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Lakeside Tattooz Variants13967

Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
Recently I have been going through my comics cover dated March, 1983. This was the month that Marvel Comics included those pesky “tattooz” inside every copy of Amazing Spider-Man 238 and Fantastic Four 252. Those things were way too hard to get out of the magazine, leaving a lot of copies out there looking like this:


Yes, I was one of those kids😕. The reason for this post is that, as I was going through my comics from that month I found a copy of Iron Man 168 that had the tattooz insert inside it. I was a little surprised by this as I thought only FF and ASM included the inserts. I am sure my copy of Iron Man that I bought off the rack back in the day did not come with tattooz. I did a little research on MCS and found that most Marvels from that month have known copies with tattooz included, although there is no known list as to how many exist or how they were distributed. MCS hypothesizes that maybe it was a regional thing. I am here to put forth an alternative theory. I know for a fact that this copy of IM168 was a subscription copy. I can say this with absolute certainty because I bought the lot from a gentleman who had a four or five consecutive year subscription to Iron Man. When he sold me the books they were still stored in the original brown wrapper they used to mail the subscriptions in. So, following this thought process, if the other Marvels only had tattooz included with the subscription copies, some of these are probably pretty rare. Especially after you factor in the number of books that would have had the inserts removed. I have become curious about this, so I am challenging the forum to show me your tattooz variant copies. Keep in mind that both Spidey and FF had tattooz in every copy, so they are NOT variants! I am definitely not trying to start an ASM238 pissing match here! But if anyone has any tattooz in other Marvel comics from that month, I am very interested in seeing them. I’ll go first:






I know there is significant interest in Mark Jewelers inserts and CPV copies but I have never heard anyone talk about these interesting variant copies before. Looking forward to seeing what you all have!
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Collector KCBatmanFan private msg quote post Address this user
I'm convinced my ASM 238 never had Tattooz in it. I was a subscriber and I was 12 at the time. I know I never removed them and have heard, as you've shown above, that it can damage the book when you do.
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
@KCBatmanFan a ASM238 error copy printed without tattooz would be rare indeed, if difficult to prove.
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Collector KCBatmanFan private msg quote post Address this user
Probably impossible to prove!
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Collector manfred_spain private msg quote post Address this user
I'm a big Spidey completist, so I can confirm the following books have the Tattooz inserts (because I have them)...

Amazing Spider-Man - Direct
Amazing Spider-Man - Newsstand
Marvel Tales - Direct
Marvel Team-Up - Newsstand
Spectacular Spider-Man - Newsstand

ASM 238 Newsstand and Direct versions both having the insert would tend to go against your theory of it being just subscription copies.
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
@manfred_spain all copies of ASM238 have tattooz, as do all copies of FF252. My theory is that the other titles had tattooz inserted into subscription copies. All the subscription copies I have ever seen are newsstand. I would love to see your Marvel Tales direct copy w/ tattooz. Please post a pic.
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Collector manfred_spain private msg quote post Address this user
So I pulled it from my box and realized I hadn't updated my list, as I do have both the Newsstand and Direct version of the Marvel Tales...





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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
Thinking further on this, since @manfred_spain is correct about there being random direct sales copies w/ tattooz inserts, I have a new theory: regional distribution does not make sense because that would rule out subscription copies. The existence of direct sales variants would eliminate the possibility of it only being subscription copies. The third possibility is a random lottery system, where 1 in every so many copies had the insert. Makes you wonder just how many are out there. 1 in 1000? 1 in 5000? 10,000? I am only becoming more curious about this!
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Collector manfred_spain private msg quote post Address this user
If I had to venture a guess, I would think they printed a predetermined number of the actual cardstock inserts with the tattoo inside. Then they portioned those out against the various titles produced for the given month - with the majority going to the higher profile books (e.g. ASM and FF), fewer going to others, and maybe none to some of the low-end releases.
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
@manfred_spain I could see that. Perhaps after all copies of ASM and FF were filled they divided the left over inserts among the remaining comics that month? It is 100% certain that all ASM and FF copies (barring accidental errors) included the tattooz. There is even a hype blurb on both covers stating such. The other books that month only contain the tattooz on a seemingly random basis. The fact that so far only you and I have jumped in on this with pics attests to their rarity.
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I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans. esaravo private msg quote post Address this user
@michaelekrupp - You have piqued my curiosity about the subject, Michael. The following comics were published by Marvel in March 1983 and therefore may have been produced in both versions - with the inserts and without the inserts. Some issues, like Moon Knight 29 and New Mutants 1, have not been reported with the inserts, so not every Marvel comic received the insert. Note: There could be other comics that I missed.

Avengers 229
Captain America 279
Conan the Barbarian 144
Conan the King 15
Daredevil 192
Dazzler 25
Defenders 117
Doctor Strange Special Edition 1
Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 3
Ghost Rider 78
GI Joe 9
Hulk 281
Incredible Hulk vs Quasimodo 1
Iron Man 168
Ka-Zar the Savage 24
Kull the Conqueror 2
Marvel Fanfare 7
Marvel Tales 149
Marvel Team-Up 127
Marvel Two-In-One 97
Master of Kung Fu 122
Micronauts 51
Moon Knight 29
New Mutants 1
Official Handbook of the marvel Universe 3
Power Man and Iron Fist 91
Red Sonja She-Devil with a Sword 2
Rom 40
Spectacular Spider-Man 76
Star Wars 69
Team America 10
Thor 329
X-Men 167
Warlock Special Edition Reprints 4
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
Since I have all my March ‘83 comics handy, I can tell you that I have 25 of the comics on that list and only 1 of mine has the tattooz. I can also say with certainty that, aside from Spidey and FF, none of the comics I bought off the stands at that time had tattooz in them. I know your collection is extensive. I can’t help wondering if you have any that contain the inserts?
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I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans. esaravo private msg quote post Address this user
Here's a few I have handy:

X-Men 167 - I have a Newsstand and a Direct Edition - no insert in either one.
Warlock Special Edition 4 - no insert.
Marvel Team-Up 127 Newsstand - no insert.

I had my Moon Knight 29 graded - no insert. I have had several raw and graded copies of NM 1, none had inserts.

I can dig deeper into some long boxes and check out some others and let you know what I find.
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
The direct sales only comics, such as Moon Knight and the special editions don’t even contain the tattooz ad, so to find an insert inside one of these books would indicate truly random placement. If someone has one of these, I would sure like to see it!
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Collector manfred_spain private msg quote post Address this user
+++++

These all appear to exist (per Ebay and MyComicShop):

> Amazing Spider-Man #238
> Avengers #229
> Captain America #279
> Fantastic Four #252
> GI Joe #9
> Hulk #281
> Iron Man #168
> Marvel Tales #149
> Marvel Team-Up #127
> Marvel Two-In-One #97
> Rom #40
> Spectacular Spider-Man #76
> Star Wars #69
> Thor #329
> Uncanny X-Men #167

+++++

These appear to be likely (per MyComicShop):

> Conan the Barbarian #144
> Daredevil #192
> Dazzler #25
> Ghost Rider #78
> Master of Kung Fu #122

+++++
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Pictures? We don't need no stinking pictures. brysb private msg quote post Address this user
When a decent copy of ASM #238 was found to have the tattoo insert removed, some people were removing the tattoo insert from FF #252 & marrying them to ASM #238. DIABOLICAL!!
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
@manfred_spain good research! As to how many are actually out there, the answer to me seems to be “very few”. Still hoping to see some other boardies post some pics!
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I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans. esaravo private msg quote post Address this user
I looked through some boxes and found no inserts for:

Avengers 229, Conan 144, Iron Man 168, Marvel Fanfare 7, Marvel Team-Up 127, Micronauts 51, Red Sonja 2.

I know I have some of the other issues, but do not have time to dig some more.
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
Bumping this up one more time to see if anyone else owns any of these variants. I am stunned that only one other person on the forum has any to show. I am thinking these are even more rare than I suspected. More common than a double cover, perhaps, but far more rare than a Mark Jewelers or CPV copy.
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Beaten by boat oars Studley_Dudley private msg quote post Address this user
I know I have two of ASM 238 with tattoos. I might have the FF 252. I'd have to check. I think I do. I also have a set of the tattoos that are loose if anyone would like to have them.

I would have to check GI Joe and UXM. Not sure if I have the Thor, Iron Man, DD or Hulk books.
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
@Studley_Dudley the Spidey and FF books are not variants, as every copy printed originally had tattooz in them. The other books seem to only have tattooz inserted on a very limited basis. Definitely interested in seeing any of those that you might turn up.
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I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans. esaravo private msg quote post Address this user
@Studley_Dudley - Check your Dazzler 25 too.
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Beaten by boat oars Studley_Dudley private msg quote post Address this user
I checked Hulk, GI Joe, Dazzler, UXM, and Cap plus any corresponding CPVs and I don't have any others.
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
Looking on MCS, many of the variants are unavailable. They did have multiple copies of the X-men and Avengers variants available, although somewhat pricey. They had 1 copy of the Spectacular Spidey variant for $56 in VG+ condition. There must be someone out there collecting these as MCS is definitely charging a significant premium for the copies they have available. Thanks to everyone who took the time to look for these.
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Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
I'm curious about the name Lakeside Tattooz. GOTG2 soundtrack has a song called Lake Side Drive and it isn't about a car trip. The Beatles had their "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". I just wonder if the name Lakeside Tattooz (LST) was chosen to imply an additional use for these? Or with the intent to get rumors started that might generate publicity? I just find the names similarity to the song incredibly coincidental. Is this off the deep end?
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8. xkonk private msg quote post Address this user
@EbayMafia Doing some googling, and with nothing else to back up my claim, I think it was just the name of the company. The back of the inserts says Leisure Dynamics Inc, and when I googled that I found a lawsuit against them and mentions their former name of Lakeside Industries. Sounds like they made other toys and stuff https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/494/1340/112670/
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Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
@xkonk I tried using the Google machine but couldn't find anything useful. It probably is just a coincidence that the name is similar.
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Collector GGB private msg quote post Address this user
Some more input on this topic:

The following exist 100%, as I own copies: (all newsstand editions)
Avengers 229
Conan 144
Daredevil 192
Ghost Rider 78
GI Joe 9
Hulk 281
Iron Man 168
King Conan 15
Star Wars 69
Thor 329
Xmen 167
Marvel Tales 149

Another fellow (who's been collecting those for much longer than I have) also has copies of the following:

Captain America 279
Dazzler 25
Defenders 117
Marvel Team Up 127
Marvel Two In One 97
Peter Parker 76
Power Man 91
ROM 40

Neither I nor the other fellow have ever seen copies of the following:
Master of Kung Fu 122
Indiana Jones 3
New Mutants 1
Red Sonja 2
Team America 10
Hulk vs. Quasimodo 1
Marvel Universe 3

Also, between the two of us, we have never seen any of the above with the insert being a direct edition, so that Marvel Tales #149 direct edition copy shown above is very surprising. Can't offer you any more clues in terms of some type of rationale of how these were distributed, it seems quite random --nor is it possible to get some type of assessment of % of total population, but simply based on empirical gut-feel, it appears these copies are much less than 1% of the total population, and direct edition copies are even rarer.

Finally, MCS's info is not 100% trustworthy, 8 out of 10 times I've ordered Tattooz copies from them over the past 2-3 years they did not have the insert in there.
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Collector michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user
Wow, great info! Thanks so much for sharing! After doing a little homework I tend to agree that 1% or less is probably accurate for these rare variants. Thanks again for your post.
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598060 29 29
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