Startling Terror Tales #11 (1952) black variant? 0

[StuporMan]

I wish those youngsters would get off my lawn.

 

[Axmen]

I researched this a while back when I bought my black logo variant.

 

Here's the best info I could find - it's from a Heritage Auction back in 2002 - indicates black logo "quite scarce; perhaps 1 out of 10 have this logo color"

 

Startling Terror Tales #11 (Star Publications, 1952) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages. L. B. Cole was one of the premier cover artists ever to work in comics, and his cover to STT #11, the "Ghost Spider of Death," is perhaps the ultimate example of his art from the 1950s. The skull-faced black-widow spider in her web salivates blood, anticipating another juicy half-clad female victim. Between the covers lies the book-length story of the fiend that traps and consumes human prey. Are you frightened? Not nearly frightened enough! This issue was first printed with a black logo background that obscured the word "Tales" in the title. The press was stopped, the logo was changed to blue, and then the rest of the run was printed. Because this correction took place early in the run, copies with the black logo are quite scarce -- perhaps only one out of ten have this logo color. Most of the flaws of the book are on the back cover, leaving the front cover, with its glorious image, intact. Although the pages are listed as cream to off-white, that is really

quite acceptable for the time period, and the cover colors are attractive and are MUCH better than would be expected on a FN- copy. CGC census indicates six higher-graded copies but does not distinguish if any of these are the variant. A NM- copy of the blue logo variety sold at auction two years ago for $7,500; so clearly the price guide has yet to indicate its true value. Furthermore, Overstreet prices the black logo at only 10% above the blue logo. If the value of the 1970s Marvel price variants are any indicator, this is a ridiculously small premium for such a scarce and important issue. Overstreet 2002 FN 6.0 value = $381.

 

My copy ----

 

Edited April 25, 2016 by Axmen

[Axmen]

It's interesting too on my copy you can't see the 'Tales' underneath the black at all like on Stuporman's copy

[thewritestuff]

On 2/25/2016 at 12:40 PM, StuporMan said:

I was looking up some values for Startling Terror Tales in Overstreet and I noticed they have a black variant for #11 listed - "believed to be a pressrun change" <-- what does that mean? Also has anyone ever seen this for sale or from the owner? I can't even find a picture of this. The fact that Overstreet only prices it $100 over the regular version just goes to show why no one looks at Overstreet when it comes to issues like this ...

 

I know this is an old thread, but what variant is the 8.5 shown? I have a copy that looks closer to this one, where the logo appears to be gray rather than the blue or black versions shown here.

[adamstrange]

Those two copies are not the black variant.

Just above your post someone posted the black variant.  https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/386490-startling-terror-tales-11-1952-black-variant/?do=findComment&amp;comment=9178103

[thewritestuff]

2 hours ago, adamstrange said:

Those two copies are not the black variant.

Just above your post someone posted the black variant.  https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/386490-startling-terror-tales-11-1952-black-variant/?do=findComment&amp;comment=9178103

Thanks for the reply. But these two do not look like the blue variant shown, either. I was wondering if there are other variations

[adamstrange]

They are the blue background matte finish cover stock variant.  The slight differences in the blue are due to either scanner/photo variation or slight print variation or differences in the aging process.

Edited December 16, 2018 by adamstrange

[zzutak]

Courtesy of a good friend.    The raw "black variant" is the Mile High copy.  Enjoy!

Edited December 17, 2018 by zzutak

[JoeRock]

1 hour ago, zzutak said:

Courtesy of a good friend.    The raw "black variant" is the Mile High copy.  Enjoy!

Ahhhh that is beautiful, I need to up my game and score a copy of this book