The Last DC Newsstand Issues 2 2

[Lazyboy]

18 hours ago, Joosh said:

Newsstand interest/awareness seems to be slowly growing. I'll be interested in them regardless but I would love to see more interest as a whole.

It's all hype from sellers/hoarders trying to manipulate the market. If any significant number of collectors actually cared about Newsstand editions, sales would not have dropped to the point that they were discontinued.

18 hours ago, Joosh said:

I collected Marvel/DC newsstand books  as an adolescent/teen in the 90's unknowingly by getting all my new books at the grocery store. I only realized years later why some of my books looked different than the others. ( I was ticked off when I thought someone had ripped off the hologram from my Sensational Spiderman #0 before I bought it)

I guess we're (at least close to) the same age. I also bought many Newsstand editions in the 90s, because it was more convenient after many comic shops (including the closest one, of course) closed during the crash. But I was well aware of the different editions at the time.

[Joosh]

2 hours ago, Lazyboy said:

It's all hype from sellers/hoarders trying to manipulate the market. If any significant number of collectors actually cared about Newsstand editions, sales would not have dropped to the point that they were discontinued.

I guess we're (at least close to) the same age. I also bought many Newsstand editions in the 90s, because it was more convenient after many comic shops (including the closest one, of course) closed during the crash. But I was well aware of the different editions at the time.

I see the failure of new newsstand sales as a separate topic from the collection of back-issue newsstands.  Sellers will manipulate all they can in every market; no surprise there. The publishers have been doing that with variant covers in a successful manner. The market will decide value overall regardless of the craftiness of salesmen.  I like that newsstand books were never intended to be collectibles by their makers.

The failure of the newsstand comic books may actually speed up the interest in them (value to a lesser extent;) now that they are a relic of our culture.

I'm of course biased as I personally find the saga of newsstand comics fascinating, and therefore have purchased many examples. I doubt I will ever see a windfall profit from selling any of my books, my kids might, lol.

 

[Cpt Kirk]

Update:  Last newsstand issues (price and cover date also shown below;  I have seen all of these except the Teen Titans 11). 

Note that scans of all these newsstand issues can be seen on Mile High Comics if you use the advanced search option.  The advanced option shows issues that are both in-stock and out-of-stock.     

I believe Mile High had a fairly reliable source of these newsstand issues.   I don't know if it was coincidence, but I published a fairly well-read newsstand article when Batman New 52 #13 hit the stands, and Mile High seems to have had almost all newsstand issues after that time.   My theory is that for some reason the value of newsstand issues became well known at that time, so Mile High started buying them off the newsstand and putting them in their on-line store.   If you check it out, their stock of newsstand issues prior to that time is very hit or miss, especially between the years of 2000 and late 2012.

I personally started visiting Barnes and Noble every week around the time that Batman New 52 #13 hit the newsstands.  For the most part, my B&N store had a reliable supply of Batman, Superman, Action and Detective.   It seems like every once in awhile my store did not have an issue of Detective, but those were easily found in other stores.   For some odd reason, Batman Rebirth #14 was hard to find.  I had to try about 6 different B&N stores before I finally found it. 

Here's the latest list of last known DC newsstand issues (we believe the last ones correspond to the direct sales issues that were scheduled to ship on 8/16/17 per Comichron):

Action 985   $3.99  Oct 2017

Aquaman 27    $4.99  Oct 2017   

Batgirl 13   $4.99   Sept 2017

Batman 29   $3.99  Oct 2017

Detective 962   $3.99 Oct 2017

Flash 28   $3.99  Oct 2017

Green Arrow 29   $3.99  last half Oct 2017

Green Lanterns 29   $3.99 Oct 2017

Hal Jordan Green Lantern Corps 26   $4.99  Oct 2017

Harley Quinn 26  $3.99  Oct 2017

Justice League 27   $3.99   Oct 2017

Justice League of America 12  $3.99  Oct 2017

Nightwing 27   $3.99  Oct 2017

Scooby Doo Team Up 28  $2.99   Sept 2017

Scooby Doo Where Are You 84  $2.99  Oct 2017

Suicide Squad 23  $3.99  Oct 2017

Super Sons 7  $4.99     Oct 2017

Superman 29  $3.99   Oct 2017

Teen Titans 10  $4.99   Sept 2017   (Davidone thought there might be a #11 but not sure now)

Teen Titans Go! 23  $2.99   Oct 2017

Trinity 12  $4.99  Oct 2017

Wonder Woman 28  $3.99 Oct 2017

I noticed that that Batgirl and Teen Titans are the only super hero titles that I cannot find a newsstand issue from Oct 2017.   Also, following is an in-depth article by John Jackson Miller regarding the end of DC newsstand production:

http://blog.comichron.com/2018/02/end-of-era-last-dc-newsstand-issues.html

Because Warlord wants photos with every post, here's a photo of Batman Rebirth 14 (direct and news).... see if you can find the news variant... not easy!

Edited February 19, 2018 by Cpt Kirk

[Joosh]

Kirk,

Once again, great info, Thanks!

If there any "last" books you don't have photo confirmation of that I have in my list, let me know and I'll post photos of them.

 

[Cpt Kirk]

37 minutes ago, Joosh said:

Kirk,

Once again, great info, Thanks!

If there any "last" books you don't have photo confirmation of that I have in my list, let me know and I'll post photos of them.

 

Thanks Joosh.  Your initial list made this list much easier to compile.  It looks like Mile High has a scan of every single one of the "last" issues shown above.   That seems to validate my statement that Mile High had a pretty good source for these newsstand issues.   It makes me wonder where they got them. 

If anyone can find a newsstand issue of Superman New 52 #8, I would love to see it (just send me PM or email).  I've found every single direct and newsstand variant of Batman, Detective, Superman and Action Comics except that one issue.

regards, 

Kirk Ticknor (kwticknor@aol.com)

[Warlord]

On 2/18/2018 at 10:54 AM, Cpt Kirk said:

Because Warlord wants photos with every post, here's a photo of Batman Rebirth 14 (direct and news).... see if you can find the news variant... not easy!

Pics are required, or it didn't happen! 

I tried hunting through some backstock boxes for newsies of the major Batman or Superman titles.  Newest I found was Detective #792 from 2004 IIRC.   A few others from the late 90's too and mostly they were middling grade.  What's been your experience in putting together your monumental set of newsstands -- are you just taking *any* copy you find or have you been able to pick and choose high grade copies for most?

[Cpt Kirk]

13 hours ago, Warlord said:

Pics are required, or it didn't happen! 

I tried hunting through some backstock boxes for newsies of the major Batman or Superman titles.  Newest I found was Detective #792 from 2004 IIRC.   A few others from the late 90's too and mostly they were middling grade.  What's been your experience in putting together your monumental set of newsstands -- are you just taking *any* copy you find or have you been able to pick and choose high grade copies for most?

My experience is one of pure insanity....   Not only did I find them all, but if one was not in high grade, I had to replace it.   The lowest grade I would accept is a FN.    Of 1800 newsies, all are VF to NM except approximately ten of them, which are FN to VF-.    The Batman Rebirth 14 shown above is an example of one of the lower grade newsstand issues I own (you can see a tiny bit on spine stress in on the black part of the cover....  it was hard to find... so I had to ask my son's wife to go to a Barnes & Noble in Atlanta to pick it up, and I forgot to tell her to pick the best copy!)

I was usually pretty picky about the newsies I bought.    But after going through them all, I decided that I could not have any with significant spine stress or a dreaded crease on the corners.   So I probably had to replace 40 of so of them toward the end.   

Of course, I had to have all the direct sales copies too, in high grade.   While surely insane, the run is impressive.   After all this work, I'm pretty sure at least 3 or 4 other guys will think it is neat, but that might be about it...  I think most other people would think "What a colossal waste of time and money!".   They are probably right... but for me it was a fun and interesting Easter egg hunt.

Edited February 20, 2018 by Cpt Kirk

[Joosh]

Kirk, I’m one those 3 or 4 people who appreciate and understand what you did and why. I’m currently hunting down all the last marvel newsstands. If you have any 2011-2013 marvel newsstands I’m buying. ? 

your runs are definitely second to none and something to take pride in. I mentioned before I think such a complete and high grade run as you’ve amassed has the makings of a pedigree in the future as these books age.

Edited February 20, 2018 by Joosh
Typo

[Cpt Kirk]

11 hours ago, Joosh said:

Kirk, I’m one those 3 or 4 people who appreciate and understand what you did and why. I’m currently hunting down all the last marvel newsstands. If you have any 2011-2013 marvel newsstands I’m buying. ? 

your runs are definitely second to none and something to take pride in. I mentioned before I think such a complete and high grade run as you’ve amassed has the makings of a pedigree in the future as these books age.

Thanks Joosh.   By the way, today I found out from a reliable source inside Mile High comics that they did indeed obtain almost all their newsstand issues in the last six years from two different Barnes and Nobles stores in the Denver area.

[Cpt Kirk]

I just got my hands on Batman New 52 #10 newsstand, which means I now have had my hands on every single newsstand issue in Batman, Detective Comics, and Action Comics in the original series, New 52 and Rebirth.

The only newsstand issue in the other title I collect (namely, Superman) is Superman New 52 #8.  I would love to see someone show up with an image of that one someday.

[Coverless 9.8]

I know Marvel stopped their newsstand distribution about five years ago.  I love the quote from this article.  https://comicbook.com/blog/2013/12/30/marvel-confirms-move-out-of-bookstore-newsstands-theyre-working-on-better-model/ 

"We’re currently working with Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million on a stronger, more mutually beneficial distribution model." 

I wonder if they're still working on that "stronger, more mutually beneficial distribution model", some five years later?!  Just like the article writer is still waiting to hear back from Toys Were Us!  

Edited November 25, 2018 by Coverless 9.8
Misspelling

[darkstar]

On 2/12/2018 at 2:08 PM, Lazyboy said:

It's all hype from sellers/hoarders trying to manipulate the market. If any significant number of collectors actually cared about Newsstand editions, sales would not have dropped to the point that they were discontinued.

I guess we're (at least close to) the same age. I also bought many Newsstand editions in the 90s, because it was more convenient after many comic shops (including the closest one, of course) closed during the crash. But I was well aware of the different editions at the time.

Things often become collectible down the road after initially being dismissed and the passage of time takes place. 

[fastballspecial]

I agree these last newsstands will only appreciate over time.

I would imagine you will have to be in a larger metropolitan area to have a chance to find these. 
I am thinking Books a Million might be the last store that had them I can still find some in a local town
I need to go back and look again now.

 

[Cpt Kirk]

2 hours ago, fastballspecial said:

I agree these last newsstands will only appreciate over time.

I would imagine you will have to be in a larger metropolitan area to have a chance to find these. 
I am thinking Books a Million might be the last store that had them I can still find some in a local town
I need to go back and look again now.

 

It seems like a lot of newsstand issues show up in 2nd and Charles stores, especially the less popular titles.   

p.s.  I've had to go so far as to get newsstand issues from friends in Venezuela and Germany to collect all the newsstand issues in the titles of Batman, Detective, Superman and Action Comics.   It is one thing to find them all, but another even harder thing to get them all in high grade.  I've done that except that I need to upgrade my newsstand copy of Adv of Superman 553 and Detective 813.   Plus I'm still missing the newsstand edition of Superman New 52 #8.   If anyone ever finds any of those 3 newsstand issues, feel free to contact me as I would pay a premium for them.

Edited November 25, 2018 by Cpt Kirk

[Lazyboy]

15 hours ago, darkstar said:

On 2/12/2018 at 2:08 PM, Lazyboy said:

It's all hype from sellers/hoarders trying to manipulate the market. If any significant number of collectors actually cared about Newsstand editions, sales would not have dropped to the point that they were discontinued.

Things often become collectible down the road after initially being dismissed and the passage of time takes place. 

Just because they weren't specifically sought out by most people doesn't mean they were dismissed. They were all over the place and they sold. They are still out there in large numbers.

My point still stands. If nobody believed the vast amounts of blatant misinformation being spread, sales would plummet.

[Cpt Kirk]

2 hours ago, Lazyboy said:

Just because they weren't specifically sought out by most people doesn't mean they were dismissed. They were all over the place and they sold. They are still out there in large numbers.

My point still stands. If nobody believed the vast amounts of blatant misinformation being spread, sales would plummet.

I must agree that if someone were buying newsstand issues with the hopes that they would appreciate it, it would be a very risky proposition.   After having spent about 10 years finding all the newsstand issues in the title of Batman, Detective, Superman and Action Comics, I can say for sure that some newsstand issues are really hard to find; but I don't think a person can count on there being a huge demand for them in the future.   

[darkstar]

5 hours ago, Lazyboy said:

Just because they weren't specifically sought out by most people doesn't mean they were dismissed. They were all over the place and they sold. They are still out there in large numbers.

My point still stands. If nobody believed the vast amounts of blatant misinformation being spread, sales would plummet.

Sure it does. You are speaking like the percentage of the comic buying community that cares about newsstands over time is static. It isn't. There was no premium on newsstands at the time of their release because the discrepancy in print runs between direct and newsstands wasn't known. The actual numbers don't matter as the scarcity of post 2000 newsstands is apparent to anyone who has spent considerable time looking for them. Also I would bet a good amount of money that the surviving population rates of newsstand vs direct is not insignificant. 

And no, your point doesn't stand as in the interest in newsstands is not built entirely on misinformation being disseminated with the comic buying community.

[Lazyboy]

3 hours ago, darkstar said:

Sure it does. You are speaking like the percentage of the comic buying community that cares about newsstands over time is static. It isn't.

No, I'm not. But most of the people who recently started "caring" about them are doing so with a speculator mentality and only because of exaggerated claims of rarity.

3 hours ago, darkstar said:

There was no premium on newsstands at the time of their release because the discrepancy in print runs between direct and newsstands wasn't known.

It was known just as much then as it is now, in vague, general terms with no hard numbers.

3 hours ago, darkstar said:

The actual numbers don't matter as the scarcity of post 2000 newsstands is apparent to anyone who has spent considerable time looking for them.

That's only perceived scarcity based on what has been and is currently visible. The passage of time will bring more and more copies back on the market.

3 hours ago, darkstar said:

Also I would bet a good amount of money that the surviving population rates of newsstand vs direct is not insignificant.

You would never win that bet, because you will never be able to prove it.

3 hours ago, darkstar said:

 And no, your point doesn't stand as in the interest in newsstands is not built entirely on misinformation being disseminated with the comic buying community.

Of course it's not, but it is a very significant factor.

[lighthouse]

11 hours ago, Lazyboy said:

No, I'm not. But most of the people who recently started "caring" about them are doing so with a speculator mentality and only because of exaggerated claims of rarity.

I suspect there are some people collecting them specifically because collecting them is a challenge. Folks who have the "collector gene" will collect darn near anything because it's the process of collecting that is enjoyable, more than the end result of having a finished collection. I get customers walk in wearing a $5,000 watch whose faces light up like a kid on Christmas morning because they found some random $4 back issue they "need". It's not about the money, it's about the joy of the hunt.

If I wanted to "collect" the main covers of the current Suicide Squad title, all in roughly 9.0 condition, I could finish that task in less than a week without using the internet, and in less than two hours with using the internet. Not much fun in that process.

But if I wanted to "collect" all the Marvel and DC comics that are cover-dated with the month and year of my birth, all in 9.4 or better? Even with the internet at hand, that's a project that will last me a while. Some of those titles just aren't that easy to find. But I would still be done in a few months of casual searching (and some hand-wringing over how much of a premium I wanted to pay for the last few romance and western books I needed).

Searching for newsstands in random dollar boxes, and chasing for uncommon versions of very common books? That's exactly what collecting is all about. Will they appreciate as much as the 30 and 35-cent price variants did 15 years ago? Probably not. But they still represent a difficult but achievable challenge that gives one a reason to dig through boxes they might otherwise ignore.

[RockMyAmadeus]

12 hours ago, Lazyboy said:

15 hours ago, darkstar said:

Sure it does. You are speaking like the percentage of the comic buying community that cares about newsstands over time is static. It isn't.

No, I'm not. But most of the people who recently started "caring" about them are doing so with a speculator mentality and only because of exaggerated claims of rarity.

WILDLY exaggerated claims. Nonsense claims like "1:100!!!" that you see on eBay with regularity. That number is quite literally pulled out of thin air, yet, there it is, believed...and worse, acted upon...by others.