That's very flattering, and I'm glad to hear that you continue reading the books I do specifically to see my work in it.
I am very much grateful for that. And it makes perfect sense and I hope that is why people read my book.
One of the things that is helpful about doing an extra cover like this with an artist that I like is that it acts as a gateway for readers who do not usually read Kabuki (or never have) to pick up the book because they are a fan of the cover artist, and it sort of gives them the excuse to try the book that they have previously not been sure they wanted to take the effort and innitiative to try.
Sometimes a cover like this opens my work up to a new demographic of readers who did not know they would like the book.
The first issue of Metamorphosis with the variant Steranko covers comes to mind. When that came out, I kept meeting readers of an older age group who said they now loved Kabuki, but only became aware of it or thought they would like it because they said if Jim Steranko thought enough of it to do the cover, [then] they decided it must be quality enough to try, and have been reading ever since.
With doing a creator-owned series that you need to promote yourself, a chance to get new readers to take a look at the book can be a big help.
And it can be fun in the process. I get a kick out of seeing artists that I was a fan of as a kid do their interpretation of my character.
I can see how some people may look at the variant cover offer as a problem if it is abused. Or when a big company does a dozen covers of the same issue, of course.
But when you are doing your own book, it can be a big help to get other readers to take a look at it, and can be fun for me and fans of those artists as well.
You are certainly in the right for the view you have and for your reason to read the book. That is the way I'd hope it to be.
But this is an extra facet of view that in my experience has been helpful in new readers finding the book and that I and fans of those artist have enjoyed as well.
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