The Four Color Media Monitor

WTOC gives news of a Mandalorian Star Wars adaptation and a variant cover illustrated specially for a store in Savannah, Georgia, in another frustrating example of a gimmick intended to appeal to speculator markets rather than to people who want entertainment value, to say nothing of a story that can make you think:

The popularity and value of comic books has only grown over the past couple years.

Naturally that has fans and collectors constantly on the look out for the next big, unique item and Neighborhood Comics in Savannah now has just that.

“When you think about a comic books, you know, you’ve got that wonderful high action impact cover on the front that really draws you in to pick up that book off the rack and take it home,” said Neighborhood Comics owner Lee Heidel.

See for Heidel, there’s a specific type of cover that has always caught his eye.

“In the comic book industry there’s phenomenon known as variant covers.”

Which means, “well, variant covers give other artists a chance to do their version of a cover,” explains Heidel.

So, while the content stays the same, the cover varies.

But why do the illustrations by various artists have to be on the cover proper, and not a painting that can be hung on a wall, at home, a museum or a gallery? Such queries are never answered here, even though a specialty store for comics could easily sell illustrated pictures to be hung on walls as much as the other related merchandise. The whole phenomenon's practically turned the marketing of pamphlets into a joke. And here's where and how it continues next:

But recently Heidel, and his store, were given an opportunity to get a variant cover of their own.

“For the Mandalorian number 1, which is one of the biggest highest profile Star Wars comic book releases in a while. They made a limited number of store variant covers available and we were lucky enough to be one of those stores.”

Meaning the only place in the world you can get this comic with this specific cover is, “at Neighborhood Comics right here in Savannah,” Heidel says. Which has brought some big attention to this little store. “We’ve received orders from literally all over the world for this book. We’ve shipped to Australia to Japan and all over Europe.”

Well at least we know the whole speculator phenomenon isn't limited to just the USA and Canada. But this is still another appalling example of putting more importance on catering to collectors than encouraging anybody to read the interior pages, and considering the Mandalorian TV show producers fired Gina Carano over peanuts, that's one more reason why I'd be discouraged from buying this oh-so spectacular comic based on a Star Wars spinoff.

A real shame only so many specialty stores see no problem in this approach to marketing. Had their been some real dedication to building up the art form, we could've had tons of paintings sold to home owners, galleries and museums where everybody could see the art of talented artists on a whole variety of different products. Instead, we have a situation where these works of art are practically hidden away in vaults where nobody can see anything. Which only devalues the art form all the more.

Labels: Europe and Asia, licensed products, msm propaganda, sales