Lots of books here … I threw in the All New Exiles as well.
First issue had several variants: Ultra 5000, gold hologram and silver hologram.
The reboot after Black September had a painted variant and an extra variant for the Infinity issue; same thing for No. 1.
These last two were sendaway books. The Limited Super Premium Editions were signed with COAs from either American Entertainment or Dynamic Forces.
The seven titles that were relaunched after Black September each got a variant cover for the No. 1 issues (there were also painted variant covers for the Infinity issues and additional covers for the All New Exiles).
I don’t have the overall numbers, but the painted variants made up 20 percent of the print run. I don’t think the painted covers necessarily look better; they just look different. It was also apparent that the Ultraverse was heading in an entirely new direction. There is a whole lot of Marvel on those covers, including the Spidey-Prime with his hair hanging out.
But man, I miss $1.50 comics …
Prime is the only one with a UPC code on the painted version.
These aren’t too hard to find on eBay. The easy way to tell them apart is that the regular issues have a UPC code on the front and the painted ones don’t (apart from Prime … just be careful with that one). They’re pretty common in larger lots.
There are also signed-and-numbered versions of many of these with Ultraverse COAs.
Out of all the titles that were relaunched following the Black September event, All New Exiles was the only book that got an extra variant cover for its Infinity issue. Maybe it was the association with Marvel’s ultra-popular X-Men (their long-time mutant nemesis Juggernaut is featured on the cover … one online retailer describes this as a “guy w/red metal dome on his head reaching out to reader”) that did it.
This is my favorite cover from the relaunch, just a simple design and image that lets you know the Marvel Universe has arrived in the Ultraverse. Or at least on Earth-93060, as the Ultraverse is now known in the shady bottom of Marvel’s dustbin of universes. The All New Exiles only lasted 11 issues (12 if you count the Infinity issue).
It’s not the easiest book to find but it pops up on eBay here and there and never sells for too much.
Issue No. 1 also had an extra variant cover. It’s not as interesting, but $1.50 seems like a pretty good value for a 64-page comic. No extra charge for the Ultraforce story that was included.
This is an easy book to find for a buck or less, though. Check mycomicshop.com if you’re in a hurry.
By the mid-1990s the concept of the “Zero Issue” had been pounded into the ground. So for the Black September relaunch, the new Ultraverse started instead with”Infinity” issues. Try sticking that one into your comics cataloguing software.
Eight comics got the treatment, including Black September. Each had a regular all-black cover (title and price were in bright colors) and an alternate illustrated cover. These books were meant to stand out on a comics shop shelf, and they look fantastic. Both versions are eye-catching and mysterious.
The black covers are not hard to find, and really cheap when you do find them. The illustrated covers are a lot tougher to find. They’re usually easiest to buy if you are getting them as part of a large lot on eBay. According to the books, the painted covers made up 20 percent of the print run.
My scans look a little crinkly, but the actual books are a perfect flat black. I was eating a pot pie while I scanned them in and didn’t bother taking them out of their bags.
There is actually one more All New Exiles Infinity variant. You can read about it right here.
Siren is the only title here that was not a relaunch of an original Ultraverse title.
In the interest of being complete, here are the Black September books, even though these were covered in another post.
I think I got all of these books as part of a larger lot of about 100 books on eBay, and spent less than $20 shipped. That’s how it goes sometimes when you are collecting Dead Universes.
Ultraverse Flashback 