Never Thought I Would Intentionally Buy a Gimmick Cover Again

Back during the 90's speculator boom I remember being in awe of the gimmick covers that would grace various comic books on the stands. Either the gimmick cover would sell out or I lacked the money to buy it. Since comic books were then seen as a hot-ticket investment, the general consensus was that surely the gimmick covers would be valuable collector's items like vintage comics!


Flash forward today in a post-speculator market, I could probably collect most gimmick covers for little more than what a modern comic books sells for. Heck, some are probably less!


So I am not particularly fond of gimmick covers as a result. I don't order them or cruise comic book shops looking for them.


Not saying I don't buy them of course. When DC released gimmick variants for its Villains Month during the midway point of the New 52, I bought the gimmick variant when it was pulled for me as well as any purchased copies of any I saw off the rack. Difference between 90's me and the New 52 me was that I bought the cover because I thought it looked pretty. Okay, 90's me thought gimmick covers were pretty too. Just financial instrument pretty. Selling the New 52 Villain gimmick variants never entered my mind. Which is why I didn't mind buying the normal covers too.


With that in mind, I am surprised that I am intentionally ordering, or at the very least buy, the lenticular covers for upcoming "The Button" story arc playing out in both Batman and Flash's 21st and 22nd Rebirth issue.


Okay, to be fair, I love the cover art shown. Seeing both Batman and Flash holding the Comedian's (yes, the character from The Watchmen) bloody smiley face button is simply awesome. My inner geek is excited. Gotta have it. Suppose it also helps that I have no clue what the normal cover looks like nor any of the variants. The one variant I did see struck me as ho-hum. Plus, if I am going to get the pamphlet in lieu of the trade I might as well as purchase the one with the shiny cover.


If there's any consolation to my gimmick cover-hatred, it's that I am not considering the lenticular covers as collectibles. Just something to satisfy my geekdom. Besides, if any cover will be a hot collectible, the international cover will probably be it as I don't imagine too many U.S. shops ordering it. Then again 90's me was awfully certain too...


Anyway,
Happy Reading