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CBCS Graded Comics Bronze Age Comics Copper Age

Newsstand/Direct Edition Variants? Got 'em!2518

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Collector 2.13K	2.13K ZosoRocks private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 1
	@DocBrown - thanks for sharing your expertise on the many topics you've commented upon. You continue to "learn me". ;o)
	7 years ago	Post 51 • IP flag post

Collector 16.89K	16.89K DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by JLS_Comics How would a book like this be designated now? It is DM (Direct Sales) vs Newsstand (Direct Sales is absent from the bar code) but also a price variant The price difference is common for newsstands of the last 20+ years (going back to 1996!) It's not a price variant; it's just that the Direct edition and the newsstand edition were priced at different prices. For it to be a "price variant", you'd have to have two versions of the same edition, like two Directs, or two newsstands, priced differently (and these do exist.)
	7 years ago	Post 52 • IP flag post

Collector 16.89K	16.89K DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by The_Curmudgeon Or maybe this one? Direct box on back, but has the "triple c." This was only Direct; there's no newsstand version of this...almost certainly. When they reprinted X-Force #1, whoever set the printing used the newsstand plate for the front cover. The Curtis symbol erroneously appears on some Direct books from the era...in fact, there are even some books that have BOTH the UK price AND the Curtis symbol overprinted on it!
	7 years ago	Post 53 • IP flag post

Collector 16.89K	16.89K DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by ZosoRocks @ JLS_Comics - not only a price variant....but also has a style variant in the title & background color variant. Yeah, that cover had a complete redesign in between!
	7 years ago	Post 54 • IP flag post

COLLECTOR 5.46K	5.46K JLS_Comics private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown It's not a price variant; it's just that the Direct edition and the newsstand edition were priced at different prices. For it to be a "price variant", you'd have to have two versions of the same edition, like two Directs, or two newsstands, priced differently (and these do exist.) That does make sense. I typically refer to them as price variants to identify a difference between the cover images (and letters, words, etc.) Nevertheless, it further piques my interest as to how this particular issue's label will be notated
	7 years ago	Post 55 • IP flag post

Collector 16.89K	16.89K DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 1
	If it were me, the "newsstand edition" on the label, with a "$3.99 (or whatever) cover price" in the note section, would be adequate.
	7 years ago	Post 56 • IP flag post

COLLECTOR 5.46K	5.46K JLS_Comics private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	I like it. It's simple and to the point
	7 years ago	Post 57 • IP flag post

Collector 1.36K	1.36K The_Curmudgeon private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown The "CCC" symbol stands for "Curtis Circulation Company", for those wondering, not Capital City. Capital City was a Direct market distributor; Curtis Circulation Co. has distributed newsstand comics for decades, and has been affiliated at times with Marvel. (It's a muddy history, but that's the gist.) Thanks Doc, I thought it might be Curtis but wasn't sure and didn't want to go to the trouble to research it properly, as it is usually like pulling eyeteeth to find any reputable information on the subject. It does make sense that Curtis would distribute the newsstand books, as they were distributing the magazines.
	7 years ago	Post 58 • IP flag post

Collector 16.89K	16.89K DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by ZosoRocks @DocBrown - thanks for sharing your expertise on the many topics you've commented upon. You continue to "learn me". ;o) Sure! I read a lot, and I'm a big nerd, so. Don't ask me about hockey. Or basketball. Or baseball. Although I CAN tell you who holds the record for NBA championships (Celtics, followed by the Lakers, who used to be in Minnesota.) See? Reading DOES work!
	7 years ago	Post 59 • IP flag post

Collector 2.13K	2.13K ZosoRocks private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown Quote: Originally Posted by ZosoRocks @DocBrown - thanks for sharing your expertise on the many topics you've commented upon. You continue to "learn me". ;o) Sure! I read a lot, and I'm a big nerd, so. Don't ask me about hockey. Or basketball. Or baseball. Although I CAN tell you who holds the record for NBA championships (Celtics, followed by the Lakers, who used to be in Minnesota.) See? Reading DOES work! Me neither....LOL....comics and football is all this nerd needs...well...and vinyl records and pop culture too. Cheers!
	7 years ago	Post 60 • IP flag post

Collector 16.89K	16.89K DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown Quote: Originally Posted by JLS_Comics How would a book like this be designated now? It is DM (Direct Sales) vs Newsstand (Direct Sales is absent from the bar code) but also a price variant The price difference is common for newsstands of the last 20+ years (going back to 1996!) It's not a price variant; it's just that the Direct edition and the newsstand edition were priced at different prices. For it to be a "price variant", you'd have to have two versions of the same edition, like two Directs, or two newsstands, priced differently (and these do exist.) PS. That cover is unsettling. It looks like Batman is smelling Supes. And why is Bats looking at the left side of Supes' neck, and not into his face? Is he inspecting a mole on his chin or ear or something? Weird.
	7 years ago	Post 61 • IP flag post

Collector 2.42K	2.42K Logan510 private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown Quote: Originally Posted by ZosoRocks @DocBrown - thanks for sharing your expertise on the many topics you've commented upon. You continue to "learn me". ;o) Sure! I read a lot, and I'm a big nerd, so. Don't ask me about hockey. Or basketball. Or baseball. Although I CAN tell you who holds the record for NBA championships (Celtics, followed by the Lakers, who used to be in Minnesota.) See? Reading DOES work! Don't you mean redding?
	7 years ago	Post 62 • IP flag post

COLLECTOR 20.52K	20.52K DarthLego private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 1
	Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown PS. That cover is unsettling. It looks like Batman is smelling Supes. And why is Bats looking at the left side of Supes' neck, and not into his face? Is he inspecting a mole on his chin or ear or something? Weird. Batman is doing an analysis to determine the weaknesses in Superman's jugular vein.
	7 years ago	Post 63 • IP flag post

Collector 16.89K	16.89K DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DarthLego Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown PS. That cover is unsettling. It looks like Batman is smelling Supes. And why is Bats looking at the left side of Supes' neck, and not into his face? Is he inspecting a mole on his chin or ear or something? Weird. Batman is doing an analysis to determine the weaknesses in Superman's jugular vein. Yeah, because that's exactly where he's looking!
	7 years ago	Post 64 • IP flag post

Collector 1.36K	1.36K The_Curmudgeon private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 1
	Nah, Supes is showing the bat his pimp-ass neck tattoo.
	7 years ago	Post 65 • IP flag post

Collector 16.89K	16.89K DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by The_Curmudgeon Nah, Supes is showing the bat his pimp-ass neck tattoo. How'd the tattoo artist apply it, with a kryptonite laser...?
	7 years ago	Post 66 • IP flag post

I bought a meat grinder on amazon for $60 and it's changed my life. 27.08K	27.08K kaptainmyke private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 1
	as someone who just turned this baby in for Steve to press and then have graded - I am super excited thank you!
	7 years ago	Post 67 • IP flag post

It was a one trick pony show but always hilarious. 68.03K	68.03K GAC private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown Quote: Originally Posted by JLS_Comics How would a book like this be designated now? It is DM (Direct Sales) vs Newsstand (Direct Sales is absent from the bar code) but also a price variant The price difference is common for newsstands of the last 20+ years (going back to 1996!) It's not a price variant; it's just that the Direct edition and the newsstand edition were priced at different prices. For it to be a "price variant", you'd have to have two versions of the same edition, like two Directs, or two newsstands, priced differently (and these do exist.) PS. That cover is unsettling. It looks like Batman is smelling Supes. And why is Bats looking at the left side of Supes' neck, and not into his face? Is he inspecting a mole on his chin or ear or something? Weird. Lol!!!! Hilarious observation!!!!
	7 years ago	Post 68 • IP flag post

Collector 1.36K	1.36K The_Curmudgeon private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown Quote: Originally Posted by The_Curmudgeon Nah, Supes is showing the bat his pimp-ass neck tattoo. How'd the tattoo artist apply it, with a kryptonite laser...? He got it on a planet with a red sun like Krypton. In case you're wondering, he got there via FTL starship.
	7 years ago	Post 69 • IP flag post

Collector 2.13K	2.13K ZosoRocks private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Okay...I was looking thru my early 1977 SW books (#13, 14, & 15) to look at them and to see how they fared with "square box issue" or "diamond (Whitman?) box issue". I have two copies of each....one is a square and the other a diamond. This is what I found: A. 13 - square has triple "Cs" and bar code - diamond has no "Cs" no barcode - which is newsstand? B. 14 - square has triple "Cs" and bar code - diamond has no "Cs" but has date added and has barcode - Which is newsstand? C. 15 - square has triple "Cs" and bar code - cover cut wrong...sighs - diamond has no "Cs" but has date added and has no barcode - Which is newsstand? Moral of the story....yes CBCS has got their work cut out for them, but the barcode does not necessarily indicate a newsstand variant. UNLESS....all I have are newstand variants...LOL. yeah sure Tim!! :o)
	7 years ago	Post 70 • IP flag post

Collector

16.89K

DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ZosoRocks
Okay...I was looking thru my early 1977 SW books (#13, 14, & 15) to look at them and to see how they fared with "square box issue" or "diamond (Whitman?) box issue". I have two copies of each....one is a square and the other a diamond. This is what I found:
A. 13
- square has triple "Cs" and bar code

Standard newsstand copy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZR
- diamond has no "Cs" no barcode
- which is newsstand?

Direct market.

Plus an awesome John Byrne cover (his only Star Wars work.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZR
B. 14
- square has triple "Cs" and bar code

Newsstand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zr
- diamond has no "Cs" but has date added and has barcode
- Which is newsstand?

Direct market.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZR

C. 15
- square has triple "Cs" and bar code
- cover cut wrong...*sighs*

Newsstand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zr
- diamond has no "Cs" but has date added and has no barcode
- Which is newsstand?

Direct market.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZR
Moral of the story....yes CBCS has got their work cut out for them, but the barcode does not necessarily indicate a newsstand variant.

UNLESS....all I have are newstand variants...LOL. yeah sure Tim!!

:o)

In the early years of the DM cover marking program (1977-1979), they weren't quite sure what to do with the UPC.

Whitman, at some point, requested that they remove the code from the cover, so clerks wouldn't scan one book and charge the single issue price for their 3-packs. This they did by the middle of 1977 (cover date.)

My theory is that the Direct market, in the months that Whitman didn't order any copies, wasn't big enough to support the program, which is why you see gaps in issues, and during those months, Direct market customers simply received regular newsstand copies.

There are no "Diamond" issue of any books dated Jan-Mar 1978 EXCEPT Star Wars, which would make sense, because at this point, Star Wars was the biggest pop culture phenomenon in the country, and Whitman was not only doing the regular issues, they had their hands full with the reprints of #1-6.

It's worth noting that there are NO months, from Feb 1977 to May 1979, in which NO "diamond" issues were printed.

Here's more info:

http://www.bipcomics.com/showcase/Direct/index.php

Several of those paragraphs are lifted from posts I made at CGC and elsewhere, but I don't get any credit for them.

As far as CBCS having their work cut out for them...it's really not that difficult. This work has been researched and documented for well over a decade. The Direct market for DC, prior to October of 1980, was limited solely to Whitman. That doesn't mean that Direct market customers didn't receive those Whitmans, but it's not likely.

As far as the others...I'm not sure when Archie, Charlton, or other newsstand publishers went Direct...there's a whole nightmare of research right there...and Whitman/Gold Key/Western abandoned the entire newsstand distribution market around 1981, before finally folding in 1984.

7 years ago

COLLECTOR 20.52K	20.52K DarthLego private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	@DocBrown do you ever sleep? Because there isn't enough hours in the day for a human being to acquire this much information in one lifetime.
	7 years ago	Post 72 • IP flag post

Collector 2.13K	2.13K ZosoRocks private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by DarthLego @DocBrown do you ever sleep? Because there isn't enough hours in the day for a human being to acquire this much information in one lifetime. LOL!!! Good info though. Thanks....the doctor is in!
	7 years ago	Post 73 • IP flag post

Collector 14.51K	14.51K BrianGreensnips private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	I think DocBrown is a bigger nerd than I. I find myself reading the Residential Mechanical Code book enjoyable and relaxing. I actually read more technical books now than comic books.But I love comic books more. Just got done reading Batman new 52 first trade. It covers 1-7. I will be picking up the next one soon. Also just reread Hush.
	7 years ago	Post 74 • IP flag post

COLLECTOR 13.24K	13.24K shrewbeer private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 1
	Any particular reason to stop at '00 and not go at least up to 2013? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate this service as it is VERY MUCH!! I've been told several times over the years and even recently in that my appreciation of newsstands is unfounded, useless, worthless, etc lol so there is nothing quite like this feeling of validation
	7 years ago	Post 75 • IP flag post

I bought a meat grinder on amazon for $60 and it's changed my life. 27.08K	27.08K kaptainmyke private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Don't worry @shrewbeer I also collect newsies
	7 years ago	Post 76 • IP flag post

Collector 1.9K	1.9K Mef private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by shrewbeer I've been told several times over the years and even recently in that my appreciation of newsstands is unfounded, useless, worthless, etc lol so there is nothing quite like this feeling of validation This!
	7 years ago	Post 77 • IP flag post

Collector 157	157 Crunkpostit private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	I personally have gone after newsstands. I remember how messed up they would get on the spinner rack or shelve at the grocery store. Unsold copies werent kept. They were destroyed for a slight refund, thus making them more scarce.
	7 years ago	Post 78 • IP flag post

Collector 1	1 jrivela private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Im looking at a 1987 Wonder Woman #1 with a "Who Watches the Watchmen" label. One online article described it as 1B. Does anyone know if this is a second printing? Newstand? Other?
	7 years ago	Post 79 • IP flag post

Moderator 39.03K	39.03K Jesse_O private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	@jrivela I did not find a WW #1 like you described. However, I did find a #6. If this is what you are referring to, the writing in the box on the lower left corner, that is a direct issue. DC put different sayings in those boxes instead of an upc code. I don't know the rhyme or reason, or if there is one, behind which sayings went with which comic on which month. For all I know, one comic issue could have 3-4 different sayings in there. I think you have a tough search in front of you if that is the case!! Good luck!
	7 years ago	Post 80 • IP flag post

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