The most valuable Action Comics #1 reprint... 2 2

[PatrickG]

Interesting. I'd never noticed that before.

 

If anyone was curious about international books, what I can gather is that a local publisher typically acts as publisher for localizations, under license.

 

In the case of the Mexican books, you have Editorial Televisa, a media company, who owns Smash magazine. They have both Marvel and DC rights and the staff operates DC Comics Mexico and Marvel Comics Mexico, where they can publish books in Spanish as DC or Marvel. They're "unlettering" and relettering classic books into Spanish, using period fonts that match the lettering they're replacing. The covers are in English, however, aside from the text on the gold seal. With the paper being thick, glossy paper and the cover being a glossy cardstock, I'd wager there's a chance at a high grade on submission.

 

They're reprinting a lot of stuff I've never seen reprinted outside of Millennium editions (All-Star #3, All Star #8, More Fun #73, Superman #76). While the covers are cropped down to modern size, I think they're better display pieces than Millennium editions for using the full cover space. (Ideal would always be a Golden-Age size reprint. The only examples I can think of that are DC's Masterpieces, Maris/Flashback 70s B&W reprints, and the German Marvel reprints.) In general I think publishers are wary of creating counterfeits -- though with a book like Action #1 or All-Star #3, they're so rare that you could assume any new good copy is a counterfeit and the companies could avoid that just by giving the replica a noticeably BETTER paper stock. Maybe a light gloss.

[F For Fake]

The Lootcrate book is modern dimensions. It reprints the full issue with ads on newsprint. The colors come from a digital restoration of key Golden and Silver-Age books for the Mexican Liverpool department store chain, which is rereleasing lots of key issues in Spanish language, carefully relettered to match the original style. Because of the relettering, recoloring was a part of it. The Liverpool edition had a glossy cardstock cover, foil stamp, no cover price, and glossy interior pages. Full issue.

 

You can tell the Lootcrate is descended from the Liverpool because of the cover cropping (DC Mexico devised new cover cropping methods to get golden and silver age books to modern size) and the green necktie on Butch Mason. Except for Lootcrate and Liverpool, I believe the necktie has ALWAYS been red.

 

Wow, great info, thanks a bunch!

[mrc]

 

...where does this 1976 reprint come from?

 

 

[Rhymenoceros]

I think they just call this the "sleeping bag variant" . Not sure where it came from.

 

[PatrickG]

Oh. One thing to watch out for on the Lootcrate book:

 

It looks to me like around 80% of them have spine damage near the top staple. Packing issue?

 

If you're buying one second hand, inspect the spine. My copy that came with Lootcrate came damaged but I was able to get an undamaged one on eBay. In general, the better condition ones hover around $20. I would not buy one without a photo.

 

(EDIT: Unless it's a reading copy. This is a great reprint to have a reading copy of since, unlike most, you get the full issue and the ads. And it's a lot cheaper than the USPS version to acquire, for the time being. That said, this book came damaged in most cases and the newsprint and very thin weight of the cover suggest to me that a high grade copy may be a great longterm investment. Aesthetically, it's probably the best reprint since it has the full issue and an unobstructed cover, unlike USPS and Famous First, which I think are the only other complete reprints?)

Edited February 4, 2017 by PatrickG

[DWL]

...where does this 1976 reprint come from?

 

 

 

The ad on the back has a Canadian address. I am in Canada and that is the same copy I have as well.

 

If I recall correctly, it came with the purchase of paper towel rolls or something of that nature but it was a long time ago (41 years ago) so my memory may be faulty. And yes, I am old. I know, I know. NOW GET OFF MY LAWN!

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

I Know it is an old thread , but time to revive it. Funny a lot of the Safeguard have come back down even in 9.8. although mine was acquired long ago by mailing away, but this last year I sent the one above in for grading.

The 1976 Reprint /Sleeping Bag / G.H. Wood Sponge Towels  Pack  has now taken the top spot for the reprints.

Most of the reprints were listed or mentioned

On 9/19/2015 at 12:42 AM, jerome34 said:

I have 11 different reprints of Action 1:

1976 Safeguard

1976 "reprint of ..."

1983 BC =Peanut butter ad

1987 Quick

1988 "Fifty Years"

1988 UPC = barcode

1990 50 cent in white on black

1992 $1.00

1992 $0.10 in white on black

1993 No price 64 pages

1998 USPS

 

and counting . . .

The treasury was mentioned, but it is the Famous 1st Edition. 

The Millennium Edition which came in both Direct and Newsstand 

The Loot Crate was already mentioned. 

The Tony Daniels Convention Editions. 

I will add that the USPS edition also had some that were never stamped or canceled. 

CGC gives them a green label which to me seems odd as these never had the stamp of cancellation stamp. It is not the same as an unverified Signature or where the coupons were removed. but I guess that is just me.

and the foreign edition of the reprints can be found in many variations in almost every country and language. Here are just a few.

The Masterpiece Editions mentioned earlier contained a reprint of Superman #1 there was not an Action #1 but they did have a smaller statue that did contain a miniature version of Action #1

[WDBill]

@onlyweaknesskryptonite

I Know it is an old thread...... but anytime I search for anything it seems to come back to you. 
And you have always been able to help me in the past.

Can you answer any of the questions on this list? 
I know there are some foreign and others not on this list
but I was wondering if you know if the 8 or so with questions exist?
I find places that say they do but do not show an image of the back cover or indicia.
This is just an image of my spreadsheet, hope it is readable.
Thanks

 

Edited April 18, 2023 by WDBill

[Cat]

On 4/18/2023 at 10:15 AM, WDBill said:

@onlyweaknesskryptonite

I Know it is an old thread...... but anytime I search for anything it seems to come back to you. 
And you have always been able to help me in the past.

Can you answer any of the questions on this list? 
I know there are some foreign and others not on this list
but I was wondering if you know if the 8 or so with questions exist?
I find places that say they do but do not show an image of the back cover or indicia.
This is just an image of my spreadsheet, hope it is readable.
Thanks

 

Your page didn't work, for some reason. 

@onlyweaknesskryptonite

There you go. 

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

On 4/17/2023 at 7:15 PM, WDBill said:

@onlyweaknesskryptonite

I Know it is an old thread...... but anytime I search for anything it seems to come back to you. 
And you have always been able to help me in the past.

Can you answer any of the questions on this list? 
I know there are some foreign and others not on this list
but I was wondering if you know if the 8 or so with questions exist?
I find places that say they do but do not show an image of the back cover or indicia.
This is just an image of my spreadsheet, hope it is readable.
Thanks

 

I will really have to dig to find my Action Comics reprints to see what I can verify and double check.  That said I am pretty confident that there was only 1 nestle quick which has a 10 cent black box with the Ad on the back 1987. Not 1983 , also no price Variant. No idea about any newer 2023 books. The rest I will check and see what I have. 

I do know there is another USPS that was mismanaged by the USPS and didn't get its stamp or cancellation on first day of issue. I had a few of these . CGC unfortunately gives them a green Qualified label as they are "missing" the stamps although technically these were manufactured the same way they all were , but the USPS didn't add the stamps or cancellation . So in reality all of those with stamps (since they were added ) sould have the Qualified labels. 

Note this is one of my remaining raw copies as it has an upper corner blunting but if you are interested in it PM and I will ship it to you. (FOC)

Edit: I see this blank on your list.

Also do not see it in any of the notes what were the years on the Famous First Treasury Editions? There are two versions of that and it might be some of those "indica" years . 

Edited April 18, 2023 by onlyweaknesskryptonite
Add edit.

[WDBill]

Thanks for the reply. I have most of those on the list with the exception of those with questions and of course the first two except in my dreams. Both of those USPS copies are on the list and matter of fact I got my error copy without the stamp on it from you. It is mainly the older ones like the 1976, 1978, 1983 and 1987 versions that are different than what I have that I question. I been eyeing that Tony Daniels sketch copy you have but really don't want a graded copy. Still looking for a MOS DCU #50 also.