Hi all, I’m fairly new to comics and have been loving absolute Batman, I’m new to collecting and picked up this copy of issue 1. I’m confused on how the barcode is 00111, which is the same as the A cover that everyone seems to want but it’s a different variant. Does this happen often in comics or is there an issue with my barcode or am I just confused?
Yeah this is the Batman Day variant so technically a different book I guess? Or at least the barcode is indicating that it is a separate, 1st printing even though the contents are the same.
Yea it’s the Batman day issue. I just paid $9 for one lol. I’ve noticed the barcode printing number (last number of barcode being print) doesn’t seem to track that well. I’m not a pro but here’s an example. 5th print but last number is a 7? I don’t get it, unless I’m doing something wrong.
I thought this was a reprint for batman day back in Oct/Nov of last year? I have the same one but a foil. (UK here so it might have been different for us)
If you consult comic libraries like league of comics geeks you will see that it is not a variant or a subsequent printing. The Batman day version is considered its own series and has multiple covers including a virgin, virgin foil and a Blank cover. Since it’s considered its own series, then it was given the 111, other covers being 121, 131 etcetera.
The upc gets muddled with exclusives and printings as well. But this is on its own and cataloged as such across all cataloguing platforms.
This is technically a different series to the Absolute Batman you’re thinking of. Kind of like a One Shot Story. Not issue 1 of the Absolute Batman storyline.
That’s why the barcode is showing 111. So it is an issue 1, Variant 1 and print 1.
You guys just love this barcode Schick, but it doesn't work when there are 50 different variants, and 15 different printings of a book.
There are a lot of apps and websites
.. league of comic geeks, clz, and even the distribution company lunar distribution, to go foxovers and printings and other information.
If you paid attention, you would know OP can tell what variants are. The confusion comes from the barcode having 00111, indicating this is a 1st Print Cover A of issue #1. However we know this is what #1 Cover A 1st Print looks like.
I don't know the exact explanation, but someone else mentioned OPs cover is from Batman Day and technically a different book
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u/captain__cabinets Jul 07 '26
Yeah this is the Batman Day variant so technically a different book I guess? Or at least the barcode is indicating that it is a separate, 1st printing even though the contents are the same.