Posted in: Boom, Comics | Tagged: boom studios, once and future

Back to the Once And Future Second Printings

Published Thu, 17 Sep 2020 14:00:44 -0500

Roughly a year ago, Once And Future by Doctor Kieron Gillen and Not-A-Doctor Dan Mora was a frequent subject of conversation on this site. Not only was it the first (but not last) series to join Boom Studios' 50K Club, but it famously went through eight printings on the first issue. The second issue needed four printings, the third warranted three, and the fourth a mere two printings.

By the fifth issue, it seemed that retailers had sorted out how many copies of Once And Future they needed. Until the first trade came out that is… and new readers wanted to see what all the fuss was about. In just a few months, it's already gone back to press once, despite Boom printing a projected nine-month supply, and that's without a movie or TV show behind it, although I'm sure that's something Boom is working hard to remedy as part of their Netflix first-look deal.

And while retailers ordered up on Once And Future #7 that released the same day, they may have underestimated issue #8 which sold out in short order. Luckily, there's a second printing on the way October 14th. And it's a good thing, because the same thing happened with issue #9 and it has sold out as well, so I'd expect another second printing announcement coming shortly.

Sell outs and second printings are rare this late in a series, although we've seen it happen recently with series like Something Is Killing The Children and Ice Cream Man. And while in the past, subsequent printings were only sought after by readers looking to catch up on a hot series, these days later printings are a source of interest for speculators. Something, fittingly enough, Once And Future may have been partially responsible for with its lack of variant covers and low print runs on the first of the subsequent printings.

Speculators have been driving up the prices of later printings of Something Is Killing The Children and Ice Cream Man on eBay even as retailers increase their orders to ensure they have enough copies to meet demand. As Once And Future sends two more issues back to press, one wonders who will get to the copies on retailers' shelves first – readers or speculators?

But even more in demand than later printings of Something Is Killing The Children are the 1-in-25 incentive covers which are fetching pretty pennies on the aftermarket. Up to this point, Once And Future has held firm on its 1 main cover promise that part of its launch…that appears to be changing with the third story arc. Eagle-eyed Previews readers may have noted with issue #13, Once And Future has not only a variant cover, but a 1-in-25 incentive by rising star cover artist Frany. I'm told that this 3 cover approach is not a one-off change for issue #13. That sound you are hearing is speculators firing up their engines beginning in November. The question now is if Once And Future is selling out in the second arc without ratioed incentive covers, is it possible the third arc will be even more in demand?

And while we're talking about 2nd printings, Boom has one coming for Seven Secrets #2 on FOC this week as well. Not surprising given that the first issue has already gone to third printing and sold out again. I'll start the countdown to a fourth printing announcement…now.

Once & Future #8 2nd printing FOCs this Monday, September 21st alongside issue #12 and will be in stores on October 14th, as does Seven Secrets #2 2nd printing.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!