Well, just completed my Fantastic Four Masterworks collection and notice something different.
I have vol. 1 and vol. 6 of FF with the "Comicraft" cover and I'm not sure what type of paper they use by it's sort of semi glossy. For the newer Marvel Masterworks volume, the paper is a bit thinner, but it's glossy...same paper stock they use for their ULITMATE tpbs. The newer volume is also printed in Italy.
I just wonder why they had the book printed in Italy??
Also I wish Marvel wouldv'e just stuck with one cover design from the very start. It bugs me a bit having a complete volume of FF but with 2 of the issues having a totally different cover.
I think marvel has released "variant versions" with the classic dustcovers of all the new and reprinted essentials. I don't know if you can buy the dustcovers separately, but that would be nice.
And there's one possible explanation for the book being printed in Italy. They do that quite a lot for translated comics over here, all the different versions of the same book in different countries are printed in one place at the same time, since usually only the black film is different for every country, 75% of the printing work is the same for all the books and the increased volume apparently lowers the printing costs dramatically. So it's probable that Marvel's Italian publisher printed the Masterworks jointly with Marvel.
For the past few months I have been buying the Limited Edition versions of the MARVEL MASTERWORKS reissues, the ones with the old-school dust covers from www.MileHighComics.com . They offered a decent discount, and I was pleased to finally have Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer, and the last two Spider-Man books in my collection.
Looks like they are already skyrocketing in price, tho. Get 'em while you can!
As soon as the third series of Masterworks (the silver-bordered covers) started appearing on the shelves in NYC, a lot of the first series (with the marbled covers) started to appear (or re-appear) as well. Something tells me that the people who were hoarding the first series books realized that their booty wasn't going to maintain a profitable auction price with the new ones right there on the shelves.
And there're plenty of them available in the NYC shops! One more reason to drop your whole lifestyle and emmigrate to Fun City.
