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DC UK Price Variants
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236 posts in this topic

39 minutes ago, David Buck said:

There's a big thread on Canadian newsstand issues in the copper age section - when I'm down to a handful to find I'll put up the list - at the moment the main list for these is Doug Sulipa's one but that has quite a few errors 

 

Looking forward to it (thumbsu

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On 15/10/2017 at 8:24 PM, Marwood & I said:

One other area I've been pondering are the 'Double Double' books, where Thorpe & Porter surreptitiously sold remaindered copies of the US titles with new UK covers. There are 24 I believe, and I have scans of all of them so I may do a piece on them here at some point.  Obviously they aren't full first print DC pence price variants but a large percentage of them is!

Capture.thumb.PNG.c18a792cb2f8502b10d4ffbfe898ae46.PNG

 

Anyway, thanks again for diving in.  Always good to talk to a fellow pence person :)

 

 

 

I told him not to of course, but Marwood insisted on buying this tatty 'Double Double' book at the last London Comic Fair.

20171118_140340.thumb.jpg.51aaad26e0b4138b7de20232eb1dfa40.jpg

 

"I want to see what's inside", he said with a childish harrumph. Fair enough.

The funny thing with these books is that the contents can differ for the same issue. This copy has the following four DC books crudely assembled:

  1. Adventure Comics #350
  2. Aquaman #28
  3. Worlds Finest #176
  4. Wonder Woman #163

The books are remaindered originals, stripped of their covers and placed (apparently illegally if you Googleate the history) in the crummiest cover you could muster. The pence price is the reason for the post here. Difficult to agree on these. They're not reprints, but not variants as the covers are unique to the collected version. A fun oddity from our past. Some have Marvel books in them too! Cheeky sods Thorpe & Porter, weren't they :headbang:

20171118_140351.thumb.jpg.6e3495dd495d2a8c5a788645b1eb8e4e.jpg

20171118_140307.thumb.jpg.75e9a6bab50a71b5064b310ca105f4fe.jpg

20171118_140409.thumb.jpg.3584f20d5c0055157797b6ec0d597edb.jpg

20171118_140325.thumb.jpg.e4d4df98331d22f79a5c058c4fb631da.jpg

 

Chin chin! :tink:

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I read this post a few weeks ago being steered here by Marwood's explanation of "signatures".

And blow me down with a feather if I didn't see one of these whilst scrolling through ebay and bought it on impulse.

It has normal wear and slight discolouration of staples so is not a hot-shot high grade, perhaps a Very Good with a "value" of only a few dollars.

Now I don't know what to do with it, I'm a Marvel collector. Anyone want it?

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19 minutes ago, Redshade said:

I read this post a few weeks ago being steered here by Marwood's explanation of "signatures".

And blow me down with a feather if I didn't see one of these whilst scrolling through ebay and bought it on impulse.

It has normal wear and slight discolouration of staples so is not a hot-shot high grade, perhaps a Very Good with a "value" of only a few dollars.

Now I don't know what to do with it, I'm a Marvel collector. Anyone want it?

IMG_0160.JPG

Keep it Redshade, keep it! There's only another 838 more to collect and then you've got the set! :headbang:

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4 minutes ago, Marwood & I said:

Keep it Redshade, keep it! There's only another 838 more to collect and then you've got the set! :headbang:

There is no way I want to go down that road.

I won't pretend that I didn't think of it, after all they're all only bronze age so should be very easy to pick up in high grade and very cheaply, no?:roflmao:

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On 11/18/2017 at 2:10 PM, Marwood & I said:

 

I told him not to of course, but Marwood insisted on buying this tatty 'Double Double' book at the last London Comic Fair.

20171118_140340.thumb.jpg.51aaad26e0b4138b7de20232eb1dfa40.jpg

 

"I want to see what's inside", he said with a childish harrumph. Fair enough.

The funny thing with these books is that the contents can differ for the same issue. This copy has the following four DC books crudely assembled:

  1. Adventure Comics #350
  2. Aquaman #28
  3. Worlds Finest #176
  4. Wonder Woman #163

The books are remaindered originals, stripped of their covers and placed (apparently illegally if you Googleate the history) in the crummiest cover you could muster. The pence price is the reason for the post here. Difficult to agree on these. They're not reprints, but not variants as the covers are unique to the collected version. A fun oddity from our past. Some have Marvel books in them too! Cheeky sods Thorpe & Porter, weren't they :headbang:

20171118_140351.thumb.jpg.6e3495dd495d2a8c5a788645b1eb8e4e.jpg

20171118_140307.thumb.jpg.75e9a6bab50a71b5064b310ca105f4fe.jpg

20171118_140409.thumb.jpg.3584f20d5c0055157797b6ec0d597edb.jpg

20171118_140325.thumb.jpg.e4d4df98331d22f79a5c058c4fb631da.jpg

 

Chin chin! :tink:

I remember purchasing these in the late 60s. There were also some with hard covers, similar to the  a British annuals.

I may be a doddering old fool but I remember these as having the covers included.

I have never seen one since on ebay or elsewhere. Perhaps I dreamt it all?

Edited by Redshade
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1 hour ago, Redshade said:

There is no way I want to go down that road.

I won't pretend that I didn't think of it, after all they're all only bronze age so should be very easy to pick up in high grade and very cheaply, no?:roflmao:

In theory Redshade, yes. Some of the early 1960's Marvel titles are bordering on non existent and, in a handful of cases, I'm still trying to prove the existence of certain issues which should exist but have yet to surface (the 'missing list' in my Marvel thread). So the Bronze Age DC's would be a comparatively easy set to build. But it would still take time, as many books are scarce. Some of the less well known titles are hard to find in any grade, let alone high grade. So achievable, but by no means a doddle.

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1 hour ago, Redshade said:

I remember purchasing these in the late 60s. There were also some with hard covers, similar to the  a British annuals.

I may be a doddering old fool but I remember these as having the covers included.

I have never seen one since on ebay or elsewhere. Perhaps I dreamt it all?

I think the presence of covers was a beautiful dream Redshade. From what I understand, T&P used remaindered copies to make these books up. They stripped them of their covers, returned the covers under the sale or return policy, and then cheekily repackaged the inners to make an extra buck. Quite a good idea really, if you overlook the legalities :smile:

I've never seen one with a hard cover either. Vivid dreams you have Redshade. Vivid dreams.....:cloud9:

 

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1 hour ago, Marwood & I said:

I think the presence of covers was a beautiful dream Redshade. From what I understand, T&P used remaindered copies to make these books up. They stripped them of their covers, returned the covers under the sale or return policy, and then cheekily repackaged the inners to make an extra buck. Quite a good idea really, if you overlook the legalities :smile:

I've never seen one with a hard cover either. Vivid dreams you have Redshade. Vivid dreams.....:cloud9:

 

I just found this :

http://www.comicpriceguide.co.uk/uk_comic.php

 

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2 minutes ago, Redshade said:

When I click on it I get 'invalid' so you might have to be logged in. I'm not a member - what is it? I'm intrigued 

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Just now, Redshade said:

Sorry the link doesn't go to the page I wanted. Here's a cut and paste of the text.  I found it by google searching "uk annual with remaindered comics". There is a photo which doesn't copy.

ATOM ANNUAL

Publishers: ATLAS PUBLISHING
Dates: 1967
Issues: CLICK HERE to view issues, super-size cover images and values in 9 grades

A new find for me as at Dec 2015. Never seen this one before in all my travels. One of the DC remaindered comics bound-together annuals (like Showcase Annual or Hawkman Annual). Features Atom #30, World's Finest #163, Superman #196, Lois Lane #74, World's Finest #164, Detective Comics #358.

Some thoughts from comics' historian and collector Peter Hansen:

1 - The comics in every single annual were all DC comics, no Marvel at all.
 
2 - The vast majority of the annuals had only uncirculated issues. Two or three only had one of what must have been a return as they had a pence stamp on the cover.
 
3 - Every annual had six comics in it, with only one or two relating to the title character or group on the cover.
 
4. Every annual had at least one and sometimes two issues in the annual that did not match with the duplicate annual I have of that same annual. This practice seems to me to be completely random, and I wouldn't be surprised if no two annuals are the same in this regard.
 
5 - All comics are either 1966, or 1967 DC Comics issues.
 
6 - No annual had any kind of indicia relating to who published the annuals? and I wonder if DC even knew T&P were doing this?
 
7 - No annual had a price on it either printed or even a sticker?
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The one I vividly remember is a Green Lantern Annual, although no mention of that specific one is mentioned here.

It seems as if Duncan MacAlpine hadn't known about these until it was brought to his attention in 2015 so I wonder where he gets his prices from?

Total value for all issues of this title listed:

Condition
 
PR
1.0
FR
1.5
GD
2.0
VG
4.0
FN
6.0
VF
8.0
VF/NM
9.0
NM-
9.2
NM
9.4
MINT
10.0
Issues 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1  
Total £ 5.00 10.00 15.00 30.00 60.00 125.00 150.00 175.00 200.00  

 

Note: some PR issues may have no value. Selected issues in FN, VF or VF/NM may not exist in some titles.

 

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24 minutes ago, Redshade said:

Sorry the link doesn't go to the page I wanted. Here's a cut and paste of the text.  I found it by google searching "uk annual with remaindered comics". There is a photo which doesn't copy.

ATOM ANNUAL

Publishers: ATLAS PUBLISHING
Dates: 1967
Issues: CLICK HERE to view issues, super-size cover images and values in 9 grades

A new find for me as at Dec 2015. Never seen this one before in all my travels. One of the DC remaindered comics bound-together annuals (like Showcase Annual or Hawkman Annual). Features Atom #30, World's Finest #163, Superman #196, Lois Lane #74, World's Finest #164, Detective Comics #358.

Some thoughts from comics' historian and collector Peter Hansen:

1 - The comics in every single annual were all DC comics, no Marvel at all.
 
2 - The vast majority of the annuals had only uncirculated issues. Two or three only had one of what must have been a return as they had a pence stamp on the cover.
 
3 - Every annual had six comics in it, with only one or two relating to the title character or group on the cover.
 
4. Every annual had at least one and sometimes two issues in the annual that did not match with the duplicate annual I have of that same annual. This practice seems to me to be completely random, and I wouldn't be surprised if no two annuals are the same in this regard.
 
5 - All comics are either 1966, or 1967 DC Comics issues.
 
6 - No annual had any kind of indicia relating to who published the annuals? and I wonder if DC even knew T&P were doing this?
 
7 - No annual had a price on it either printed or even a sticker?

Excellent! I like being proven wrong when new things are discovered. I've never seen these either. I wonder if people see them and just assume they are 'regular' reprint annuals as opposed to books made from remaindered copies?

Here's some pics I managed to find from eBay - they prove your dreams were real Redshade - hard backs and covers! :headbang:

aa.jpg.5dfde6c3cf3e3a980c75cab5d90d67f2.jpg aa1.jpg.ea3f421a1404917507553fd5712d7e53.jpg aa2.jpg.c5a35e676590bee684693f3737e41fa4.jpg aa3.jpg.821a175b3af753a9d25032e60f3f72a5.jpg 

 

15 minutes ago, Redshade said:

The one I vividly remember is a Green Lantern Annual, although no mention of that specific one is mentioned here.

It seems as if Duncan MacAlpine hadn't known about these until it was brought to his attention in 2015 so I wonder where he gets his prices from?

Here's the Green Lantern:

gla.PNG.b339db0dba4e6a07d903f2b7cfea9b65.PNG

Does that look like the one from your dreams?

I have to say, Duncan deserves huge respect for his endeavours down the years. And humble of him to admit not knowing about them. I've no idea where he gets the prices from and I suspect he is less focused on this kind of stuff now. I know he does other things as well as UK comic research (check out his youtube videos) and we emailed each other briefly regarding my pence research a few years back. He was extremely positive / interested for a spell and then I never heard back. Maybe I should try him again.

Anyway, good intervention there Stephen. Something new to look for now! I'll see if I can find interior shots of the Green Lantern.

Keep them coming!

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3 minutes ago, Marwood & I said:

I'll see if I can find interior shots of the Green Lantern.

Didn't take long @Redshade !

How cool is this! It sold for £113 on eBay:

gl1.jpg.672b0ffb6bec0b09d9f2b7144e4eac82.jpg gl2.jpg.33d08abdfbb9ec1c86b9d19fa4c08348.jpg gl3.jpg.ade5b070caf07ec731ad205819d62cf9.jpg

 

The eBay listing says:

Green Lantern Annual c1967

This is an unusual annual and there is an interesting write up about it on Duncan McAlpine's Comic Book Price Guide website. There is no indication as to who published the book and no price printed. No introductory text. It is essentially six original 1960s DC Comics bound up as a hardback book. The choice of the comics appears to be random and it seems that from one of these annuals to the next there were some the same, but different comics.

This particular "annual" contains the following comics:

Green Lantern #20 - Mar 1967

Tomahawk #110 - Jun 1967

Brave and the Bold #69 - Jan 1967

House of Mystery #161 - Sep 1966

Batman #160 - Mar 1967

Superboy #136 - Mar 1967 

 

So is it a UK book or a US import? No price on it hm

@Ken Aldred Ken - have you ever seen these on your travels?

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4 minutes ago, Marwood & I said:

Excellent! I like being proven wrong when new things are discovered. I've never seen these either. I wonder if people see them and just assume they are 'regular' reprint annuals as opposed to books made from remaindered copies?

Here's some pics I managed to find from eBay - they prove your dreams were real Redshade - hard backs and covers! :headbang:

aa.jpg.5dfde6c3cf3e3a980c75cab5d90d67f2.jpg aa1.jpg.ea3f421a1404917507553fd5712d7e53.jpg aa2.jpg.c5a35e676590bee684693f3737e41fa4.jpg aa3.jpg.821a175b3af753a9d25032e60f3f72a5.jpg 

 

Here's the Green Lantern:

gla.PNG.b339db0dba4e6a07d903f2b7cfea9b65.PNG

Does that look like the one from your dreams?

I have to say, Duncan deserves huge respect for his endeavours down the years. And humble of him to admit not knowing about them. I've no idea where he gets the prices from and I suspect he is less focused on this kind of stuff now. I know he does other things as well as UK comic research (check out his youtube videos) and we emailed each other briefly regarding my pence research a few years back. He was extremely positive / interested for a spell and then I never heard back. Maybe I should try him again.

Anyway, good intervention there Stephen. Something new to look for now! I'll see if I can find interior shots of the Green Lantern.

Keep them coming!

Wow, good work in finding these.

My memory (wrong as it now turns out) of the Green Lantern was that it was a green cover but that is probably just word association.

I do remember that the cropping of these comics was more noticeable when the covers were included.

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1 minute ago, Redshade said:

Wow, good work in finding these.

My memory (wrong as it now turns out) of the Green Lantern was that it was a green cover but that is probably just word association.

I do remember that the cropping of these comics was more noticeable when the covers were included.

Your memory was better than my knowledge so don't feel too bad (thumbsu

I'm on the hunt for others....

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10 minutes ago, Marwood & I said:

Excellent! I like being proven wrong when new things are discovered. I've never seen these either. I wonder if people see them and just assume they are 'regular' reprint annuals as opposed to books made from remaindered copies?

Here's some pics I managed to find from eBay - they prove your dreams were real Redshade - hard backs and covers! :headbang:

aa.jpg.5dfde6c3cf3e3a980c75cab5d90d67f2.jpg aa1.jpg.ea3f421a1404917507553fd5712d7e53.jpg aa2.jpg.c5a35e676590bee684693f3737e41fa4.jpg aa3.jpg.821a175b3af753a9d25032e60f3f72a5.jpg 

 

Here's the Green Lantern:

gla.PNG.b339db0dba4e6a07d903f2b7cfea9b65.PNG

Does that look like the one from your dreams?

I have to say, Duncan deserves huge respect for his endeavours down the years. And humble of him to admit not knowing about them. I've no idea where he gets the prices from and I suspect he is less focused on this kind of stuff now. I know he does other things as well as UK comic research (check out his youtube videos) and we emailed each other briefly regarding my pence research a few years back. He was extremely positive / interested for a spell and then I never heard back. Maybe I should try him again.

Anyway, good intervention there Stephen. Something new to look for now! I'll see if I can find interior shots of the Green Lantern.

Keep them coming!

Any idea who this Peter Hansen chap is that Duncan references. All I can find is a comic artist of that name from the 40s which is surely a different person.

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11 minutes ago, Marwood & I said:

Didn't take long @Redshade !

How cool is this! It sold for £113 on eBay:

gl1.jpg.672b0ffb6bec0b09d9f2b7144e4eac82.jpg gl2.jpg.33d08abdfbb9ec1c86b9d19fa4c08348.jpg gl3.jpg.ade5b070caf07ec731ad205819d62cf9.jpg

 

The eBay listing says:

Green Lantern Annual c1967

This is an unusual annual and there is an interesting write up about it on Duncan McAlpine's Comic Book Price Guide website. There is no indication as to who published the book and no price printed. No introductory text. It is essentially six original 1960s DC Comics bound up as a hardback book. The choice of the comics appears to be random and it seems that from one of these annuals to the next there were some the same, but different comics.

This particular "annual" contains the following comics:

Green Lantern #20 - Mar 1967

Tomahawk #110 - Jun 1967

Brave and the Bold #69 - Jan 1967

House of Mystery #161 - Sep 1966

Batman #160 - Mar 1967

Superboy #136 - Mar 1967 

 

So is it a UK book or a US import? No price on it hm

@Ken Aldred Ken - have you ever seen these on your travels?

I'll stick my neck out here and say that they were most likely UK produced, it does mention in the Price Guide piece that sometimes the covers had a T&P pence stamp. Perhaps T&P  were  the "Double Double" people. Perhaps the hardcovers were a tryout and they subsequently went with the paper cover as being cheaper/quicker to manufacture.

Edited by Redshade
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I've never seen those before, but they're absolutely brilliant.

I'd rather have bound, original copies, rather than the poor reprint quality you often got in typical UK hardcover annuals.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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3 minutes ago, Redshade said:

I'll stick my neck out here and say that they were most likely UK produced. Perhaps they were by the "Double Double" people. Perhaps the hardcovers were a tryout and they subsequently went with the paper cover as being cheaper/quicker to manufacture.

I can't find anything defintive on Peter Hansen - his name appears on a lot of UK comic blogs - one says:

I've never come across a British artist called Phil Clark. Phil Clark is, however, the name of Peter Hansen's agent, responsible for selling many pages of original artwork from titles such as Princess Tina.  

Whoever he is, he thinks they are by Thorpe & Porter if you look at his notes on Duncan's site, so they are probably are as you say another example of the 'Double Double' books approach - albeit this time with covers. 

Good isn't it :grin:

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