EwanUK

Interesting. The story seems a bit easier to read with the new colors.

hum. not sure I like it. It makes it look like a modern Marvel book (perhaps that's the idea) I always liked the original garish colours...

And is it me or has some of the dialogue changed subtly?

The new lettering... dare I say it... makes it sound a bit 6th formy...

However, on the plus side they've kept the Marvelman / Nietzsche intro!

Don't know if this has been covered in this thread or is common knowledge, but there was a U.K. variant of Miracleman #1. I've read an estimated print run of 1,000-2,000, making it much rarer than the normal U.S. edition (with approx. 135,000 print run). The U.K. variant has a yellow back cover with a Quality Comics advertisement, not the black Zot! advertisement. With the probable increased interest in Miracleman coming in a couple months, it might be something to keep an eye out for.

Hi, this was discussed back in the mid to late 40s (pages of this thread!) - one fellow MM collector has an enviable CGC 9.6 of the UK no.1

The indicia and inside front cover (as well as the yellow back cover) are also different. The 135k print run for MM no.1 is accurate, and I've no reason to disbelieve the 1-2k UK print run, particularly as Dez said Titan had to import American versions to the UK when it launched.

I still have the UK version I bought as a 13 year old in August 1985

I recall it being super HOT at the time. Everyone was talking about it.

By contrast, Warrior no.1s print run was only 44,000.

Does anyone know what modern print runs are likely to be? i.e. the newly launched Marvel Miracleman?

MarvelMiracleman !

No scan to hand but here's my log entry

"Miracleman" used in one caption of exposition regarding The Fury, on page 3 of the Captain Britain story, "A Crooked World" by Alan Moore & Alan Davis 5pg. "IT BATTLED COLONEL TUSKER AND HIS KILLER TOYS. IT BATTLED THE ATOMIC POWERHOUSE CALLED MIRACLEMAN. IT KILLED THEM. IT HAS BECOME USED TO SUPER-HEROES...", "IT FINDS THEM PREDICTABLE..."

So MSH 387 "name"

MSH 388 "name of gravestone"

DD 7 "pictured appearance"

Out of the 3, I've always found 388 the hardest to find, and certainly the hardest to find in grade. I've had NM+ copies of both 387 and 7 over the years.

BTW, the other update I've been meaning to post here is about our friend the super-rare MM 2D

Did you see the NON-SIGNED & NUMBERED 2D on ebay a month or so back? It sold for about £500

I was one of the under bidders but a friend in Canada snared the comic, he also was in contact with Cat Yronwode following a chat we had. With permission, here's his email

Hi Ewan,

I got a response from Cat Yronwode yesterday with regards to my email to her about MM 2D.

Thought you would find it interesting.

Here it is:

Hi Andrew,

As explained in our comics and in fanzines of the era, Eclipse's 2-D printings of 3-D titles were made for the benefit of our vision-impaired customers who, like myself, cannot see in 3-D.

The 2-D editions of Eclipse's 3-D comics were printed on heavier paper stock because they were printed at our local Kinko's and that's the only white paper that they had. Your idea that this was part of a "trial print run" on heavier paper is not the case -- we simply had the printer send us a short stack of extra covers and then we had Kinko's print the b&w books and staple them into the covers and trim them for us.

There were always exactly 100 signed copies of each 2-D title offered for sale, but, as is standard in the printing industry, we also always ran a few extra copies as overage, to account for, and insure against, possible spoilage of copies during manufacture or damage to copies during shipping and distribution. Spoilage copies generally amount to 5-10% of a print run, and so, on a print run of 100 copies, we calculated a standard overage of 10 copies.

These spoilage copies were not signed or sold. Two copies were placed in our office files (which were later donated to Michigan State University Library in East Lansing, Michigan), and any that remained after distribution of the signed copies was completed were given away free to our office staff.

We did not reprint these 2-D titles, and some sold out quickly. Others were less popular, and, feeling no reason to sign copies for which we had not yet received orders, I kept the less-popular titles bagged by tens and unsigned until orders came in. Some of these copies remained unsold and unsigned at the time of Eclipse's dissolution, at which time, I would estimate that a few titles may have had as many as 20 unsigned but originally-slated-for-signage copies left. These were sold in bulk to New Dimensions Comics, unsigned.

Miracleman, however, was one of the 2-D editions that definitely sold out its entire run of 100 copies, so it can safely be assumed that the copy you have came either from office staff or from a library deacquisition (or theft?) of the two office copies deposited at MSU.

Interesting?

So more than a hundred out there. Potentially 5-20 unsigned.

Cat re-iterates one went to MSU - so it must have been stolen.

And... I still haven't got one!

As a very long-term MIracleman fan and collector thought I'd chip in with my views on Marvel's re-launch...

Being called "Miracleman" rather than "Marvelman". Completely approve. Always 2 (or even 3) seperate characters for me anyway. Remember, "Miracleman" actually first debuted in a Captain Britain story in a Marvel UK title (MSH 387) not in Eclipse's MM no.1. If I was a writer I'd somehow tie this in in a future story.

Completing the run: thrilled this is happening. I bought my copy of MM no.24 in 1994, it will be an astonishing 20 or 21 years till I get to read no.25. Quite a cliff-hanger!

"The Original Writer" well, it's just not important. Moore is Moore. Everyone knows it's him. But do we know if Alan Davis is calling himself "the original artist" ? Or have they made up?

Warpsmith's - I have stopped correspondence with Garry Leach but when I last heard he was refusing to sell them to Marvel. Does anyone know how this resolved? Assume by a larger amount of cash?

The new Marvel covers: mostly are either terrible (that childish Manga one - why?) or worse, just non-descript computer-coloured could-be-any-super-hero-looking-a-bit-cross type pictures.. only Buckingham gets it.

Overall: it's great news - but I guess I have some natural reservations. I''m reminded how the Watchmen fans felt when they did the movie...

And what next for the MM collector? Well still continuing with the L Miller and fanzines. And yes, I'll probably gor for a CGC 9.8 set of the new ones too...

He has made it clear in the past that he's not willing to sign Miracleman issues.

 

Thank you, when I googled I couldn't find any results and was really just looking for some facts!

 

I won't waste my time!

Ironically I do have a copy of X-Men Archives Featuring Captain Britain signed by Alan Davis - I say ironic as this issue has a cameo from Young Miracleman (called "Rick") - so about as close as I can get to him signing a Miracleman book...

You need to buy them all and then some

 

Yep - a full CGC 9.8 blue label set of MM #1-24 plus the 3-D special won't even get you in the top 5.

I've not looked at the registry for ages now, expect I've dropped a few places as I sold all of my MM CGCs apart from my no.1 9.8 (double cover) and my no.23 9.8 (the first). If I recall, I was top registry in 2006 and 2007 but you didn't even need every issue or in 9.8 in them old days!

I gave up and sulked because the endless sig series / 9.9 arms race was just honestly getting too expensive and Michael clearly had better contacts than me!

As I search MM on ebay these days, every other book seems to be a sig series! There must be tons out there!

Still, it's great to see the book still so popular and the 2D's finally made an appearance. I now collect -

1. Miracleman in fanzines - I'm still finding new stuff occassionally

2. L Miller Marvelman - I have over half the 700+ issues now - but by crikey it's hard work. Some of the issues must be as rare as 1 or 2 copies in existence

3. Warrior badges - I have all the MM ones - but the rest are impossible !

Still all good fun

Milky Bar at Marske?

Or some worrying manhood lurgy?

and Moore...

 

Where could I ask about those posters? Any UK forum of Marvelites you happen to know?

 

They're both from the 1982 Marvel UK Marvel Super Heroes comic - not sure which numbers but from the Davis / Moore issues so no.377 to 397 I think

 

just passing through...

 

Many thanks but… I have none how those, and I am sure I pulled them from my books. I have just a few issues of the second Captain Britain series and two Captain Britain annual magazines (from 1979 and 1980). How’s that possible?

Erm... maybe you're a secret poster thief?

But they really are. From the following issues I believe and here's the others -

That's brilliant Andy. Haven't seen it since it was on - around 1994 I reckon. Can't stand comic relief but we watched this by chance - we were on our way out and switched it on. Hilarious stuff.

 

Bob was a semi regular in our local (Star and Garter Andrew) around this time, especially after the Boro matches.

 

Yeah, saw him a few times in there and other places.

I was at Teesside Poly / Uni between 1990 and 1996 so frequented the Star many, many times. it was across from the Union.

Next door was The Southfield which was a little more localised.

Later up the road opened the erm.... can't recall. It was more upmarket and full of Boro footballers so all the best looking lasses went there.

When I first went in 1990 there was a pub on the top road called "The Empire" - drugs were on sale keenly at the door. I think it got renamed.

We used to go to Madisons on a weds night to find girls. Mostly unsuccessfully.

Hi guys, sorry if posting this request here is inappropriate, but since this is "a little corner of the UK", I thought it fitted

 

I am sorting out my non-US Marvel stuff, and came across two mini-posters I recall I pulled out from a pair of UK magazines I own. They are these, one is an Alan Davis Hawkeye poster, and the other one a Daredevil (unidentified artist):

 

2nd one is by Bryan Talbot

 

Where could I ask about those posters? Any UK forum of Marvelites you happen to know?

They're both from the 1982 Marvel UK Marvel Super Heroes comic - not sure which numbers but from the Davis / Moore issues so no.377 to 397 I think

just passing through...

I won mine on ebay from EwanUK and paid using a very rare Warrior badge!!

 

Wow! very pleased for you to have got a 9.8 from it! never occured to me to get them graded. Looks great - though you'd have thought they could've added some description to the label!

I've never been able to determine when Eclipse Extra finished. Anyone?

The Warrior badges have dried up... so difficult to find...

I reckon the no.15 9.9 would maybe hit $2,000 on it's own as the label is unique.

There are two CGC 9.9's now; one went for $2,000 and one for almost $3,000

pretty good guess then!

how can there SUDDENLY be 2 9.9s

so are there 4 now? haven't checked for a while - two no.15s, no.12 and no.17?

....

what is a lot more scarce than is generaly appreciated is the British version of no.1 (different back cover, indicia and advert). This wasn't distributed in America.

 

I believe the UK edition print run was around 1,500 copies but this is a middle figure and could be out by a few hundred either way. Quite rare compared to the international edition and maybe one to collect!

 

Where have you got that figure from pls? I'd really like to know this for definite.

 

1,500 seems on the low side considering how hyped the book was at the time. However, I know Titan imported a lot of the US versions at the time.

 

....."Print run on the second issue was more like 90,000. Eclipse used to tell terrible lies to make retailers overorder/panic buy! The UK run-on of #1 (with changes to the inside front cover and back cover) was only around 1,000 to 2,000 copies."

sorry to be dim, where is that quote from? who is "an insider"

this sounds like Dez?

If this is correct then the no.1 UK is a very scarce book in comparison

Miracleman #15 9.9 and rest in 9.8

 

Very impressive. I'm pretty sure a couple of those are my ex-books. Or maybe I bought from him, can't quite recall. My no.12 9.9 went to the States.

Worth $14,000? I doubt it.

I decided to sell my 1-24 enhanced 9.8 largely book by book as I didn't think the market could afford to buy the whole run.

My no.12 9.9 went for £500 / $800

I reckon the no.15 9.9 would maybe hit $2,000 on it's own as the label is unique.

The Apocs are hard to get in 9.8, as is the A1 and Book 1.

It doesn't have a no.23 9.8 though... I still have the 1st and best

....

what is a lot more scarce than is generaly appreciated is the British version of no.1 (different back cover, indicia and advert). This wasn't distributed in America.

 

I believe the UK edition print run was around 1,500 copies but this is a middle figure and could be out by a few hundred either way. Quite rare compared to the international edition and maybe one to collect!

Where have you got that figure from pls? I'd really like to know this for definite.

1,500 seems on the low side considering how hyped the book was at the time. However, I know Titan imported a lot of the US versions at the time.

The CL one has no reserve and starts at $1. Should be interesting to watch.

 

But I could put a reserve on it....

It's a difficult one to call. I would as a seller as the book is untested in the market... but as I potential buyer

It's a revalation that Cat Yronwode just wrote any number in there - i.e. "23" just because you'd asked.

the implicatons give me a headache

I have the top UK CGC copy (9.6); I might even sell it at the right price . Note that Dez Skinn has even run out of UK copies now (and he did have a big stash of them at one time) so maybe getting harder to get hold of.

 

cool - can we see a scan please?

is it noted?

 

Well there is a story there, CGC missed it (even after being told twice) but I spotted it after grading and got them to correct it (not sure if they had already encapsulated at that point) before shipping so I do have the "U.K. Edition" noted on the left of the label. I might sell it as I have a few #1's now (including a CGC s/s signed by Garry Leach with a Blue certificate so also signed by Cat and Dean!).

 

lovely copy. Probably nicest we will see.

I now only have no.1 and no.23 in graded copies. My no.1 is a 9.8 double-cover

The UK edition has a striking yellow rear cover.

Was it distributed in British newsgaents? That's a really good question.

Certainly no.s 2 to 24 weren't.

So print run something like:

 

#01 - 135,000

#02 - 86,000

#03 - 91,000

#04 - 76,000

#05 - 86,000

#06 - 70,000

#07 - 61,000

#08 - 59,000

#09 - 63,000

#10 - 53,000

#11 - 45,000

#12 - 47,000

#13 - 42,000

#14 - 41,000

#15 - 35,000

#16 - 40,000

#17 - 38,000

#18 - 40,000

#19 - 39,000

#20 - 35,000

#21 - 34,000

#22 - 35,000

#23 - 36,000

#24 - 32,000

 

Well my world is now turned upside-down. I thought the print runs were way lower.

 

Those are tiny for the time.

 

I had always taken the 5000-7000 numbers as scripture. The runs are evidently 6x what I thought they were. It's like, relative, man.

 

I understand. I think there were more than 5000-7000 copies of 1-5 at every con I set up for in the eighties.

The 135,000 figure for no.1 comes from Dez who was co-publisher: "The 135,000 print run for Miracleman #1 has left the US about 20% short of actual orders"

So it was also vastly over-ordered. While I was only 13 at the time I remember the launch of the book being super-hyped and hot.

No.2 had a 70,000 print run.

In comparison, Garry Leach has said Warrior no.1 had a launch print run of 44,000 - of which 34,000 were for the UK market, and 10,000 for US.

The final issues - No.24 to No.26 just 15,000.

So much rarer than MM no.15 or no.24

Warrior sets do very well, and are getting better. My sub-set went for an astonishing £360 earlier this year.

I have the top UK CGC copy (9.6); I might even sell it at the right price . Note that Dez Skinn has even run out of UK copies now (and he did have a big stash of them at one time) so maybe getting harder to get hold of.

cool - can we see a scan please?

is it noted?

As for CGC taking note -- I submitted it directly into an employee's hands at a convention here in Austin, and pointed out the 2D interior and had it noted on the paperwork. And they missed it; when I got it back the first time, there was nothing noted on the label. Complained, sent it back, and then they got it right.

good grief - they're so professional

Don't read any significance into this serial number (#23) indicating how many copies might be out there. I requested #23 in my letter to cat, and hurray, she complied.

oh no

Reads more... hey this is actually a great site

but...

The print runs on Miracleman started at just over 20,000 for issue #1 but, by issue #11, that had halved. Miracleman #15 is the most famous of the issues featuring the death of Kid Miracleman but also rare due to a low print run of just over 7,000. Issue #21 is rarer still with a print run under 7,000 but the rarest of all is #24 with a print run of only 6,400.

This is inaccurate. These widely misunderstood numbers come from the CBG guide and were pre-order numbers for a distributer (if I recall)

Miracleman no.1 had a confimed print run of 135,000

what is a lot more scarce than is generaly appreciated is the British version of no.1 (different back cover, indicia and advert). This wasn't distributed in America.