"That became a big time in comic books because it's when people were starting to break out into independent stuff, the market was getting choked with speculators and everybody was trying to do their own trick covers"

This quote by Todd McFarlane is referring to the early 1990s, which was a significant turning point in the comic book market. Throughout this time, lots of independent comic book creators were beginning to break out and produce their own stories and characters. This increase of new skill caused the marketplace to become saturated with speculators, who were buying up comics in the hopes of making a profit. As an outcome, many comics companies began to produce special "trick covers" to bring in purchasers. These covers included distinct designs and tricks, such as holograms, die-cut covers, and foil-stamped covers. The early 1990s was a time of excellent change in the comics market, and it was during this period that a number of the most popular comic book characters and stories were developed.