I’m still waiting for midtown to ship my Wednesday variant. I already received comics from them released in the week following.
What a f’n train wreck, midtown is.
Sorry…I should complain in the WTF Midtown thread!
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All got all my copies at my LCS’ on the day of release, or shortly thereafter. Even got to pick the stacks so I know all my books are in tip top condition. 
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Not gambling. It’s a well calculated risk.
Heh… whatever allows you to sleep better at night. All speculation is a gamble in a sense if you ask me. Just like stocks… all gambling. 
Stocks are a well calculated risk too. Gambling would be buying 400 copies of Venom 23.
If there’s any risk, it’s gambling in a sense. Yes, your risk is slightly lower going with Venom #25 over #23 since #23 didn’t introduce any new characters or story and has been out for months already, that’s not necessarily gambling, that’s just wasting your money at this point. But due to the already popularity of the character coming out, yes, Venom #25 so far can make you money but the market could swing in so many directions that cause Venom #25 to fall flat while another book takes off…
gambling - take risky action in the hope of a desired result.
This first appearance stuff has to get more standardized. I know it is hard to do, because otherwise you limit artistic freedom BUT how can Punchline’s first full in HA3 be just full body images w/ no dialogue but Codex’ first full be possibly pushed?
If Codex is shown in his entirety in Venom 27, isn’t that it? If he speaks in Venom 28, how is that different than Punchline in Batman 92?
Again, I’m new and trying to understand all these nuances in the collecting world. Also, please don’t take anything I’m saying as a challenge to what you’re saying, I’m genuinely asking a question because I don’t understand.
There has never been and never will be a specific definition of cameo vs full. The market isn’t consistent either.
Typically to not be a cameo you need to have multiple panels, and dialogue and being named also help.
See the classic Wolverine debate. One full panel in IH 180 is cameo to many people. Same with Venom full panel at end of ASM 299.
Iirc, Codex (if that is even his name) I believe only appears in the one panel in Venom 25 doesn’t he? Punchline is in multiple panels in HA3.
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@agentpoyo, @Venomismypassion…Gamble and Risk are synonyms, gentlemen. You are discussing semantics.
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That’s what I was trying to point out, he says it wasn’t gambling, but calculated risks…
Venom has a valid point too. A calculated risk is better than a non calculated gamble. Especially if your knowledge about the subject of your calculations is extensive. 
Hence my tendency to play Black Jack over roulette wheel.
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Which I also pointed out… yes, the calculated risk is a smaller risk, but yet, both are still gambling in a sense when there’s any type of risk involved.
Which both are still… . gambling games.
People who bought 50 copies of Death Metal legends were worried all the way until they saw the Full spoilers. You are always going to second guess any purchase of more than ten copies of any book even if you know what’s in that book. Lot of other variables, will other people know and care what’s in that book, will it sell out before it’s release, will it be reprinted with a better cover, will cover you purchased be changed.
Can you say, they were gambling due to making a “risky” move in buying so many copies? 
See, now I’m just poking fun at it… all because I said buying 100+ of Venom #25 is some serious… “gambling”… What happens when Donny Cates retcon’s and Codex ends up being another character from the past?
What if, Codex is The Maker? Remember, he went through the portal first… maybe he showed up way before the others to give himself time to settle in…
The biggest problem with the character he appeared on a bunch of covers for the first time the same day. Even though he’s in one picture which is copied on the cover for the 2nd print of #25 and not in #26 but on 12 covers lol they came out the same day.
Technically for store exclusives don’t we count the release date of the book? Not the on sale date on the website (which can be hard to document). So for all those store exclusives, it’s the release date of Venom 26.
Iirc Venom 25 2nd came out after Venom 26, but I think people will gravitate towards 25 2nd as it’s a marvel full release (not an exclusive) and also the book contains his first app (in cameo). He isn’t in 26.
Store variants dont count