While I tend to collect a lot of things–comics, books, toys–typically it’s mass-market stuff. But tonight I acquired what seems to me to be a very unique object:
An unopened bottle of Valiant “Darque Brew” beer from the 1990s.
It even still has the original card and shipping container from Acclaim.
Filed under: 1990s, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, Valiant | Tagged: Acclaim, Acclaim Comics, Beer, collectibles, Darque Brew, Valiant, Valiant Comics | 4 Comments »
Marvel spiked the price of many of their comics to $3.99 a few years ago, and it was even admitted that it was basically just because people would pay it.
DC immediately drove me away from Action Comics due to lack of REAL CONTENT for its $3.99 price point with the second issue. I’ve now long since left all of DC‘s New 52 titles due primarily to a simple lack of real interest in the monthly product.
IDW‘s standard pricing is $3.99 for everything.
So is Valiant‘s.
Boom! seems to be that way as well.
Image has a bunch of $2.99 books, but between seemingly “written for the trade” or “limited series,” I’d much rather read Image stuff in collected-edition format.
I think I’m back up against a psychological wall again, comic-wise.
At a time when I’m more interested in a bunch of Marvel titles than I’ve been in over a decade…the fact most of those are $3.99 just kills it for me.
And the more I consider, the more I realize that I’m just so psyched-out by how expensive stuff is, most of the fun goes out. When my entire month’s “budget” is blown in 2 weeks and I dread the racking-up of the $3.99 books yet to come for the remaining weeks of the month…it just plain sucks. It’s a stress I don’t need.
And maybe I need to just cut my losses. Yeah, there’s a lotta stuff out there I’d enjoy reading, I’d like to follow, I’m ready to get in with the new #1s on stuff…
Maybe the surgical approach just won’t work, and I need to just hack off entire limbs. For $13 under what I spent 
this week alone on new comics I could drop to two TMNT books from IDW at the hated-but-exempted-because-it’s-TMNT $3.99 and 2-3 $2.99 books from Marvel (X-Men Legacy, FF, and Thunderbolts).
Wouldn’t be too hard to convince me to add Daredevil to the group–it’s $2.99; ditto for Hawkeye and possibly Gambit as well.
That would still–for a MONTH’S worth of books–be $4 cheaper than this one week’s new books. That $4 would buy me 16 comics from the LCS bargain bin–over a year’s worth of one title, several mini-series, some one-shots/one-offs/special/stand-out issues, some combination.
I could use the rest of the month to purchase collected volumes–full price or through Amazon. Hit the bargain bins, spend a bit more to fill in gaps in my 1990s X-books and Valiant collections.
Just plain save the money for other occasions.
Comics are supposed to be fun.
But I’m not sure how much fun I’m actually having, at least right now.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: $3.99, comics, DC, frustration, hobby, MARVEL, pricing, rant, Valiant, venting | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 4/5
Art: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Filed under: 2012, cxPulp.com, Shadowman, Valiant | Tagged: Brian Reber, Comic Reviews, cxPulp, Dave Lanphear, Jack Boniface, Josh Johns, Justin Jordan, Patrick Zircher, Rob Steen, Shadowman, Valiant, Warren Simons | Leave a comment »
I’ve continued to build my Valiant (1990s) collection, picking up issues here and there.
Last weekend, I received a postcard in the mail from the local comic shop about a Halloween one-day sale:
Given the previous sale and what I snagged, I looked forward to the sale. Fortunately (or unfortunately–Superman: Earth One vol. 2 had to wait), I wound up finding a bunch of issues for most of the titles I’ve needed holes plugged, though I’m still missing more comics than I’d like (but I’m closer to a full run than not, now).
And while I’d figured I’d be juggling a couple large paper bags, the store owner (as usual) makes an awesome deal even sweeter, giving me an old/used shortbox to lug the comics home in:
So now I have to integrate these into my Valiant collection and verify a few issues that I may have neglected to note one way or the other before the Akron Comic Con next weekend.
Unfortunately…I have the suspicion that what I’ve noticed for several years now will hold true: comic cons are put to shame by my LCS’ bargains/bargain bins.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: bargain bins, bargains, collecting, comics, Valiant, Valiant Comics | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Filed under: 2012, cxPulp.com, Valiant, X-O Manowar | Tagged: Comic Reviews, cxPulp, Dave Lanphear, Doug Braithwaite, Hunter and Hunted, Josh Johns, Lee Garbett, Moose Baumann, Ninjak, Patrick Zircher, Robert Venditti, Stefano Gaudiano, Valiant, Valiant Comics, Valiant Entertainment, Warren Simons, X-O, X-O Manowar | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 3.5/5
Art: 3.5/5
Overall: 4/5
Filed under: 2012, cxPulp.com, Harbinger, Valiant | Tagged: Chris Sotomayor, Comic Reviews, cxPulp, Harada, Harbinger, Harbingers, Ian Hannin, Jeromy Cox, Jim MUnix, Jody Leheup, Joshua Dysart, Khari Evans, Matthew Clark, Mico Suayan, Moose Baumann, Omega Rising, Sean Parsons, Stanchek, Valiant, Valiant Comics, Warren Simons | Leave a comment »
I recently acquired several cool comics that I’ve had my eye on for awhile. With Valiant being back, and a bit of sticker shock at the price on early issues of the original 1990s series, I made use of Amazon to order the other two hardcovers I missed back in 2007/2008. I got the Archer and Armstrong volume when it came out (pre-ordered through DCBS) but never got around to tracking these others down.
The Harbinger volume came from a Half-Price Books online seller through Amazon; X-O came new from Amazon. Shipped, I paid about $12 under cover price total for the two books. And though marked as “used,” the Harbinger volume is in just as good (if not slightly better) condition than the X-O one…just that I didn’t have to peel the shrink-wrap off of it.
And not too long ago, I complained about the pricing eBay folks are asking for a Magic: The Gathering comic I’ve been after. Amidst all of the ridiculously-priced auctions, I did come across one with a reasonable opening bid. With a gift balance on my account, all told I wound up getting the Serra Angel issue for just under $10 (shipped).
Not a bad purchase, if a bit much in a way. Yet, something like this would easily be an $8+ product from Marvel or DC these days, if not $10 in and of itself. As-is, it’s got a $6 cover price from the 1990s, and will probably take at least as long to read as 2 1/2 issues of most $3.99 contemporary comics.
This came as-is; already opened–so no giant Serra Angel card. BUT given I specifically want to read the thing, and I’m sure the lack of original/sealed bag and card helped to keep the price “low” I have no problem whatsoever with what I got. Actually makes it easier as I don’t wind up tempted with the thought of leaving it in the bag or trying to re-offer it or such myself.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: Acclaim, Armada, Birth, Harbinger, Magic, magic: the gathering, Serra Angel, The Beginning, Valiant, X-O Manowar | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Filed under: 2012, Archer & Armstrong, cxPulp.com, Valiant | Tagged: Archer, Archer and Armstrong, Armstrong, Arturo Lozzi, Clayton Henry, Comic Reviews, cxPulp, Dave Lanphear, Fred Van Lente, Josh Johns, Matt Milla, Pere Perez, Valiant, Warren Simons | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Filed under: 2012, Bloodshot, cxPulp.com, Valiant | Tagged: Arturo Lozzi, Bloodshot, Comic Reviews, cxPulp, Duane Sqierczynski, Good Girl, Ian Hannin, Jody Leheup, Manuel Garcia, Matt Milla, Matt Ryan, Moose Baumann, Project Rising Spirit, Rising Spirit, Rob Steen, Valiant, Warren Simons | Leave a comment »
Along with hitting the bargain bins at local comic shops, I’m fortunate enough to have three used bookstores that have a varied selection of comics…two are a flat 50-cents-per-issue and one maintains 50%-off cover price of the comic (making a bunch of 25-cents or barely-50-cents issues $1.25+ comics in some cases).
But last weekend I hit up one Half-Price Books location, and this week hit up the other nearby, specifically seeking out Valiant issues.
While 1990s Valiant currently has my highest attention…I’m not gonna pass up the random/odd Ultraverse issue, either.
Freex #1 still in the original bag (though the bag’s all beat-up) with the original “wild card” coupon and a good-condition copy of Prototype #0:
After hearing a recommendation of the series on a fairly recent-ish episode of the Legion of Dudes podcast, I’ve started noticing random issues of Mage. Found the first 3 issues, so for only $1.50 for 3 issues…seems well worth it to try the series.
A couple issues of Rai, and my first-ever issue of Geomancer. Also finally cleared up my confusion on Rai–that Rai became Rai and the Future Force and seems to then become The New Rai.
Best pull of the bunch was a whopping 3 issues of Eternal Warrior that I was missing. Still missing a bunch of others, but it’s quite gratifying to have an actual list of what I’m missing so I’m not unintentionally pulling dupes…
…and a couple issues of H.A.R.D. Corps and a lone issue of Magnus round out the $7 purchase.
Not a bad haul for being a fairly random stop-in at a non-comic store.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: Eternal Warrior, Freex, Half-Price Books, Hard Coprs, Hero Defined, Mage, Magnus, malibu, Prototype, Ultraverse Revisited, Valiant | Leave a comment »
Comic Reviews by Walt 