How do you know when a Marvel GN is 1st print?

[jmh722]

Hey all,

Does anyone know how to tell when an early Marvel graphic novel is a 1st print? I am eyeballing a really nice copy of the Dreadstar GN, but I've been told that there is no real way to determine the printing with the early Marvel GN's.

Thanks.

[kav]

First print of the actual books are fairly cheap-I'd just get those

[jmh722]

You mean the original numbered series of Marvel gn's are cheap?

 

The numbered series gn's were reprinted four or five times, and they folks at Marvel were pretty fast and loose with indicating the print run. I was hoping maybe somebody had some insight into whether the barcode indicated the print run.

[shadroch]

The Dreadstar GN is new, not reprinted material, if I recall correctly.

[jmh722]

Yeah. I think all of the numbered Marvel graphic novels were basically one-shots; the Dazzler and New Mutants graphic novels come to mind.

 

You don't happen to know if the barcode (if there was one) would indicate the print run on those books, do you?

[RockMyAmadeus]

Hey all,

Does anyone know how to tell when an early Marvel graphic novel is a 1st print? I am eyeballing a really nice copy of the Dreadstar GN, but I've been told that there is no real way to determine the printing with the early Marvel GN's.

Thanks.

 

For #1-5...maybe more...the first prints have a single price....$4.95 or $5.95. If it has an additional Canada price, it's a later printing. If it has a price higher than $5.95 (which was a flat TON when standard books were only 60 cents!), it's not a first print.

 

Some of the later printings ARE marked, you just have to look.

 

Also, look for the Printer's Key...this is the 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 you see on many books. The first printing will start at 1..a 3rd printing will have 3 as the lowest number. If you don't see a 1, it's not a first printing.

 

Confusing, but not insurmountable.

 

BE CAREFUL!!! CGC has slabbed several later printings, and not noted them as such!

[jmh722]

Ok...good to know.

Yeah, I had heard that this practice was more common in the 70's and 80's with most books, but I didn't know if Marvel necessarily adhered to those rules with the early graphic novels.

Thanks again.

[Artboy99]

I believe the later printings were indicated as such inside the cover.

[Chip Cataldo]

The Dreadstar Graphic Novel 2nd print has "2nd Edition" on bottom of the indicia page. I would imagine subsequent printings are noted in the same place.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[RockMyAmadeus]

The Dreadstar Graphic Novel 2nd print has "2nd Edition" on bottom of the indicia page. I would imagine subsequent printings are noted in the same place.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

 

They are not (all.)