What's the deal with Unity #0 Red?

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 9:54:18 pm

It and Harbinger #0 seem to be the two most sought after Valiant issues (Bloodshot #1 Platinum aside). Harbinger #0 makes sense to me. Immensely popular title, immensely important issue, immensely rare issue.

But Unity #0 Red is just a variant. It's not like the blue version was a second print. It has a low print run as well, but it's not the only variant/premium edition with such a low print run. What makes it so special then?

dino · Post by **dino** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 10:03:53 pm

Unity red has a tiny print run and like Harbinger Pink was one of the most sought after books in the early ninties so everyone recognizes it. It is a key book story wise because it kicked off unity. Its an early valiant book and like the pre unity books came before valiant was big enough for people to over order or plop them straight into bags and boards. Its very thin (8 pages?) and extremly easy to damage. It was overlooked even back in the day because of Harby pink and because alot of guides incorrectly listed the platinum and gold unities as worth more. The red logo makes the red on the cover look incredible. Using a red variant is a cool and different idea. According to greg Unity red was very very hard to come by in the early 90s, more so than harby pink which store owners would see weekly. Granted Harby pink would sell quickly for a lot it was still easy to find if you had the cash. One of the few places unity red did sell was at the San Diego con where it supposedly sold for big $$$. And finally (only coz this is getting long) heres a quote from Greg:

"Joe Petrilak once told me that he would gladly pay $35 for every copy
of Unity #0 Red that he could get...
and that was back when Harbinger #0 Pink was about a $15 book."

willyt · Post by **willyt** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 10:12:14 pm

not to mention the cover art is pretty nice. has every oR almost every major valiant hero in the story on the cover

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 10:17:42 pm

I guess its a question of premium edition importance then. I fully agree the red looks better, and rarer is always cool, but it's the same story that's in Unity blue, and it hit the presses on the same day. Far be it from the guy who hordes Rai blue tpbs to lecture on this, but the only difference between the two is the color of the title box!

Harby #0, on the other hand, is an exceptionally limited first print. The second print may look nearly identical, but it hit the presses much later. I guess I just feel there should be a wider price difference between Unity and Harby as a result. Then again, I've always felt Harby 0 should be going for more than $40-$60.

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 10:53:56 pm

dino wrote:Unity red has a tiny print run and like Harbinger Pink was one of the most sought after books in the early ninties so everyone recognizes it. It is a key book story wise because it kicked off unity. Its an early valiant book and like the pre unity books came before valiant was big enough for people to over order or plop them straight into bags and boards. Its very thin (8 pages?) and extremly easy to damage. It was overlooked even back in the day because of Harby pink and because alot of guides incorrectly listed the platinum and gold unities as worth more. The red logo makes the red on the cover look incredible. Using a red variant is a cool and different idea. According to greg Unity red was very very hard to come by in the early 90s, more so than harby pink which store owners would see weekly. Granted Harby pink would sell quickly for a lot it was still easy to find if you had the cash. One of the few places unity red did sell was at the San Diego con where it supposedly sold for big $$$. And finally (only coz this is getting long) heres a quote from Greg:

"Joe Petrilak once told me that he would gladly pay $35 for every copy
of Unity #0 Red that he could get...
and that was back when Harbinger #0 Pink was about a $15 book."

Yeah, when I bought the 'complete' Valiant collection from Joe Petrilak, he made a point of mentioning that Unity Red was NOT included. Then, he won a Unity Red from me for $51 a year later....and never paid.

I never owned a copy until 1999, although I passed on a copy for $40 in the summer of 1992.

greg · Post by **greg** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:12:10 pm

Well, Dino took most of my answers...

Personally, I like Unity 0 Red (best) because it "has it all" as a premium.

1) Early Valiant
2) Very Limited
3) Fantastic Art
4) Great Story
5) Nostalgic Feel

The rest of the Valiant "premiums" have a few of these qualities... but not all.

But that's just my opinion.

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:16:44 pm

greg wrote:Well, Dino took most of my answers...

Personally, I like Unity 0 Red (best) because it "has it all" as a premium.

1) Early Valiant
2) Very Limited
3) Fantastic Art
4) Great Story
5) Nostalgic Feel

The rest of the Valiant "premiums" have a few of these qualities... but not all.

But that's just my opinion.

That's actually a damn good explanation. Thanks for sharing.

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 1:28:36 am

AND.....it was the very FIRST Valiant variant, and the second premium after Magnus #0.

greg · Post by **greg** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 1:30:26 am

ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:AND.....it was the very FIRST Valiant variant, and the second premium after Magnus #0.

Hmmm... what about Archer & Armstrong #0 Gold?
(It's technically "pre-Unity", right?)

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 1:52:48 am

greg wrote:
ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:AND.....it was the very FIRST Valiant variant, and the second premium after Magnus #0.
Hmmm... what about Archer & Armstrong #0 Gold?
(It's technically "pre-Unity", right?)

Oh, ok, but we're talkin' WEEKS.

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 10:03:19 am

Wouldn't Eternal Warrior #1 Gold have shipped out at the same time as Unity Red, too?

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 10:41:36 am

shaxper wrote:Wouldn't Eternal Warrior #1 Gold have shipped out at the same time as Unity Red, too?

No. It came out the week before. THAT much I know.

Shakespeare · Post by **Shakespeare** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 2:45:50 pm

Personally, I like Unity 0 Red

Well, Greg, if you like it so much, maybe you should pick one up some day...

greg · Post by **greg** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 10:29:33 pm

Shakespeare wrote:
Personally, I like Unity 0 Red
Well, Greg, if you like it so much, maybe you should pick one up some day...

I plan on it... every chance I get.