On 3/14/2024 at 2:46 AM, Malacoda said:

I fully agree with this in principle, but in practice, life's too short to wait years for a knackered copy (of something you don't actually collect) when you know that someone you chat to (probably on here) might have a FN+ copy of the smoking gun run behind them.

Well, it's always worked for me and I don't think I've done too badly on it.

Afternoon 

In my post last Saturday we learnt that there are different printings of the 1946 UK distributed Bell Features Joke Comics #28. Well, I did anyway. I haven't seen that fact posted anywhere else.

When I was mucking about with the other UK distributed Bells a few years back, I made up folders to gather evidence on these titles below:

One of them is Comic Crimes #11, which reprints the guts of Chesler's 'Red Seal Comics #14' and, for reasons known only to Bell, the cover to their own 1945 'Triumph Comics #24'.

I picked up a nice shilling stickered copy a few years ago - here she be:

The GCD seems a little confused with this book, citing an additional two 'variant's' as follows:

Obviously they're not variants, just the same comic but with two different UK price stickers on them (in my world, price stickers do not a variant make):

Anyway, I nabbed another copy off the bay in the week and thought I'd compare the two as I did the Joke Comics #28. Here they are - two Bells, ding-dong:

Both are one shilling stickered copies but, as it turns out, both have different covers.

The main differences are as follows:

They have different back cover configurations - the comic titles are in a different order and the 10c price is notably higher on one copy:

Like the Joke 28, they have different inside front covers:

And also like the Joke 28, the indicia wording is set in a different position:

It's less clear to me whether the guts are separate printings as they look quite similar and do not betray any obvious signs of being reprinted. Indeed, on this occasion, it could be that they are actually remaindered copies of the original Chesler. I can't afford a copy of that, alas, to make a detailed comparison.

There are some production issues in one copy though, with the yellow and magenta plates being off register on some pages:

That could indicate a separate printing or a plate slip mid run I suppose, so isn't conclusive.

In summery, it gets hot, and in summary, it's clear that the covers at least are separate printings on these two books. One has a lighter paper stock too.

I don't suppose I'll venture much further into this area now as I was intending to shelve this entire journal entry. But at least we know that the variations between printings exist for at least two of the Bells that found their way to the UK all those years ago. And even though the pre-1960s isn't really my field, I've quite enjoyed mucking about with some of these old books even if none of them could be classified as UKPVs (the original purpose of the exploration).

Thank you to the few that played along!

Be seeing you...

I find all these discoveries amazing, I just don't have anything to contribute to the discussion.

On 3/14/2024 at 9:36 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

even if none of them could be classified as UKPVs

Are you able to shine a bright light through the front cover and perhaps see the printed price behind the sticker?  Maybe there's a price variant lurking under there? 

On 3/14/2024 at 12:02 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Well, it's always worked for me and I don't think I've done too badly on it.

That's obviously completely true.  Much of what you've researched has never been researched by anyone else and, even if it had been, it would surely not have been to the same depth and with the same relentless, meticulous dedication. Or with the same incisive conclusions drawn.  Where you say  "I've always liked to own the comics I write about where I can, rather than use other peoples scans"  I fully get this. There is nothing like holding the actual artefact in your hands, feeling the paper, smelling it and, in the case of stickers, holding it up to a 200w bulb.  However, I think your other great strength has been the courtesy and credit you extend to other (less expert) adventurers in this curious back alley of comic collecting.  I think your expertise coupled with the appreciation and respect you extend to others has created a gathering of eagles (bonus points if you can identify where I stole that from) and the interactions that have blossomed in that environment (particularly with input from those who were there at the time) has mushroomed into something far greater than the sum of its parts.  

I'm not disagreeing with what you say about your methods, I just think you're underselling yourself and your achievements. 

On 3/16/2024 at 4:28 PM, Malacoda said:

That's obviously completely true.  Much of what you've researched has never been researched by anyone else and, even if it had been, it would surely not have been to the same depth and with the same relentless, meticulous dedication. Or with the same incisive conclusions drawn.  Where you say  "I've always liked to own the comics I write about where I can, rather than use other peoples scans"  I fully get this. There is nothing like holding the actual artefact in your hands, feeling the paper, smelling it and, in the case of stickers, holding it up to a 200w bulb.  However, I think your other great strength has been the courtesy and credit you extend to other (less expert) adventurers in this curious back alley of comic collecting.  I think your expertise coupled with the appreciation and respect you extend to others has created a gathering of eagles (bonus points if you can identify where I stole that from) and the interactions that have blossomed in that environment (particularly with input from those who were there at the time) has mushroomed into something far greater than the sum of its parts.  

I'm not disagreeing with what you say about your methods, I just think you're underselling yourself and your achievements. 

 

That's very kind, thank you Rich 

On 3/16/2024 at 7:34 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

That's very kind, thank you Rich 

You're most welcome.  And keep in mind, I've basically only posted on one thread, so I've barely scratched the surface of what you've accomplished.   Oh, and by the way....

On 3/14/2024 at 7:24 PM, Yorick said:

Are you able to shine a bright light through the front cover and perhaps see the printed price behind the sticker?  Maybe there's a price variant lurking under there? 

First thing I did Yoz!

But just for you...

Wait....what?  So you've got: 

A 10c US original with dual pricing (should we not be remarking on that?). 

A 6d 'British edition'  which I assume is a reduced price re-cycle of the 9d original with a 6d sticker on it? 

and then a  1/- stickered British one.  So there were stickers to put the price down from 9d to 6d and then later more stickers to put price up to 1/- ?

But US imported comics didn't cost a shilling until 21 years after this was published. 

According to GCD, Bell were producing bespoke comics for the British market for only a very short time around 1946, so this is quite a historic survivor. 

On 3/18/2024 at 2:44 PM, Malacoda said:

Wait....what?  So you've got: 

A 10c US original with dual pricing (should we not be remarking on that?). 

I have, haven't I?  They're all the same though, Rich, the 1946 Bells - every applicable issue (and printing) is dual priced so there are no 'UK price variants' to find, which was the original purpose of the thread. Well, I never found any. 

On 3/18/2024 at 2:44 PM, Malacoda said:

A 6d 'British edition'  which I assume is a reduced price re-cycle of the 9d original with a 6d sticker on it? 

and then a  1/- stickered British one.  So there were stickers to put the price down from 9d to 6d and then later more stickers to put price up to 1/- ?

Yep, all the same printed info, just with some 6d and shilling stickers dotted about. There's some Manchester vs London commentary going on, as I recall reading somewhere. Maybe that had something to do with it. Maybe not.

On 3/18/2024 at 2:44 PM, Malacoda said:

But US imported comics didn't cost a shilling until 21 years after this was published. 

Techno fear.......

On 3/18/2024 at 2:44 PM, Malacoda said:

According to GCD, Bell were producing bespoke comics for the British market for only a very short time around 1946, so this is quite a historic survivor. 

There are some very good sites that discuss the Bells and the Canadians, Rich. The authors appear very clued up and likely have the answers. I was just looking for UKPV candidates, to be honest, but stumbled across the separate printings whilst tinkering. 

That's my trouble, you see. Always tinkering. I should get out more. 

Just to reiterate, Rich, and just for the 1946 Bells, I didn't find any examples among this lot where there were different printed pricing scenarios - every book with dual pricing has DP on all copies, every 10c only had 10c only in existence (with a UK sticker attached):

Comic Crimes #11, Jet Man #10 and Joke #28 all crop up once in a while in the UK. The others, I've never seen one available issue - only old scans from online sources.

Anyway, I'm supposed to be knocking all this on the head. Stop asking questions! 

@Malacoda

Rich, some more related musings in this old thread:

https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/417827-are-there-pence-titles-for-ga-books/?do=findComment&comment=11581770

Kev had a UKPV purist induced coronary in it, if I remember correctly.... 

On 3/18/2024 at 3:05 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Stop asking questions! 

Shan't! This touches on some fascinating areas.....although I do appreciate that I'm in a pretty small crowd with regard to what I find fascinating (the last Distribution Con was just me with a big name sticker and a bloke sweeping rubbish round my feet hinting heavily that he'd like to go home now, please). 

On 3/18/2024 at 3:38 PM, Malacoda said:

Shan't! This touches on some fascinating areas.....although I do appreciate that I'm in a pretty small crowd with regard to what I find fascinating (the last Distribution Con was just me with a big name sticker and bloke sweeping rubbish round my feet hinting heavily that he's like to go home now, please). 

At the bottom of every UK distribution barrel, through the bottom in fact, underneath it, burrowing into the ground, you'll find at least one of us....

On 3/18/2024 at 8:13 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

Kev had a UKPV purist induced coronary in it

My bad. 

Sorry Kev.    You have awesome books too. 

Evening.

I'm supposed to be leaving this thread alone, but what can you do when you find this in a box for two quid?

What do you mean, 'leave it there'?

It reprints this:

Comparing the placement of the indicia data on my stickerless copy, and this other stickered UK distribution copy (not mine), the production values were demonstrably top notch 

I'll see you again if I ever find another cheap pre-60s book in a box.

On 4/9/2024 at 9:46 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

the production values were demonstrably top notch

Someone should try and build a collection of "coverless" comics.  A Top Notched set.   

On 4/9/2024 at 6:44 PM, Yorick said:

Someone should try and build a collection of "coverless" comics.  A Top Notched set.   

Shut up.