Variant differences

Hi all new to the forum and probably not looking in the correct place so thought i would try asking here, im currently collecting the dark tower comic series and hardback novels being almost up to date with all of them i decided to look into buying some of the variant covers out there but am getting confused by what im seeing can anyone shed some light on my confusion and maybe put me on the right track, Im seeing variant covers 1:25 1:50 and 1:75 but not seeing much if any differences in the covers general look also i dont see the variant 1:25 on the covers etc so what should i look out for and what sets are better to collect ie 1:25 -etc i know the sketch covers are harder to get so please help and guide me to my next collection thanks :)

Bappi, I'd suggest checking out the first post in the thread the Comic Check List. Our beloved turtlex (Pam) compiled this. The "regular" variants are usually what is termed "color variants" or 1:25 ones. The sketch variants are usually black and white colored ones and are either 1:75 or 1:50 ones. The 1:25 means that the dealer got one variant for every 25 regular issues he ordered. The 1:75 and 1:50 are the same way, with either one for every 75 issues ordered or one for every 50. Those depended on what the publisher decided at the time.

There are also other variants with different covers for some of the issues. For example, there is a "Book Market" variant for Gunslinger Born 1 that was a special issue, with the same picture as the regular issue, but marked "Not For Sale". The second and third printings of some of the issues also had different cover pictures and can be considered variants.

After a while, as the sales for the various issues declined, the publisher stopped printing the variants. That's why you don't see any variants for the "newer" issues. The printing of the sketch variants stopped before the color variants.

Hope this helps!

John

Thanks John thats helped somewhat ive just picked up a variant cover on ebay the black n white sketch ones will collect as many of those as i can find available for now and the odd rare one that pops up. I looked at the check list but that unlike the check list i made has no cover pics so wasnt as helpful to a novice collector like me :) I take it the sketch variants are more rare than the colour variants for example?

Yes, sketch are usually 1:75 and colour are 1:25 (read: comic shops get 1 sketch variant for every 75 regular covers ordered.) Do not overpay for them. Do your research first. I'd say $10-15 is reasonable per one sketch variant.

I'd say $20-25 for the sketch variants, but that's just me. I really haven't kept up with prices, etc. since I own them all.

John

I'll sell a full set of The Gunslinger Born sketch variants for $80 + shipping. One is signed by Jae Lee. I also have the full set of colour variants but just first printing variants. $140 for all 14 with shipping, insurance and tracking number.

well i must have been very lucky just bought STEPHEN KING "THE DARK TOWER" ISSUE 4 VARIANT. for £3.21 Item number: 120763382743. what was the last variant sketch cover that was released ?

I show the last sketch variant for the DT series was for Fall of Gilead #6. The last one for The Stand series was American Nightmare #4.

John