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Marvel Australian Price Variants
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648 posts in this topic

Afternoon :)

I've been concentrating on APVs quite a bit lately, so this will be my last 'investigative' post for a while (Thank God! a nation cries!)

I mentioned the key differences between an APV and a US Newsstand a few posts back and have touched on them throughout the thread over the years. Here are a few more observations, backed with pretty pictures. I like making pretty pictures me, as you may already have guessed (it's raining out, what else can we do on a Sunday).

I've used my old Amazing Spidey issue scans for this exercise.

First up, here's ASM #341, one of the first APVs to appear:

1.PNG.3ed9660be62b36727aeaf8e383a40d3c.PNG

 

In respect of the 'annual issue number' on the barcode, here's my explanation:

2.PNG.be712d669e9deb1a20ce1e72fddc70c4.PNG

 

Usually, the barcode number corresponds with the cover month. But the presence of bi-monthly issues sods that sequencing right up.

Here's a snap shot of one APV calendar year, 1992, for ASM to show you what I mean:

6.thumb.PNG.a94f9aa97c72cbd1178f0612a9ad38bd.PNG

 

There are 15 APVs for ASM in (AUS cover date) 1992, hence the numbering going from 1 to 15, January to December. In typical fashion, we have a mistake - ASM #354 and 355 both are numbered '03'. Logic suggest #355 should have been numbered '04'.

I don't have a back cover scan for the gatefold covered ASM #358 saved (which is dumb, seeing as I owned it), but I'm sure it will dutifully appear with an '07' number at some point unless it too was the subject of a numbering cock up.

2103164876_358aus.thumb.jpg.ddf05f9b94e5d4d332ef70fc439ba874.jpg

 

As we know, the differences between the APVs and US Newsstand copies varies throughout the run. Here's a few more to illustrate:

3.PNG.22ffc0d691e7da3e50cd8339990b0647.PNG

 

4.PNG.834bc262aa152d58ffad29995caee611.PNG

 

5.PNG.ca6aea1eadd30fe82d3404b5803cb554.PNG

 

There are other differences here and there but the examples above capture the main ones. I'm not sure why the second wave of APVs (Feb 96 to Nov 96) all had the same cover months as the US versions as opposed to the first waves three month lag. Maybe they flew over instead of taking the slow boat?

Who knows.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed that little tour

See ya :)

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On 11/22/2019 at 2:54 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

I've added some new elements to my capture spreadsheet:

  • Under the 'Issues in Cover Date Range' line I've added a new line called 'Expected AUS Issues in Cover Date Range'. This will allow me to differentiate between how many issues technically exist within the agreed date range, and how many of them I believe will turn up as AUS copies. I've made a start on that, hence the reduced number in the second from bottom key row above
  • In the key, I've added two extra elements:
    • Where I have confirmation that an AUS copy exists, but cannot quite make out the AUS price, I note that price on the sheet as $TBC until a clearer copy emerges
    • Where I see multiple examples of a US edition with an 'official' looking AUS price sticker (X-Force #1 and 2 for example), I record those issues on the sheet as 'stickered'. They do not form part of the overall number in my research as a US copy with a price sticker, regardless of how official it looks, cannot be called a price variant. Only a printed price fits the criteria

 

P.S. Here's a good example of the scenario above (bolded) where I have an image which clearly shows APVs but it isn't clear enough to make out the prices:

tekworld.PNG.c5f2ab73ff823a69a6c8510885845a65.PNG

 

Using the various differences between US and APV copies, I've become adept enough at this to see that #1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 in the picture are APVs

Accordingly, I have to mark them as follows on the sheet:

1268.thumb.PNG.b65ea052be91070981257fb41ea63479.PNG

 

I already had a nice clear #4, so that's four more $TBCs added to make five overall. There's my maths skills again. What is also likely is that only #1-7 will exist for William, as the title may well cease with the price hike as many other titles do.

Here's the one you can see the price of!

4.thumb.jpg.132329ffa18f737f902e41630d5cd98b.jpg

 

Cheeoow! 

kirk.gif.87d3ed1ac40de9371a2b0ebdd08cf6b8.gif

 

 

 

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I've updated the journals list to show:

Comics

  • 1,269 confirmed APVs
  • 103 confirmed titles

Current Confirmed APV Issue List

 

In addition, the APV magazine update shows:

Magazines

  • 3 confirmed magazine titles:
    • Conan Saga - 31 of 40
    • Conan the Savage - 4 of 4
    • Savage Sword of Conan - 37 of 40

 

Gary Martin provided a better image of GI Joe #122, which looked like a stickered copy. It is, but is has an '06' APV barcode number, compared to an '03' US Newsstand edition:

1371562794_122(Sticker06AUSBarcode)(2).jpg.7eeb03c7b2004f191484cfcf8941f060.jpg  1624465830_122US(2).jpg.6de38d83c752191af7555c0f56801246.jpg

 

1870789214_122(Sticker06AUSBarcode).thumb.jpg.55bc4fb639e0cc9e1ee4e0646de4c26e.jpg  645587921_122US.jpg.860a9751208916b31f16bd3578e0cd48.jpg

 

When you look at the APV sticker, you can see the absence of the Curtis Circulation 'CC' symbol which should, based on the US Newsstand copy, be visible at the bottom of the sticker:

1988806919_122(Sticker06AUSBarcode)(3).jpg.bd40d244b344127bd040560f5e6402b8.jpg 661014463_122US(3).jpg.7b064146b162257608cce0b240ad05e8.jpg

 

The partially exposed dollar symbol looks smaller too.

So G.I. Joe #122 is counted as an APV due to the unique barcode number, but it's also possible that it will have an AUS printed price too with, perhaps, the wrong month (as is the case with Captain America #407 / 410)

 

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1 minute ago, Get Marwood & I said:

I've updated the list here to show:

Comics

  • 1,269 confirmed APVs
  • 103 confirmed titles

Magazines

  • 3 confirmed magazine titles:
    • Conan Saga - 31 of 40
    • Conan the Savage - 4 of 4
    • Savage Sword of Conan - 37 of 40

Current Confirmed APV Issue List

 

Gary provided a better image of GI Joe #122, which looked like a stickered copy. It is, but is has an '06' APV barcode number, compared to an '03' US Newsstand edition:

1371562794_122(Sticker06AUSBarcode)(2).jpg.7eeb03c7b2004f191484cfcf8941f060.jpg  1624465830_122US(2).jpg.6de38d83c752191af7555c0f56801246.jpg

 

1870789214_122(Sticker06AUSBarcode).thumb.jpg.55bc4fb639e0cc9e1ee4e0646de4c26e.jpg  645587921_122US.jpg.860a9751208916b31f16bd3578e0cd48.jpg

 

When you look at the APV sticker, you can see the absence of the Curtsi Circulation 'CC' symbol which should, based on the US Newsstand copy, be visible at the bottom of the sticker:

1988806919_122(Sticker06AUSBarcode)(3).jpg.bd40d244b344127bd040560f5e6402b8.jpg 661014463_122US(3).jpg.7b064146b162257608cce0b240ad05e8.jpg

 

So G.I. Joe #122 is counted as an APV due to the unique barcode number, but it's also possible that it will have an AUS printed price too with, perhaps, the wrong month (as is the case with Captain America #407 / 410)

 

Very Interesting, I still haven't found any of these out and about, but I'm glad you have help and Gary does too (thumbsu :) I'll have to see if I notice any stickers on comics lol wrong month or not!

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Hi!  Gary Martin, Jr., here, thankful that I found this topic online a few weeks ago (a culmination of years of solo research) and that Steve so graciously accepted my assistance (we knew from jump that it would help, but WOW how many titles did we button up to completion or darn close to it?? pretty cool to realize).  And very pleased to report that after all the behind-the-scenes back-and-forth comparing of notes, we stand today at the matching number of 1,269 found APVs.  So I commend us, including all you other collaborators, on a job well done so far!  Happy holidays, --A ROM Curator, Gary Martin, Jr.

APVs I Own by A ROM Curator .jpg

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On 11/28/2019 at 10:19 PM, A ROM Curator said:

Hi!  Gary Martin, Jr., here, thankful that I found this topic online a few weeks ago (a culmination of years of solo research) and that Steve so graciously accepted my assistance (we knew from jump that it would help, but WOW how many titles did we button up to completion or darn close to it?? pretty cool to realize).  And very pleased to report that after all the behind-the-scenes back-and-forth comparing of notes, we stand today at the matching number of 1,269 found APVs.  So I commend us, including all you other collaborators, on a job well done so far!  Happy holidays, --A ROM Curator, Gary Martin, Jr.

:headbang:

Funny that we were both doing the same thing on opposite sides of the pond isn't it. I wonder how many more will turn up. It's all gone quiet...

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The Savage Sword of Conan #189 brings us up to 38 confirmed copies of the 40 possible. Only #179 and #217 missing now (with #217 being an AUS April 1994 issue so.....)

189.thumb.jpg.9294d7bc5ceb2cd07df24c37dee43c07.jpg

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On 11/28/2019 at 5:19 PM, A ROM Curator said:

And very pleased to report that after all the behind-the-scenes back-and-forth comparing of notes, we stand today at the matching number of 1,269 found APVs.

Bravo Gary and Steve!!  :-)  Just wanted to commend you guys and say Great Work!  

- Ben p.s. Attached below is something I think is cool, it was the idea of varyant555 to look through the GoCollect Top 50 hottest comics the other day to check which ones have corresponding Type 1A cover price variants -- turns out there are quite a lot with Australian price variants and Pence and Canadian too (did we miss any?)

top-50-part-1.jpg.567db3abd886db7d1400b06ea6b41a84.jpg

top-50-part-2.jpg.5bfe859c611a0fcf4c7e106a87ab76c6.jpg

top-50-part-3.jpg.0209e5180d51d26d4aa37039a031cd5c.jpg

top-50-part-4.jpg.604c5fb1f1d591fc948f4554660bf120.jpg

top-50-part-5.jpg.982bc4115b03aefc217cc41d8bb20278.jpg

top-50-part-6.jpg.06e389a802217de26cd1301ebad00254.jpg

top-50-comic-books-with-type-1a.jpg

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2 hours ago, xcomic said:

Bravo Gary and Steve!!  :-)  Just wanted to commend you guys and say Great Work!  

- Ben p.s. Attached below is something I think is cool, it was the idea of varyant555 to look through the GoCollect Top 50 hottest comics the other day to check which ones have corresponding Type 1A cover price variants -- turns out there are quite a lot with Australian price variants and Pence and Canadian too (did we miss any?)

Cheers Ben. Don't think so mate. All price variants are 'hot' though, don't forget :D

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On 11/23/2019 at 9:07 AM, xcomic said:

A reader I recently had a great email correspondence with about APVs turns out to have owned a newsstand decades back (a "newsagency" in the local terminology), and he let me know they were sometimes required to put stickers on various comic books and magazines -- at times because they were mispriced but he also mentioned censorship as another reason, with the rules about offensive materials varying by state.  (Although this may not have ever applied to APVs).

But an interesting tidbit he shared was that the distributors would supply the stickers to them, and their staff had to actually stick them on.  This would explain why sometimes we've seen copies lacking stickers, when the newstand staff missed any, either by mistake or on purpose (perhaps when a staff member themselves wanted to take a book home).

Cool stuff! :-)

- Ben

My guess is that a prime example of a sticker supplied by the distributor would be the big UPC barcode label that appears on the 2 covers I just posted.  They're all the same numbers so you can imagine the staff had a stack of them on hand, and perhaps were at times instructed to place one on the upper part of the cover as well, though 2 per comic seems overkill eh?  I've saved images of this UPC label on 43 different comics so far, including on titles that don't have APVs (e.g. Silver Sable & The Wild Pack #19); cover dates range from US Oct1993 to Jan1995, some spanning the 1994 gap between APV waves.

[93-12] BARCODE COVERED WITH SAME LARGE LABEL e.g. on Silver Sable And The Wild Pack #19 (Dec1993) $1.25 US price showing, COMMON PRACTICE FOR AUS NEWSSTANDS SALES 1993-1995 .jpg

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6 hours ago, A ROM Curator said:

The thrill ain't gone yet, whether it comes to discovering a New Title...or completing one! :banana: (after finding Spider-Woman v2 #2, I searched for #1 & 3 {11/9/93 release date}, without success)

[93-12][w1.3] Spider-Woman v2 #2 APV [CONFIRMED] $2.80 AUS i.o.$1.75 (Mar1994) i.o.(Dec1993), barcode NO DIRECT EDITION & changes top 2-digits PROBABLY, COVERED WITH UPC LABEL .jpg

Cor!

AUS March 1994, so no probably no AUS April 1994, so probably only #1 may additionally be out there :headbang:

sw.thumb.PNG.8b2db791a13aa964d14e01be659f0305.PNG

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Morning :)

Updated APV Issue List

The two new titles bring us up to:

  • 105 titles with one or more APV confirmed
  • 1,703 actual issues in the APV date range
  • 1,272 confirmed APVs

All good fun...

1272.PNG.9a6bdb83e0eb0e5bf8a63081b3be60c4.PNG

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3 hours ago, Get Marwood & I said:

...and another, courtesy of Paul Nicholls :headbang:

ons2.jpg.aa80a8b68d9ae0649c49a22e3558d216.jpg  ons1.jpg.0163471ea151342f6d6661de5b7a474c.jpg

 

I wonder if AUS copies of any of the other two versions will exist (as they do for X-Men #1)?

ons.PNG.8bd3abeb773a38ab069fc1770c802396.PNG

 

I've marked is as complete for now as I doubt it.

onsl.thumb.PNG.9d9524d1e2132fc0c2bf2d9aa041a291.PNG

 

AUS $6.60 is a whopping price...

onsl660.PNG.70c1f81c71d9040d342b48952fee2c8e.PNG  

 

....just to make sure though...

onsl660s.PNG.8a57bd32e8126cce4e49b60c148b74ac.PNG

:grin:

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~* Merry Christmas APV Peeps *~

That Alf was an especially nice gap-filler, and funny how the UPC-numbers-changer forgot to paste on (or crank the dials or whatever) the new two-digit '03' over the '12'.  All other titles in the month got the increment, and all other Alf issues that we've seen were correctly done.

Keep 'em coming in the New Year!

Edited by A ROM Curator
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I've stated my dislike of the new fangled CGC picture labels a few times, but I have to say this one looks less offensive (spotted on the bay):

1885605202_345aus(2).thumb.jpg.e287befdb4b15ccebb4bd3b0e1107f56.jpg

They're not too bad on moderns I suppose, as they kind of match the cover artwork, but I still don't like them on the oldies :sumo:

I see CGC have not commented on the 'N4' written in pen on this one too (which we know all about now):

423737223_s-l1600(2).thumb.jpg.da560c85f5bb5f4248e608ae826ab79e.jpg

 

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So not a new title or anything just a nice find in local comic shop in Tennessee and wanted to share.  Found a Barbie #1 APV.  Go figure.  I rarely if ever find one in the wild and just pick things off ebay from time to time.  So pretty cool. (Sadly/ would have never looked at Barbie comics but with price variants.... fun search!)

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