The Weird World of Gimmick Covers

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From foil embossed to glow-in-the-dark, and even a comic book with a real bullet hole shot through the middle. In this video, Josh from Panels to Pixels explores the weird world of gimmick covers.
Special thanks to Mike Sterling for uploading scans of Jab, the comic shot with a real bullet, to his site Progressive Ruin. Read more about the issue here: www.progressiveruin.com/2021/...
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0:00 Intro
1:45 The First Gimmick Cover and Holograms
3:39 Foil and Die-Cut
5:37 Embossed, Chromium, Glow-In-The-Dark
7:26 Whatnot Ad
8:23 Image Comics
10:26 Shot With a Bullet
11:42 22K Gold, Crystals, Velvet and Leather
12:57 Valiant Comics
14:29 Outro

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2 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 167

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Hey, Heroes! Sign up to Whatnot using my link to get £10 to spend on comics: whatnot.com/invite/panelstopixels 🌟

@Daftanemone 6 месяцев назад

I love the covers that are blank and intended to be taken to a convention for an artist there to draw on

@taffysaur 6 месяцев назад

Two of my favourite gimmick covers from the ‘90s were from Bongo Comics. One was Radioactive Man #1, which depicted his origin, which involves him getting caught in a nuclear blast. The cover depicted this moment, and if you turned the lights off, you saw Radioactive Man’s skeleton glowing in the dark, as if irradiated. Very creative use of the gimmick. Another was an issue of Bartman where Bartman is on an adventure that leads him to a comics printing plant, and on the cover it depicts a moment where he is in danger of falling into a vat of chromium, which was of course enhanced thusly. Bartman is saying, “if I’m not careful, the next cover enhancement is gonna be my blood!”

@Mimic_Gaming 5 месяцев назад

Rogue Sun did a really good glow in the dark cover like that

@cookiecreeperplayz 5 месяцев назад

Matt Groening is an expert at gags like these.

@ApolloVIIIYouAreGoForTLI 4 месяца назад

I still remember as a kid buying that Bartman with the "chrome" cover & where I got it. It also taught me what the word enhancement was... By that I mean I couldn't read the word & had to ask my Mum what it was.

@arthurdent5357 4 месяца назад

I have that comic. I don't think it glows anymore though. I also had a MAD magazine that you could scratch and sniff and it would stink like rotten eggs.

@wackydesert3087 2 месяца назад

I think I still have that latter Bartman comic

@TemmiePlays 5 месяцев назад

i like the bullet gag. they not only commit to the bit, but they do it both seriously ( with selecting casing and numberings, planned panels ) to tht addition of literal shotgun blasted paper. great stuff, the 90's truly were a time

@Cpl.Clawhammer 5 месяцев назад

One of my favorites is from a Lobo comic. It’s a worm’s-eye shot of Lobo pointing to his 3D-embossed foil skull codpiece while saying something like “How’s THIS for a ‘cover embellishment’, ya’ fraggin’ NERDS!!!”

@samtinkle9076 4 месяца назад

Decided to look it up and yup. Lobo #1 of 1993, and he said "I got yer cover embellishment RIGHT HERE!" The dark age was built different 💀

@matthewmckinnon-gray9957 6 месяцев назад

My favorite gimmick was the chloroform sticker covers for Superman: The Man of Steel & the Worlds Collide special. The both had stickers of the characters you could arrange in various fight poses. Those were fun.

@mariic2 6 месяцев назад

*Colorform

@SrLupinotuum 5 месяцев назад

I mean, some cloroform rub and smell would be a dream of a cover@@mariic2

@TitularHeroine 5 месяцев назад

@@mariic2 scratch-'n-sniff chloroform

@omatic_opulis9876 5 месяцев назад

@@TitularHeroinemy favouri

@mdnaz9889 4 месяца назад

Oooh, look, chloroform sticker cov- (passes out)

@matthewhood7844 6 месяцев назад

There was a comic of Eclipso with a purple platic gem glued to the cover which meant it pressed into the backs of the issues that were boxed together warping them.

@Th3Pr0digalS0n 5 месяцев назад

I had that eclipso comic.

@davidpyott3710 5 месяцев назад

Me too

@mechouilli 6 месяцев назад

Speaking of Gorillas, when I was around 10 years old, I bought a copy of Monkeyman and O'brien knowing nothing about Art Adams (and very little about Comic Books in general). As a kid who was subjected to racism and bullying, there was a quote by Monkeyman that helped me a lot: it was along the lines of "Don't judge the many by the actions of the few". I became a comics nerd since then... :D

@davidnakayama8671 6 месяцев назад

So fun! I was so there for gimmick covers in the 90s. Loved 'em. These days, I happen to make covers for a living, and it's been great fun to see the return of foil, solid metal, and other fun additions (spot foil being my personal favorite when it comes to my own stuff). One brand-new gimmick that really caught my attention was the sound chip that DC recently added to it's Justice League Vs. Godzilla Vs. Kong #1 (featuring a Godzilla roar naturally). Super unique and very cool value-add to that specific comic.

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Thanks, David! I've got a few of your covers in my collection, as well as Marvel Legends with your art, so I'm stoked you liked the video. I gotta check out the Godzilla roar gimmick, that sounds amazing.

@hansdroedel5587 6 месяцев назад

Wow! I really had no intention to buy this series. But after you telling me this....... I really want that

@robmcscotty2974 6 месяцев назад

Little surprised that the KISS comic wasn't on this list....how much more gimmicky can a cover be with having each band member adding their own blood (just a tiny bit so they can say their blood is in it) into the red ink

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Well, to let you into a little secret, I plan to do an entire video on the history of KISS comics at some point.

@GrandDawggy 5 месяцев назад

@@PanelstoPixels There is a funny prank call by the artist Longmont potin castle where he calls a comic book store amd asked them if he wanted to buy a first edition kiss comic that is impregnated with LSD "it's in great condition I only lick it a little bit once a year", when the owner obviously refuses Longmont asked if he'd even like to lick it a little bit.

@TitularHeroine 6 месяцев назад

The iridescent foil cover on GR2099 was incredibly badass, was the most eye-catching thing on the rack, and suited the character well. Thank you as always, Josh!

@hansdroedel5587 6 месяцев назад

First time i seen and heard a positive thing about gimmick covers. I loved those covers so much and still do. I actually picked up a copy of that Ghost Rider comic 2 weeks ago

@NickMichalak 6 месяцев назад

I have a Chromium cover for the return of Superman issue where he finally defeats Henshaw and Mongul. Still in great condition, too! My Frank Miller Daredevil run has all embossed covers. I also have a few of those X-Men covers you mentioned. Yeah, nothing screams 90’s comics like gimmick covers!

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Those Man Without Fear embossed covers are KILLER!

@jonodoiron3247 6 месяцев назад

I laughed hard at the bullet hole variant covers! Didn't know about that one. I like how the story incorporated the hole in the book, clever.

@CassietheReal 6 месяцев назад

Glad to see a video talking about gimmick covers, they can be really fun! I was very excited about the latest doom patrol mini series to have a gimmick variant every issue featuring one of the team members with a unique gimmick to fit that team member, only for them to stop doing it after 3 issues 😭

@nobodyexceptme7794 6 месяцев назад

Lol I think I have that Onslaught cover somewhere, u just brought back some memories.

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

You could sell that thing for at least $100. More than most 90s comics lol.

@kidcat3000 5 месяцев назад

I know people didn’t like the DCs New 52 lenticular 3D covers, but I really vibed with them. They’re so cool.

@zyxaqc 5 месяцев назад

My favorite gimmick cover that I own is Malibu's "The Ferret" #1 where the entire comic is cut along the edges in the shape of the title character's face on the cover.

@TheStagAndArrow 6 месяцев назад

Now that you've entered the realm of shiny, 3D and embossed gimmicks, you should make a vodeo on the special trading cards that came in comic card sets back in the 90s! I still remember the joy of completing the shiny Brothers Hildebradt 9 card image that came in the 94 X-Men set. Ah, back in the day when shiny meant value...good times

@MattyStoked 6 месяцев назад

God I love the Hildebrandts

@Americanbadashh 6 месяцев назад

Foil embossed lettering for titles was a big thing in traditional book publishing. Maybe it still is for all I know

@liamcollinson5695 5 месяцев назад

I find most of the gimmicks just a fun little bonus that isn't allways necessary but doesn't really take away much like a cherry on a hot fudge sundae

@ryuhoshu3303 6 месяцев назад

Pretty interesting, did not know about a lot of these, I have a Turok comic with Chromium on the cover and it does look amazing

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Valiant did some amazing chromium covers back in the day.

@AkiDave 6 месяцев назад

Your love for 90s comics is so infectious, I love it! ✨

@tobesxd 6 месяцев назад

another brilliant video thankyou josh! your videos are so kind and comforting I hope you know how much everyone appreciates them

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Wow, thanks! Really glad you like my videos, it means a lot to me.

@moi5219 5 месяцев назад

Glow in the dark is still the coolest shit I’ve ever seen.

@user-be7tc2bd6e 6 месяцев назад

WOW. Thanks for the nostalgic ride down memory lane,had a lot of those books back in tha day. Miss those crazy 90s comics and special covers,also Image and Milestone comics came out then too. Both made history at that time,hope you do a documentary on the formation of Milestone Media comic company. REALLY enjoyed the video,well done.

@FlynnJeux 6 месяцев назад

they should make covers out of old tires and shoe leather. that would be helluh collectible.

@ZeroOverOne 6 месяцев назад

I have a few gimmick covers (such as Fatal Attractions #304), but never really thought about them much. Never knew they got this wacky though!

@antmaster360 6 месяцев назад

Favorite gimmick cover was Punisher war zone #1

@davehandelman2832 5 месяцев назад

Could not get enough of those awesome covers!! You missed the ECLIPSO 1- the darkness within Gem cover, with a goddamn plastic gem stuck to the cover! It was ridiculous!

@AgentNevets 6 месяцев назад

Just another reason the 90’s were the true Golden Age of comics.

@dannyholt1780 6 месяцев назад

Always an instant notification-click when your videos come out 🫡

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Thank you my dude! Means a lot to me.

@antonydrossos5719 6 месяцев назад

Gimmick covers and the whole weirdness of the 90s is part of why Bill Waterson ended Calvin and Hobbes and quit cartooning altogether

@HVVVVVVVV 6 месяцев назад

Damn

@-Teague- 6 месяцев назад

That's sad, any more info on that?

@galactic85 6 месяцев назад

Wait really? I never knew that. If that's true that's so sad.

@taffysaur 6 месяцев назад

Why, though..? He was a newspaper cartoonist, it’s a totally different medium. What’s it got to do with what he does..?

@sarahcleary7332 6 месяцев назад

That is patently not true. What was happening in Newspaper comics was completely different. His frustration was that Newspaper comics were becoming more commercialized and the size of Sunday comics, where he felt the least creatively constrained, were becoming smaller and smaller. He was attempting to experiment in a medium that was becoming more and more sterilized.

@captaincomic08 6 месяцев назад

You should make a video about your back issues. Collection Maybe on your next video.

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Thanks! I'm planning to include them in my next shelf tour. Not sure when that will be though.

@patriciomendoza19 6 месяцев назад

A while back I went out of my way to collect every issue of the Malibu Comics Mortal Kombat run, and I got all the single issues, but something didn't feel right, almost as if something felt missing... The foil covers!! This collection couldn't be complete with the foil covers. So I got the foil covers. Story over

@dcamaag709 6 месяцев назад

I love gimmick covers I don't really like variant covers tho, especially the storm breakers where I have no clue what the issue is.

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Man, that stuff is so confusing. Especially if it's an homage or something and has a completely different logo than the title of the actual book. Weird.

@scottishcomedian1769 6 месяцев назад

Did you see the Godzilla and Kong covers that roared when you opened them?

@QuintonRe2s 6 месяцев назад

Great video! Was really impressed with this one

@Moonqo1 6 месяцев назад

The only gimmick comic i own is New warriors #25 with the die cut cover! one of my favorites

@chrismanuel9768 5 месяцев назад

These all should come back in a big way. They were always the coolest to show off and the nicest to have in your collection. They're memorable, fun, and make good art pieces

@jamesmoss3424 6 месяцев назад

I like 90's comic book gimmick covers. 😀👍

@luisjastorm 6 месяцев назад

Awesome! You're such a great content creator man, love your work!

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it.

@colejohaar83 6 месяцев назад

At the comic shop I work at one of my favorite gimmick comics are the ones from godzilla vs kong vs the justice. They roar when you open them

@nathanjomphe3550 6 месяцев назад

It’s my dad’s job to print these for DC!

@tedharrington5432 6 месяцев назад

Ugh! I bought all those gimmicks during the 1990's.

@whoiseyevan 6 месяцев назад

There's a couple more you missed... the gatefolds, blank covers, acetate covers and lenticular variants.

@spookynoble4391 6 месяцев назад

OMG OMG OMG! I have seen this and watch this video with Yeti Smoke and Black Peter Griffin on RU-vid and it was awesome! I love the comic book covers, the X-Men covers and every other comic book cover ever! I love the holographic comic book covers! My favorite video! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

@otaking3582 6 месяцев назад

Gimmick covers would probably justify the rising costs of American comic books.

@LyrisTheCat 4 месяца назад

i dont really collect *that* many comics but my favorites are the hard cover ones, because when a comic gets that treatment it means its not only already finished but you gonna get a LOT of story for each book which i love that, and it also makes stuff shorter and nicer to coolect :D

@trimblestien 5 месяцев назад

Had me with the 1st held up. Just went back & read it. Thanks man!

@LuxBellator92 6 месяцев назад

Great video! I love your channel, man. You make such unique content and you're a great host. Loyal subscriber here 🙂

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Thanks, I really appreciate you saying so. Thanks for watching!

@Kidred-ys2vp 6 месяцев назад

I like it when there are comic covers that make one big image.

@LucasDarkGiygas 6 месяцев назад

Thanks for the video

@dante_0962 6 месяцев назад

Calling that ghost rider cover trash is an Insult because that’s a really good cover.

@nobodyexceptme7794 6 месяцев назад

whats that beat being remade in the bg, i know i recognize the root of whatever its emulating.

@thatnicyolo 6 месяцев назад

I remember getting a completely chrome cover avenger's comic from a $5 mystery bag from a super market lol, still have it somewhere!

@TeryJones 6 месяцев назад

0:51 - Okay seriously are you making that last one up? 10:47 - Jiminy Tity Fucing Crickets you weren't making that up XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD 11:42 - Sweet Mother of God O _ o 12:42 - Wait what? O _ o 14:01 through 14:24 - What the bloody hell even is that combination of words? Might as well just be ink made of cat piss for all we know X _ X

@DissociatedWomenIncorporated 6 месяцев назад

You have the exact same lava lamp I just bought a few days ago. Same shape, same colours. We are officially lava buddies!

@PanelstoPixels 5 месяцев назад

Lava lamp buds. 🙏

@Rizzzzyroone 5 месяцев назад

Can you do a video discussing the rise of spoof comics? “Do you Pooh?”, “KillerKareBears” and more? Books that have no numbered issues? Just variant covers of 1 original book or some that the inside are just filled with more cover art. But selling out for high dollar amounts because the print count is low and they get numbered. That is, if you are familiar.

@MrDman21 5 месяцев назад

Case on point, Bloodstrike, which apparently had real blood mixed with the ink on the cover.

@elledotcom4437 6 месяцев назад

Try a UV light on any old glow in the dark stuff you have, it'll REALLY get it glowing if it still works

@Reedsho 4 месяца назад

"And remember a time when glow in the dark things were the coolest thing ever." I still think they are 🤣

@coyoteartist 5 месяцев назад

Back in 1993, I had a coupon for a comic book store that opened in a shopping center in my arer. I didn't buy many comics (not for lack of interest, more for lack of ability to do so consistently.) So I decided as what I loved most about comics was the art, I'd pick something with a great cover. I got The Secret Defenders #1 with this cool shiny cover that really made the colors pop. Still love that cover to this day.

@sly6363 6 месяцев назад

My legend uploads again

@gol_9 6 месяцев назад

O MLK eh brabo. Amo panels to pixels e vou defende-lo

@TitularHeroine 6 месяцев назад

...who?

@HeroJournalism 6 месяцев назад

5:15 - this was actually done w/o die cut by Byrne on FF - the cover was slashed by Doom's hand, and in the gaps you could see the first page (though it wasn't die-cut, it was printed)

@revolvency 5 месяцев назад

such nice insight, this is the topic that I, online comic readers, can't understand. lol

@alexalbaugh6972 6 месяцев назад

I have so many of these. Including the shadowhawk 2

@Marx1684 6 месяцев назад

Nice. My man.

@skeven0 5 месяцев назад

Thanks RU-vid for recomending me this, i love the more the behind the scenes stuff ect from comics creation. Speaking of Holograpic and foiling, during the late 80s early to mid 90s, the technology evolved so fast and a became so much cheaper, petty recently a video from Rhystic Studies ( a MTG artwork channel) made a deep dive about the whole process for FOIL Magic: The Gathering cards. Guess Gimmick covers during the 90s were in the right place and time for that to happen

@skeven0 5 месяцев назад

"Update" after rewatching ComicTropes videos on it , in 1976 Marvel had variants with diffrebt pricing, ( 25 vs 30Cents, and the following year from 30 to 35 cents in sertain regions of the US). DC did in '86 a "Man of Steel" Nr 1 ( after Crisis on Infinite Earths) variant depending on where it was sold (Supermarkets, etc vs newsstands and comic stores)

@LuckStat 6 месяцев назад

Me "ew that Tick issue 2 does absolutely nothing for me, it's kind of hideous" Also me "I wonder how much it's going for on ebay..." It really is a sickness

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

Oh dude, I could have very easily gone broke buying books for this video.

@skeven0 5 месяцев назад

Also when you know theres like 300 ish from that first press ( red color of the flames) that doesnt have the die cut, the 2 batch/run of it uses a differet color for its color and also doesnt have the die cut

@vampiremonkeyonspeed 5 месяцев назад

You forgot the gimmick that litterally ruined comics. Eclipso 1 had a plastic diamond stuck on the front. If you left it in a tightly packed comics box, it would dent the comic in front of it

@DETHMOKIL 5 месяцев назад

gimmicks were the reason I never got into comics in the 90's. I was a grumpy kid I guess.

@ccohn0 5 месяцев назад

This video is dope

@The_Fish_ 6 месяцев назад

I remember having the glowing ghost rider comic and remembered how much I loved it

@mechrowave6342 6 месяцев назад

Idk if you would call it a gimic cover but in the midst of kiss mania marvel released a kiss comic book which was printed with real kiss blood....or that's what they thought turns out despite blood getting put into the ink the bloody ink ended up being used on a random sports weekly issue by mistake

@haileyshannon7548 5 месяцев назад

Let’s not forget Marvel’s Kiss comic which their blood was mixed into the ink

@WaluTime 6 месяцев назад

"when glow in the dark was the coolest s***" it still is tho

@TheDantheman12121 5 месяцев назад

Idk if i missed it but somethign you did not mention (I know there will be a specific name for it that i do not know) is where teh comic is in the shape of something. for example i have a 90's comic (I think it is 90's) where the comic is in the shape of someones head. I wanna say it is called the ferret number 1

@PanelstoPixels 5 месяцев назад

Oh yeah, I know the type you mean. I guess that would fall under die-cut? Crazyman #1 by Continuity Comics is the first one that comes to mind.

@aguynamelex3146 6 месяцев назад

so when I bought my copy of Godzilla vs Kong vs Justice league I was uncertain whether or not to by the foiled cover only to be told of the cover where apparently you hear Godzilla roar when just as I bought my copy...

@AdrianJensen 6 месяцев назад

My guess off the top of my head as to why glow in the dark is not more popular is that you can’t see it sitting on the shelf, so it wouldn’t really catch your eye.

@Saber808 5 месяцев назад

Don't forget the Marvel Super Special KISS. Printed in real blood gimmick

@blakeellis9171 4 месяца назад

I mostly read digital comics and these are why, if I read physical, I'd keep buying the rare and expensive variants until I'm broke

@AngelusNielson 6 месяцев назад

You forgot the time KISS actually added their blood to the ink of a comic.

@abhrntcrtre 6 месяцев назад

oh shit that bloodstrike comic is cheap i might buy one just for that cover its sick

@ApolloVIIIYouAreGoForTLI 4 месяца назад

Santa has a Comic Book!?

@AshtonRogers-se1zj 3 месяца назад

You say that variant covers in general could be considered a gimmick. I say that one would be hard pressed to come up with even a slightly convincing argument that they're anything other than a gimmick.

@playdisplay1468 6 месяцев назад

I still get suckered into buying gimmick covers.

@L_isreal-my2dm 5 месяцев назад

why did you not talk about the kiss comic book 1977 that used the blood of all the band members and red ink

@WhatsUpYoutubeItsYoBoi 5 месяцев назад

Whats the song in the beginning on the video?

@onihaiena6152 6 месяцев назад

Culver's Doom Patrol run also has a really good scratch-off variant on issue 1 that highlights Jane's alters and it's a really cool idea :)

@BLTZDBANDIT 4 месяца назад

Metallic marvel covers were my favorite

@MattyStoked 6 месяцев назад

Carmine Infantino invented clickbait

@PanelstoPixels 6 месяцев назад

I truly believe you can learn a lot about YT thumbnails from Gold and Silver Age covers.

@MattyStoked 6 месяцев назад

@@PanelstoPixels More gorillas, for starters 🦍

@maxiawesomekid899 Месяц назад

4:21 poor position of the word “nightmare”

@noneofyourbusiness4616 6 месяцев назад

Stating you don't think "gimmick covers killed the comic industry" is a pretty safe claim given that the comic industry isn't yet dead. However, it's equally safe to admit the obvious, which is that gimmick covers and other artificial "collector's items" have driven dozens (maybe more like hundreds) of comic shops out of business when their owners got stuck with excess stock of gimmicks nobody would buy.