[Found] OniPress EC Imprint - Proposal for Standardization & Corrections

MadCrab · March 9, 2025, 3:43am

I’m a new comic collector and new CLZ user (but not new to collecting physical media or to database solutions for managing them.)

I’ve been collecting variants of the new EC imprint published by Oni Press, and we can improve the Core Database. There are a few missing variants, a misspelling, and some misattribution (collectively ‘Major Changes’), alongside a proposal to standardize not only the series title names but also the variable assignment schema for variant covers and the syntax we use for describing those variants (collectively ‘Standardize Proposal’).

Series Title Naming Standardization

Currently, the Core Database is mixing naming conventions for these. I propose adding the prefix ‘EC’ to the titles that are missing it - grouping the titles in alphabetically sorted collection views. This would require ‘Cruel Universe’ to be renamed ‘EC Cruel Universe’ and ‘Epitaphs From the Abyss’ to be renamed ‘EC Epitaphs From the Abyss,’ joining the existing ‘EC Cruel Kingdom’ and ‘EC Suspenstories’ titles. If other contributors and collectors feel we should strip the ‘EC’ prefix, instead, that is a viable path - but we should pick one or the other.

Variant Variable Assignment & Description Syntax Standardization

OniPress Terminology from Press Releases:
Cover A, Cover B, Homage Variant (1:10), B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20), Archive Edition Variant (1:50)

We should use the exact verbiage as OniPress where available and provide additional information about the variant’s source when possible. When new verbiage is needed, we should prefer fewer words, use existing database language, and maintain a consistent application across the title and imprint. Lastly, we should standardize syntax for like-type variants.

The titles so far have launched with additional artist-exclusive covers for (some) issue ones, with Epitaph additionally having convention covers. I propose this schema covering the most expansive release (Epitaphs issue one). If an issue prints without one of these covers, the following cover advances by one letter to take its place:

Proposed Cover Variant Variable Schema & Variant Naming Syntax:

#A: Regular “ArtistName Cover A”
#B: Alternative “ArtistName Cover B”
#C: Foil version of Cover A “ArtistName Gold Foil Variant” -or- “ArtistName Silver Foil Variant”
#D: Foil version of Cover B “ArtistName Gold Foil Variant” -or- “ArtistName Silver Foil Variant”
#E: Blank “Blank Variant”
#F: 1:10 “ArtistName Homage Variant (1:10)”
#G: 1:20 “ArtistName B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)”
#H: 1:50 “Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)”
#I: 1:100 “ArtistName Variant (1:100)”
#J: Convention Exclusive A “ArtistName (Source - CON YEAR) Exclusive Variant”
#K: Convention Exclusive B “ArtistName (Source - CON YEAR) Exclusive Variant”
#L: LCS/Artist Exclusive A Color “ArtistName (LCS Name) Exclusive Variant”
#M: LCS/Artist Exclusive A B&W “ArtistName (LCS Name) Exclusive B&W Variant”
#N: LCS/Artist Exclusive B Color “ArtistName (LCS Name) Exclusive Variant”
#O: LCS/Artist Exclusive B B&W “ArtistName (LCS Name) Exclusive B&W Variant”
…etc

Convention and LCS/Artist exclusives would be ordered alphabetically by the artist’s surname.

I have split the resulting fantasy changelog into two: one for major changes that should be implemented and another more comprehensive list with the adoption of the proposed schema and syntax above.

**Major Changes:**
EC Cruel Kingdom:
* Fix Spelling on #1A
* Fix Credit for #2B
* Fix Credit for #4D
EC Cruel Universe:
* Remove # (Blank numbered issue)
* Add Mark Chiarello Exclusive (in color)
* Add Robert Hack Exclusive
EC Epitaphs From the Abyss:
* Change Naomi Franq to Naomi Franquiz
* Add Richard Corben SDCC Exclusive
* Add Vanesa R. Del Rey Exclusive
* Add Matt Kindt Exclusive

**Standardize Proposal:**

EC Cruel Kingdom:
Issue One:
* Name #1A Adam Pollina Cover A
* Name #1B Liam Sharp Cover B
* Name #1F Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #1G Adam Pollina B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #1H Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
* Name #1I Tom Fowler Variant (1:100)
Issue Two:
* Name #2A Adam Pollina Cover A
* Name #2B Tom Fowler Cover B
* Name #2C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #2D Tom Fowler B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #2E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Three:
* Name #3A Adam Pollina Cover A
* Name #3B Cary Nord Cover B
* Name #3C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #3D Cary Nord B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #3E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Four (not yet printed):
* Name #4A Adam Pollina Cover A
* Name #4B Gabriel Rodriguez Cover B
* Name #4C Albert Monteys Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #4D Gabriel Rodriguez B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #4E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)

EC Cruel Universe:
Issue One:
* Name #1A Greg Smallwood Cover A
* Name #1B J.H. Williams III Cover B
* Name #1F Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #1G J.H. Williams III B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #1H Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
* Name #1I Tom Fowler Variant (1:100)
* Change current #1K to new #1M
* Name #1M Matt Kindt (Strange Adventures) Exclusive Variant
* Change current #1J to new #1K
* Name #1K Mark Chiarello (The Comic Corner) Exclusive B&W Variant
* New #1J Mark Chiarello (The Comic Corner) Exclusive Variant
* New #1L Robert Hack (High Horse Comics / Groundbreaking Comics / Knowhere Games & Comics) Exclusive Variant
Issue Two:
* Name #2A Greg Smallwood Cover A
* Name #2B Riley Rossmo Cover B
* Name #2C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #2D Riley Rossmo B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #2E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Three:
* Name #3A Greg Smallwood Cover A
* Name #3B Dave Johnson Cover B
* Name #3C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #3D Dave Johnson B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #3E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Four:
* Name #4A Greg Smallwood Cover A
* Name #4B Kano Cover B
* Name #4C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #4D Kano B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #4E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Five:
* Name #5A Greg Smallwood Cover A
* Name #5B Malachi Ward Cover B
* Name #5C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #5D Malachi Ward B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #5E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)

EC Epitaphs From the Abyss
Issue One:
* Name #1A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #1B Andrea Sorrentino Cover B
* Name #1F Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #1G Andrea Sorrentino B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #1H Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
* Name #1I Dustin Weaver Variant (1:100)
* Change current #1J to new #1Q
* Name #1Q Tony Moore (Up Up & Away!) Exclusive Variant
* New #1J Richard Corben (Fan-Addict - SDCC 2024) Exclusive Variant
* Name #1K Dani Strips (Diamond Previews - SDCC 2024) Exclusive Variant
* Change current #1N to new #1O
* Name #1O Robert Hack (High Horse Comics / Groundbreaking Comics / Knowhere Games & Comics) Exclusive Variant
* Change current #1M to new #1N
* Name #1N Naomi Franquiz (The Comic Corner) Exclusive B&W Variant
* Change current #1L to #1M
* Name #1M Naomi Franquiz (The Comic Corner) Exclusive Variant
* New #1L Vanesa R. Del Rey (Stadium Comics) Exclusive Variant
* New #1P Matt Kindt (Strange Adventures) Exclusive Variant
Issue Two
* Name #2A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #2B Adam Pollina Cover B
* Name #2C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #2D Riley Rossmo B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #2E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Three
* Name #3A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #3B Tom Fowler Cover B
* Name #3D Tom Fowler B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #3E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Four
* Name #4A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #4B James Stokoe Cover B
* Name #4C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #4D James Stokoe B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #4E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Five
* Name #5A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #5B Naomi Franquiz Cover B
* Name #5C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #5D Naomi Franquiz B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #5E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Six
* Name #6A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #6B Tom Fowler Cover B
* Name #6C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #6D Tom Fowler B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #6E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Seven
* Name #7A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #7B Joëlle Jones Cover B
* Name #7C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #7D Joëlle Jones B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #7E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Eight
* Name #8A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #8B Naomi Franquiz Cover B
* Name #8C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #8D Naomi Franquiz B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #8E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Nine (not yet printed):
* Name #9A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #9B Tom Fowler Cover B
* Name #9C Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #9D Tom Fowler B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #9E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Ten (not yet printed):
* Name #10A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #10B Darick Robertson Cover B
* Name #10C Albert Monteys Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #10D Darick Robertson B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #10E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
Issue Eleven (not yet printed):
* Name #11A Lee Bermejo Cover A
* Name #11B Anwita Citriya Cover B
* Name #11C Albert Monteys Homage Variant (1:10)
* Name #11D Anwita Citriya B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Name #11E Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)

EC Shiver SuspenStories
Issue One
* Name #1A Darick Robertson Cover A
* Name #1B Adam Hughes Cover B
* Change current #1C to placeholder ##
* Name ## Jay Stephens Homage Variant (1:10)
* Change current #1F to new #1C
* Change current #1E to #1F
* Name #1F Rian Hughes Archive Edition Variant (1:50)
* Change current #1D to #1E
* Name #1E Darick Robertson B&W Artist Edition Variant (1:20)
* Change current ## to #1C

Cheers!

CLZ_Justin · March 11, 2025, 9:23am

Hi there, thank you for posting. We however do have a standardised naming convention for our variant descriptions. All of the publishers have a different naming for different variants. This can make a database look messy. To answer that we came up with one that that compliments all of them and also works with our database. The EC imprint has the naming convention to variant descriptions. We won’t be changing these anytime soon.

MadCrab · March 11, 2025, 3:27pm

Hi Justin! Thank you for the response.

I understand CLZ may have standardized naming conventions for variant descriptions, but those are not being applied to these titles.

If you can link me to the standard schema you’ve generated, I can help point out which of the issues need adjusting. As is, they are a hodgepodge mix of verbiage and the variable assignment appears to be FCFS.

That being said, variant variable assignment and descriptions were actually the least impactful portion of my post and I fear that the rest of it has been ignored.

Did you add the missing variants I pointed out?
Did you adjust the incorrect spelling and attribution on the issues I pointed out?
If standardization has already been applied, why are these the titles chosen for Core? Why are only half of them prefixed with EC?

Cruel Universe
EC Cruel Kingdom
EC Shiver Suspenstories
Epitaphs From the Abyss

CLZ_Justin · March 12, 2025, 6:53am

Hi, the titles you mentioned are already under the new variant descriptions we implemented back in 2023. I’m not sure what you’re seeing in your database. I have checked all of the series you mentioned and they all fall under the new naming convention. Could you try by updating from Core? My guess is that you’re seeing preview titles, credits and other things. After you have updated from Core and set it to allow to replace the current info, we’ll look at the errors you mentioned (as I’m not seeing the first few you mentioned in Core).