Get Marwood & I

A quick interlude - as things stand, there are only 4 books with an AUS first wave April 1994 cover date (US January 1994): Captain America #423 Ravage 2099 #14 Spider-Man 2099 #15 Web of Spider-Man #108 (Click to enlarge images) 48 of the 103 confirmed APV titles cross the April 1994 date. In my other research threads I have recently applied the idea of whether the 'on sale' dates have any bearing on why certain variant issues may not exist. It 'worked' for the Charlton CPVs, but not for the 1999/2000 Marvel Newsstand Price Variants. Gary (him again) suggested it may have a bearing here on our APVs, so I did a review of all 48 eligible issues using Mikes Comics Newsstand for the 'on sale' dates. One issue here is that Mike's site has the on sale dates for the US copies of course, so we have to take a leap and work on the assumption that the AUS dates, with their 3 month shipping lag, followed the same sequencing. There are 5 'on sale' weeks for the books cover dated US Jan 94 / AUS April 94: November 2 1993 November 9 1993 November 16 1993 November 23 1993 November 30 1993 Captain America #423, Web of Spidey #108 and Spidey 2099 #15 all were 'on sale' in the first week, November the 2nd. The fourth book, Ravage #14, was 'on sale' on the second week of the 9th November. So we can kind of see that the AUS program may have wound up in the second week of the month. Trouble is, 7 other of the eligible titles had a November 2 on sale date and a further 8 were in the second November 9 week. So it would be difficult to say that those 15 books were not produced as APVs as they have peers that did. So I think there is something to it, but it does not definitely rule out any books from appearing at this stage. ASM #385 is a November 9 book, so that could technically exist given the other confirmed title for that month. But no one has seen one in all the years this has been going on so... My summary therefore is there are 4 confirmed April 1994 APVs, of an actual maximum possible 48, but that relatively few more may surface given how long we have been looking. And if others do surface, they will likely be in the first two weeks 'on sale' bracket. All good fun

I want to give full credit to Gary Martin for what is about to follow. Though I was on the hunt so to speak, it was his input that crystallised the position I'm about to summarise. As we know, an AUS price variant can have one or more of the following printed characteristics: A printed AUS price (duh!) in the price box In respect of the first wave, a cover date 3 months later than the US copy In the vast majority of cases, a barcode cover with no 'CC' (Curtis Circulation) in the price / date box An AUS price in the barcode box A barcode with a month number that corresponds to the AUS cover date (3 months later for the first wave), not the US cover date Taking these five main defining aspects into account (there are a few other cosmetic exceptions), if we look at the various copies that have surfaced with 'official' looking price stickers on them we can see four types (so far): Type 1 - Standard US Direct Edition with AUS Price Sticker The example here is X-Force #2, for which no APV has yet surfaced but multiple copies with an AUS price sticker have. In each case that I have seen, the book is a standard US priced Direct Edition. These cannot be referred to as APVs in my opinion as they have no printed variations. Anyone could make that sticker. Accordingly, I do not include them in the APV numbers, but I do make reference to them on my spreadsheet as an indication as to why a printed APV may never surface: Type 2 - Standard US Newsstand Edition with AUS Price Sticker The example here is Wolverine #57, for which no APV has yet surfaced but a copy with an AUS price sticker has. In this case, the book appears to be a standard US newsstand edition. Subject to knowing what is under the AUS price sticker (it certainly looks like the US version), it has the same printed cover as the US edition with a barcode month number of '8' in line with the US copy. As with type 1, I do not include it in the numbers as it has no printed variations to set it apart: Type 3 - AUS Price Sticker with US Price / Date Box but APV Barcode The example here is X-Force #3, for which no copy has surfaced with a printed AUS price but multiple stickered copies have. In this case, the book has a US price / date box, covered by an AUS price sticker (Gary has seen under the sticker to confirm this, and sent me an image). However, the barcode is a printed AUS barcode as the month number is '01' representing the January AUS cover date, not '10' which represents the US October cover date. In this case, the book has a printed variation / difference, and was clearly produced with the intention of the book being an APV. So I do count this copy in my records as an official APV, despite the lack of printed AUS cover price. The printers clearly just forgot to change the price / date box! Type 4 - AUS Price Sticker with AUS Price / Date Box The example here is Captain America #410, which I posted about earlier. In this case, the printers mistakenly printed the issue number as 407 and then added a correcting sticker. Effectively, two AUS versions of this book exist - stickered and unstickered - and both are confirmed AUS variants: I'm going to carry on studying these stickered versions as they appear and the position may change if the contents under the sticker are not as expected (e.g. the Wolverine #57 could mirror the Captain America #407/410 scenario for example, though I doubt it based on what I can see around the edges of the sticker). In the meantime, back to the probable APV issue count update...

That's a great post Hep. I mean, it has Charlton's in it, so it's great by definition And whilst I always liked the Creeper cover (nice date stamp), it always slightly irked me that his mane partially obscured his face: Typical Ditko.

Thanks Bob - that's the plan mate - all the number lists in one handy spot. Saves trawling the discussion threads...

Nice bright copies Mec - keep it up mate

Do you ever get the feeling that the universe is just taking the piss?

23. You can change your name from PooPiece to CapriSunaGooGoo and act the goat

Yes, the black bloody circle thing Roy!

Does that mean you're back Scott? We missed you.

Afternoon I've been having a great time merging Gary Martin Jr's work in with my own and getting his take on things. I think he will pop in to say hello here soon. The current confirmed APV number is now 1,262, with an actual possible maximum of 1,701 eligible issues across the 103 titles: I've added some new elements to my capture spreadsheet: Under the 'Issues in Cover Date Range' line I've added a new line called 'Expected AUS Issues in Cover Date Range'. This will allow me to differentiate between how many issues technically exist within the agreed date range, and how many of them I believe will turn up as AUS copies. I've made a start on that, hence the reduced number in the second from bottom key row above In the key, I've added two extra elements: Where I have confirmation that an AUS copy exists, but cannot quite make out the AUS price, I note that price on the sheet as $TBC until a clearer copy emerges Where I see multiple examples of a US edition with an 'official' looking AUS price sticker (X-Force #1 and 2 for example), I record those issues on the sheet as 'stickered'. They do not form part of the overall number in my research as a US copy with a price sticker, regardless of how official it looks, cannot be called a price variant. Only a printed price fits the criteria I'm hoping to complete the gap review over the weekend at which point I should be able to say: How many APVs are currently confirmed to exist (1,262) For those confirmed titles, how many issues exist in the APV date window (1,701) And finally how may APVs are expected to exist, once the obvious gaps have been accounted for / discounted (somewhere between the above two figures!) Obviously, all figures change as and when a new title is discovered but, as I said in an earlier post, I take heart that Gary only had 2 that I didn't (and they were both annuals). See ya soon! Current Confirmed APV Issue List

Where did it come from! What is it!

While we're on the subject, here are some of the positive things we get out of being a member of this forum: It's free to join You can create an identity for yourself and personalise your own homepage and posts You can share and receive information with possibly the biggest comic community in the world You can make new friends, regardless of where you are in the world, and stay in touch with existing ones You can have you say on any comic related matter and, in the case of the WC, most other things too You can post images, gifs and videos with ease and with no restrictions on volume You can promote your own website You can sell your comics, create a feedback thread, build a reputation You can promote your offsite ebay sales You can send private emails to friends and members You can start threads on topics that interest you You can ask questions and, more often than not, get the answer you seek You can provide detailed information to the community about things that interest you You can join competitions, win and offer prizes You can tag people that you would like a response from, or to show them something that you think will interest them You can create a gallery of all your comics You can create a journal to showcase your hobbies or pursuit of a dream You can interact with people in a reasonably observed atmosphere, knowing that abuse will not be tolerated If you make a mistake - we all do - you are given many opportunities to calm down by a moderation team that you don't pay for, reflect and return later You can share best practice, warn other users of bad practice You can become a part of a community - we often see groups pulling together when one of our number are in trouble You can be serious, you can be silly, you can have fun - there are areas for all these types of activity When you can do all these things for free, isn't it a bit silly to complain that certain cosmetic functional elements are 'unacceptable!' How many of us feel this community is not an important part of our daily lives? How many of us would miss it dearly if it were to close, as other much loved sites have closed? This place is largely fantastic - and it's FREE Lets' enjoy it while we can, warts and all

Yes, it's not the best is it Jim. But we have raised this point as a community many times over the last 3 years and nothing has changed so it seems we're stuck with it. I agree Roy, the latest unread pm should be the default however it is accessed. In the meantime, the black circle thing works. Maybe just get used to using that. Sometimes is does Mark, sometimes it doesn't. That is another feature of the current software - the inconsistency of functional outcomes.

Roy, in respect of your first point there is a way to always go straight to the newly advised pm (and not the first in the pm stream, if it has previous entries). On your desktop, when you have a PM notification pop up, ignore the notification itself and look to the top right envelope next to your avatar which will show how many new pm's you have. Here you can see I have one (popular guy, me): If you click on the envelope it will show who the pm is from (in this case Jimmers) and you will see to the left of the pm title a small black circle (in between Jimmers flashing bonce and the word 'Can...' If you click on that circle you will be taken to the new pm, not the start of the pm stream. This black circle thing exists elsewhere on the boards. For example, if you look at, say, Comics General, you will see the black circle to the left of any thread title in which there are posts that you have not yet read. Hover over the circle and it says 'Go to first unread post': The black circle thing is not ideal, it's a little bit finicky, but it works when you're on your desktop. Hope that helps.

No worries. Art can have it's technical faults and yet still dazzle (see also some Kirby art). As a kid, Steranko dazzled me. His art has something. Well, for me and you anyway.

Thanks Hep. The pence copy has been on my wants list for many years. It's the only one I've ever seen in hand, and only the second in any format. Some of the early pence copies are becoming ridiculously scarce now. Not necessarily worth a great deal, but rarer than hen's teeth. Here's how I came about it....

I love it too and said so in another thread here (the inspiration for this thread). There are a few anatomical issues of course, but the overall effect is oddly mesmerising. So to clarify, the Steranko is my best 'Cap and Hulk' cover. It's the other one that makes me want to tear my eyes out with it's lazy mediocrity.

Taking an extended break I'll bet. Not a bad idea, looking about the place.

Anyone heard from @bc lately? I haven't seen him post for quite a while. Hope he's ok

Yes, shut your nasty little face, Nice Face.

Thanks Hep. Pop over to my Brent thread and all will be revealed....

Domo Arrabiata Sauce Domo Arrabiata Sauce Domo Arrabiata Sauce

OK, this will either run and run, die a quick death, or someone will dig out the "we've done this before" thread Show me your best renditions of a character(s) alongside the worst. Here's one to set the tone. I'll let you judge which is which: