Amazing Spider-Man #147 Barcode ???

[Erik B]

Got a question for you.

 

If you check these 2 Amazing comic on Ebay,

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN-195-197-Comic-Book-BLACK-CAT-KINGPIN-/111862618179?hash=item1a0b881843:g:xncAAOSwFnFV-IgS

 

in the Barcode of each comic there is a black line. I got the same comic and was thinking that somebody, a merchant probably, do this with a pen. But seeing the same on Ebay make me wonder if it was not print that way?

 

Thanks!

[jaybuck43]

It was published that way (Direct edition)

[Erik B]

OK thank you!

 

Speaking of direct edition, is there a plus or less value to collect direct or non direct ?

[valiantman]

OK thank you!

 

Speaking of direct edition, is there a plus or less value to collect direct or non direct ?

 

That's debatable.

 

Here are the answers:

 

Yes.

No.

Yes, but the value switches in the late 1980s.

 

Take your pick.

[RockMyAmadeus]

OK thank you!

 

Speaking of direct edition, is there a plus or less value to collect direct or non direct ?

 

That's debatable.

 

Here are the answers:

 

Yes.

No.

Yes, but the value switches in the late 1980s.

 

Take your pick.

 

Pretty much. Context is everything.

 

At some point, the early experiments with Direct market labeling (Marvel from Feb 1977 to May/June of 1979) will probably attract attention, since they are substantially fewer than their newsstand counterparts.

 

The exact opposite is true of the late 90's/00's.

 

By the way...all Marvel Direct standard books from June 1979 to Dec 1979, with some possible outlier exceptions, have the line through the barcode. It was put there in response to Western's (Whitman) request to NOT have a UPC code on individual books, so their 3-packs wouldn't be scanned at the single book price.

 

The blank UPC looked odd, and the slash through the UPC was the solution...until Jan, 1980 cover dates, when the ubiquitous Spidey head came into being. Someone had the bright idea of putting art instead of a slashed through UPC, and that was that.

 

The UPC would remain entirely off of Direct books (because the Direct market didn't use UPCs as a general rule) for the next nearly 14 years, when they finally returned to Marvel and DC books in late 1993.

 

History.

 

[jaybuck43]

RMA I believe direct books still have a barcode on them today but have "direct edition" or something to that effect above the UPC correct?

[RockMyAmadeus]

RMA I believe direct books still have a barcode on them today but have "direct edition" or something to that effect above the UPC correct?

 

That is correct. The barcode returned to Marvel and DC books in mid to late 1993, with the words "Direct Edition" and "Direct Sales" respectively in the box (usually "above" the barcode, in perspective.)