The Avengers #1 Variants

[Douglas W. McCratic]

The Avengers (1963) #1 has six variants listed.

The first variant, #1-A has the title "The Coming of the Avengers" on the cover was released in 2012.  The blasphemy that is the cover is correct in the pic.  Who ever thought that Jack Kirby's original cover needed to be drowned by an extremely heavy handed modern colorist?  The colorist's work on this cover makes Vince Colletta's inks look like a refined master.  To make it worse, look at Iron Man's head.  They not only made a mess of the colors, but added lines that make him look like a turtle trying to hide in its shell.  The indicia reads "Avengers 1: The Coming of the Avengers!" so it really should be it's own title, not that it matters. 

The second variant, #1-B, is listed as the "El Capitan Theatre" variant but has the J. Scott Campbell variant cover for StanLeeCollectibles.com pictured.  This book is actually a variant of #1-A and has the correct picture listed under #1-E.  The El Capitan Theatre logo on the cover gives it away.  El Capitan was released in 2012, the StanLeeCollectibles.com was released in 2014.  Klaus Janson DID NOT ink the cover.  Nei Ruffino colored this cover as indicated on the limited edition lithograph produced from the same art.  Since there is a color credit but no inker mentioned, I think it is safe to say that if there is an inked version, J. Scott Campbell was responsible for the inks. 

#1-C is the sketch version of the J. Scott Campbell variant produced for StanLeeCollectibles.com which is noted on the lower left of the cover.  It is produced from the pencils, there is no inker.  I feel like it was also offered through the JScottCampbell.com store as they currently have shared exclusives but I can't be certain. 

#1-D has the exact same pic as #1-C but purports to be signed by Dick Ayers and limited to 50 copies.  No signature is visible and while certainly possible, I think this is unlikely as this issue was offered initially as an SDCC exclusive and is still frequently referred to as such.  It was released in 2014 and SDCC is generally in July but Mr. Ayers died in May of 2014.  He may have signed some prior to his passing, but I have never seen one available and cannot find any references to them.  Does anyone actually have a copy?  Did it include a COA as that it apparently the minimum necessary to get signed issues listed?

#1-E has no description whatsoever but the notes indicate that is was limited to 1500 copies printed for the El Capitan Theatre for the Avengers movie premiere.  The pic is correct and has the John Romita Jr. cover pictured, again with the El Capitan Theatre logo on the cover to help verify it.    The cover is inked and signed by Klaus Janson with colors by Dean White.  I do not have a raw copy and cannot verify that the interior colors have or have not been "remastered."

#1 is fine. 

#1-A is fine, cover art not withstanding.

#1-B should be the El Capitan Theatre edition and have the pic from #1-E attached to it.  It was released in 2012 and is a variant cover for #1-A, so I'm thinking this should be #1-B.  The credits need to be cleaned up as well with John Romita Jr, on the cover, Klaus Janson inking the cover, and Dean White somewhere in the colorist section.  UPC is 75960607726700121

#1-C need some cleanup.  There is no cover inker and the description should probably include StanLeeCollectibles.com variant or Stan Lee surrounded by Marvel heroes.  No UPC is on this book. 

#1-D possibly deleted?

#1-E I guess should be the StanLeeCollectibles.com color variant with the pic from #1-B attached to it.  It has a J. Scott Campbell cover/inks with colors by Nei Ruffino.  No UPC is on this book.

#1-F is fine, I assume.  I don't have this one. 

If this sounds a bit hostile, I'm sorry but this isn't the first time I've corrected these books.  The one signed by Ayers is new but otherwise I've submitted corrections on these before, seen them correct, and now they're a mess again.  I'm confident that I added the Campbell cover and the Theatre edition initially with all the correct info as they were released some time apart.