INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, IRON MAN VIVA LAS VEGAS SELL OUT, SECOND PRINTS COMING

[MattBrady]

Press Release

Marvel is pleased to announce that both Invincible Iron Man #1 and Iron Viva Las Vegas #1, featuring the star of the #1 movie for two weeks, have sold out at Diamond and will return with new printings! Invincible Iron Man #1 Second Printing features two variant covers, one featuring the first armor from the hit film, as painted by Ryan Meinerberg, and the second featuring a new version of the standard cover by Salvador Larroca (which will be revealed later this week)! Meanwhile, Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas #1 Second Printing Variant, from Iron Man director Jon Favreau, sports a new cover featuring the stunning interior art of Adi Granov!

“We’re happy to see that fans, new and old, were able to discover both the new Iron Man series we launched along side the hit movie,” said David Gabriel, Senior Vice-President of Sales & Circulation. “With these new printings and lots of new Iron Man collections in stores, there’s never been a better time to be an Iron Man fan!”

Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on all issues of Invincible Iron Man and Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas, as the hero continues to generate buzz all over the world!

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 SECOND PRINTING LARROCA VARIANT (MAR088276)
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 SECOND PRINTING MOVIE VARIANT (MAR088277)
Written by MATT FRACTION
Pencils & 50/50 Variant Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
50/50 Variant Cover by RYAN MEINERDING
Rated A …$2.99
FOC—05/22/08, On-Sale—06/11/08

IRON MAN: VIVA LAS VEGAS #1 (of 4) SECOND PRINTING VARIANT (APR088022)
Written by JON FAVREAU
Pencils & Cover by ADI GRANOV
Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC—05/22/08, On-Sale—06/11/08

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #2 (APR082272)
Written by MATT FRACTION
Art & Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
50/50 Variant Cover by BRANDON PETERSON
Rated A …$2.99
FOC—05/15/08, On-Sale—06/04/08

IRON MAN: VIVA LAS VEGAS #2 (of 4) (APR082275)
Written by JON FAVREAU
Pencils & Cover by ADI GRANOV
Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC—05/15/08, On-Sale—06/04/08

[BinMan]

Yay for Iron Man! Between the movie and his recent comics appearances, he's become my favourite Marvel character as a Marvel-newbie.

[SpaceButler]

Who knew I would be buying an Iron Man comic again? Anyhow, Invincible Iron Man was pretty good, I will probably keep getting it for a while. I wish I could say I didn't regret buying Viva Las Vegas after I finished reading it.

[Moosarama]

Given how sharp the script of the movie was, I was shocked at how awful Favreau's Viva Lost Vegas was. I mean, I know a few other TV/film guys had a rough transition adapting to the comic format, but ouch.

[captaincurse]

Those are two great covers!

[Robb Welch]

Was it really THAT bad??

[SpaceButler]

Originally Posted by Robb Welch

Was it really THAT bad??

Mostly it suffered from some rookie comics writer mistakes. There wasn't a lot of it there. Someone finds a dragon in China. Iron Man stops a hijacker. He goes to Las Vegas. He has a threesome. Lizards start crawling all over Las Vegas, Tony says "Leaping lizards." The dragon is now placed in front of a casino looking ominous. It felt like half an issue and I paid $3.99 for it. That's what I meant about regretting it, at least.

[ejulp]

Was strange how far off my expectations they were. Viva Las Vegas was unbelievably flat, with cardboard dialogue, and a plot that merely "showed up" and walked through the motions to begin a story...I was expecting a lot more from it.

I knew Invincible Iron Man would be good, but I didn't expect it to be as great as it was. It was easily the best mainstream issue of a comic Fraction has written outside of Casanova. It was smart, cool, funny...I can't get across how fresh AND smart the entire issue comes across as. Larroca pulls out his a-game as well...check out http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=16360 ... commentary for the issue and see just how much invention Larroca pulls from beyond the scripts as well.

[Spidey616]

And it begins....

Wow great news for Marvel and Iron Man.

Wonder if the same thing will happen to Hulk #4 in June, especially since the previous 3 issues have already sold out.

[pabscm]

Thanks to Invincible Iron Man, I now have 2 Marvel titles on my P&H list. It was really good.

[rwe1138]

Cool. Hopefully this will lead to more Marvel work by Favreau.

[Gordon Lee]

Wow! Already? We've still copies of each on our shelves.

[Dan Feeser]

Covers 9 and 10 for Invincible Iron Man #1. The variants are getting way out of control. I'm all for keeping issues on the shelves, because Iron Man was an awesome flick, but 10 different covers?!

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Invincible Iron Man #1 Second Printing features two variant covers, one featuring the first armor from the hit film, as painted by Ryan Meinerberg, and the second featuring a new version of the standard cover by Salvador Larroca (which will be revealed later this week)!

Bet that the Larocca variant will be the first cover coloured as the Mark II armour from the film (the grey version of the main armour, which iced up when he flew too high).

[ZeoVGM]

Originally Posted by Dan Feeser

Covers 9 and 10 for Invincible Iron Man #1. The variants are getting way out of control. I'm all for keeping issues on the shelves, because Iron Man was an awesome flick, but 10 different covers?!

That's wrong though. They did a lot of variants on the first issue of a new series that came out the week following that character's first movie.

It's all marketing and it in NO way hurts the industry.

There was simply a 50/50 and a movie variant. 4 incentives (with 1 being a very rare movie variant). To those who don't give a crap about variants, there were simply 3 options to choose from. To those who care about variants, there you go. More to collect.

I'm one of those people, but I didn't end up getting any of the incentives because they were ALL SPOKEN FOR a half hour after the store opened last week.

People buy them. There are a good number of collectors who like these variants.

You're not forced to buy them and neither are comic shops. But it HELPS them in the long run if they end up ordering a lot of one issue, because that means they get incentives that collectors might want.

Now we have a second printing, which is very unfair to hold against a company as "oh God, yet another cover". The 50/50 thing on a variant isn't something that happens often, of course, but it just gives you a choice.

Pick one cover, the one you like the most. No need to complain about variants if it doens't effect you.

Also, what's with the Viva Las Vegas hate? I really enjoyed it. It's just supposed to be a fun old store, like Legacy of Doom.

[Moosarama]

Originally Posted by ZeoVGM

That's wrong though. They did a lot of variants on the first issue of a new series that came out the week following that character's first movie.

Like which character and which movie?

It's all marketing and it in NO way hurts the industry.

Because marketing has everyone's best interests at heart.

There was simply a 50/50 and a movie variant. 4 incentives (with 1 being a very rare movie variant). To those who don't give a crap about variants, there were simply 3 options to choose from. To those who care about variants, there you go. More to collect.

Well, there you go. Seven covers. Me, I would commission seven different covers for seven different issues of a comic, rather than just one issue, but I'm silly like that.

I'm one of those people, but I didn't end up getting any of the incentives because they were ALL SPOKEN FOR a half hour after the store opened last week.

Feels good, doesn't it?

People buy them. There are a good number of collectors who like these variants.

Because that's who we need driving this industry: collectors.

You're not forced to buy them and neither are comic shops. But it HELPS them in the long run if they end up ordering a lot of one issue, because that means they get incentives that collectors might want.

And it might mean they get stuck with a whole lot of extra copies of one issue, and the issue after that they ordered relatively high on.

Now we have a second printing, which is very unfair to hold against a company as "oh God, yet another cover". The 50/50 thing on a variant isn't something that happens often, of course, but it just gives you a choice.

There's a choice with just a single cover: to buy the issue or not to buy the issue. Why complicate things needlessly just to pander to people who will buy multiple copies?

Pick one cover, the one you like the most. No need to complain about variants if it doens't effect you.

Given what variants did to the industry 10-15 years ago, and given how we're all fans of that industry, I'd say it affects us all, but thanks for the suggestion.

Also, what's with the Viva Las Vegas hate? I really enjoyed it. It's just supposed to be a fun old store, like Legacy of Doom.

A "fun old store" doesn't necessarily mean it's a "good old store." It's an instruction manual on how to use cliches.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by ZeoVGM

There was simply a 50/50 and a movie variant. 4 incentives (with 1 being a very rare movie variant).

*points out that the photo cover was the only cover outside the DM, whether or not it was rare inside it*

[Dan Feeser]

Originally Posted by Somebody

*points out that the photo cover was the only cover outside the DM, whether or not it was rare inside it*

There are two photo covers. The newsstand version on the left and the "rare" cover, a 1 in 100 cover, on the right.



There's also a JoeQ Wizard World Philly cover that wasn't included in Zeo's count. Add the two covers for the second print and, yeah, double digit covers.

Originally Posted by ZeoVGM

That's wrong though. They did a lot of variants on the first issue of a new series that came out the week following that character's first movie.

Such as?

It's all marketing and it in NO way hurts the industry.

Well, no, it doesn't hurt the industry. It hurts the consumers that think they need these variants.

Two covers to a second print is just silly. Especially when we get to the inevitable third print.

And, no, I don't buy into the variant B.S., but putting out these variants has little to do with marketing to new readers because they saw a kickass film. People new to a comic shop are just going to be confused by the different covers and maybe buy more than one thinking it's different things. You call it "marketing," I call it deceptive. And of course the ridiculous number of variants on this issue is Avatar level preying on the OCD collectors and their wallets.

But, you're right, it doesn't affect me. Sorry, I was concerned about others.

[ZeoVGM]

Like which character and which movie?

Such as?

... Are you two okay?

Which character and which movie?

Uh, Iron Man. ... And Iron Man.

Well, there you go. Seven covers. Me, I would commission seven different covers for seven different issues of a comic, rather than just one issue, but I'm silly like that.

Good point, I guess the next six issues won't have covers because the first issue took all the covers left.

A "fun old store" doesn't necessarily mean it's a "good old store." It's an instruction manual on how to use cliches.

Ah, proving your maturity. I see what you did there. Pointed out that I made a typo twice. Good job.

Feels good, doesn't it?

Uh, well I wanted them. So I was bummed they were already gone. Put the pretentiousness away.

Because that's who we need driving this industry: collectors.

They don't drive the industry. Please don't pretend they're the majority because they're not. Collectors do it for fun.

Well, no, it doesn't hurt the industry. It hurts the consumers that think they need these variants.

But it's this flat out stupidity that gets on my nerves.

Consumers that "think they need" them. Do you realize that doesn't even make sense? Consumers make the choice. It does not hurt consumers. This is fact.

The end of it is this: if you don't like variants, don't buy them. They do not affect you. At all. Stop bitching about it on behalf of others as if they're stupid for liking them.

[Dan Feeser]

Originally Posted by ZeoVGM

... Are you two okay?

Which character and which movie?

Uh, Iron Man. ... And Iron Man.

I know I misread that as you saying Marvel had done this in the past with other movies. I'd guess the other poster did too.

Consumers that "think they need" them. Do you realize that doesn't even make sense? Consumers make the choice. It does not hurt consumers. This is fact.

Saying "This is fact" doesn't make something a fact. The comic industry has survived, in part, because of the collector, OCD mentality of being a completionist. There are folks out there who genuinely waste money they don't have to get every issue of a series and every cover of that series. It is exactly because they "think they need them."

And I'll "bitch" about them all I want since 1) it's an open board and 2) ridiculous amounts of variants were part of the industry's downfall in the mid 90s and something like that happening again does affect me.

[ZeoVGM]

Originally Posted by Dan Feeser

The comic industry has survived, in part, because of the collector, OCD mentality of being a completionist.

Okay, so the industry is helped by it then. So now you give a great reason for variants.

There are folks out there who genuinely waste money they don't have to get every issue of a series and every cover of that series. It is exactly because they "think they need them."

Buying comics is "wasting money" to most people. Why? Because they don't like them themselves.

It's not "wasting" money if people enjoy spending their money on it. By that logic, buying comics at all is a waste of money.

And I'll "bitch" about them all I want since 1) it's an open board and 2) ridiculous amounts of variants were part of the industry's downfall in the mid 90s and something like that happening again does affect me.

It's a different case than it was in the 90's. A comic retailer himself made this point a while back on this very forum.

[Moosarama]

Originally Posted by ZeoVGM

Good point, I guess the next six issues won't have covers because the first issue took all the covers left.

How did you get that?

Ah, proving your maturity. I see what you did there. Pointed out that I made a typo twice. Good job.

And I made a point which you just decided to ignore.

Uh, well I wanted them. So I was bummed they were already gone. Put the pretentiousness away.

I don't think you know what that word means.

They don't drive the industry. Please don't pretend they're the majority because they're not. Collectors do it for fun.

They drive the production of variant covers. All these announcements are simply to pander to a small percentage of readers. Is that healthy?

But it's this flat out stupidity that gets on my nerves.

Consumers that "think they need" them. Do you realize that doesn't even make sense? Consumers make the choice.

But the companies are the ones trying to convince consumers that they need these variants. Does anyone need cigarettes? No, but then why do people start smoking?

The end of it is this: if you don't like variants, don't buy them. They do not affect you. At all.

Wrong, but okay, you should tell people what to do because you clearly have people's best interests at heart.

Stop bitching about it on behalf of others as if they're stupid for liking them.

Your words.

[Moosarama]

Originally Posted by ZeoVGM

Okay, so the industry is helped by it then. So now you give a great reason for variants.

No, they reward the publisher by buying multiple titles of a comic that may not be worthy of such business from a creative standpoint. It was the collectors who stuck around through the Clone Saga and Onslaught and Superman Red/Blue.

It's a different case than it was in the 90's. A comic retailer himself made this point a while back on this very forum.

That doesn't mean it's so completely different that the industry couldn't burst again. Publishers pushed their greed until they pushed too far, and as a result Marvel declared bankruptcy and tons of retailers closed shop (three of the four that had been open in my area). Regardless of how different things are now, the publishers are pushing again with 10+ Iron Man covers. Is this really a good idea?

[ME5]

Hello.

To Moosarama, Dan Feeser, and ZeoVGM:

Very interesting debate with good points on both sides. I would like to add my 2 cents.

1--The era of variants we have today is vastly different than it was in the 90's. The people who buy variants today are not so much the collector who "needs" to complete a set like they were in the 90's because the people in the 90's were mostly speculating whereas a lot of the people buying the variants today do so for the actual art on the variants. That is what people who buy variants are stating when they are asked, be it in stores, at cons, or online at sites like Newsarama. While I hate the idea of multiple variants, especially like we saw with Iron Man #1, I am not the intended target. For those people who are the intended target, the variants are great. For various retailers, the variants are great, and for the Publishers, the variants are great. So far. Whether or not that will last is unknown. At this point in time, though, if you ask retailers, most of the ones I have asked or seen respond to the question online or at cons, have stated that they are not having any problems with the variants because they are for a specific target group and not pushed as must haves for every new comic reader that enters the store with $20 in their pocket. That is a key difference:in the 90's, many new collectors with money who came into a store had people pushing high priced garbage speculator crap at them which turned out to not be worth the paper it was printed on. Today, only specific collectors have these variants pushed at them because retailers who survived the 90's know better how to deal with their customers and want to keep them.

2--These announcements are aimed at informing people about specific sell outs that Publishers feel both retailers and collectors will be interested in. This is not pandering, it is informative. It is also a useful form of hype. Again, though, most of the people reading these announcements are people who have at least some knowledge of comics and the comic market, and are not likely to be new readers who just happened to find this site and hopped onto this thread. These announcements are not going to cause a bunch of newbie collectors to run out and buy a ton of IM#1 variants or 2nd prints. These announcements let retailers and some others who are interested in this stuff know about the fact that specific comics are sold out at Diamond. It is information, not pandering.

3--No, Publishers are not trying to tell people they "need" variants. They are simply producing them for the people who do want them. Your smoking analogy is completely off, by the way. People start smoking for varied reasons, but get hooked by addictive ingredients in the cigarettes that make it almost impossible to quit. There is nothing in comics that cause people to become addicted to them and force people to buy them. Comics are always a choice, cigarettes are far less a choice with each one you have. I can stop buying comics, variant or otherwise, far more easily than my Mother was able to quit smoking.

4--

There are folks out there who genuinely waste money they don't have to get every issue of a series and every cover of that series.

Actually, it is highly improbable and unlikely that there are people wasting money they don't have to buy variant covers. I would love if you could provide examples of the people buying comics rather than food, though... Seriously, no offence meant, I think that there are people wasting their entertainment funds on multiple copies of the same comic, but I doubt that the money spent is money "they don't have".

5--I don't think variant covers, especially multiple variant covers for the same issue, are good for the overall industry because of the potential for damage that we have seen first hand with what happened in the 90's. However, it is hard to deny the fact that they seem to sell and have not appeared to cause any major market shifts, so far, this time around. I attribute that to the intelligence of those retailers who survived the first variant glut and crash having learned from it and doing their part to ensure that such a problem does not occur again.

Nice debate, so far.

Be Well...

[Moosarama]

Originally Posted by ME5

Hello.

Welcome back.

The era of variants we have today is vastly different than it was in the 90's. The people who buy variants today are not so much the collector who "needs" to complete a set like they were in the 90's because the people in the 90's were mostly speculating whereas a lot of the people buying the variants today do so for the actual art on the variants.

One word: ebay. Whereas last decade's collectors used to nab variants to hold onto them in the hope that in thirty years they'd be able to comfortably retire with the money the comics could sell for, today people buy them up, mark them up, and throw them up on ebay. It works, and it works quickly.

For various retailers, the variants are great

I don't see this. Brian Hibbs at the least has been very outspoken against them. Granted, he's probably the most outspoken retailer on the net, but I think there's much wisdom to his words.

Today, only specific collectors have these variants pushed at them because retailers who survived the 90's know better how to deal with their customers and want to keep them.

But don't you find it odd that announcements like this press release are pandering to such a small crowd?

These announcements are aimed at informing people about specific sell outs that Publishers feel both retailers and collectors will be interested in. This is not pandering, it is informative.

What reader who is interested enough about the comic to look it up on Newsarama would not have bought or ordered a copy already?

It is also a useful form of hype.

Hype is only useful to the publishers, and I'm more concerned with the treatment of readers and retailers.

Again, though, most of the people reading these announcements are people who have at least some knowledge of comics and the comic market, and are not likely to be new readers who just happened to find this site and hopped onto this thread.

Exactly.

These announcements are not going to cause a bunch of newbie collectors to run out and buy a ton of IM#1 variants or 2nd prints.

Er, I'm not sure what a "newbie collector" would be, but it is informing collectors that there are two new covers to add to their collections.

These announcements let retailers and some others who are interested in this stuff know about the fact that specific comics are sold out at Diamond. It is information, not pandering.

But it only informs the retailers so that they can provide the issues for the collectors. It is very narrow marketing, and that's why I use the term pandering: a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others.

No, Publishers are not trying to tell people they "need" variants. They are simply producing them for the people who do want them. Your smoking analogy is completely off, by the way. People start smoking for varied reasons, but get hooked by addictive ingredients in the cigarettes that make it almost impossible to quit. There is nothing in comics that cause people to become addicted to them and force people to buy them. Comics are always a choice, cigarettes are far less a choice with each one you have. I can stop buying comics, variant or otherwise, far more easily than my Mother was able to quit smoking.

I'm not referring to the addictive qualities of both, but the promotion of both. Tobacco companies spend more money than most to put their product out there. Do you think many people would keep smoking if it wasn't so easy to get ahold of them? Publishers are making many variants likewise easily available. Their very existence encourages their purchase.

Actually, it is highly improbable and unlikely that there are people wasting money they don't have to buy variant covers. I would love if you could provide examples of the people buying comics rather than food, though... Seriously, no offence meant, I think that there are people wasting their entertainment funds on multiple copies of the same comic, but I doubt that the money spent is money "they don't have".

No, I've read testimonials on this very board. One member said his younger brother would steal money from his mother, who was struggling financially, in order to purchase the marked-up variants to continue his collection. I can't quote this member anymore, I don't remember who it was, but the way he described his situation made it seem improbable that it was fabricated.

Collectors are, in a way, addicts. The addiction may affect everyone in various degrees, but it exists.

I don't think variant covers, especially multiple variant covers for the same issue, are good for the overall industry because of the potential for damage that we have seen first hand with what happened in the 90's. However, it is hard to deny the fact that they seem to sell and have not appeared to cause any major market shifts, so far, this time around. I attribute that to the intelligence of those retailers who survived the first variant glut and crash having learned from it and doing their part to ensure that such a problem does not occur again.

I think it just hasn't reached the point of insane excess yet, like with the 13 Gen13 covers, the 1000-copy velvet-bound editions, the multiple interior variant editions, and so on. It's been steadily building. These trends don't merely approach a peak and then go, "Well, it's getting dangerous, so let's stop here for now." They defiantly scale that peak and then tumble headfirst over the cliff on the other side. No one can say where that breaking point is or when the industry will reach it, but I think Invincible Iron Man #1 is evidence that publishers are still aggressively approaching it.