Previews of the Dead
Empire of the Dead
Marvel Previews #16, 17, 18
So this week I am featuring some Empire of the Dead comics. These are preview books so they may not appeal to everyone but it is interesting to note that issue 16 features the first published 1:75 variant cover image for issue 1.
Issue 18 predates issue 1 of the series and actually published black and white interior art for issue 1!
 Marvel Previews #18 |
 Marvel Previews #18 – Empire of the Dead Preview |
Diamond Previews 302
The Marvel Preview number 18 was published at the same time as this publication. It is hard to find and so far I cannot confirm if Empire is previewed inside but it’s a good bet.
Starship Troopers: Dark Horse Insider Volume 3 #17
Recently I mentioned the return of Starship Troopers to some sort of live Adaptation. Dark Horse’s comics feature the first sequential appearances of the famed Sci-Fi franchise. If you are into previews or images that first show the appearance of a character or franchise then this rare publication is for you. Dark Horse Insider often featured black and white interiors of upcoming titles like Sin City, Hellboy and Army of Darkness.
Silver Surfer #43
Much like Omega Men 2 and The Amazing Spider-Man 359, the cover for Silver Surfer 44 appears at the end of issue 43. Why is this important? The cover to issue 44 features the first appearance of the Infinity Gauntlet. Completists take note.
 Silver Surfer #43 – Cover |
 Silver Surfer #43 – Next issue |
Mondo #3
Enormous has been optioned and the print run for regular issues was miniscule so there’s going to be a steady demand for all related material. Ted McKeever’s oversized comics have previewed a couple of hot properties including Enormous.
Mondo #3
The Last Starfighter
There have been some rumors of a possible remake of this 80’s sci-fi epic. I sure hope it happens. The original film remains a personal favorite and if you have not seen it I suggest you do.
The Last Starfighter #1-3
Marvel Super Special #31
Akira
I often update on the status of Akira and this week we got a major announcement, the showrunners for Netflix’s Daredevil series have taken over. My research shows Young Magazine 24 as the first appearance of the serialized Manga but the image on the right could be incorrect. The fact is there just isn’t enough research material to confirm one way or another.
As readers well know Akira was translated into English by Marvel. Here is every cover, again:
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I’m sure I’ll get a lot of backlash here (probably) and I completely blame Bleeding Cool.com for this craziness (and I realize you said not everyone would be into this) but I think speculation has finally reached insanity. I mean, we’re to the point where advertisements and previews are speculation items? That’s the definition of sheer madness. If a character has a first appearance, it’s in the first issue they’re in. Not some random advertisement or promo hidden away in some obscure book. I mean the Infinity Gauntlet’s first appearance is “now” possibly in a “next issue” blurb? It’s just gone too far for me. But that’s just my humble opinion.
I am going to post crazy shit like this once and a while but I try to include other comics beyond those that preview books. Please do NOT give BC the credit for speculating on this sort of stuff. They simply have a larger platform and over the years they have borrowed their information from other more informed collectors just as I do. If I get any info from others I will be sure to credit them. Also I am not saying you should go out and buy Marvel Previews 18 but those black and white pages do predate issue 1 and collectors may want to know it. Thanks for the impute though, I appreciate all perspectives.
wow, incredible info. You are the best at this stuff seriously
Great research no doubt, but this way too out there for me as far as soeculation goes.
Good info! Great research! Thanks for sharing.
Empire of The Dead wouldn’t be in the regular Diamond Previews since its Marvel. Those Marvel Previews 16,17,18 are the Diamond Previews for Marvel and it comes free when you buy the big Previews with every other publisher in it.
Marvel does still have a section in the big book but I couldn’t find one to determine if any Empire Material was included beyond 16,17,18
Previews are NOT first appearances. Nuff’ friggin said.
The market agrees with you sometimes but other times it does not. The point is, Collect what you love and what YOU see as valuable. Personally I can’t live without a full run of the Puma Blues and it isn’t worth a dime. I understand this is mostly a spec driven web page but my job is to get the information out there and then collectors or flippers like you can decide its value. Here is an example: While the January 2012 Diamond is not worth as much as Saga #1 the color pages of issue one and its characters appear in the publication prior to the Image comic. Does that mean those characters first appear in an industry sales publication? Technically yes but people put more value on the comic and that is good. But if i am a collector of Saga I probably want both.
I just want to say I like this website. I read every article. Please continue writing this column for the completists out there. I’ll still read it. In this hobby knowledge is power.
I can understand having them wanting the previews and et cetera. for their collections. I just disagree with any preview, (be it sample pages, concept art or character art, ads or what-not) as a 1st appearance. It is only a 1st appearance if the character appears in context in a issue of a COMIC BOOK. Otherwise you are trying to boil it down too far. There is no end until you get back to the writer or artists original concept.
I find that the views on this has changed in recent years. There are plenty of examples where certain comics are forcing collectors to redefine the value of and what constitutes a first appearance.
I didn’t mean Bleeding Cool provided you with this information, I just meant I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole “speculation for sales publications and other random ridiculous stuff as first appearances” trend didn’t get started there. He’s always creating this insane (usually pointless) hype, and people eat it up! That’s all I meant by that.
And one day I hope to have a complete run of Puma Blues, but man some of those later issues are hard to find! 🙂
Agreed, especially the Moore issue!