Gillbob316

It's really dependent on the store... sometimes they slip them right in with a wave, sometimes they get over-priced, sometimes they're held for "special" buyers, sometimes they're plopped right on the shelf... variants are a strange phenoma... Here's my list of variant history... (Note: These occurances all happened around the times the sets were new. Many on the day of release.) Series 1, Black Elektra: Windy City Comics, my regular comic-book store, individually bought, retail price. Series 2, Black Spider-Man: Ebay, bought it early on so a decently low price. Less than $20. Series 3, Visorless Cyclops: Windy City Comics, my regular comic-book store, individually bought, retail price. Series 4, Unmasked Daredevil: Windy City Comics, my regular comic-book store, bought with the set, retail price. Series 5, Unmasked Dr. Doom: Windy City Comics, my regular comic-book store, bought with the set, retail price. Series 6, Stealth Iron Man: Diamond's booth at Wizard World Chicago, bought with the set, retail price. (Note: From this point onward, I would have remained loyal to my regular store, but he stopped carrying them. I think because I was the only one buying them.) Series 7, JJJ Chameleon: Ebay, fair price. Less than $10. Series 8, Invisible Woman: Universal Studios: Islands of Adventure, individually bought, $12.99ish. (Note: This was the price of normal sets too. We're talking standard theme-park price inflation.) Series 9, Diamond Emma Frost: Universal Studios: Islands of Adventure, individually bought, $12.99ish. (Again, standard theme-park price inflation.) Series 10, Spider-Woman II: Diamond's booth at Wizard World Chicago, bought with the set, retail price. Series 11, Frosted Iceman: Dreamland Comics, not my regular comic-book store, bought with the set, retail price. Series 12, Raft Sentry: Keith's Comics, not my regular comic-book store, individually bought, $12.99ish. Series 13, DOFP Wolverine: Diamond's booth at Wizard World Chicago, individually bought, retail price. Series 14, Dark Phoenix: Dreamland Comics, not my regular comic-book store, bought with the set, $12.99ish. Series 16, Bearded Thor: One Stop Comics, not my regular comic-book store, individually bought, retail price. Series 17, Trans. Venom: Dreamland Comics, not my regular comic-book store, bought with the set, $9.99ish. Series 18: Mary-Jane: Dreamland Comics, not my regular comic-book store, bought with the set, $9.99ish. Series 19: Archangel: Cornerstorecomics.com, bought with the set, retail price. Series 20: Vision 2.0: Cornerstorecomics.com, bought with the set, retail price. Now I'll note, those are my own personal collection pieces, and how I acquired them. Here's some more variants I've crossed paths with without hunting... (Note: These occurances again, all happened around the times the sets were new, or still available in stores. In any event, after I'd already acquired my own personal variant.) Black Spider-Man: My friend got his at Diamond's booth at Wizard World Chicago, bought as a set, retail price. (He actually got his before me. I didn't take this deal, because I already had the 3 regular sets. In retrospect, yes, I wish I had.) Unmasked Dr. Doom: I found about 5 of these for retail price at Tower Records once. No idea why so many. Bought'em and ebay'ed'em. Diamond Emma: I found about 5 at Universal Studios outlet store on clearance for $3 each, on a return trip to Florida, months after I got my original one. Bought'em and ebay'ed'em. (They also had several 100 packs of other series 9 sets on clearance. Tons of Deathstrikes/Patches & Punisher/Blades... Basically a dozen or so cases. I weeded out all the variants left.) Spider-Woman II: Got one randomly from shopafx.com in one of their "You might get a variant, you might not" sets of 6. Ebay'ed her. So as you can see... it's a rich tapestry. Notice, my local comic book guy sometimes sold them to me individually, sometimes as sets (because he knew I wanted them all anyway) always at retail price. Dreamland comics, has been very inconsistant with their pricing, and sometimes with set/not set availability. (Though I continue to get variants from them, because they're usually reliable, and have them on release day.) Universal Studios, sold them normally alongside regular sets (albeit at a high price) only to later clearance them off alongside regular sets. And Diamond themselves have been a great source of variants through Wizard World Chicago. They usually ask that you buy the whole set, but with DOFP Wolverine I didn't even have to do that. (Funny story actually, when I bought my Zombie Daredevil & Spider-Man 3 Preview Packs, I saw it behind the counter and said, "Can I buy that?" and the guy said, "Actually no, sorry." and I said, "But I waant iiit..." and he said, "You want it? Okay..." lol. That was the exact exchange of words. I have no idea why he was holding it, or why he yielded, but I thank him.) So uhhh... yeah... I bet that was way more typing then you actually wanted to read.

Not that I want to encourage them to make another Wolverine, but yeah... no kidding... There are 4 friggin battledamaged Spider-Mans... Daredevil has one... Captain America has one... Seems odd, don't it?

Honestly, my biggest gripe is not enough TNG... Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they're there... and I don't mind the mixed up waves... but I think if they were gonna go at TNG, they should have done it with one full on wave, or at least 2 solid heavy hitter 2-Packs, and then started peppering the rest in like this... Opened up with like... Picard, Data, Riker & Worf... then started with the releases of 1 or 2 other major characters peppered in gradually, a few at a time in later waves. (Kinda like they did with TOS). Now I'm gonna have all this Jean-Luc and no crewmany goodness...

Yeah, I don't so much have a problem with the concept of variants themselves... I just hate that every series has the "1 variant/1 double" arrangement... give us 2 variants or don't give us 1 at all... Frankly I like DC's system better thus far, I'd rather have 2 new characters than one slightly different character and 1 double. I wouldn't even mind if they were still 1 per case, it's not the hunt that annoys me... I like the hunt... just stop forcing me to buy two of the same figure.

Top 10: * Jubilee * Marrow * Gambit * Blink (Exiles/AoA) * Morph (Exiles/AoA) * Nocturne * Psylocke * Dazzler * Longshot * Marvel Girl Spider-Man/Wolverine Variants: * Iron Spider-Man & The Amazing Bag-Man * Weapon X (AoA) & A Redo of "Classic" Blue & Yellow Wolverine PS. I can't help but notice this list has been rolling since '96... The original post says the votes will be tallied and placed at the top. Whatever happened with that? lol...

Hey, this is slightly off-topic, but not completely off-topic, but I didn't want to start a brand new thread about it, but anyway, I'd like to ask, has anyone ever ordered from Cornerstorecomics.com? See, reason I ask is, usually I track down all my minimates myself the morning of release, because my local comic book stores usually get them on time with variants available. But with 19 & 20 I was thrown for a loop when the west coast shipments (where I live) actually came in the same time as the east coast shipments. I lost my week of cushion time and was caught with my pants down, so to speak. As such, I obviously wasn't expecting my comic book store to get them today, and I didn't find out they -did- get them until it was too late to buy the variants, so rather than buy the normal sets and try to track down the variants later, I thought, since I still need to order a Zombie Iron Man/Black Panther set anyway, I figured I could just do that, and at the same time order the complete sets of 19 & 20 online... and wait a tad longer. Because lots of places are still offering full sets with variants for order, as well as the zombie pack I need. Now I was going to buy the sets of 19 & 20 at ShopAFX.com, whom I've ordered from many times in the past, and know I'll get what I pay for from... but frankly i've never been happy with their shipping rates... and since Cornerstorecomics.com not only offered both sets for a cheaper price, but their shipping rates were less as well, I decided to go with them this time instead. BUT, because I've never ordered from cornerstorecomics, I'm just a touch worried... not for any particular reason... just new vendor jitters I guess... never bought from them... don't know what to expect. So I figured I'd ask if anyone else has experience with Corner Store, and if I made a wise decision or not? What is the likelihood I will get my series 19 & 20 sets in a -relatively- timely matter? Are they slow/fast? If there's a problem, will they help? Any input ya'll could give me would be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking at the fine print, and I see, "Susan Crespi, Production Manager" I don't know if that's what you're looking for or not though.

So I sat down to read my new copy of X-Men: Die by the Sword #5 yesterday, and when I open it up to the recap page, what do I see but something that I just couldn't help but come here and post... I found it so hilarious, I just new I had to show ya'll. Apparently, even Almighty Marvel themselves are not beyond making this slip up from time to time. So lighten up.

Or you could use... Storm. (They changed all the Giant Sized figures to C3 feet when they re-released them in 2-Packs at Target. )

Got them all, variants included, at my usual joint today. They really are nice mates... it's a shame (at least imo) they aren't comic book mates... movie mates are neat, but two waves of comic book mates this nice would have been friggin awesome. (Though I suppose/hope that's what 19 and 20 are for...) A hell of alot of original sculpting went into this wave... and it all works... they aren't weird looking like half the X3 mates were. Gwen is the spittin' image of Bryce Dallas Howard... I think she's my favorite... her and the Sandmen (who are both also pretty dang nice). PS. In regard to that "lots of original sculpting" you know what really freakin' ASTOUNDS me? They actually took the time to sculpt different hair for the "Angry Face" Peter Parker mate and the "Symbiote Transformation" Spidey mate... they both have the same emo-bang hairdo, and the difference isn't even noticable at a glance, but if you look at them side-by-side closely, they're actually different sculpts... the bangs fall differently. I can't believe they took the time to do that... that's a corner they could easily have cut. (I think I would have.)

Why is there a link to this thread in this thread? I couldn't quite figure that one out either.

There are FYE's in Chicago?! Where? Yeah, no kidding... After I hit the comic books store to get the Spider-Man Moviemates (and I got the variants! Woohoo!) I went hunting for these two... There's one at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, that's the only one I know about. I checked it today at about 11 am, and they had zombie packs, the 24 exclusive, lots of misc Star Trek, DC & Battlestar Galactica, but nada as far as Hobgoblin and Scarlet Spider. Of course... Smackman said he's in Chicago, and he also said he cleaned out at least two malls of every one they had... and being that woodfield is the biggest, most well-known mall in the Semi-Chicagoland area... maybe he's to blame for my misfortune. *Glares Menacingly*

While I agree with most of your idea, and would always LOVE more X-Men, I really don't think we need a new Colossus... Besides Wolverine, who has more than enough mates as it is, he's like, the only friggin X-Man who has essentially the same costume today, as the day he was created in Giant Size #1, and we already have two versions of that costume, one stylized very classically, one stylized very modern. I don't see the need to make another for a loooong while. Replace him with someone else... I'd say a nice iceman with some sculpted hair and icy appendages maybe. I also want to slap you for leaving out Jubilee. As much as I support the need for a 90s Beast or Cyclops, I'd much rather get ANY jubilee, than a re-do of someone who's already been made. She's like the poster-girl for X-Men in the 90s. The whole pilot episode of the cartoon revolved around her for cripes sake. Shame on you.

I'd love a minimate of Shi'ar Gladiator, but I have no idea who the other one is... Put Gladiator with Hyperion. Then when you add Sentry, who they already made, you have a complete collection of, "Marvel's Repetative Attempts to Spoof/Rip On Superman"

So um... call me nutty, but in all this levity and revelment, I haven't seen it brought up... Isn't someone gonna need our addresses and mailing type info at some point? Hehe.

I buy Marvel by the wave. DC I get the odd pack here and there (I'm not familiar with alot of the obscure characters). Same for Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica, just the odd pack here and there... If I see a part or a character I like. (If they ever make Star Trek: The Next Generation mates though, I'd pick them all up. I'm a child of the 90's so I grew up with TNG not the original, so I likes it better. ) (PS. Cancelled Stuff: Street Fighter I got everything but Evil Ryu vs Akuma. Never found them. LotR I got the majority of, but still need a few odd sets. Both sets, I just bought gradually, 1 or 2 at a time. Misc 3" I never collected.) When a new marvel wave hits, I usually have no problem getting all the regulars. I've gotten the variants from a wide variety of sources. Verious local comic book stores, who soemtimes have them and sometimes sell out, Universal Studios: Islands of Adventure (though they don't seem to sell mates anymore, after having to clearance off about 1000 excess Patch vs Deathstrike sets), ebay, DST's booth at Wizard World Chicago. These are the many sources through which I've acquired my variants.

Yeah... I didn't notice at first, but as soon as your eye scans the back row and realizes the row behind it is... well... mirrored... you have one of those, "Ohhhhh..." moments.

Yes. I thought about that as I was deciding as I knew people would question if he only won because of #24 (I bet you're all thinking 'damn why didn't I think of that' though?) It wasn't #24 being very cheeky that gave him the win, his pictures were the most consistently entertaining and well put together as far as I (and the other judges) were concerned. T. I think mine were pretty damn consistently well put together thank you very much. I'll give you Luke's were more consistantly entertaining though. Some of mine were boring. PS. To everyone who took a picture in front of hundreds of standing minimates for #11. HOW THE HELL DO YOU HAVE THAT MUCH PATIENCE!!? Lol... I tried repeatedly for like a half hour, and all I got stood up was my lord of the rings ones, and about 25% of my DC ones before they had domino'ed over so many times that I just said, "F#*@ it! >_<" in frustration, threw them all in a big pile, and took the picture you see now for my #11. Which actually worked out, because I think 11 was one of my better ones... ... But still... I dunno how you guys did it without shooting yourselves. Haha. PS2. Anyone else surprised by how many of us used a DS for Videogame? PS3. Anyone else find it funny that all our rubberband balls have that, "All the rubberbands match 'cause I went out and bought an assload of rubberbands and made it from scratch" freshness too them...

I was thinkin' the same thing... O.o Anyway, for the record, I'd still love a "judge's favorites" thread... Just because I'm curious which of my pictures would show up in there... and it makes seeing the best of everyone elses' easier.

Sowheres'em pica-chures?

What I don't get is I submitted 30, but I'm on the "Artistic/Creative" win list, not the "Quantity" win list... I still won a prize (PS. Awesome, thanks!) so hey, what do I care about the fine-print right? ... It just cornfuses me is all. I'm assuming, as I read the sentance, "...the following had a 30 point total but didn't win either the main prize or one of the judges prizes." that it could be infered that since anyone could win a judge's prize, once 5 were chosen, the number of points they had, be it 30 or less, is moot, since they've already secured a prize, and thus anyone on the judge's list, whether they happened to have 30 or not, was just removed from the "highest in points" list? That it? (lol, I think too hard...) PS. Gratz to everyone who won something, and humble apologies and a sincere "good luck" for next time to thsoe who didn't. Thanks to the judges for throwing this shin-dig, and for passing out the extra prizes. I'm sure they're much appreciated by the additional winners. Was fun, and I'm anxious to see the pics.

I've worried more than once about it... what with the repeated incinuation. But I know that the judges will be fair, and not so petty and cruel.

Well theoretically, "by the weekend" would have meant yesterday (friday) ... We're into "By weekend's end" now, which would mean today or tommorow. (Seriously though, take your time, I'm not saying this to pressure you, or gripe, or to demand anything... I can only imagine how much time it would take to judge all those pictures, so take all the time you need. Just havin' a spot of fun with ya. )

AFX is usually good about replacing things. I wouldn't worry about the Zombie Wolverine. You may actually even get a complete second zombie set out of the deal, which would be nothing to sneeze at. I think your trouble on the Sentry was that he was a variant. Variants aren't easily replaced, even by diamond. My own story: I once ordered a set of 6 mates (3 normal packs from a particular series) from AFX with a "possible" variant. I'd get the two normal sets, and either get the normal Spider-Woman & Spider-Carnage set, or variant Spider-Woman, depending on what got pulled from the case. Well, funnily enough, I got variant Spider-Woman. But again, funnily enough, her knee snapped in half shortly after opening her. I e-mailed AFX for a replacement, and they said they couldn't guarantee a variant replacement, but they did send me a replacement normal Spider-Woman and Spider-Carnage set. So I ended up with 2 Spider-Carnages, a Spider-Woman I and a broken Spider-Woman II, when all I expected in the 1st place was 1 Spider-Woman I and 1 Spider-Carnage. So it wasn't all that bad of a deal I suppose. So as I said, AFX does do replacements. You may even get a whole new set. The fact that not only was Sentry a variant, but you were trying to get him replaced through a manufactuer and not a retailer is probably what screwed you the 1st time... Retailers have more motivation to keep their customers happy. Manufactuers only have to keep the retailers happy, and rely on the retailers to keep the customers happy. Keep in mind that I'm not trying to bash Diamond. I've had some pleasant experiences with them as a company in the past. If they -can- help you easily, I believe they will, but a variant isn't an easy replacement, even for the manufactuer, so I think they just chose to ignore you in this case... 1 unsolvable problem for a single customer is like a drop in the bucket for a major corporation. They probably feel they have more important damage control to attend to.

As per yonder article... http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?nam...e&sid=21973 DST has acquired the Planet of the Apes liscense! The article only mentions that they'll be making reproductions of the original PotA MEGO figures, no mention of minimates, but I for one am excited by the mere possibility of it. I hope to god this liscense could extend to minimates, because Planet of the Apes is one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time! I'd LOVE ape mates! Gyaaah!!! Someone slip a question into the next ask Chuck about the odds of Damn Dirty Mini-Apes!