Need help identifying what appears to be a reprint of Incredible Hulk #1 2 2

[Pukie]

Hello - I am not sure if this is the correct forum for this inquiry...  But I am trying to identify this book.  I am curious to it's value.

I bought this with some other magazines thinking it is a reprint.  Because the cover is very glossy and seems to be thicker than a traditional comic book cover.   

I tried to find the same reprint on a Google search.  I saw various reprints but they all had a marking or UPC code on the cover to identify it as a reprint.

The inside pages look and feel like the old newsprint paper.  If this isn't a mass produced reprint edition, could someone have put a reproduction cover on an original cover-less Hulk #1?  Is there a way to determine if interior pages are original or newly printed?

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Deadpoolica]

6 hours ago, Pukie said:

could someone have put a reproduction cover on an original cover-less Hulk #1?

it's a possibility 

[Lightning55]

The cover looks well matched to the interior pages.  The back cover is wrinkled in the exact same way as the back newsprint page.  The cover is also slightly creased at the bottom and top front edges, curling inward toward the splash page.  It seems to have been in place for quite a while. 

If it was like that for years, at what time period would this supposedly repro cover have been printed?  And so beautifully at that time??

[MatterEaterLad]

Could you post a close-up of the staples? 

[Pukie]

Sure, here are close-ups of the staples.

I understand looking at the staples to determine the probability they were made/added to the book at the same time, at production.  Looking forward to any opinion here.

But isn't there a way a collector can determine if interior pages are original?  So we can enter the book into our collection properly, and know the approximate value. 

For instance, if a grading company receives a coverless copy of a valuable book, they would need to know if it's original or a copy.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lightning55]

You might want to post this over in the the Silver Age area, where more people should see it.  Silver Age collectors might have more insight, more familiarity.  Or you could just make a post there with a link to this one.

[MatterEaterLad]

It's hard to tell without holding the book, looking at it under magnification, smelling the paper, etc, but it looks like the interior could be real.

Not sure what's going on with the staples, but you can see the white areas around them, which looks like someone tried to clean them.

[faster friends]

Interior covers look too white. Just send it to Cgc and then you will know.

Edited December 30, 2020 by faster friends

[Lightning55]

Getting into the hands of someone with experience, someone who has handled thousands of expensive/old comics would get you closer to your answer. 

At the chance of this being legit, I wouldn't send it anywhere.  Hand carrying only.  Find the most knowledgeable person you know, and check with them.  And whatever their opinion, have them refer you to another person whose opinion they value.  Keep working your way up the ladder of authority.

And I will stick my neck out and be the first to say that I think this comic is legit, an authentic Hulk 1.  I am far from an authority on the subject, but it it certainly isn't an obvious reproduction.

The fact that it was found in a stack of magazines, not offered for sale in general, lends to the possibility.  The comic looks right as rain, as they say.  Almost too good, but how else would a nice copy look? 

The white inner covers could be explained by the paper quality being different for covers than pages.  The inner pages would have toned due to the amount of sulfur in the paper, just general moisture in the air combining to create the sulfuric acid that reacts with the paper. 

The covers have a coating and are of better stock, so likely they won't tone as quickly.  The staples look right.  There is honest wear, but not a lot.  Wouldn't be much if it was read a bit and stored in a group of magazines

[MatterEaterLad]

1 hour ago, faster friends said:

Interior covers look too white. Just send it to Cgc and then you will know.

And let us know what they say. Totally curious. 

[Pukie]

Thank you for taking the time to reply and your great advice.  I will do that.

I am no expert, but the cover seems to be heavier stock and more rigid than other Marvel comics from the same era.  I am guessing it's not original.  I would like to be wrong about that.

I am seeing reproduction covers selling on line.   I don't know what you can do with them except to put them on a book with a poor or no cover.  And I would think you would want that cover on the same book.  Maybe to display better..?

The interior pages do seem to be like the old Marvel pages.  So maybe this is what happened... 

[B2D327]

7 hours ago, Lightning55 said:

Getting into the hands of someone with experience, someone who has handled thousands of expensive/old comics would get you closer to your answer. 

At the chance of this being legit, I wouldn't send it anywhere.  Hand carrying only.  Find the most knowledgeable person you know, and check with them.  And whatever their opinion, have them refer you to another person whose opinion they value.  Keep working your way up the ladder of authority.

And I will stick my neck out and be the first to say that I think this comic is legit, an authentic Hulk 1.  I am far from an authority on the subject, but it it certainly isn't an obvious reproduction.

The fact that it was found in a stack of magazines, not offered for sale in general, lends to the possibility.  The comic looks right as rain, as they say.  Almost too good, but how else would a nice copy look? 

The white inner covers could be explained by the paper quality being different for covers than pages.  The inner pages would have toned due to the amount of sulfur in the paper, just general moisture in the air combining to create the sulfuric acid that reacts with the paper. 

The covers have a coating and are of better stock, so likely they won't tone as quickly.  The staples look right.  There is honest wear, but not a lot.  Wouldn't be much if it was read a bit and stored in a group of magazines

I agree with it possibly being a legit copy based on how the cover is attached at the staples from the pic. It looks to be tight in the way a machine would do it so a person attaching a replica cover would have to be very meticulous, which based on the value of the book isn’t so far fetched. Again, holding the book in person would allow for a better inspection but it does appear to be legit from the pics, imho

[KCOComics]

This is a curious one. 

How old were the magazines? Do you know anything about the seller? 

I have a few thoughts and no answers lol.  The white area around the interior staples suggest someone intentionally did something to this book. Cleaning the staples? Or removing them to attach a repo cover? So looking at the book, that's my guess.  The cover looks to nice too be forgotten about in a box of magazines and interior looks to have aged inconsistently with the cover. 

Then there is the mystery of who buys repo covers and spends the time and $$ to marry it? A collector. So how does a book that someone put allot of energy into get discarded with a bunch of magazines? That seems weird. 

So, my best guess is, it's a repo cover on an original book.  But let's hope, it's all original and you stumbled onto a 5 figure book forgotten for decades! That would make a heck of a story. Regardless, please let us know what happens! 

 

 

 

[KCOComics]

10 minutes ago, B2D327 said:

I agree with it possibly being a legit copy based on how the cover is attached at the staples from the pic. It looks to be tight in the way a machine would do it so a person attaching a replica cover would have to be very meticulous, which based on the value of the book isn’t so far fetched. Again, holding the book in person would allow for a better inspection but it does appear to be legit from the pics, imho

One other thought to lend credence to the above. 

I got a hulk 1 this year. Before sending it off I carefully went through the book.... Counted pages, took pictures, read it. The cover felt heavier to me. It was distinct. 

My copy had spent a decade displayed in a picture frame before I got it. The cover was faded, and I attributed the heaviness to a stiffness from exposure to light. But I could be wrong.

I sincerely hope this is the real deal. That would be exciting. 

[The Lions Den]

Well, here are some thoughts from a Silver Age guy...

I'm leaning toward this being a restored cover married to an original interior. A quick check with a loupe could confirm whether it's original or fake; either way, I'm reasonably sure this cover didn't come with this interior. So if we conclude the cover has been married, that leads us to the staples, which actually could be vintage staples---they appear correct. The whole thing makes me think this may have been a fairly extensive restoration job; that would also explain the "feel" of the cover being heavier or "different." And the whiteness of the interior could be from the cover being professionally cleaned, as well as reinforced along the spine and also at the centerfold. And those stress lines on the bottom of the back cover and interior can easily be explained---they usually occur when a book is removed from a full comic box and as it's pulled out the bottom of the book catches on the other books in the box, causing it to bend.

This is, of course, only a guess on my part. I think if this book were sent to CGC and you let them examine it, they'd be able to tell you exactly what you have, which may surprise all of us...  

Edited January 5, 2021 by The Lions Den

[James J Johnson]

15 minutes ago, The Lions Den said:

Well, here are some thoughts from a Silver Age guy...

I'm leaning toward this being a restored cover married to an original interior. A quick check with a loupe could confirm whether it's original or fake; either way, I'm reasonably sure this cover didn't come with this interior. So if we conclude the cover has been married, that leads us to the staples, which actually could be vintage staples---they appear correct. The whole thing makes me think this may have been a fairly extensive professional restoration job; that would also explain the "feel" of the cover being heavier or "different." And the whiteness of the interior could be from the cover being professionally cleaned, as well as reinforced along the spine and also at the centerfold. And those stress lines on the bottom of the back cover and interior can easily be explained---they usually occur when a book is removed from a full comic box and as it's pulled out the bottom of the book catches on the other books in the box, causing it to bend.

This is, of course, only a guess on my part. I think if this book were sent to CGC and you let them examine it, they'd be able to tell you exactly what you have, which may surprise all of us...  

The type of great guess that can only be the byproduct of having a great set of eyes and tons of experience. The cover has been cleaned, reinforced inside the entire length of the spine, with a wheat paste type of material. There are several dots of color-touch at least on the spine, ad the same type of reinforcing with the same paste/filler at and around the staples to reinforce the paper and better seat and secure the pages to the cover. This is my initial impression and I'll examine the images more extensively later this evening to see if anything to add or amend.

[James J Johnson]

50 minutes ago, The Lions Den said:

Well, here are some thoughts from a Silver Age guy...

I'm leaning toward this being a restored cover married to an original interior. A quick check with a loupe could confirm whether it's original or fake; either way, I'm reasonably sure this cover didn't come with this interior. So if we conclude the cover has been married, that leads us to the staples, which actually could be vintage staples---they appear correct. The whole thing makes me think this may have been a fairly extensive professional restoration job; that would also explain the "feel" of the cover being heavier or "different." And the whiteness of the interior could be from the cover being professionally cleaned, as well as reinforced along the spine and also at the centerfold. And those stress lines on the bottom of the back cover and interior can easily be explained---they usually occur when a book is removed from a full comic box and as it's pulled out the bottom of the book catches on the other books in the box, causing it to bend.

This is, of course, only a guess on my part. I think if this book were sent to CGC and you let them examine it, they'd be able to tell you exactly what you have, which may surprise all of us...  

They're all looking at us now like if we each had two heads.  "How the heck did they come up with that from those images alone?". 

[KCOComics]

47 minutes ago, The Lions Den said:

Well, here are some thoughts from a Silver Age guy...

I'm leaning toward this being a restored cover married to an original interior. A quick check with a loupe could confirm whether it's original or fake; either way, I'm reasonably sure this cover didn't come with this interior. So if we conclude the cover has been married, that leads us to the staples, which actually could be vintage staples---they appear correct. The whole thing makes me think this may have been a fairly extensive professional restoration job; that would also explain the "feel" of the cover being heavier or "different." And the whiteness of the interior could be from the cover being professionally cleaned, as well as reinforced along the spine and also at the centerfold. And those stress lines on the bottom of the back cover and interior can easily be explained---they usually occur when a book is removed from a full comic box and as it's pulled out the bottom of the book catches on the other books in the box, causing it to bend.

This is, of course, only a guess on my part. I think if this book were sent to CGC and you let them examine it, they'd be able to tell you exactly what you have, which may surprise all of us...  

First off, I always appreciate your insight and perspective. I learn something with every post. 

But this is where I'm struggling.  Having worked with pro-restorers, it's a process. Finding and marrying a cover, figuring out what work to do, then of course the financial part of it. 

So, how does a comic book that someone invested so much time, work and money into get tossed into a random box of magazines?? 

 

[The Lions Den]

10 hours ago, KCOComics said:

First off, I always appreciate your insight and perspective. I learn something with every post. 

But this is where I'm struggling.  Having worked with pro-restorers, it's a process. Finding and marrying a cover, figuring out what work to do, then of course the financial part of it. 

So, how does a comic book that someone invested so much time, work and money into get tossed into a random box of magazines?? 

 

It is a bit of a head scratcher, that's for sure. The thing is, we will probably never know the real history of this book. All we can do is examine it and arrive at the (hopefully) proper conclusions. Sometimes you see things with books that don't make any sense as to why or how someone would do what they did. Here's a story I like to tell which may help illustrate what I'm talking about: One day at CGC I was grading a book (I believe it was an early Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine). It had a nice clean cover and looked to be very high grade. But I noticed what looked like color touch along the spine. I passed it over to the nearest restoration expert for a confirmation, and he agreed with me. So I was feeling pretty good about myself until another grader asked to see the book as well. He also agreed that it was color touched, but then he pointed out that the book had a color copy cover!    

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by The Lions Den

[The Lions Den]

On 12/29/2020 at 10:03 PM, Lightning55 said:

The cover looks well matched to the interior pages.  The back cover is wrinkled in the exact same way as the back newsprint page.  The cover is also slightly creased at the bottom and top front edges, curling inward toward the splash page.  It seems to have been in place for quite a while. 

If it was like that for years, at what time period would this supposedly repro cover have been printed?  And so beautifully at that time??

I love the fact that you're looking and asking questions...