That's my point J, if any casual observer doesn't believe there exists some kind of pecking order then they're deluded. How many AP's and PP's ever come up for sale? Precious little in my experience.

What % of any run is reserved before any others go online - who knows....

The rest is up for grabs but the obsession with how to curry favour with POW (or anyone else for that matter) warrants a reality check......imo of course. 

Or personal preference. For instance, a lot of my prints are on plain white paper. I would love the contrast of a gold print on a black piece of paper. I just think it looks cool. I forgot that buying art because you think it looks cool is out, and buying it because it's rare is totally in.

I think Invader is still blaspheming saints of seven different religions because he showed for about 15 minutes, the existence of the gold version to the world

Lovely Roy.

no idea to be honest. apparently a lot of people are confused that just about every gallery in existence has a freakin 'vip' list, long time buyers, friends, family and so forth. What in the world is so astonishing by this?

I blame the incredible amount of once a year posters and n00bs.

The flip potential of this forthcoming print is understood by me, as well as the completist instinct that Invader obsessives and collectors may have. I appreciate also how just the fact the work was created by Invader will generate great interest in it.

Are there any thoughts on whether the piece is strong, and if so why? Query if there's an underlying idea that's interesting, and if the appeal is more than aesthetic.

What I see is a 1980s arcade video game character given a makeover referencing a 1970s album and persona. Is there a connection between the two that makes this cross witty? I'm curious about the relevance of Aladdin Sane and the relation, if any at all, to Pac-Man.

Or is the attraction for the most part visual? Maybe this marriage of nostalgic pop-culture iconography is simply intended to be random and amusingly silly — meaning that, strictly in terms of the idea, it wouldn't make a difference if the Pac-Man ghost were replaced by, say, Q*bert or Donkey Kong.

That would be fine. The playfulness I enjoy about Invader would remain present. But there'd be a loss of a certain conceptual purity that I find throughout most of the artist's other work.

Look forward to reading other views about the actual image — as opposed to speculation on release dates, pricing, and different editions for different castes of buyers.

second that

Just because POW used to sell Banksy, are they really so far up their own ar$e$ not replying to emails or publicising this drop

I am sure they are sick and tired of people begging for special treatment and favours. If I were them I would also ignore all of the questions.

I don't see what the problem is in putting out a mailshot to EVERYONE on their mailing list with the time and date of this release.

I certainly wouldn't consider this as special treatment, just very basic Customer Service

I prefer just the date being released and the time being random; I've got more prints that way than when the exact time is given. Although it can be a slog f5ing for hours. I'd assume POW won't give a time and date but will just let their 'preferred' customers know in advance when it'll be. 

I can't look at my phone every 5 mins and I don't sit at a pc all day. Giving a date and time is polite and also opens up a whole other world of people moaning the servers were to busy. It's a lose lose situation for most, pow included.