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Susmariosep Marvel. There you go again. It's not even entertaining anymore with the variant covers. =(

It's more of a DISTRACTION, really.

I agree Brian, boo!! But on a side note, does Cyclops have like 14 abs in that picture?

"Most of us fondly remember Marvel’s 25th Anniversary"

Way to alienate the younger generation, Brian. It's not our fault we weren't born yet. Man I have to, like, totally twitter about this now or something.

Okay, what is Pixie doing among the characters chosen to be on the border? Literally every other character has at least some reason I can think of to be included (even X-23 is, arguably, the best person to represent X-Force, as the most popular non-Wolverine member of the team), but Pixie ... well, I was originally going to say "isn't even than prominent in the book she's in" but that isn't entirely accurate. More like she has the "author's favorite character" prominence where she's shoe-horned into plots even when she shouldn't be and would probably fade into the background if a different writer took over the book. It's not even that I don't like the character; I liked her just fine before she became the Wesley Crusher of the X-Men universe. It feels like Marvel has issued a statement informing the readers that she is popular and we are to like her accordingly. She's Poochie.

(I was going to list all the books I read that DON'T have a representative on the border in my complaint about Pixie getting a spot, but the inevitable "Didn't you hear? That book's getting cancelled" replies would just make me sad. At least for some of them. If they cancel Cable I won't get that upset.)

It's funny to look at the old 25th border and note that the only character that is no longer a prominent player in any way, is the light-powered Captain Marvel (later Photon).

on the new one, I have no idea who the woman between Daredevil and War Machine is, and is the little girl under Carol Danvers one of the Runaways?

First: Pixie is awesome.

Second: Is there a link to where Marvel said retailers need to order 10 of the regular cover? I haven't seen that confirmed anywhere?

Third: Even if true, I mean, they're variants. No biggie.

Uncanny X-Men #211 came out in 1986 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Marvel, fast forward 23 years and we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Marvel?!? Nice one Marvel, at least the numbering is slightly less confusing than a back issue section of Thor / Journey into mystery.
The only Marvel characters celebrating 70 years are the original Human Torch and Submariner, who can't sustain a readership anymore, yet Marvel turn this into a celebration of their brand?!?
Marvel should have waited two years and celebrated the 70th anniversary of a character who people still care about - Cap.
Are DC doing anything for Batman or Superman, both of which are actually 70 years old?

I would like to know which characters were hidden by the barcode box in the bottom left hand corner of X-Men 211. Any ideas?

Ugh, that's disappointing. I was hoping to get the New Mutants anniversary cover.

Mars, I believe it was drawn with the barcode in mind--underneath it, you can see Puck looking out, and I reckon that's Ant Man to the left of it.

Uncanny X-Men #211 came out in 1986 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Marvel, fast forward 23 years and we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Marvel?!?

THANK YOU!!!

I was wondering how I'd aged 45 years so fast!!! Holy Rip Van Winkle, Batman!!!

(Which by the way, happens to be an actual Batman story! I'm on to you, Grant!)
http://image2.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/07206180254.119.GIF

@Mars Bonfire: I'm pretty sure that's Psylocke nestled snugly between War Machine and Daredevil. (They just brought her back in Uncanny X-Men, don'cha know....) And thanks for reminding me about Runaways, 'cause the little girl was the only one I couldn't place.

Sid & Ricky, as Brian cleary states, the first border covers celebrated the 25th anniversary of Marvel's SUPERHERO line, while the new border covers are celebrating 70 years of Marvel as as a publishing company in general.

They started in 1939 as Timely Comics. Now, my maths aren't the best, but thats 70 years ago by my reckoning.

@T.:

"does Cyclops have like 14 abs in that picture?"

Well, not only he's in an all-high risk vocation, but he is also a very tense person.
(wouldn't you be if your power could shatter buildings and mountains?)

I agree, it would have been more fun if all the covers had been like this and they weren't just variants, but I don't mind, I can usually get my hands on these with no problem.

Well, not only he’s in an all-high risk vocation, but he is also a very tense person.
(wouldn’t you be if your power could shatter buildings and mountains?)

How does that give you a 14-pack of abs?

>>is the little girl under Carol Danvers one of the Runaways?

Yep. That's Molly & her omnipresent stupid hat.

It's rather annoying that they don't seem to represent all their titles equally - my two favourites, Incredible Herc and X-Factor seem to have no characters at all there.

What other marvel titles are completely unrepresented?

The extra abs is Cyclops's secondary mutation; he can do 500 crunches without breaking a sweat.

Yeah, I was going to mention that there WAS a secondary odd part about this, which was that they chose some strange choices to do the variants in some cases. X-Men Legacy was by Greg Land, which, like him or dislike him, that makes sense. Same with Rob Liefeld doing Cable's.

But Uncanny X-Men by Harvey Tolibao?

X-Force by Jason Levesque?

New Mutants by Elena Casagrande?

Shouldn't the variants be by an artist with SOME connection to the book in question?

For some reason, I immediately focused on Norman Osborn not being in the border despite him appearing in more comics currently than any other character... I can't tell if that makes me odd or the border art odd...

I can't believe Red Hulk is in there. Is that character really a classic one with staying power worth commemorating?

Marvel: The House of (Odd) Ideas.

The variant cover incentive is a bad idea. My friend works in a comic store, and he's tired of marvel's games. This is another of them. While some would want the variant, there's just not enough demand for each title to make ordering more just to get the variant a profitable venture. "Woo hoo, I sold the two variants...but what do I do with the leftover 12 comics that aren't selling?"

In 10 years people are going to look back at the variants these days like we look back on the stupid foil and hologram covers from the 90s. They're useless, greedy money grabs and nothing more.

Somebody at Marvel is just plain variant-happy. Weird.

And Dan, you shut your whore mouth about Molly's hat.

Molly and her hat are awesome. Dan Bailey's mouth is not a whore.

Molly's in the border so I'll have to at least get one of these.

It’s a great idea for a celebration except the fact that the covers are completely ass-ugly.

Marvel doesn't care about the readers, Marvel cares about sales. If they can get some of the retailers to order 10-20-30 more copies than normal, that's all good to Marvel.

It would be a far finer idea if the art wasnt awful, and the artists involved have no relation to the book.

But I'm less offended by 1 in 10 variants then 1:50 and especially when there are 1:250 variants. Looking at you Batman and Robin #1.

-Neil

Man, don't remind me - 1 in 250 variant!!!!

What the hell kind of incentive idea was THAT?

What are you guys talking about? Surely an LCS who orders, say, 5 copies could justify the expense of ordering fifty times as many so they could get one variant. I don't see the big deal.

I think Puck and Dani Moonstar were hidden under the barcode.

I remeber the 25th anniversary clearly, but I didn't remember 1:50 variants and a 33% price increase to herald the coming of a celebration.

What's funny is that Marvel actually did raise their prices just as their 25th Anniversary began.

Granted, just a 15.5% increase, but still!

[...]the new border covers are celebrating 70 years of Marvel as as a publishing company in general. They started in 1939 as Timely Comics. Now, my maths aren’t the best, but thats 70 years ago by my reckoning.

Cheap, cheap, cheap.
In two years, they'll be back celebrating their 50th Aniversary. Then they'll wipe everything out and start over again with "a fresh" set of issues #1; just so they can be the New, new, nu, fresh, nu-marvel! The nu-west company on the block!

Hell, Marvel is starting to sound like a two dollar hooker...

"I'm as old as you want me to be, baby!"

Like I said... cheap, cheap, cheap! Next thing you know, Dynamite Comics is going to start claiming they publish the first American Superhero! --You know, on account that Zorro was created in 1919.
But then again, they probably already do... and people don't care. So yeah... Marvel should remember that. So that when they actually get to 50, or 60; they don't start bitching and moaning when we put them in a Retirement Home! (Yeah, I went there! Comedy with an edge!)

Variant covers are hurting the collector's market at a time when it is hurting already.

Marvel & DC: end the variant covers as most of us don't buy them and we find them damaging to our interests! They will never have any longlasting collectors value and you are telling us the regular issues will be worthless, too....

...and Marvel: go back to $2.99 and we'll go back to buying more of your books....

Don't you think that the creator's time wasted on these covers would be better spent on trying to get other comics back on schedule???

Huh? How does a cover affect the speed of books? It's one cover. And none of the people doing these covers are even the ones who are currently buying often late books.
But back on topic, I, like most, are disappointed that these are chase variants. But remember that the kickass double gatefold for X-Men #200 was going to be a 1:10 or something before Marvel changed it so that all three covers were in equal amounts. Show enough disappointment and maybe we'll find that they suddenly become 50/50 variants.

Every month, The Beat publishes a breakdown of Marvel and DC's month to month sales, and every month, it's clear that variant covers increase orders. People can say they are "tired of Marvel's shenanigans", but until retailers stop increasing their orders of variants, and customers stop making it worthwhile by paying extra for them, it's only going to get worse.