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Ready for something different? How about some speculation on new comics that are NOT Star Wars comics?

“NOT STAR WARS!?! But I thought this was a Star Wars website. WHAT THE KRIFF IS HAPPENING???”

Good point completely fabricated person. The focus of this site is Star Wars.

More specifically Star Wars comics and books. Release dates. Exclusive variants. Star Wars comic speculation. Stuff like that. There is no plan of changing that ever.

But many who read this site collect much more than just Star Wars comics. I talk with people all the time about superhero comic, indie comics, exclusives, etc. and figured you may be interested in what we’re interested in outside of the Star Wars universe.

Here’s what I’m going to do. Each and every week (on Fridays… probably) I will be posting weekly picks for NON Star Wars related comics here on drunkwooky.com. The comics discussed will either be coming out the following Wednesday or have an upcoming final order cutoff deadline.

But here’s the thing… I won’t be making the “spec” picks.

I’ve asked come friends of mine from the Department of Comics (DOC) discord server who have a good eye for potential “hot” comics to send me their picks every week. They follow the other publishers, creators, and IPs much more closely that I do. They will have a much more informed opinion than I.

This should be a lot of fun and I’m personally looking forward to these posts each week.

Let’s dive in. Here are the Department of Comics NCBD and FOC picks of the week for the week of July 10, 2023.

NCBD Picks

Amazing Spider-Man #26 Gary Frank 2nd Printing Ratio (1:50) Spoiler Variant | Marvel Comics

Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: 7/12/23

Hot off the Spider-Man #7 Ramos Spoiler Variant, the Gary Frank Spoiler Variant for the first printing of Amazing Spider-Man #26 was very, very, very heavily ordered. As retailers started to receive their books, it was discovered that the black spoiler variant art was the actual book cover with the Gary Frank art nestled below as a double-cover. Now, the 1:50 of the second printing has the Gary Frank art on the cover; this will be the most highly-desirable cover for this book.

A lot of recent Marvel second printings have seen 1:25 ratios, but a 1:50 is a much higher bar for a book whose first printing was already very heavily ordered to begin. There was one exclusive (of which I am aware) for the second printing, but I don’t think that dramatically affects the print run on a higher-than-normal ratio on a second printing on an already heavily-ordered book. Even if the major key factor isn’t really there for the (temporary?) death of Kamala Khan, a low print run on an Amazing Spider-Man book will carry this one.

• TFAW
• eBay

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual Variant RI (1:10) Alexis Ziritt | IDW

Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: 7/12/23

It looks we’re getting a first appearance in this year’s annual, but, this yet unnamed character appears on the A, B, and C (1:10) covers as well as the IDW Online Exclusive. When that happens, I like to pick the lower print run cover, which means I’d go with either this awesome cover by Alexis Ziritt or the IDW Online Exclusive. There have been a lot of new TMNT characters in the last couple of years, plus everything going on with The Last Ronin, and it’s impossible to know what might be in high demand in the future, but a first appearance is still a first appearance. Also, it’s worth noting that this is a $6.99 cover price book.

Moon Knight #25 Cover A Steve McNiven | Marvel Comics

Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: 7/12/23

This is the first appearance of Layla El-Faouly, introduced in Moon Knight series on Disney+, who later becomes the Scarlet Scarab in Moon Knight: City of the Dead #1 (which I can already tell you will be on next week’s list of NCBD picks!), but I have to talk about both books to have a complete discussion.

I prefer the Davi Go variant for Moon Knight: City of the Dead #1 as it has Scarlet Scarab’s first cover appearance as well, but a first appearance is a first appearance. Cover price always factors in, too, and this is a $9.99 cover price book (96 pages). I’m not buying any other covers for this book unless I find a price I like on the Artgerm virgin dress 1:100 somewhere down the road.

Spider-Man #7 Third Printing Luciano Vecchio | Marvel Comics

Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: 7/12/23

I’m in on the Spider-Boy hype. His design is super fun. There’s a lot of runway for storytelling with the way his origin has been set up. The second print was very heavily ordered (everyone wanted the Ramos 1:25), but I suspect the print run on this third printing won’t be nearly as high. If it goes to a fourth, fifth, sixth, etc. printing, I’m picking those up, too. I skipped Edge of Spider-Verse #3 entirely (although I’d like an inexpensive reader copy at some point). While I’m here, you should look for the Alex Ross Sketch 1:100 first print, too – that’s going to be a tough book to come by if this character really takes off (and it sure looks that way right now).

FOC Picks

w0rldtr33 #1 4th Printing | Image Comics

Submitted by Don
FOC Date: 7/10/23
In-Store Date: 8/2/23

As my good friend Ish always says, “SUBSEQUENT PRINTS! Get the subsequent prints!” The 3rd print seems to have a very small print run, and I would expect something similar for the 4th print. If you are stacking w0rldtr33, you need to get yourself some copies of this. Don’t wait until NCBD, get your preorder in now. 

Pre-order w0rldtr33 #1 4th Printing

• TFAW
• eBay

Swan Songs #1 2nd Printing | Image Comics

Submitted by Don
FOC Date: 7/10/23
In-Store Date: 8/2/23

Ditto my previous rant about subsequent prints. I have not read this yet, but I have heard good things. There is no art yet as of this article. The issue is drawn by Martin Simmonds and written by Ice Cream Man’s W. Maxwell Prince. With almost no hype to this book, this is likely to be a micro print run. Grab a copy at a discount and stash it. I’m grabbing a couple, one to read and one to hold in a long box.

Pre-Order Swan Songs #1

• TFAW
• eBay

Wonder Woman #800 2nd Printing Cover B Incentive (1:25) Sampere | DC Comics

Submitted by Don
FOC Date: 7/9/23
In-Store Date: 8/1/23

Well, this one probably won’t be a cheap one to find. Keep scouring to find a copy at ratio or close. I’m not entirely sold on the character after reading, but if Trinity ever becomes a mainstay in DC, this one will skyrocket. I’m in anywhere from $25-$40 for a copy, if I can find one.

Pre-Order Wonder Woman #800

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• eBay