Get Marwood & I

Do you know, I think I remember that now - didn't we have a discussion with Arch about it? Long time ago now. @FlyJ, if you're still with us, leading 0's is the way to go!

Yes, the huge increase in overseas postage has killed off a few of my collecting habits too. Gone are the days of $9 flat rate postage... I'll probably end up being the only one collecting them over here, so I'll let you know if I build up a reasonable dupes war chest.

Enjoy the craic!

BOOM!

Missed.. Missed... Missed.... Missed..... Missed...... Missed....... Missed........ Missed......... Missed......... A Hit! A palpable hit!

Hello FlyJ There are two areas on the forum which you could use to do this. If you look at the top of the page, you'll see 'Journals' and 'Galleries' as drop down menu links: Some members have made use of the Journals area to catalogue their books - here's an example: https://boards.cgccomics.com/blogs/entry/5263-cataloging-the-pence-copies-i-currently-own/ The issue there is that each post is sequential so you won't be able to put anything in order - it will always present itself in the order you post. One way around that would be to add new books to existing posts, if that makes sense. You can amend posts here some years after the event. The other area members make use of is the Galleries, and they look like this: As you can see, our member @AJD has made good use of them to showcase many of the books in his collection. Again, one of the issues you will face if you decide to use this area - and I'm sure AJD Andy will correct me if things have changed, is that you can't easily organise your books into an order that suits you. If I remember correctly, they will always be presented in the order that you upload them. So if you add issues 1, 2, 3 and 6, and then later add issues 4 and 5, you won't be able to sort them into issue order (did I get that right Andy?). One final thought for this site (CGC) - if all the books that you own are CGC graded, you could sign up to use the Registry, here: https://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/index.aspx I hope that helps a bit - have a look at each area and see what you think will suit you best. As a new member, you might be best to spend some time getting used to the forum and its functionality. There aren't any 'how to' guides for the Journals and Galleries, so you will have to play around to get the idea of how they work. Many have observed how unintuitive they can be, so you'll need to have patience! If you decide none of the CGC forums functions suit, you could try elsewhere - some discussion here may help you: https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/474087-best-comic-book-database-for-keeping-track-of-your-collection/#comment-11342961 https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/456757-best-way-to-track-comic-collection/#comment-10837665 Good luck, and welcome to the forum

I've also looked to see if the 15c copies could have been made for bagged packs and have, so far, found no evidence. Many of the bagged editions seem to start from cover date December 1972, just after the 15c window. They seem quite prevalent in 1973, 74 and 1975. There are lots of examples on eBay around this time, Heritage and Google and, whilst it's early days, I haven't seen a 15c date window copy in one of them, never mind an actual 15c variant itself. I've found the odd bag dated in the 1960's and 1970 too and will keep looking - it would be nice to find a bag with some April-October 72 books in. Incidentally, I like the way they put the cover dates on the bags sometimes: Very helpful

I had a go by year for UKPVs only, here Rich (you helped me with the publishers)... A monthly has always been on the to do list. A task for another day....

That's an interesting thought. My instinct says unlikely, given the 6p stamps and UK distribution title match, but I'll ponder it and see if there is any evidence out there. A dose of Little Dot before a military manoeuvre might be a good idea, either way

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5x-Copies-From-a-discovered-batch-Of-300-MARVEL-FANTASTIC-FOUR-199-Oct-1978-/133998996655?hash=item1f32f66caf:g:wisAAOSw4ZhhDtww&pageci=1204acb1-f2d5-4841-a7d8-f24b157eff93&redirect=mobile 5x Copies (From a discovered batch Of 300) MARVEL FANTASTIC FOUR #199 (Oct 1978) During a recent house renovation/clearance a box was discovered stored away in a room containing a batch of 300 identical copies of this comic issue #199 MARVEL’S THE FANTASTIC FOUR ALL in amazing condition for their age (published by Marvel 43 years ago Oct 1978) The comics originally belonged to a gentleman who once owned/ran a newsagent and the box containing these comics were all part of his excess stock, they have been sitting in their boxes/containers for over 4 decades now and so was an very exciting find to say the least!

Cheers Ben! I agree about the indicias - they knew they would be printing a 52 page and a reduced 36 page copy, so rather than print two sets of guts, specific to each version, they just ran with the '15c indicia' line on every applicable wrap to make it simple - hence its presence in the 25c copies. Those printers knew their stuff

You can't fool me, Eric. You're about to post Little Dot Dotland #54, aren't you. Aren't you. Cheers as ever, for reading and commenting

Here's an updated summary, including Jeffro's four new copies: Summary as at 1st February 2022 A total of thirty Harvey 15c price variants are confirmed to exist between the cover dates of April and October 1972 inclusive Thirteen titles bear one or more variant For April - September, each 15c book has a reduced page count of 36 pages compared to the 52 pages of their US distribution counterparts The three known October dated 15c variants all have 20c regular priced counterparts and, therefore, the same page count The circumstantial evidence presented in this journal points strongly to the books being produced for UK / overseas distribution Here are the two revised tables I posted earlier to support the theory that these books were produced for UK distribution: 27 of the known 30 issues were found in the UK 9 of those 27 issues have 6p UK cover stamps Of the 41 ongoing titles in the 15c variant date window, 15 were known to be distributed in the UK by L Miller (based on cover stamps) prior to the 15c window 12 of those 15 titles have 15c variants

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=180031

Cheers Jeffro. I'd never heard of them at all until I spotted one in an eBay listing last year, as usual whilst looking for other things. Once I'd established that three examples had been found in the US, and by seasoned Harvey enthusiasts, I was scratching my head when I subsequently found so many more quite quickly, and thought I must be missing something. Just shows you doesn't it, 50 years later and there are still things to learn and discover in this hobby. I always find that really cool. Odd they are indeed, and potentially unique in their variant nature - a book produced in the US, for an overseas market, with cover and content differences, and yet still priced in US currency. Have a read of my fourth post above if you get time. I speculate in that why I think the page content was reduced: https://boards.cgccomics.com/blogs/entry/5296-the-mystery-of-the-harvey-15c-variants-from-1972/?do=findComment&comment=6149 .

Here is an example on Heritage of the records in the above ad, still in their sealed pack: The comics themselves are regular 20c copies and the bag label even states 20c - not the 25c price noted in the ad: Maybe this was because the price changed while the ad was being created? Either way, I have found no evidence connecting the 15c variants to records. Every example I have found online - and there are many - has later 20c books in them. And the only two ads I have found - so far - in the actual comics make no 15c mention. It's hard to believe, if the 15c copies were manufactured to go into sealed record packs, or as some related promotion, that not one copy has survived online stating that connection. I'll keep looking, but the evidence so far points away from record supplements being the reason the 15c variants were produced. Never say never, though.

Here is an add from Casper & Wendy #2 - it's dated November 1972, just after the 15c variant date window: It says 'free 25c magazines'.... I'll have a look to see if I can find an earlier ad, to see if 15c is mentioned. This Casper & Wendy #2 by the way was found in the UK, and you can see sticker residue over the 20c price: Aside of the current position that no November dated 15c variants have been found, I'll post later why I think they won't ever be.

There's another version?

I sent a message to Mrs Jimmers a few weeks back, enquiring after his welfare. We hadn't conversed before, but she said he was doing 'well enough' and hadn't been online. I sent my best to them both and will pray that he is happy. In our last PM, Jim said he was in the process of writing me a letter. I hope it comes, one day I hope my other boardie chum Ryan is OK too @Foley

I asked CGC Mike to merge the content of the Harvey thread I started with this one, so we're back to the one thread now (sorry again @Hepcat for missing yours). I've posted a journal entry about Harvey 15c price variants here, if anyone fancies a variant peek: This isn't one of them, but you'd have to be dotty to hunt for them

It works on both levels Andy That scenario isn't without precedent, US comics being systematically distributed with cover stamps as opposed to printed UK prices. Maybe these books were made for a US purpose (vinyl record additions, as Mark Arnold has suggested) and the surplus was bought up by a UK dealer or distributor? I don't recall seeing any Harvey comics as a kid in the UK, but they were clearly being distributed somewhere. Yes, but again, UK stamp variations aren't uncommon. For ten of the thirty known 15cvs to have 6p price stamps present is an indication that they made it over here in reasonable numbers. And then the remaining unstamped copies were mostly found over here too. The evidence all points to the UK being the main distribution location, otherwise many more would have been found in the US, in records or not, surely?

Oh Jeffro, thanks - these are just brilliant That completes Casper, assuming the date range is correct, and I see both issues have a 6p price stamp That Richie #114 breaks my 'no more than 3 copies' straight away. Brilliant I'm glad to see that title, our thirteenth now, as it matches my theory that titles previously distributed in the UK were selected for the 15c variant copies, strengthening my overall UK distribution theory: The four you have posted brings us up to 30 overall - the date block looks quite stable now, doesn't it: @Jeffro., can I ask, are those four books you own or images you have captured? The two Casper 6p stamps are a giveaway, but do you recall where you got / saw the other two? And as a Harvey collector, have you seen any alternate theories as to why these might exist? Mark Arnold (The Harvey Companion author) thinks they may have been made to go with records - I'm looking to see what I can find out on that.

Some people want to discuss the current availability of newsstands in the marketplace, and some others want to criticize them for making what they believe are incorrect claims about the original print run and ratio figures that they are not discussing and have said numerous times that they are not discussing. In other words, it's the usual CGC board fare when it comes to any subject about newsstands.

It takes a lot of time and effort to work these things through though - few have the patience and commitment for it. I know very few UK dealers who have that level of interest in the hobby. Case in point here (more potential UK distribution related fun):

I think it just wasn't significant to anyone at the time, Rich. Who remembers the day to day mechanics of their jobs 50/60 years later, especially when those mechanics were of no significance, relating as they did to the selling of 'kids comics'? Add to that the fact the they're all probably dead now anyway. Also, very - very few people in the industry get excited by the overseas aspects of their home-grown comics, more's the pity.