rakehell

Anyone bidding on this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THE-X-MEN-1-1ST-APPEARANCE-1963-VG-KEY-ISSUE-SILVER-AGE-99p-MARVEL-COMICS-SALE/362706543302 Looks a bit pricey, considering condition. It is an X-Men 1, but...

I'm afraid to ask what came second.

I think you scored. Those X-Men look fantastic. Jealous now.

Snap. Waaaay too much money for Rakehell.

Very little, generally. Hurts too much. I agree. Sadly, I think that most American collectors (which translates roughly as ‘most collectors’) have no knowledge of, or interest in any comic book produced for or in a foreign country. Even if, as we know (having the knowledge of all knowing something or other), that makes them a considerably more rare variant of the books they know and happily collect all the live-long day. So, it would make little difference to them what the printing order was. I say this as an American living in the UK who has been collecting for almost fifty years. It took me a good few years to appreciate the significance of these books & I’m old enough to remember a few of them (US pricing, obviously) from the spinner racks In King Super & Peoples Drug Store. Looking at today’s market, the vast majority of collectors see the term ‘variant’ as a signifier of something specifically produced in small quantities and designed to be highly collectable, preferably with a signature defacing it and with a certificate of authenticity and absolutely no historical context attached to it whatsoever. We represent a niche within a niche & rabbit holes are places most people send ferrets down. Or something slightly less cynical.

This is why I have so few comics in my collection. I'm just too cheap.

Anyone else watching this one? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JOB-LOT-OF-VISTA-ATLAS-THORPE-PORTER-COMICS-1960s-SILVER-AGE-VERY-GOOD/143331721027?hash=item215f3c7f43:g:Az0AAOSw5eRdL5DD I was really keen when it started at £19. Went a bit nuts overnight. Sigh...

I knew it!

I've been away myself, so I'm not even sure I'm here. Though it is true that Old Marwood is notable by his absence. He'll probably be back in a few days having discovered a Portuguese Escudo variant of AF15, or something equally astounding.

Recent ebay score A preponderance of pence Power Mans, as Marwood might say. Or is that Power Men?

Cheers, Larry!

I knew there was another... Found my files!!

According to Marwood's impeccable research, 840 DC pence only printed variants compared with 3019 (so far?) for Marvel. So, less common indeed. Having said that, Marvel started with their pence prices in 1960 & carried on through to 1981. DC had a little tryout in 1971 with five books & didn't bother again until 1978. Even then, they only printed pence only variants until 1981, when both companies went with dual pricing.

I'm thinking it was maybe another monster reprint title. But, again... blueberries...

I've seen these. I'm thinking there might be a third like this, but I still haven't found my memory stick since moving house. It has all of my scans and spreadsheets on it & I'm sure I made note of another, closer in time to JIM 13. I could, of course, be stuffed full of wild blueberry muffins...

That's what I meant, I just didn't want to diminish your contribution. And, you're doing that name thing again. You've got me trying to check the label in my underpants...

Surprised I'm the first to comment here... Thanks, Steve & well done for all your hard work on this. I've enjoyed watching your research develop over the past couple of years. This will prove to be an important addition to our hobby. Can't wait for the article in Overstreet! Chin, chin!

It's a great way to learn another language. I just came back from a holiday in Austria. Seven days of "Die Simpsons" in German! They could maybe do a better job of casting the voice artists, but "D'oh" is a multi-lingual phrase.

Ah. That makes sense. Possibly someone wanted to teach their kids Spanish the lazy way. Also, I now want to go to Belize to search for lost Golden Age gems left by the troops.

Hmmm... Trying to think of an overseas British Territory with a Spanish speaking population... Anguilla? Gibraltar maybe?

I think they probably paid some of them per stamp. Here's one from my collection:

I like bound volumes, but I never see them in the wild. See 'em all damn day at work (British Library), but I get into trouble if I take them home. I probably would, if I weren't going on holiday. Thanks for the consideration, though.