Posted in: Batman, Comics, Comics Publishers, DC Comics, Justice League, Superman | Tagged: Bataman, dc, future state, justice league, walmart, Walmart Report, wonder woman

The Walmart Report: Part 2, DC's Back With Future State & Leftovers

As we entered March, there were no new DC comic packs at Walmart.  December brought a mix of leftover DC books that had nothing to make the line wanted by collectors or accessible for new readers, unlike the past Walmart releases.  No exclusive variants, no exclusive content, just poster backing boards featuring past Jim Lee DC work. Then over the past two weeks, eight, not five, new four-packs showed up Walmart, four featuring titles from Future State, and each with a new "sketch" Jim Lee poster backing board.

Half Future State, Half Comics From Before DC Future State

March brings a change to the Walmart line, with eight four packs released instead of five, as has been the norm since the line switched to four packs in June 2020.  No reason has been given for the switch and increase in sets by DC or Walmart.  The trend from the last set of Jim Lee poster backing boards continues, with eight new Jim Lee DC images used.  However, the images used for this set are sketch covers instead of logoless colorized versions.  The eight sets fall into two categories, 4 sets with books from Future State on top and 4 sets with books on top from the months before Future State. Behind those books, again, nothing but cover price easy to find leftovers.

Pack #1, Batman #102 Main Cover

DC Pack #1 has Batman #102 Main Cover on top, followed by Detective Comics #1005 Main Cover, Batman Superman #11 Main Cover, and Justice League #44 Main Cover. The Jim Lee Sketch Poster is from his cover for Justice League #1 3rd Printing and also used for the hardcover of the Jim Lee Justice League Unwrapped. Nothing of note or desirable here, but at least all the books are from the past few months, though you'll be seeing more of these comics in other sets.

Pack #2, Catwoman #28 Main Cover

DC Pack 2 starts with Catwoman #28 Main Cover, followed by Batman #96 Main Cover, Batman TMNT III #6 Main Cover, and wrapping up with Hawkman #24 main cover. The poster for this set is a Jim Lee Sketch of his cover for Justice League #12.  Nothing of note in pack 2 either, but it is nice to see books like Batman #96 included in these sets since Batman #95 was in the last sets.

Pack #3, Legion of Super-Heroes #11 Variant Cover

DC Pack 3 is fronted by the first of two Legion of Super-Heroes variant covers, with Legion of Super-Heroes #11 Variant Cover on top, followed by two oddball inclusions of Superman Top Cat #1 Main Cover, Batman Ra's Al Ghul #4 Main Cover, and Batgirl #46 Variant Cover. The Jim Lee Sketch here is from the cover of Justice League #9.

Pack #4, Legion of Super-Heroes #12 Variant Cover

DC Pack #4 has the other Legion of Super-Heroes Variant Cover is for issue #12, and the packaging makes it impossible to know unless you know the image. It is followed by the Second Print Cover for Nightwing #70, Batman #92 Main Cover making its first appearance, and again Batman Superman #11 is included. This sketch poster is from the Jim Lee cover for Justice League #12 1st Print Cover.

Pack #5, Future State Catwoman #1 Main Cover

DC Pack #5 brings us the first of the four Future State packs, though Future State Catwoman #1 Main Cover is the only Future State book you will find inside this pack. Making another appearance is Batman #92 Main Cover, with Justice League Odyssey #20 Main Cover, and for the third time Batman Superman #11 Main Cover. The sketch for this set is from Justice League #6 Main Cover, with Darkseid.

Pack #6, Future State Harley Quinn #1 Main Cover

DC Pack #6 has the next set is one of the two sets that seem to be selling, with Future State Harley Quinn #1 Main Cover on top, and the very odd choices of Batman White Knight #6 Main Cover, Hell Arisen #2 Variant Cover, and Superman Unchained #5 Variant Cover from Shane Davis.  With this set, you will be getting some older books, though that there are enough Superman Unchained #5 Shane Davis Variant Covers to fill these sets is odd.  The sketch poster here is from Justice League #11 Main Cover. The Future State Harley Quinn #1 became hard to come by after its first week out, so if you need a copy, Walmarts have them for $9 for this set.

Pack #7, Future State Shazam #1 Main Cover

Third, in the Future State packs is Future State Shazam #1 Main Cover with Batman #96 Main Cover for the second time, an older entry from Justice League Odyssey #4 Main Cover, and for the second time Justice League Odyssey #20 Main Cover.  The Justice League #4 cover is the sketch poster for this set.

Pack #8, Future State Wonder Woman #1 Main Cover

The final DC set is once again the one most will want to buy, with Future State Wonder Woman #1 on top, but sadly underneath is another copy of Batman #92 Main Cover, another copy of Justice League #44 Main Cover, and Action Comics #1011 from the Leviathan crossover.  The last sketch poster is from Justice League #8 Main Cover, featuring the New 52 Green Arrow. Overall this is the set that has disappeared the fastest from Walmarts, but even so, nothing here is burning up the charts or desired by collectors.

More "New" DC Comics for Walmart, but All Are  Just "Old" Comics

This set establishes a new pattern now for the Walmart four-packs, shifting from every other month to now new packs every three months.  This means the new four-packs won't be showing up in Walmarts until June 2021 now, and new packs will only be showing up four times a year.  However, the continuing use of these packs as dumping grounds for unsold stock suggests the Walmart exclusive DC comics may be at their final approach or going to wind down even more.  Nothing unique or exclusive for Walmart now except poster backing boards of previous artwork by Jim Lee.  There is plenty more Jim Lee artwork to use, so this trend may continue into future sets.  Overall though, unless you missed out on first prints for the Future State books in these bundles, most buyers are not going to be picking up these sets.

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