Marvel UK Price Variants 16 16

[Pinkerton]

On 6/13/2020 at 2:01 PM, Redshade said:

This very issue is being discussed on a FB page that I am a member of, may I quote you on said site?

 

Fine by me Redshade but it sounds as though it has moved on. I am sure that eventually the issue will rise high enough in the GCD hierarchy such that a correction will be made which gives the appropriate designations to all price variants, pence or whatever. What may prove a difficulty is not of will but of the underlying database software which GCD uses, but who knows. According to Wikipedia it is all volunteer-led in which case they may be reluctant to charge in with DB-wide alterations. The will will have to be there in the GCD board, and key people will be the Technical Coordinator (oversees the technical work on the site and coordinates it with the non-technical aspects of the project) and the Rules Coordinators (manage the process by which data entry and formatting rules are established) - again according to Wikipedia..

[Redshade]

4 hours ago, Pinkerton said:

Fine by me Redshade but it sounds as though it has moved on. I am sure that eventually the issue will rise high enough in the GCD hierarchy such that a correction will be made which gives the appropriate designations to all price variants, pence or whatever. What may prove a difficulty is not of will but of the underlying database software which GCD uses, but who knows. According to Wikipedia it is all volunteer-led in which case they may be reluctant to charge in with DB-wide alterations. The will will have to be there in the GCD board, and key people will be the Technical Coordinator (oversees the technical work on the site and coordinates it with the non-technical aspects of the project) and the Rules Coordinators (manage the process by which data entry and formatting rules are established) - again according to Wikipedia..

Thanks for the reply but after contemplation I decided that I didn't want to drag you into the *ahem* debate.

[Tobytotts]

Hi, having no inside knowledge of working on an illustration I did ask a few professionals on a site about U.K. covers having more artwork on them like ASM 96. A few reply’s but generally the consensus was they would of had illustrators add on . Kurt Busiek and others remarking that Kane Wouldnt have done the brickwork in the different style above the cops head .  (Another reply)   British weeklies reprinted half a comic book's worth of stories, which required twice the number of covers per American issue. Hence they had a crew who drew covers (sometimes from scratch, other times from splash panels or specific panels in the issue). They also did tweaking on those covers they used so that they would fit to the slightly different format. Which is the case here. The awkward blank area between the cop's legs is not something Kane would have left as such.  

[Get Marwood & I]

On 6/18/2020 at 6:38 PM, Tobytotts said:

Hi, having no inside knowledge of working on an illustration I did ask a few professionals on a site about U.K. covers having more artwork on them like ASM 96. A few reply’s but generally the consensus was they would of had illustrators add on . Kurt Busiek and others remarking that Kane Wouldnt have done the brickwork in the different style above the cops head .  

 

(Another reply)   British weeklies reprinted half a comic book's worth of stories, which required twice the number of covers per American issue. Hence they had a crew who drew covers (sometimes from scratch, other times from splash panels or specific panels in the issue). They also did tweaking on those covers they used so that they would fit to the slightly different format. Which is the case here. The awkward blank area between the cop's legs is not something Kane would have left as such.  

Thanks for that additional info Toby, which follows on from posts earlier in the thread here:

Opinion remains divided I believe, if I'm recalling correctly, on what exactly happened...

 

[Iron Man 63]

New boy here. I'm sorting through a fairly big collection of stuff and I'll post pictures if I come across anything interesting. This one features my namesake in his first appearance!

Many thanks to Stephen for all his fantastic work on this. I hope I might be able to find some of the rarer ones as I sort through this lot...

Edited June 24, 2020 by Iron Man 63
Added extra line

[mec3437]

welcome @Iron Man 63!  Heck of a first find you got there.  Here's hoping you find some more!

[Get Marwood & I]

14 hours ago, Iron Man 63 said:

New boy here. I'm sorting through a fairly big collection of stuff and I'll post pictures if I come across anything interesting. This one features my namesake in his first appearance!

Many thanks to Stephen for all his fantastic work on this. I hope I might be able to find some of the rarer ones as I sort through this lot...

Cor, look at that. Some cool cover stamps there, including one of my personal favourites the Popular Book Centre 

Welcome Iron Man 63, welcome 

[Get Marwood & I]

FYI

 

[Get Marwood & I]

 

HELP WANTED!

To all those in the UK who read this thread, can you check your collections, records and memories and tell me whether any of you have a copy of, or can recall seeing another copy of this comic in pence:

It's the last pence cover month - December 1981 - and I have only ever seen this one copy.

I know it's a reprint title, and the numbers produced may therefore have been low, but one copy in ten years seems odd to me. 

Anyone? 

[Garystar]

22 hours ago, Get Marwood & I said:

 

HELP WANTED!

To all those in the UK who read this thread, can you check your collections, records and memories and tell me whether any of you have a copy of, or can recall seeing another copy of this comic in pence:

It's the last pence cover month - December 1981 - and I have only ever seen this one copy.

I know it's a reprint title, and the numbers produced may therefore have been low, but one copy in ten years seems odd to me. 

Anyone? 

Hi Steve, Sorry I can't help, my #104 is a cents copy. My # 72 and 80 are pence but all other copies are cents.

Do you own the #104? A quick search of ebay shows #72 and 80 readily available in pence but not #104, this must be exceedingly rare or a mock up - in which case it's well done, can't see the joins. Was there a set number of titles distributed in UK each month? If so perhaps your records could calculate if this issue makes up that number (which would support it being genuine) of exceeds it (which would support it being a fraud).

(I tried to post a reply yesterday but it appears to have vanished in the ether, or its landed on some other thread).

[Get Marwood & I]

On 7/3/2020 at 12:51 PM, GARYSTAR said:

Hi Steve, Sorry I can't help, my #104 is a cents copy. My # 72 and 80 are pence but all other copies are cents.

Do you own the #104? A quick search of ebay shows #72 and 80 readily available in pence but not #104, this must be exceedingly rare or a mock up - in which case it's well done, can't see the joins. Was there a set number of titles distributed in UK each month? If so perhaps your records could calculate if this issue makes up that number (which would support it being genuine) of exceeds it (which would support it being a fraud).

(I tried to post a reply yesterday but it appears to have vanished in the ether, or its landed on some other thread).

Thanks Gary - I do own the 104, yes. I picked it up at a fair a year or so back and just instinctively knew it was a new find (it's difficult to keep 3,020 books in your head when you travel without a list!). It is legit, but I just can't find another copy. That's not to say that they're not out there - it's hardly a popular title - but I do find it odd that I've never seen another copy on all my travels given how recent it is compared to, say, the 1960 Wyatt Earp #29 that was understandably in hiding for so long. Thanks for chipping in though - keep em peeled for me won't you.

[Get Marwood & I]

Hello 

I was playing with the Kids this morning and it struck me how different looking the three 9d prices were on these here three consecutive copies:

  
                                Kid #60                                                                  Kid #61                                                              Kid #62

Here they are up close:

  

Not one of them the same 

I've often mentioned across my threads whether some of these prices were printed or stamped after the production event. A lot of the Charlton UKPVs have prices that look hand applied when compared the the rest of the printed cover. The middle Kid above, #61, certainly looks like his price is hand applied doesn't it. It appears lighter in tone, slightly smudged and much less defined overall than the circle that surrounds it and also in comparison to those of the surrounding issues. It makes you wonder what was going on doesn't it. Maybe the price fell off of the plate and they discovered a whole run of priceless copies* at the end of the run. Maybe they had to apply the stamp by hand or some other mechanical device because of it. And I wonder why the inconsistency in fonts? 

There aren't too many examples about of these books to make a comparison but the placement on these two Charltons seem to move about a bit and, perhaps, is indicative of an after the printing event price addition:

  

As ever, we may never care know. 

 

*All UKPVs are priceless of course

 

[steveinthecity]

The inconsistency with fonts is curious.  Even just comparing Two Gun Kid #62 to the TOS #39 higher up the page appears to be different fonts, and both books would have been published at the same time, or at least have the same cover date.

[Get Marwood & I]

7 minutes ago, steveinthecity said:

The inconsistency with fonts is curious.  Even just comparing Two Gun Kid #62 to the TOS #39 higher up the page appears to be different fonts, and both books would have been published at the same time, or at least have the same cover date.

Indeed. I've said it before, the only thing consistent about the printing practices of the early 1960's is the complete absence of consistency! It makes for fun research though Steve. I'd love to go back and watch it all in action and see how they did it. They'd probably find it amusing, the printers, to think we're here 60 years later trying to work it all out 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 7/2/2020 at 2:07 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

 

HELP WANTED!

To all those in the UK who read this thread, can you check your collections, records and memories and tell me whether any of you have a copy of, or can recall seeing another copy of this comic in pence:

It's the last pence cover month - December 1981 - and I have only ever seen this one copy.

I know it's a reprint title, and the numbers produced may therefore have been low, but one copy in ten years seems odd to me. 

Anyone? 

Things have a funny way of turning out sometimes don't they.

No sooner do I remind the universe that the above MSH #104 seems to be the only copy in existence then up pops this book - our 3,021st Marvel UKPV - courtesy of a chap called Rich who may or may not join the party at some point (we've been talking pence stuff offline for some time now ):

To recap, I spent years looking for the books that now comprise my Marvel UKPV issue list, many before I ever joined here. Literally thousands of hours spent over many years looking for books like this one. I've said many times that you can 'never say never', but also that the fact that a certain book that never appears in hundreds of searches over many years likely doesn't exist. And this book fell into that latter category - until now.

I lost track of how many times I searched for this book in the early days of my research. Logic said that it should exist, being in the date range and with no pattern of other missing books to suggest it wouldn't, but it consistently failed to materialise. Indeed, I can remember now how many times the Direct Edition of the book would appear in pence group shots for the title on eBay UK - I've got a folder full of such examples (Gap Studies) for many of the conspicuous books:

There's a lot on eBay right now (albeit with a 37 and 36 in cents):

So I was absolutely gobsmacked when Rich spotted the book on the bay and sent me the picture. He was kind enough to step aside and let me snatch it for 99 Earth pence and it's on its way to Marwood Towers as we speak (it was hiding in plain site by the way, relisted four times before he spotted it):

MSA #37 was the last issue in the run, so it may well have had limited numbers in cents, never mind pence. But even so, much like the MSH #104, you would expect to see a copy or two of such a late in the day pence book on your extensive travels wouldn't you? Remarkable.

It reopens the possibility of some of the other missing 20p issues surfacing - Iron Man #146, ROM #23 etc - and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't had a good fresh look for them all. Only time will tell, as ever. But what a great thing that a new issue from 1981 can turn up this late in the day.

I may have to go back and re-search everything now. 

Brilliant. 

[Get Marwood & I]

Well, the book arrived and it's a beauty. Lovely note attached too from the seller showing that there are still decent, enthusiastic comic people out there. Apart from Steve in his City though, no such people appear to reside here. A new Marvel UKPV and not one comment. Charming.

[OtherEric]

10 minutes ago, Get Marwood & I said:

Well, the book arrived and it's a beauty. Lovely note attached too from the seller showing that there are still decent, enthusiastic comic people out there. Apart from Steve in his City though, no such people appear to reside here. A new Marvel UKPV and not one comment. Charming.

Sorry for the lack of comment, it took me forever that I could follow someone on the forums- and the variant price threads are somewhat scattered.

Yay, new UKPV marvel!

I always find your threads fascinating even if I have next to nothing to contribute.

[Get Marwood & I]

14 minutes ago, OtherEric said:

Sorry for the lack of comment, it took me forever that I could follow someone on the forums- and the variant price threads are somewhat scattered.

Yes, CGC aren't the best at promoting what Invision's board software can do are they. 

All my stuff can be accessed from here Eric:

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/blogs/blog/628-john-morlars-pence-palace-of-doom-and-other-comic-miscellany/

Quote

Yay, new UKPV marvel!

I always find your threads fascinating even if I have next to nothing to contribute.

You're a gent. Lots of people follow this thread and yet a new find - as good as it gets - gets next to nothing. A bit frustrating but there you go (see also 14th Marvel US Price Font discovery). I rattle the cages once in a while but that gets a bit tedious, having to try and goad people to comment all the time.  Thanks for taking the time to comment Eric 

[rakehell]

1 hour ago, Get Marwood & I said:

Well, the book arrived and it's a beauty. Lovely note attached too from the seller showing that there are still decent, enthusiastic comic people out there. Apart from Steve in his City though, no such people appear to reside here. A new Marvel UKPV and not one comment. Charming.

Eeee, I don't know. The one week I get distracted from these threads & you go and post something interesting. You've got to give me time to be awake, and able to focus long enough to read whole sentences, and process information, and suchlike. Seriously though, good work Mrs. Blennerhassett. Been hunting in different directions lately. And adding  (& removing incorrectly added) pence variants to GCD. 

[Get Marwood & I]

9 minutes ago, rakehell said:

Eeee, I don't know. The one week I get distracted from these threads & you go and post something interesting.

One interesting thing in 63 pages aint too bad is it Mabel.

9 minutes ago, rakehell said:

You've got to give me time to be awake, and able to focus long enough to read whole sentences, and process information, and suchlike.

Why? I never bother with any of that when I post the drivel.

9 minutes ago, rakehell said:

Seriously though, good work Mrs. Blennerhassett. Been hunting in different directions lately. And adding  (& removing incorrectly added) pence variants to GCD. 

Sounds fun. What are they calling them nowadays? Shillipennies?