• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

The Ferret #1 Uncut and Proof Copies Less than 10 in existance!?
0

15 posts in this topic

***UPDATE*** 8/7/2017

 

So here is the information I got from the group.  Most of the information is coming from one of the Co-Founders and Creative Director of Malibu, Tom Mason.  I am using quoting his information.  His quote from the group, questioning the proof~~" These aren't "Proof" copies. They're just untrimmed interiors that were printed at the same time as the rest of the issue. Scott Rosenberg had the idea of trying to create an oddball "variant" on the cheap (not a criticism, just a fact - they weren't supposed to be worth big bucks, just interesting oddities that other publishers weren't offering; we'd hand them out as little perks), and untrimmed guts meant the books were pulled off the line before being trimmed. Dave Olbrich, Scott and our manufacturing department decided on print runs, and these would be ordered like anything else. We also did this with a couple of Image books, including Spawn #1 (I think).

There were way more than 10 made at the time, I believe. But Roland Mann can probably speak to that better since he was the editor of Ferret.

(Edited to add: This is from memory, which may be faulty 20+ years after the fact, so someone else might weigh in with better and more accurate information.)"

So the foil untrimmed is technically not a proof.  Which technically means that Ultraverse Prime #1 that they sold as a proof copies (came with a coa), are really not proofs at all.  Both the Prime "proof" and The Ferret Foil have the same attributes.  So what is a true proof copy?~~" Proofs. Haha. Here's the way it used to work. We'd send an issue to the printer and the printer would set it up and create one (1) proof - a blueline proof of the entire interior-only of the issue, printed on specialty light-sensitive paper and trimmed to comic book size, and saddle-stitched. You can Google "Blue Line Proof" to see a sample.

Everything was printed in blue ink. This was sent to us for review - to make sure the pages were in the right order, all the correct ads were in place, and nothing was out of whack or off-register. The proofs would arrive in the morning via FedEx, and we'd drop everything to review and call the printer asap so the book could print. That's a proof. And for the issues it was done, it truly is a one-of-a-kind item (and we threw them out after an issue was approved).

If we got untrimmed guts, that meant that the issue was already on press and printed. Our printer didn't print 10 copies of the guts of an issue, pull it off the press to send us the guts, wait for our approval and then put the issue back on the press to finish the job. The idea was always to get the issue printed and out the door as quickly as possible to ship to the distribution points and get paid.
"

 

So these are NOT proofs.  One is just a regular edition Ferret #1 that missed the die cut.  The Foil version is said to be an incentive version.  The editor of The Ferret, Roland Mann ended up finding 2 Die Cut foil versions in his inventory.  The foil ones I have are untrimmed.   Tom said that there were at least 1,000 copies or more of the foil version printed.   When I asked for a back story on the foil version he said~~" When you say you would "love to know the back story" about the foil, do you have a specific question? They existed, they were created as a retailer incentive based on copies ordered, and copies that didn't make it to the stores or into the hands of fans were disposed of in one of two ways after Marvel bought Malibu: (1) either they were sold off to wholesalers or (2) tossed into the dumpster. It's not an epic with a plot twist. "

So why is the foil version so hard to find?  They may have been sold off, still in a warehouse somewhere or in the city dump.  All we know for sure now is that there could be a bunch hiding in collections all around the USA......or rotting in the dump.  As of today I have 4 regular editions that missed the die cut production process (so considered an error). And the "incentive" Foil version uncut/untrimmed (I guess considered an error?).  (we know that Roland has 2 die cut foil versions)Which would probably be the production incentive versions.

 

 

 

Ok guys.  I have done a lot of research on these two issues and have a few people trying to find out more about them.  A few guys told me to come to these forums to ask the pros, so here is all the information I have so far!   I bought a bunch of comics, from someone that bought a bunch of comics, from (the owners of the now defunct) Sparta comics printing company.   In the 90's, Sparta printed foil and holographic covers for Valiant, Harris and Malibu/Ultraverse.  When I was presented the opportunity to buy a bunch, I got some foil cover and holographic covers that I liked.  I ended up buying a lot of them.  Out of all of them, the Ferrets stood out.  I had a few die cut versions (regular normal production) uncut versions (never released) and a couple proof covers with foil on the title and mask of the Ferret.  After asking a bunch of questions about them, the best answers I got is that the uncut version is a production error.  But a few guys are saying that The Ferret #1 proof copy could be a foil test run, that got scrapped due to cost.  Now I have searched the interwebs along with a couple friends and we have come up with no one ever having The Uncut one or the Foil Proof for sale.  Would any of you have any info on these?  Have you ever seen them before?  Does anyone have any extra pictures of them?  If I sent them off for grading, would CGC notate the errors? 

Thanks for taking the time to read and I appreciate ANY information!

ferretuncut.jpg

ferretuncutproof.jpg

ferretuncutproofpage.jpg

Edited by OutOfTimeToys
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the Ultraverse fb forums has not accepted my request yet.  But Recalled comics web site has taken my info and may update his site with it when he get caught up on his backlog.  Very cool to know that I have the only copies that exist so far.  Exciting!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, divad said:

Yes . . . now if you can only find someone else interested in it . . . . lol

Yeah.  I think that's going to be the major hurdle.  But as I am spreading the news that these exist, I have gotten a few offers.  Almost everyone wants them to be graded though and want it to be labeled as a production error or proof copy.  2 of the 3 grading sites said that they will grade as production errors.  CGC said I would have to send it in first.  Im going to do some more research before I send them off for grading.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, OutOfTimeToys said:

Yeah.  I think that's going to be the major hurdle.  But as I am spreading the news that these exist, I have gotten a few offers.  Almost everyone wants them to be graded though and want it to be labeled as a production error or proof copy.  2 of the 3 grading sites said that they will grade as production errors.  CGC said I would have to send it in first.  Im going to do some more research before I send them off for grading.

Smart approach, for sure. While it's true that the pool of buyers is probably fairly small, I have no doubt that you'll have some highly interested parties. Seems like there's a hardcore collector out there for pretty much everything. Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

*****UPDATE******

 

Thanks to Brother J for getting the ball rolling on the Ultraverse page, thank you!

 

So here is the information I got from the group.  Most of the information is coming from one of the Co-Founders and Creative Director of Malibu, Tom Mason.  I am using quoting his information.  His quote from the group, questioning the proof~~" These aren't "Proof" copies. They're just untrimmed interiors that were printed at the same time as the rest of the issue. Scott Rosenberg had the idea of trying to create an oddball "variant" on the cheap (not a criticism, just a fact - they weren't supposed to be worth big bucks, just interesting oddities that other publishers weren't offering; we'd hand them out as little perks), and untrimmed guts meant the books were pulled off the line before being trimmed. Dave Olbrich, Scott and our manufacturing department decided on print runs, and these would be ordered like anything else. We also did this with a couple of Image books, including Spawn #1 (I think).

There were way more than 10 made at the time, I believe. But Roland Mann can probably speak to that better since he was the editor of Ferret.

(Edited to add: This is from memory, which may be faulty 20+ years after the fact, so someone else might weigh in with better and more accurate information.)"

So the foil untrimmed is technically not a proof.  Which technically means that Ultraverse Prime #1 that they sold as a proof copies (came with a coa), are really not proofs at all.  Both the Prime "proof" and The Ferret Foil have the same attributes.  So what is a true proof copy?~~" Proofs. Haha. Here's the way it used to work. We'd send an issue to the printer and the printer would set it up and create one (1) proof - a blueline proof of the entire interior-only of the issue, printed on specialty light-sensitive paper and trimmed to comic book size, and saddle-stitched. You can Google "Blue Line Proof" to see a sample.

Everything was printed in blue ink. This was sent to us for review - to make sure the pages were in the right order, all the correct ads were in place, and nothing was out of whack or off-register. The proofs would arrive in the morning via FedEx, and we'd drop everything to review and call the printer asap so the book could print. That's a proof. And for the issues it was done, it truly is a one-of-a-kind item (and we threw them out after an issue was approved).

If we got untrimmed guts, that meant that the issue was already on press and printed. Our printer didn't print 10 copies of the guts of an issue, pull it off the press to send us the guts, wait for our approval and then put the issue back on the press to finish the job. The idea was always to get the issue printed and out the door as quickly as possible to ship to the distribution points and get paid.
"

 

So these are NOT proofs.  One is just a regular edition Ferret #1 that missed the die cut.  The Foil version is said to be an incentive version.  The editor of The Ferret, Roland Mann ended up finding 2 Die Cut foil versions in his inventory.  The foil ones I have are untrimmed.   Tom said that there were at least 1,000 copies or more of the foil version printed.   When I asked for a back story on the foil version he said~~" When you say you would "love to know the back story" about the foil, do you have a specific question? They existed, they were created as a retailer incentive based on copies ordered, and copies that didn't make it to the stores or into the hands of fans were disposed of in one of two ways after Marvel bought Malibu: (1) either they were sold off to wholesalers or (2) tossed into the dumpster. It's not an epic with a plot twist. "

So why is the foil version so hard to find?  They may have been sold off, still in a warehouse somewhere or in the city dump.  All we know for sure now is that there could be a bunch hiding in collections all around the USA......or rotting in the dump.  As of today I have 4 regular editions that missed the die cut production process (so considered an error). And the "incentive" Foil version uncut/untrimmed (I guess considered an error?).  (we know that Roland has 2 die cut foil versions)Which would probably be the production incentive versions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, OutOfTimeToys said:

So the foil untrimmed is technically not a proof.  Which technically means that Ultraverse Prime #1 that they sold as a proof copies (came with a coa), are really not proofs at all.  Both the Prime "proof" and The Ferret Foil have the same attributes.

Visual aid: :grin:

1198727001_1200.jpg

1198727001c_300.jpg

Edited by valiantman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, valiantman said:

Visual aid: :grin:

1198727001_1200.jpg

1198727001c_300.jpg

Thanks valiantman.  I have 5 or 6 of these "proof" Primes, but I have to dig them out of storage.  Gives a bit more of a visual of what most collectors call a "proof" (me included) and now knowing they actually are not.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, OutOfTimeToys said:

Thanks valiantman.  I have 5 or 6 of these "proof" Primes, but I have to dig them out of storage.  Gives a bit more of a visual of what most collectors call a "proof" (me included) and now knowing they actually are not.

 

I think another current term for these is "make-ready" or "make-readies".  They're unstapled and uncut interiors, but they're part of the regular production process if they're otherwise identical to the final products.  If for some reason the "make-ready" had differences from the final product (art or text changes), then we would probably be able to call them "proofs" or something to indicate that they're not a match to final books.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
0