I don’t understand why the second print has any value. All of the new characters are already on the cover of the first issue. The second print won’t add anything new of value (in my opinion).
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Agree people are nutzo over later printings now they don’t even fit into any rhyme or reason. I understand first appearance wanting the character on the cover. I don’t understand rarity they should add every print the book had before into the print run for whatever later print they are trying to hock as rare.
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I understand the appeal of Thor #4 2nd print I don’t understand why anyone cares about this 2nd print.
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Retailers are catching onto the 2nd print craze, and I feel like sone shops are ordering to fill that market gap. I would imagine that todays 2nds will be ordered more heavily than has been the case in the past, imo.
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I keep thinking that as well, but over and over again, I see zero product available.
That Venom #25 2nd should be lying in stacks imo…#25 1st print was not all that readily available and that 2nd print cover is amazing and is the 1st app/cover for whoever that clown ends up being.
Damned book was nowhere to be found in my area and when it was, it was price hiked on release day.
I think the same will happen with Thor #2 (3rd). I just checked, I had that book preordered from TFAW on 3/6/2020. Book is already pricey on ebay and will likely also be a ghost today (along with no copies of SA #1 2nd).
Also the fact that I’m seeing a sudden surge in “lost”, “damaged”, “shorted”, “forgotten” orders when it comes to many of these recent books. Generalizing, but seems to be an increasing theme from things I see,read, and personal experiences.
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DC/Marvel have a machine being built with these 2nd/3rd/4th printings for comics. They can strike at any point in time, on any print run, and hit a new character on the cover. They can introduce a new character in the pages on print run #1, and put on the cover for print run #3. They can make print run #1 3k copies but print #3 750, or vice versus. More coverage area to create demand.
Ontop of it, if a print run #1 sells poorly, and something new to cover of print run #2 to drive both.
@Uncle_Willie If you happen to see this and feel like responding. I’d be interested to know how you deal with all the varied printings?
Do you only order upon request? If someone has a pull for a book like Venom, do you automatically order a follow up printing for their pulls? Order any for your shelves?
Just curious as you always have a such a sound business approach and I’m curious. Thank you in advance!
Certain shops play the speculation market too. Those shops most likely would be ordering more 2nd prints. Of the 5/6 shops that I frequent, only 1, the really big one, has been ordering heavy on current 2nd prints. That shop did have a stack of Venom 25 2nd. Idk, and I’m not sure we will/could find out if my proposed theory holds any water. Either way, the market will do what the market does, regardless. Though, it is fun to speculate. 
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Marvel prints to order. So it really depends on how many copies of any given print are ordered by the shops. Marvel makes just as much money when they sell a 1st print or a 2nd print, or any print. Marvel would prefer a print run of 200,000+ for every book they printed.
Most stores are not ordering shelf copies like they used to a year or two ago. COVID has had a measurable impact, but the print runs on single issues were dipping before that. Now is the time to up your spec orders.
I agree.
Most all my Pull & Holds are readers, so they don’t care about a 2nd or later printing … it’s rare that I even keep track of what’s going into another printing, unless the Pull and Hold book arrives damaged and can’t be replaced with a first print, then, I give them the first print for half off and ask them if they want a 2nd print …
Casual walk ins if they want it, I’ll order it if it’s in stock … but, it’s a deposit required … same with regular customers that are not Pull and Holds …
There have been rare exceptions over the years … ‘Superman Death’ being one … could not keep it around at all in any printing …
My goal is and has always been to sell out … ‘If the cash don’t flow, the bills don’t go’ … 
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The ever escalating cover price is what has caused Retailers to tighten up … remember DC’s slogan … ?? … ‘Toeing the line at $2.99’ or some such … see how long that lasted …
Even Image which most of their books were $2.99 are all $3.99 or $4.99 now… when people grumbled about Marvel jacking their prices at $3.99… at least they were giving you a digital code too to redeem to read anywhere, anytime you want so you can safely tuck that copy in your long box. And yes, you can pull the redeem sticker high enough to redeem, push back down, close book, put in bag and board and over time it almost resticks cause I’ve pulled several back out and it doesn’t even look like it was ever peeled and you can tug on it and it doesn’t pull up either. So it’s still “intact” cause it was never pulled off completely… 
Not all, McFarlane is keeping it real with Spawn at $2.99 still.
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I am never buying a marvel book from you again.
Kind of a catchy phrase. “It’s still intact
If you can’t pull back!”
So how does he pull it off, but no other book can? Is it just that’s the flagship book that keeps people buying other image books?
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low overhead, he probably doesnt take pay for the books, instead makes his money from signings, toys ect…
I found one shop that had about 10 copies of Venom #25 second print. Most were damaged, so I picked the two best. Pays to be first one in the door.
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It definitely has to do with him and being the owner…wanting to keep his baby going and popular.
Any other owner would have driven that book up to $4.99 by now and likely got it cancelled…