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Another week is upon us, and there is a lot out there once more. Almost too much out there. It’s a week of Mattina and Putri, as well as some indie darlings and some Hulk. Plus a Batman Who Laughs appearance, which in term sets up a bunch of Batman Who Laughs #1 variants that I would love to get but can’t afford. We’re talking Mattina, Dell’Otto, Jock, etc. etc. etc. Where to start? I’m going with “whatever i can afford.” My secret credit card can only take so much, you know?

First, however, the big speculation grabs that you might be able to find cheaply this week at your store. First up, DC Nation #0.

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Why is this one hot? For one, the image above is the 1:500 variant. This features the first appearance of Robinson Goode; you know who Goode is, yes? She is the Red Cloud, the new villian featured in Action Comics. If you can find this one cheaply, it’s a good move. Raw, these are selling as such :

• Cover A $3 USD
• Cover Batman 1:250 Variant : $18.25 USD
• Cover Superman 1:100 Variant : $19 USD
• Cover Jimenez 1:500 Variant : $ 24 USD

Take a look this Wednesday and see if you can get this one on the cheap. The graded copies are doing even better on Ebay. Snatch them up if you can.

Also a possible cheap pick up for you to look for is Spider-Man 2099. I actually bought that book and kept it from my younger days. It’s going for $8-12$ USD raw online as the character is being brought into the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film. Another one to possible get cheap.

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Picks for Flips

Again, I have zero chance to get these, but if you can, please do. You can turn a nice little profit on these to help subsidize the books you want to collect long term and read.

Winter Soldier 1:25 Sienkiewicz Variant

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If you’re feeling up for it, this one sold out quickly online. Sienkiewicz does good stuff, and this might find a following; I’m not much of a Winter Soldier fan, so I’d have to decline. Especially at $25 USD price piont

The Source #2

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This one sold out immediately online last week. I barely managed to get a second print of issue #1, so I’m not sure what the fuss is about. My understanding it’s a magic story with some very black magic. Plus, it has been picked or is going to be picked up for film/television show. Get this one if you can, as Midtown offered 1 per customer, and this still sold out immediately.

The Source #1, cover A, is still averaging about $15 USD all in on Ebay, raw.

Immortal Hulk #10 Hyuk Lee Variant

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I just assume I’ll only be able to get cover A, which is fine. Lee’s stuff has been very solid in the land of Ebay; grab this one if it’s there even if you haven’t been keeping up with the Hulk.

Road of the Dead Highway to Hell # 2 Sanitperez Incentive Variant

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Another one that sold out straightaway; this is a 1:10 variant. I’m still waiting to get my issue #1, so I can’t speak to the story. From what I’ve, it’s more of a comedy-esque style zombie thrill.

Ogre 2

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By Source Point Press...another one to grab if you can; the story is about an Ogre, a corpse attached to him, and the corpse’s ghost as they attempt to maneuver across a war torn landscape. I think this one will easily get made into a TV show soon. There is one more issue due out, so the set won’t be too expensive at cover price. I’ll call this one a “Pick for Flip” if I can get two copies. One copy will just stay in my collection. So no flipping is likely for me.

What I Want for My Long Term Collection

The Green Lantern #2 Mattina Variant

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I really enjoyed Morrison’s #1 issue; I’m hoping he gets a bit more esoteric in the second issue. Regardless, Mattina looks to be in prime form with this cover out this week. It’s green, and we all know green is the color of the “unripe / unrealized matter.” Oh yes, Morrison is going total Demiurge with Hal Jordan, and Mattina’s cover hits this idea beautifully.

Batman #60 Mattina Variant

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Batman is certainly getting ready to break; after slugging Commissioner Gordon in Bane’s cell last issue, it’s only a matter of time before the Batman finally loses it. This series is getting intense, and the Mattina’s are amazing. An easy pickup this week. I think I’m running a perfect game on getting his Batman set.

Deathstroke 38 Mattina Variant

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Another Mattina, another DC title and another Deathstroke comic book. The last two Mattina’s on this title have averaged:

• DS # 36 - $13 USD
• DS #37 - $7.50 USD

I need to start working on this set now too….

Nightwing 54 Putri Variant

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Are you kidding me? I love this cover. Look at those colors! If anyone out there is keeping up with the new Titans series on DC TV, you know how nuanced the character of Dick Grayson is in. Part psycho, part “dad” issues, part anger management, and part caring father figure, he’s trained by the ultimate in the Bat. Add in a severe head wound in the comic books, and well, you can see the Bat family is currently struggling across the board. I love Putri’s stuff, and this one is an easy buy for me.

Red Hood 29 Putri Variant

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I don’t know much about Batwoman, aside from her in Detective Comics a few issues during Rebirth. I believe she will be featured on the CW next week in the whole Arrowverse “Elseworld” storyline, so I’ve got that ready to DVR. Putri’s last 3 Red Hoods are averaging (with limited sale data):

*RH 26 - $10.50 USD

• RH 27- $11.50 USD
• RH 28 - $5.50 USD

I’ve got another set to start completing, apparently.

Martian Manhunter 1 Middleton Variant

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I’m excited to get into this new comic book. And I’m more excited for this Middleton cover. I don’t think it’s going to be Batgirl 23, but I love the colors. This one might be a lower print run, so if you have the extra money and are willing to take a flier, this one might be worth it. I’m getting it regardless for my “daughter’s collection.” (This is what I tell my wife when she keeps finding my comics hidden around our house.)

The Immortal Hulk 10 Alex Ross Cover

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Wow, I do love this series. If you haven’t noticed, I might be tending to trend more with the DC comics than Marvel, but this one...where did it come from? I currently have issues #4-9. Still working on getting first prints of the first three, but with news that #2 is a key with the first appearance of Dr. Frye, well...my wallet hates me. Another “would of could of should of” when at cover price. Terrible planning…and speaking of the color of green rectangle (above), I dare say we have what us cost accountants would call a “trend.”

Venom 9 Spider-Man Noir Variant

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I did it; I went ahead and pre-ordered this one. I’d get it at my LCS, but they haven’t done very well with incentives. It looks like there are more animation variants on the way, so kiss my USDs good bye. Good bye!

Other Items of Interest

Shazam #1

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Do i really want to start a new series? No! Yet this one has two things going for it: an eventual motion picture release, and more importantly, a story written by Geoff Johns. Johns loves to throw tons of esoteric and occult references into his work, and Shazam is, well very esoteric and occult. I don’t want to start another, but I probably will. My hope is to get the variant cover above.

Die 1 Stephanie Hans Cover

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From Image Comics. Hans has a strong following in the comic spec world (as we saw last week with her incentive variant of Iron Heart). Again, another new series to pick up, but I guess if it’s at my LCS Wednesday...ugh...I’ll get it. It sounds like a mix mash of horror/dungeon and dragons/the manifestation of something horrendous from the abyss that people have to face later in life.

Justice League 13

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From all accounts, the Batman Who Laughs is back in this issue, and just in time to introduce next week’s Batman Who Laughs and all of the variants. This character is scary; very scary. See above for my pity party re: variants.

Spider-Geddon Handbook

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This looks helpful, especially in context to the upcoming film. I haven’t kept up at all with Spider-Geddon, so if I have extra room in my budget this Wednesday. Don’t worry, I won’t have extra room in my budget, so i’ll be heading to that film without much foreknowledge.

Doomsday Clock

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Speaking of Johns and the occult, look at that cover! We have the Seven Stars (possible Seven Archons), Jupiter, Luna, maybe some phallic type objects on the Red Planet, and an odd meeting between Kal-El and Manhattan. Plus a puppet show going on; do you remember my Gnostic comments regarding comic books of late? This one I'm all over.

That's it for me this week. Good luck and good hunting; as always please feel free to leave feedback! I'm curious if any of this is useful, if more/less needs to be included/excluded, and if I missed anything. Good luck as always.