7-11 or bust

If I'm not mistaken the first thing scanned was a pack of gum. I also think this gum is currently in the Smithsonian. The few comics I own that I cannot recall where I got them are devoid of this bar-code. Their covers are exactly that, covers. My other comics that I bought from the three for a dollar rack are also devoid of this bar-code, then again they also have no cover. For the life of me I can't understand why I still have a cover on Sub-Mariner #38 and not Richie Rich Millions #79.

I have my comics in separate categories. I have those that I would consider my BC comics(Before Collecting) but that sounds too religious) and my AC comics(After Collecting) sounds like too New Jersey) Even though comics came out every week, like other periodicals, to me it seemed monthly. I don't know if that was how 7-11 displayed them of just how my mind retained the memory.

My books were never scanned, just imported as a set price into the register and shoved into a brown paper bag. I would hurry home crossing three streets and transversing an endless three block journey to read my treasures. I would read and reread my new comics placing them in my drawer between readings. Time passed before I bought my first comic in a comic book store that was not priced three for a dollar. I don't remember what it was (or what they were. I am sure it was more than one. I had to make the trip worth it) but where is the UPC code and that's a pretty cool Spider-Man face there instead.

At that time I though it was the coolest thing. Almost like it was a small thank you for supporting your local comic specialty shop. I stopped getting comic books on a regular basis at the 7-11 and started getting them at "MY" comic book store. This shop was the same shop that the day care center I went to as a toddler would take us on trips to purchase things, hence my fascination with the three for a dollar rack. (SIDE NOTE: Now that I think of it I could only imagine what these owners thought of when these snotty little kids raided their store with only two teachers to watch over them.) At the time the store was called Comic Investments. Over time it was purchased by two employees and they changed the name to ComiCards. Every comic book store experience I have, I compare with the mecca of childhood and early teen-aged years memories that I created there.

I was only able to go once a month but the way they stacked their books on display made it easy to see what I needed. Now my collection started to acquire more and more comic books with Spider-Man's face in the lower left hand corner. Once in a while we would be gifted with another version of Spider-Man, Captain America or even doves flying from a book (the latest courtesy of New Mutants #43). I never inquired why it was done, I just liked the small difference.

Today comic book companies place bar codes on every comic. Specialty shops only have the words Direct market to mark the difference. Variant covers are the new mark of reward by supporting Comic Book specialty shops. Even the variant covers have variant covers. Of course depending on the comic book store and limitation in number depends on how much you pay for a limited edition cover. However, even the majority of these variations have a UPC code.

I will purchase a variation book if the price is right, but only on a title I really like (New Mutants Vol. #3) The only thing I wish for though is for Comic Companies (not mentioning any names Marvel) to go back to selling two versions, one for the newsstand with the UPC prominently displayed on the front and the direct market where the UPC is hidden on the back and leave the cover as exactly that, a cover.

Tnerb

Ps. New Mutants Vol.3,#5 has no UPC code on the front and be honest isn't that what a cover should look like.