It’s that time again! To shift focus our attention away from our favorite galaxy far far away and instead talk about other stories in the comic collecting world and do some comic speculation.
So once again, I’ve asked come friends of mine from the Department of Comics (DOC) discord server to send me their comic speculation picks for next week’s NCBD, FOC, and some bonus SDCC exclusive standouts!
READ NEXT: All new Star Wars comics and books for next week!
Huge shout to seqential_art for helping out this week. The other contributor from last week, Don, had pretty much the same picks and was busy this week, so seqential_art did the heavy lifting.
Also, f you like this kind of stuff you should really consider joining the DOC discord server linked above. It’s a fun community of positive comic collectors. They even have a #drunkwooky channel that I can spout off my nonsense in.
DISCLAIMER: These posts are just opinions and the comics listed are not guaranteed to go up in value. Your money is your money. You work hard for it. Please only buy things you really want or that you agree will go up in value (if that’s your thing).
Let’s dive in. Here are the Department of Comics NCBD, FOC, and SDCC 2023 picks of the week for the week of July 17, 2023.
NCBD Comic Speculation Picks
Moon Knight: City of the Dead #1 Davi Go Variant | Marvel Comics
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: 7/19/23
First appearance and cover appearance of Layla El-Faouly as Scarlet Scarab (Layla appears out of costume for the first time in Moon Knight #25, we covered that book on last week’s NCBD picks). She should be a lock to show up in the MCU again in the future. Her character/costume design is awesome. Our friends at The Comic Corner offered a virgin variant of this cover as an exclusive that had to be ordered before FOC. I also love when actors and actresses actively support the comics that create and sustain their characters, and May Calamawy is doing just that! Also noteworthy, there’s a 1:50 incentive by Pete Woods, and it was the only ratio for the book.
Want one?
Tales of the Titans #1 Cover C Stanley “Artgerm” Lau Foil Card Stock Variant | DC Comics
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: 7/18/23
When I put in my FOC order for this book (my shop uses Previews), I ordered Cover B. When the catalog with this cover first released, there were no variants for the Artgerm other than the Cover B trade dress. Then, a few days before FOC, Lunar changed Cover C – which was supposed to be a Chris Samnee foil – to an Artgerm foil. Except, Previews didn’t update. At the time I’m writing this on July 12th, Previews still shows Cover C as the Samnee foil and doesn’t even have the Artgerm foil listed. If you do a little Google searching, you’ll find that a LOT of shops (and a lot of big shops, too) still have Cover C listed as the Chris Samnee foil. I think there’s a good chance this went under-ordered relative to a typical Artgerm variant, so that’s something to keep an eye on on NCBD next week.
Want one?
Deadpool: Badder Blood #2 Liefeld Variant | Marvel Comics
Submitted by sequential_art (https://www.instagram.com/sequential_art_comics)
In-Store Date: 7/19/23
It’s more likely than not that Shatterstorm’s appearance in Deadpool: Badder Blood #1 will be considered a cameo, and that’s going to be further supported by her first cover appearance, here. I really like Liefeld’s cover for this book, and it’s a spec bonus that it’s not the Cover A, but I have no idea if this is a character that has long-term potential. That being said, I’m not leaving a first cover + first full appearance combo on the table, so I pre-ordered a few of these to put in a box and forget about them. She does appear on the Cover A, but I think this cover is the better spec because of how she’s featured. There is a 1:25 by Tyler Kirham, but I don’t think it’s a cover that retailers would reach for by over-ordering.
Want one?
Deadpool: Badder Blood #1 Kael Ngu 2nd Printing Ratio (1:25) Variant | Marvel Comics
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: 7/19/23
So many of these second printing incentives from Marvel are going low-ordered right now. I don’t blame shops; most of the second printings on these books probably aren’t necessary for readers, but the ratios, in particular, appeal to collectors. Kael Ngu turned in a really awesome Deadpool cover that rocks in a virgin dress. This is a buy for me just because of its (likely) rarity, somewhat boosted by the Shatterstorm (cameo?) appearance.
Want one?
Red Sonja #1 Frison 1:25 Foil (Cover ZU) and Metal (Cover ZV) Variants | Dynamite
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: 7/19/23
Jenny Frison’s work is scorching hot right now. It’s rare that I don’t preorder her covers, but, this cover turned out to be sort of tricky when it got down to FOC. Prior to the Friday before FOC (when the catalog is finalized, by the way – things can and do often change before then), there were only two variants of this cover, a trade dress (Cover G) and a ‘Limited’ Virgin (Cover ZO). Then, things got nuts. First, they extended FOC on the book. Then, they added the 1:25 foil (Cover ZU) – now, there’s a 1:200 for the book and too many under ratios to count (in typical Dynamite fashion), but most shops don’t order heavy on Dynamite books, so it’s possible it could go under the radar a bit. The gem, however, is going to be the metal (Cover ZV). It wasn’t on the consumer-side FOC list; instead, it was listed as a ‘special incentive or promo item for retailers only.’
Want one?
- Pre-order on TFAW [may be sold out]
- See eBay listings
FOC Comic Speculation Picks
Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #1 2nd Printing R1C0 Ratio (1:25) Variant | Marvel Comics
Submitted by sequential_art
FOC Date: 7/17/23
In-Store Date: 8/16/23
This book really does not need a second printing. It definitely doesn’t need a second printing 1:25 ratio variant. That being said, R1C0 is a popular artist, and this cover is absolutely stunning in a virgin variant. It will be very, very hard to find on NCBD, so if you want it, get with your shop and preorder it now. The art on the open order of this second printing is reused from the first printing and is by Derrick Chew, whose popularity, I think, is going to really grow over time, so I wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up, too.
Want one?
- The Comic Corner 1:25 Bundle
- Pre-order on TFAW [may be sold out]
- See eBay listings
Edge of Spider-Verse #3 Humberto Ramos Sketch 2nd Printing Ratio (1:25) Variant | Marvel Comics
Submitted by sequential_art
FOC Date: 7/17/23
In-Store Date: 8/16/23
I didn’t pick up any first prints of this book because it looked like it was going to be very heavily ordered. I think the second print will be more heavily ordered than is probably necessary because shops are going to be chasing after this ratio variant. It’s going to be a very popular cover, and I already have mine pre-ordered. I haven’t seen any exclusives for it, yet – doesn’t mean they won’t be revealed after this writing, though. Humberto Ramos never disappoints.
Want one?
- The Comic Corner 1:25 Bundle
- The Comic Corner 2nd Print Ramos 5-Pack
- Pre-order on TFAW [may be sold out]
- See eBay listings
Want more? See everything with an upcoming FOC on TFAW here and on The Comic Corner here.
SDCC 2023 Exclusive Comic Speculation Picks
Something is Killing the Children #31 Álvaro Martínez Bueno Exclusive Convention Variant | BOOM! Studios
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: SDCC Booth #4601
The coloring is really what makes this book for me. That, and the 300 print run. I don’t buy many SIKTC books these days, but these low print convention variants will disappear away into devoted SIKTC collectors’ boxes very quickly. I can’t find a publicly-stated price for it at the time of this writing.
The Devil’s Cut Jock Gold Foil Convention Variant | DSTLRY Media
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: SDCC Booth #2314
This might be the Belle of the Ball at SDCC. Foil is all the rage right now, and this book will be out at SDCC over a month before retailers will be able to get their copies. I don’t have a print run or price point at the time of this writing. Honorable mention to their “The Bollocks” Emma Price Convention Variant and the Mominu Vinyl Figure “The Bollocks” colorway.
Red Sonja 2023 #1 Art Adams Black & White Convention Variant | Dynamite
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: SDCC Booth #4507
This is part of a $50 set (the other book is a color virgin variant of the same art) and has a print run of 100. A 100 print run Art Adams cover sings to me. Also reportedly available at Art Adams’ booth, #4700.
Void Rivals #1 Daniel Warren Johnson Convention Variant | Skybound
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: SDCC Booth #3735
There is a lot of hype behind Void Rivals. I still think the #1 1:100 will be “the book”, but it’s really hard to not buy in to a $20 convention variant of the same issue by the same artist with the same characters (probably an unused concept, right?) when the 1:100 is selling for $150+ raw and $450+ in a CGC 9.8. Does it impact the market value of the 1:100? Yea, probably, at least in the short term. Print run has not been announced at the time of this writing, but exclusive Minimum Order Quantities for Void Rivals #1 appeared to be 1,000, so it’s a safe bet that’s where this will be, too, which would also put it at roughly the same number of copies as the 1:100 (assuming the reported print run of 101,000 is correct).
Transformers #1 Convention Exclusive Ashcan | Skybound
Submitted by sequential_art
In-Store Date: SDCC Booth #3735
In the same theme as Void Rivals #1, there’s a lot of hype around Skybound’s new Transformers and G.I. Joe series, too. Transformers #1 won’t be available in comic shops until October, so this Convention Exclusive Ashcan will be way ahead of the official release. I can’t speak to print run at the time of writing, but it will be $20 at Skybound’s booth (#3735).
