Garystar

It proves nothing but I can only add whenever I found T&P Marvels (they were several years old by then) they were always as new condition - they didn’t look like they’d travelled back and forth across America and sat in a USA spinner for weeks.

Yes in 1973 and onwards a months worth came at once, ALL January cover dated comics arrived in January irrespective of release dates.

Happy to be corrected but I thought Steranko negotiated a deal on joining Marvel that he could keep his art which was not the industry norm, nor Marvel’s, as someone has said, until the mid 70s. Stan must have been immensely impressed by him or Jim was a persuasive negotiator confident in his own ability even as a newcomer. (Might have to do some re-reading if I’m wrong).

No proof, just recollections, unless I've missed something concrete. And for what period anyway? Always, or just a few specific years? Definitely when I started collecting in 1973 Marvel 6p UKPVs were always on sale in UK the month they were cover dated. I never gave it a thought they should be anything other, indeed I could never understand why, for example, FF 133 cover dated April was a New Year’s Eve story. (Outside of timeframe we are discussing I know but is a line in sand).

Agree I don’t think b) is likely but a) possible. If a contract was in place between T&P and Marvel and/or Marvel and printers for 10,000 UKPVs and T&P released they could sell 20,000 then stamps may have been win/win for all concerned.

It’s not just the arrival dates which tell us this - xmas and new year stories always appeared in March dated Marvels.

Couple of thoughts; UK introduced duel and decimal pricing long before decimalisation. The 5p coin was introduced in 1968 so just because a product is marked 5p doesn’t necessarily mean it was first on sale post February 1971. Do we know that returns were returns from shops? Is it possible that some/most/all returns were from distribution warehouses that didn’t even make it to retail outlets? If this were so it would potentially speed up the journey to UK. I did postulate a couple of theories to my own question why do 5p stamps and 1/- UKPVs exist simultaneously; a) demand had grown and there were not enough UKPVs to cover it. b) There was a crossover of UK distribution- World Distributors were doing the UKPVs and T&P the stamps.

Checked mine - all cents or pence, none stamped.

It’s not just foreign editions which use early drafts. Marvel Milestone XMen 1 has the beam, Marvel Milestone FF 1 has the figure at end of street.

If you compare rectangle logo box cent copies have marvel comicS group whereas UKPV have marvel comic group. The no price copy you have spotted would therefore appear to be intended as UKPV as the S is missing.

This week ComicTom’s hot comics included X-Men #50, I noticed the image he showed was a T&P - presumably that’s what bumped up the price;

Alan Moore and Brian Bolland did a promotional tour in UK signing copies of Killing Joke (they signed inside the book). The shop I went to was stand in line - get book signed - move on. Both Alan and Brian seemed pleasant enough with fans during this brief encounter.

No. Mine are unstamped cents. I too have these on my list as the start of ND. I only suggested MGC 32 as possible latest stamp as it has same time frame as the Special Marvel Edition you posted but I don’t think there will be one.

Doh! Went right over my head. Serves me right for reading late at night.

Google shows there is a Forbidden Planet shop in Cambridge - they are (probably) the biggest high street presence in UK for comics. I’d be amazed if they couldn’t get you any new comic you wanted. However their shops do not usually carry much in the way of back issues, especially not vintage stuff.

How can you tell this? I see what looks like a subscription crease but could it not simply be a regular T&P which some one has folded up to put in their pocket? I can’t imagine an individual sending the odd copy to T&P and I can’t imagine T&P getting stock via subscription. Puzzling.

There are no UK variants any more, Marvels stopped mid-80s and other publishers around same time with the introduction/popularization of Direct editions. You will only find American comics “off the stand” in specialised shops or on-line. There are UK compilations reprinting US material which you can find in news agents but you wouldn’t mistake these for originals. Google the town you are moving to and comic shop - if nothing where you are moving to there are on-line dealers who can provide you with whatever you want.

Although nothing like it was in early nineties new comics are easy to get, most towns of any size will have a specialised shop selling comics who can order in whatever you want. Alternatively dealers on line and plenty of eBay sellers. Pre-covid comic cons were common however, despite being called comic cons, very few comic dealers to be seen. The only all comic con I am aware of is in London every few months. Back issues - specialist dealers on line and eBay. High grade silver age is difficult to find in UK but if you’re patient you have a chance. Golden age - hardly worth looking in UK especially if you’re fussy on grade.

In case the thread goes of the rails, a bit more Alan Class Steranko;

It wasn’t just Alan Class......

Hadn’t realised £1 fees had gone however I had an offer from eBay for this W/E to sell for 2% plus 30p providing items sell over £30.

I’m in UK and you got a month longer than I did with PayPal. I was reluctant but I must admit for me the switch has been painless. I do agree though I think it may curb my buying, when you have that money sat in a PayPal account as opposed to a “real” bank account it does mentally make it easier to spend.

This seemed odd at first, a 5 month shelf life between release and cover dates. However looking at some of Marvels other reprint titles around the same time they also have a 5 month gap - Marvel Tales 32, Fear 5, marvels greatest comics 32 (might tie for last stamp) mighty marvel western 14 ... so this appears to have been deliberate.

Perhaps that’s why Fury is wearing gloves

What’s better than a Steranko Nick Fury SHIELD? According to Alan, two Steranko Nick Fury SHIELDs;