So despite Immortal Hulk gaining popularity around December and January, seems the print runs were staying pretty consistent in the 50-55k print run range.
Anyone notice the huge increase from issue 15 to 16 though?
Comichron reports issue #15 had a print run of 53,120 but then saw issue #16 jump all the way to 90,305. In May it was number #17 in print run size to become #4 on the list.
It’s going to be interesting to see future issues where they stand in print run size going forward.
It was bound to happen. Increased popularity, excessive ratio variants, it all plays into it.
I expected an increase but not that big of a jump. Maybe retailers bumped up their orders just to qualify for the ratio variant. Now they might be sitting on some regular #16 for a while since they’re still plentiful in obtaining.
It looks as though a lot of retailers did just that.I’m sure it will calm down, but probably not for a little while.
Sadly, it’s like the publishers don’t care what the consumers want. If they can get a retailer to buy extra copies of a book to get the chase ratio variant, they’re making money while the retailer suffers with the possibility of books sitting on the shelf for weeks, months or even years.
So who’s to blame? I can only say if retailers only bought books that customers asked to put in their pull lists and then just a few extra shelf copies for the stragglers into the store, we wouldn’t see this inflated ratio variant game the publishers are creating to boost their publishing numbers.
I hear ya. I started getting a little annoyed with all the ratio variants when they started showing up all the time in the earlier part of the 2k. Now it is just part of collecting. I get a ratio every now and then but only if I really like the cover or if a get a good deal on a hot book. There will always be a certain percentage of collectors that will always want the more “rare” version even if it is manufactured rareness so I don’t see ratios ever going away. I do with publishers would calm it down just a little.
Ratio variants started to kill the series as far as spec goes. I’m sure the story is still amazing, but I’m waiting in the collected editions at this point
Really surprised it took 16 issues to get this high.
I strongly believe the reason why this series has heat is the Alex Ross covers. If it just had those ugly-ass Joe Bennett covers the other printings do, it wouldn’t be worth anything. Of course, we now live in a time when issues go for 100s just because the market has gone insane (IH 2, Naomi), so what do I know. Why can’t all my 2000s era Marvel comics heat up like this? 
Alex Ross covers are great but I think it has a small play in the heat. Take a look at the ASM run he did with Slott writing, that series was pretty awful up until the end when the Red Goblin was making waves.
But I do agree that the Ross covers makes these a bit more desirable. Not to knock Bennett, he’s a great artist but he’s no cover artist. He should stick to interiors but then again, they used his interiors for the additional printings so he likely didn’t design them for cover art.
Bennett’s artwork is good, but I wish Marvel would stop with his interiors as covet art. It’s not designed for it and it shows. Its not really Bennett’s fault they are ugly ass. It’s reminds me of a cover less comic. That goes for any reprint where they use interior as cover art too. Pretty much any time marvel does this it sucks.
That being said, at least the covers have something to do with the interior…unlike 50% of the variant covers Marvel Pushes out these days…
That’s why I jumped on the Hotz #14 addtional printing… much better art for a cover.