drop.

Check out DCBS though, I've been really pleased with the service and the money that I save. It keeps me reading Valiant.

comicsyte95 · Post by **comicsyte95** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 5:37 pm

Im in the same boat.I only buy 1 of each issue(the pull box or the variant whichever I like best).But I will still pick up any tpb's or HC Valiant produces.

schnuth · Post by **schnuth** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:08 pm

400yrs wrote: Yep. I bought the 8 bits in addition to the regular covers that my shop pulled for me, but for the most part, I think I'm going to stick to just one cover.

I've gone down to regular covers as well. But in the case of the 8-bit variants, I ordered those instead of the regular ones. They were too good to pass up, but I didn't feel like I got stuck buying multiple copies of the same book. Thankfully VEI is charging the same for the 8-bit covers so I'll be getting the next batch as well.

When the new books came out I was so excited I bought everything I could get my hands on. While my excitement for these books hasn't diminished, I'm thinking a lot more rationally about my purchases now.

Variants are nice, but buying them all is not enjoyable for me as a Valiant fan.

Aaron

Knightt · Post by **Knightt** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:28 pm

schnuth wrote:
400yrs wrote:Variants are nice, but buying them all is not enjoyable for me as a Valiant fan.

Why not ?

iggy101us · Post by **iggy101us** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 9:08 pm

I was getting regular and pullbox for a while and went to just regular cover before the 8-bit variant. I started ordering just the 50% off bundle every month from DCBS a few months ago.

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 9:41 pm

kevinbastos wrote:I am just about ready to cut back to only the 1:20's.

Then look on the after-market later.

That's what I'm thinking. Pick them up a con a year later for less than they're going for at release.

cjv · Post by **cjv** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:10 am

I don't want this to turn into a thread of benefits for/against variant covers. I think that has been discussed to death. I was merely pointing out with the success of Valiant and adding more titles (good), I personally am being forced to make a decision about variant issues (bad). That's all.

I do strongly believe that the years of trying to be a completionist with the old Valiant led to the "I must have everything" mentality that is the primary reason I want to colelct all the variant issues.

Chris

schnuth · Post by **schnuth** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 11:34 am

cjv wrote:I do strongly believe that the years of trying to be a completionist with the old Valiant led to the "I must have everything" mentality that is the primary reason I want to collect all the variant issues.

Chris

I completely agree 100%. It's taken me awhile to adjust to the new reality of Valiant collecting as well.

Aaron

JonesyAZ · Post by **JonesyAZ** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 1:20 pm

CJV,

I totally respect your decision on this

Personally, i've had to do the same as I just cannot afford to "collect 'em all." What I personally do now is if I have a choice of regular, pullbox or other variant on release day, I look at them all and only buy the ones that I really want. For example, the 8-bit cover month...I only purchased those variants for those issues, and saved some cash in the long run.

Now granted...I do sometimes buy variants when I can afford to, but because I cannot afford everything and because it is a stressor for me to try to get every cover, I just choose not to.

MoonChild · Post by **MoonChild** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:12 pm

Same boat. I bought the 1:20's when they sold em to me for eight bucks, they raised it to ten & I didn't mind so much because I only buy em to flip anyhow (support the habbit) but once they tried to raise to 15 I told em i'll pass. They said they just dont sell enough Valiants to merrit ordering 20 copies per book. I do pick up all the regular variants that I like (8-Bit etc). Been considering switching to TPB but haven't made the plunge just yet. Still excited about the launch.

Aram · Post by **Aram** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:22 pm

I think that the Variants were good in the beginning and now are losing their purpose as people are dropping them.

I think they should be cut back very soon and replaced...

WITH COUPONS!

Collect Coupons in issues 5-15 of Eternal Warrior and send them in to VEI for an exclusive Eternal Warrior 0.1 Gold! Follow with other titles same kind of thing. An exclusive book, only with sending in coupons.

Why? What will that do?? Make everyone who is Variant crazy buy extra books for 10 issues just to cut out the coupon...

GGSAE · Post by **GGSAE** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:47 pm

I think the general feel on the board of, wanting to do everything you can to support Valiant, is what drives a lot of completists.

But the way I see it, is that I give VF books far more leeway than any other publishers (Hell I gave A&A about 6 issues extra to try to convince me before I dropped it), but the pull-box variants to me just like like a cheap way to sell the same cover twice - it's not exclusive to sub lists at all.
So I'll be moving forward and taking that money that I spent on those and putting them toward new books of some other comics I've recently picked up. I do plan on buying the rest of the missing covers in time, I have a feeling they'll be cheaper that way, and it will be more fun to scoop them out of back issue bins. And by doing that you're still supporting VE1, just not paying the 'new car' price.

MoonChild · Post by **MoonChild** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:53 pm

GGSAE wrote:I think the general feel on the board of, wanting to do everything you can to support Valiant, is what drives a lot of completists.

But the way I see it, is that I give VF books far more leeway than any other publishers (Hell I gave A&A about 6 issues extra to try to convince me before I dropped it), but the pull-box variants to me just like like a cheap way to sell the same cover twice - it's not exclusive to sub lists at all.
So I'll be moving forward and taking that money that I spent on those and putting them toward new books of some other comics I've recently picked up. I do plan on buying the rest of the missing covers in time, I have a feeling they'll be cheaper that way, and it will be more fun to scoop them out of back issue bins. And by doing that you're still supporting VE1, just not paying the 'new car' price.

Agreed

hulk181man · Post by **hulk181man** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 8:54 pm

GGSAE wrote:I just focus on the titles I've been already collecting (Harbinger, X-0, and maybe Shadowman). The others, and the new ones that come out I have little desire to go after the variants. Echoing what others have said in the past, it's pretty easy to stop going after them once you 'fall behind' on the variants. I think the worse part is, that there's so many covers I lose track of which issues I have, and which variant is which. In time I'll look to grab the others if I can get them cheap...

Agreed, if I find 'em cheap at a con I'll pick them up, otherwise it's generally one version per book.

CallMeBloodshot · Post by **CallMeBloodshot** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 9:22 pm

Wow is this what constitutes as a hardship these days? What has happened to us?

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