Get Marwood & I

That's interesting Albert My UKPV spreadsheet plots the absent UKPVs as follows, with the gaps staggered over a three month window in line with, presumably, printing dates. Some titles got through, others missed the cut: ASM #43 is an interesting example as I have seen several with non-T&P prices stamps - here's one I used to own and one oblong 10d version: Note that the 10d oblong has sticker residue, although I doubt Gold Start would have placed it over the price! I've never seen a Gold Star sticker myself and you can understand how my research into UKPVs would have brought me into contact with one at some point, so I'm intrigued. If I'm understanding you correctly, you're saying (taking ASM as an example): Thorpe & Porter distributed the UKPVs up to issue 41 under their exclusive arrangement with Marvel Something happened to stop issues 42 and 43 from being produced as UKPVs and they failed to arrive in the UK in the expected date sequence When they did eventually arrive, late, they were cents copies and stamped by Gold Star Publications From issue 44, UKPVs resumed, presumably under the usual arrangement between Marvel and Thorpe & Porter Albert, where is this documented and do we know why T&P were happy for someone else to distribute the books that they owned the exclusive distribution rights to in this short window? Also, if the 10d oblong stamp was Gold Star's, why does this exist, way off the date window at June 67?

Morning boys Some interesting stuff in those last few posts. Velly nice - I'll digest them later as I've been plotting and can only concentrate on one thing at a time. Now, I have a question for those of you who were 'around a the time', based on the table Gary sent me for Marvel. My Marvel UKPV spreadsheet shows the period between October 1964 and July 1965 as having gaps of up to 10 issues for all UKPVs with no examples at all cover dated between the 8 months of December 1964 and July 1965. The titles all weren't printed at the same time of course hence the staggered gaps were some titles got through and others missed the cut off point - here's an extract to illustrate: If I select some titles from Gary's spreadsheet for the same period we can see clearly that the UKPV gaps are 'replaced' with T&P stamped copies: I've updated that table and added two monthly DC titles, to compare them to four of the monthly Marvel ones: From the sample, for this period, we can see: Where Marvels have UKPVs there are no stamped copies (cents or pence) As soon as the UKPVs stop by cover date, the extant stamped copies start (and vice versa) The stamp numbering for the four Marvel titles has a broad consistency by cover month The stamp numbering for the four Marvels broadly has the expected sequential pattern - 6-6-8-8-2-2-3-4-8 (JIM) for example, starts at six and works up to 8 then moves to the next 1-9 cycle and moves from 2 up to 8 again, confirming the escalating pattern within the 1-9 cycles that we have come to expect for DC at least The two DC titles very clearly follow the sequential escalating pattern within their 1-9 cycles and are not that far off the Marvels numbering So, here is my (hopefully not stupid) question: If the UKPV gaps are thought to be the result of shipping strikes, does that mean that the stamped copies which filled those gaps also did not arrive in the UK in that window because of the same strike and, therefore, they all arrived after the shipping strike? If they did, then why do they follow the same escalating stamp pattern? I may be missing something obvious, but it looks like the UKPVs stopped, and the stamped copies replaced them. But they couldn't have if the ships weren't sailing, could they?. What are your recollections guys? How did the books in the alleged 10 month shipping gap arrive in the UK in your experience? Did they all just turn up one day in bulk at the newsagent? "Oh, there's JIM 110-118, great, I missed those. Horrible stamps on them though" That seems so unlikely to me? Could it be that there was a UKPV specific issue and it has nothing to do with ships sailing to and from the US? @Kevin.J @Garystar @Albert Tatlock @Redshade

Nice. It seems to sell well on eBay, if I've got the right book: And one BIN: Hope it sells.

October/November 1959 Four 'missing' titles left....

Nice. Two more: Yes, they all look like that. I always thought it looked odd, a bit small. It was the first issue that moved away from the price being under Spidey's head as you know yourself having positioned it next to #33 of course. So it was a bit of an interim, until the got a bit bigger from 35: It was the same on the cents:

I've got a few saved too. Here's a Charlie:

I've got a few saved too. Can you tell us more about that Albert please - what books exactly weren't distributed by T&P and how were they identifiable (if at all)? Here's how I capture that on my UKPV spreadsheet: Most titles missed two issues, some one and some made it in full (e.g. bi-monthly Two-Gun Kid).

That's brilliant Gary, thanks. The first reading ties in with my earlier page 3 post which went into much less detail. When I receive your spreadsheet I'll go over it all - probably tomorrow now - and come back with any comments Gary's spreadsheet illustration is great - it really stands out how the stamps begin and end their prevalence around the UKPVs - here's a snapshot: A quick look at Journey into Mystery on eBay UK shows multiple copies for every issue from #102 - every single one is a stamp free cents / pence until you get to issue 110 when the 10d stamped copies start to appear, duly disappearing from 119.

That's brilliant Gary, thanks. The first reading ties in with my earlier page 3 post which went into much less detail. When I receive your spreadsheet I'll go over it all - probably tomorrow now - and come back with any comments

Sooper. Doberman's a new title - only 5 titles absent now. Nice weirdy 10 stamp on the Boone.

I must dig out my old review of the London Fair - it's in the Marvel UKPV thread I think. The absence of personal hygiene is mentioned, as I recall I'd be inclined to add 'people in general' to that.

I've seen this 6d stamp a few times - here are two Charltons, one that I owned and one from online: It's not the usual Miller stamp but it makes sense being on cents priced copies. Until now that is...

Updated after Falling in Love with the House of Mystery:

The final issue of Rex, #46, jus might creep in being a Sep/Oct 1959 book - unlikely, but Pat Boone made it (albeit as a likely late cycle 2) No worries Kevin. I'm aching to get to the next fair. Fingers crossed for December

Good one, a previous title with no examples - thanks Mr T Being a March 1960, it stands out in cycle 1: So I think it more likely to be a late cycle 2: Do you agree? It has a few friends there as you can see.

There we go - cheers Kevin! There's so few examples of them online compared to other titles. Keep digging buddy (when you can)

I bet that wasn't 15p

Just me today is it? Here's an updated table which shows the 47 DC titles that I captured which cross the September/October/November 1959 dates (click to enlarge): As you will see I've only captured those 47 applicable titles for now - ones like Justice League which start later in 1960 are not present although I may add them later. The reason for that is that I want to use this table as the starting point for capturing the earliest known DC issues with first cycle 8 and 9 stamps, in theory, our first ever official UK shipments (if we assume the 6's are second wave of course). So if anyone reading in the UK who has early DC issues could check their collections and let me know if any earlier examples exist (I'll need a picture) - that would be great. We're looking for Batman 126, Detective 273, Wonder Woman 109 etc. And titles like House of Secrets seem to have started coming over late - surely there is an earlier example of a stamped copy than the August 1960 cover dated #35? If the UK fairs ever get going again, I'll be checking the boxes to this list as I used to in the past to a similar one but, I have to say, with considerably less focus than I would now, having gone into so much more depth now on the subject in this thread. Virus begone!

Jesting aside, I think it's highly likely that T&P had something to do with it Albert. As you say, the stamps are on so many of the periodicals they handled aren't they. Here's another: I'll keep em peeled during my various searches - see how many we can gather.

Are you Chuck Rozanski in disguise Mr T? That's a lot of comicana. We only need a six now for the set.

Nor do we Eric. Interesting, anyway Four years I've been filling this place with pence crap. And do I get any prizes? Do I Felicity Kendall.

Then so help me God I will release the hounds of triangular stamp searchiditude! Nobody likes a smartarse Albert.

TTTT Tatlock Triangle Theory Trashed