Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Image | Tagged: robert kirkman, sdcc, skybound, transformers

Transformers #1 San Diego Comic-Con Ashcan Is Already At $300

Skybound as they’re hosting a top-secret Transformers call with retailers on Thursday and will ask attendees to #KeepTheSecret again.

In a big year of comic book news, one of the biggest stories certainly will be Skybound stealth launching a new Transformers and GI Joe shared universe in Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici's Void Rivals #1, which I'm hearing has sold close to 150,000 copies since its launch in June. I could also mention how I broke the news about this licensing deal before anyone and even guessed in a hedge-my-bets fashion that this was the Void Rivals twist,  but we Brits are a much more humble and reserved people so I'd never consider it.

The impact of the launch was felt immediately, with multiple printings of Void Rivals #1 announced (and the second printing selling out immediately), along with some major speculator and collector interest in this new "Energon Universe" – the 1:100 spoiler variant featuring Autobot Jetfire just saw a CGC 9.8 signed copy sell for $600 with RAW copies still selling around $200.

Last month Robert Kirkman and Skybound brought the Energon Universe to SDCC in a big way, wrapping their booth in Transformers visuals, dropping some exclusive variant covers for sale, hosting a panel at the Hasbro booth and nearly filling a 1000-seat room for the first-ever Energon Universe panel. It's that panel that has the comic speculator and collector communities buzzing, as Skybound surprised attendees with the special variant edition of their Transformers #1 ashcan, featuring a black and white cover from series writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson.

And while that variant was going for an already impressive $150 just a little while ago, the folks at CBSI named it their hottest book of the week as people are asking $300 for the black-and-white Transformers #1 San Diego Comic-Con ashcan alone – and that may not even be the ceiling for this series as hype continues to grow with top influencers like Comic Tom sharing their excitement for the series launch. Not far behind are the two variants Skybound made available for sale at their booth in even more limited quantities. The Void Rivals #1 SDCC Jetfire variant by Johnson is selling for $80 and the Transformers #1 ashcan color cover is selling for $190. though actual sales have seen both go for $200 the pair.

The timing couldn't be better for Skybound as they're hosting a top-secret Transformers call with retailers on Thursday where Robert Kirkman, Daniel Warren Johnson, Skybound SVP/Publisher Sean Mackiewicz and Brand Manager Morgan Perry will surely again ask attendees to #KeepTheSecret, as they did so well in May when Skybound let them in on the secret of Void Rivals before FOC.

So now we'll wait to see if anyone picks up their red phone to call us with the details at the Stately Johnston Manor, or if we'll have to wait until the comic drops on Amazon Australia. Transformers #1 is on sale Wednesday, the 4th of Octoberat comic shops everywhere.

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